דברי הימים ב, פרק י״ז, פסוק ד׳

A leader's character is often defined by the popular trends he refuses to follow. The king's righteous path is highlighted by a sharp contrast with the neighboring Kingdom of Israel, which was made up of the Ten Tribes. The primary approach among commentators is that this comparison points to a deliberate rejection of their corrupt practices. Rather than adopting the culture of the northern kingdom, the king actively distanced himself from their way of life. The specific actions he refused to engage in were the widespread sins of worshipping stars and other forms of idolatry that had become the accepted norm among the Ten Tribes.