Hezekiah smashed the bronze serpent because Israel burned incense to it—piety praised
2 Kings 18: Hezekiah destroys Moses’ bronze serpent for incense-cult.
Scripture praises that piety—so even minimal religious cult of an image is banned.
Latin
XLV. Sed quod, juxta rei veritatem, non solum non liceat imaginibus immolare, sed ne vel minima quidem Religionis cultus pars ipsis impendenda sit, evidenter colligi potest, ex historia quae habetur capite decimo octavo libri secundi Regum. Ubi dicitur, Ezechias Rex Judae confregisse Serpentem aeneum, quem fecerat Moses: quoniam filii Israel adolebant ei incensum: eoque nomine pietas Regis istius commendatur.