Berean Standard Bible
2 Kings 23:6-20
6He broughtH3318 the Asherah poleH842 from the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068 toH413 the KidronH6939 ValleyH5158 outsideH2351 JerusalemH3389, andH6939H5158 there he burnedH8313 itH853, groundH1854 it to powderH6083, and threwH7993 its dustH6083 onH5921 the gravesH6913 of the commonH1121 peopleH5971. 7He also tore downH5422 the quartersH1004 of the male shrine prostitutesH6945 thatH834 were in the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068, whereH834 the womenH802 had wovenH707H8033 tapestriesH1004 for AsherahH842.
8Then Josiah broughtH935 allH3605 the priestsH3548 from the citiesH5892 of JudahH3063 and desecratedH2930 the high placesH1116, fromH834 GebaH1387 toH5704 BeershebaH884, whereH8033 the priestsH3548 had burned incenseH6999. He tore downH5422 the high placesH1116 of the gatesH8179 at the entranceH6607 of the gateH8179 of JoshuaH3091 the governorH8269 of the cityH5892, which wasH834 toH5921 the leftH8040H376 of the cityH5892 gateH8179. 9AlthoughH389 the priestsH3548 of the high placesH1116 did notH3808 come upH5927 toH413 the altarH4196 of the LORDH3068 in JerusalemH3389, they ateH398 unleavened breadH4682 withH8432 their fellow priestsH251.
10He also desecratedH2930 TophethH8612 in the ValleyH1516 of Ben-hinnomH1121H20111 so that noH1115 oneH376 could sacrificeH5674 his sonH1121 or daughterH1323 in the fireH7842 to MolechH4432. 11And he removedH7673 from the entranceH935 to the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068 the horsesH5483 thatH834 the kingsH4428 of JudahH3063 had dedicatedH5414 to the sunH8121. They wereH834 in the courtH65033 nearH413 the chamberH3957 of an officialH5631 named Nathan-melechH5419. AndH853 Josiah burned upH8313H784 the chariotsH4818 of the sunH8121.
12He pulled downH5422 the altarsH4196 thatH834 the kingsH4428 of JudahH3063 had set upH6213 onH5921 the roofH1406 near the upper chamberH5944 of AhazH271, and the altarsH4196 thatH834 ManassehH4519 had set upH6213 in the twoH8147 courtyardsH2691 of the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068. The kingH4428 pulverized themH7323 thereH80334 and threwH7993 their dustH6083 intoH413 the KidronH6939 ValleyH5158.
The kingH4428 also desecratedH2930 the high placesH1116 eastH5921 ofH6440 JerusalemH3389, to the southH3225 of the MountH2022 of CorruptionH4889, whichH834 KingH4428 SolomonH8010 of IsraelH3478 had builtH1129 for AshtorethH6253 the abominationH8251 of the SidoniansH6722, for ChemoshH3645 the abominationH8251 of the MoabitesH4124, and for MilcomH44455 the abominationH8441 of the AmmonitesH1121H5983. 14He smashed the sacred pillarsH4676 to piecesH7665, cut downH3772 the Asherah polesH842, and coveredH4390 the sitesH4725 with humanH120 bonesH6106.
15He evenH1571 pulled downH5422 the altarH4196 at BethelH1008, the high placeH1116 set upH6213 by JeroboamH3379 sonH1121 of NebatH5028, whoH834 had caused IsraelH3478 to sinH2398. Then he burnedH83136 the high placeH1116, groundH1854 it to powderH6083, and burnedH8313 the Asherah poleH842. 16And as JosiahH2977 turnedH6437, he sawH7200 the tombsH6913 thereH8033 on the hillsideH2022, and he sentH7971 someone to takeH3947 the bonesH6106 out ofH4480 the tombsH6913, and he burned themH8313 onH5921 the altarH4196 to defile itH2930, according to the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 proclaimedH7121 by the manH376 of GodH430 whoH834 had foretoldH7121 theseH428 thingsH1697.7
17Then the king askedH559, “WhatH4100 is thisH1975 monumentH6725 IH589 seeH7200?”
And the menH582 of the cityH5892 repliedH559H413, “It is the tombH6913 of the manH376 of GodH430 whoH834 cameH935 from JudahH3063 and proclaimedH7121 theseH428 thingsH1697 thatH834 you have doneH6213 toH5921 the altarH4196 ofH1008 BethelH1008.”
18“Let him restH5117,” saidH559 Josiah. “Do notH408 let anyoneH376 disturbH5128 his bonesH6106.”
So they left his bonesH6106 undisturbedH4422, along with thoseH6106 of the prophetH5030 whoH834 had comeH935 from SamariaH8111.
19Just as JosiahH6213H3605H4639 had doneH6213 at BethelH1008, so alsoH1571 in the citiesH5892 of SamariaH8111 he removedH5493 allH3605 the shrinesH1004 of the high placesH1116 set upH6213 by the kingsH4428 of IsraelH3478 who had provoked the LORD to angerH3707. 20OnH5921 the altarsH4196 he slaughteredH2076 allH3605 the priestsH3548 of the high placesH1116, and he burnedH8313 humanH120 bonesH6106 on themH5921. Then he returnedH7725 to JerusalemH3389.
Notes
- 1. 2 Kings 23:10 Or the Valley of the Son of Hinnom ↩
- 2. 2 Kings 23:10 Literally could pass his son or daughter through the fire ↩
- 3. 2 Kings 23:11 Hebrew parbarim ↩
- 4. 2 Kings 23:12 Or quickly removed them from there ↩
- 5. 2 Kings 23:13 Milcom is a variant of Molech; see Leviticus 18:21 and 1 Kings 11:7. ↩
- 6. 2 Kings 23:15 Hebrew; LXX broke into pieces ↩
- 7. 2 Kings 23:16 See 1 Kings 13:2; Hebrew; LXX includes when Jeroboam stood by the altar at the feast. And he turned and lifted his eyes to the tomb of the man of God. ↩
Commentaries on 2 Kings 23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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Commentaries