He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD: This is the standard formula to summarize the reign of a bad king. The meaning is clearly that the usual behavior of this king was contrary to the will of Yahweh. For this reason translators should ensure that a verb form indicating habitual action is used. See the comments on 1 Kgs 11.6 and compare also 1 Sam 15.19. Only in verse 3 does the reader learn that “doing evil in the sight of the LORD” refers specifically to continuing to sin in the tradition of Israelite kings going back to Jeroboam. Bible en français courant restructures verses 2 and 3 as follows, and this may be a good model for other translations:
• He did that which displeased the Lord; he imitated Jeroboam, son of Nebat, who had pushed the people of Israel into sin; he did not stop committing the same sins as him. Nevertheless he was not as bad as his father and his mother, because he got rid of the sacred stone that his father had raised in honor of the god Baal.
Though: The adverb used here in Hebrew marks a concession. It introduces an acknowledgment that in spite of Joram’s overall negative rating, he did do something positive. The same word is translated “Nevertheless” at the beginning of the following verse.
His father and mother are Ahab and Jezebel. Joram’s mother, “Jezebel,” is specifically named in Good News Translation rather than saying simply “his mother.” This is presumably because of the fact that she is especially well known for her evil actions.
For: This transition word introduces an explanation of why Joram was not thought to be as bad as his parents.
Put away: The basic meaning of the Hebrew verb used here is “turned aside” or “removed” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). In this context it has also been translated “did away with” (New Jerusalem Bible and New American Bible), “tore down” (Contemporary English Version), and “got rid of” (New International Version). In some languages the most natural rendering will be “destroyed.”
The pillar of Baal which his father had made: This refers to the story told in 1 Kgs 16.29-34, where Joram’s father Ahab is said to have done “evil in the sight of the LORD more than all that were before him.” The specific act of erecting an altar for Baal is described in 1 Kgs 16.32. While the word “altar” is found in the original story, here the less common word pillar is used. See the comments at 1 Kgs 14.23 on the meaning of this term. For Baal see the comments at 1 Kgs 16.31.
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .