In ancient Israel, household idols played a significant role in the spiritual lives of many people. The book of Hosea mentions a period when Israel would be without a king or prince, and the teraphim would be forgotten, highlighting their widespread use. According to 2 Kings, King Josiah's reforms included the destruction of these household idols, while Ezekiel condemns the false prophetesses who sew magic bands on wrists and make veils for the heads of persons of every age, in connection with the use of teraphim. The psalmist, in contrast, affirms trust in the Lord, rejecting vain idols, as seen in Psalms.
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For the Israelites must live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, and without ephod or idol.
Furthermore, Josiah removed the mediums and spiritists, the household gods and idols, and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem. He did this to carry out the words of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had found in the house of the LORD.
and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: Woe to the women who sew magic charms on their wrists and make veils for the heads of people of every height, in order to ensnare their souls. Will you ensnare the souls of My people but preserve your own?
Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household idols, and ordained one of his sons as his priest.
For You have abandoned Your people, the house of Jacob, because they are filled with influences from the east; they are soothsayers like the Philistines; they strike hands with the children of foreigners.
And the five men who had gone to spy out the land went inside and took the graven image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molten idol, while the priest stood at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred armed men.