God’s Word Translation
2 Kings 23:13
13The king made the illegal places of worship east of Jerusalem unclean. They were on the southern part of the Hill of Destruction. King Solomon of Israel had built them for Astarte (the disgusting goddess of the Sidonians), Chemosh (the disgusting god of Moab), and Milcom (the disgusting god of the Ammonites).
2 Kings 23:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.
- New International Version (NIV)The king also desecrated the high places that were east of Jerusalem on the south of the Hill of Corruption—the ones Solomon king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the vile goddess of the Sidonians, for Chemosh the vile god of Moab, and for Molek the detestable god of the people of Ammon.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And the king defiled the high places that were east of Jerusalem, to the south of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then the king defiled the high places that were east of Jerusalem, which were on the south of the Mount of Corruption, which Solomon king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the people of Ammon.
Context of 2 Kings 23:13
11He removed the horses that Judah’s kings had dedicated to the sun god at the entrance of the Lord’s temple. They were in the temple courtyard near the room of the eunuch Nathan Melech. He also burned the chariots of the sun god, 12the altars that Judah’s kings had made and placed on the roof of Ahaz’s upstairs room, and the altars Manasseh had made in the two courtyards of the Lord’s temple. The king tore them down from there, crushed them, and dumped their rubble in the Kidron Valley. The king made the illegal places of worship east of Jerusalem unclean. They were on the southern part of the Hill of Destruction. King Solomon of Israel had built them for Astarte (the disgusting goddess of the Sidonians), Chemosh (the disgusting god of Moab), and Milcom (the disgusting god of the Ammonites). 14Josiah crushed the sacred stones, cut down the poles dedicated to Asherah, and filled their places with human bones. 15He also tore down the altar at Bethel—the place of worship made by Jeroboam (Nebat’s son), who had made Israel sin. He tore down both the altar and the place of worship. They burned the worship site, crushing it to powder and burning the pole dedicated to Asherah.
Read all of 2 Kings 232 Kings 23:13 word by word
וְֽאֶת־הַבָּמ֞וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר׀ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם אֲשֶׁר֮ מִימִ֣ין לְהַר־הַמַּשְׁחִית֒ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּ֠נָה שְׁלֹמֹ֨ה מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל לְעַשְׁתֹּ֣רֶת׀ שִׁקֻּ֣ץ צִידֹנִ֗ים וְלִכְמוֹשׁ֙ שִׁקֻּ֣ץ מוֹאָ֔ב וּלְמִלְכֹּ֖ם תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת בְּנֵֽי־עַמּ֑וֹן טִמֵּ֖א הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the high placesבָּמָהbâmâh · high placeH1116
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
- on the right handיָמִיןyâmîyn · right: southH3225
- of the mountהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
- of corruptionמַשְׁחִיתmashchîyth · destructionH4889
- which Solomonשְׁלֹמֹהshelômôh · SolomonH8010
- the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- had buildedבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
- for Ashtorethעַשְׁתֹּ֫רֶת‛ashtôreth · AshtorethH6253
- the abominationשִׁקּוּץshiqqûts shiqqûts · abominationH8251
- of the Zidoniansצִידֹנִיtsîydônîy tsidônîy · SidonianH6722
- and for Chemoshכְּמוֹשׁkemôsh kemîysh · ChemoshH3645
- of the Moabitesמוֹאָבmô'âb · MoabH4124
- and for Milcomמִלכֹּםmalkâm milkôm · MilcomH4445
- the abominationתּוֹעֵבַהtô‛êbah tô‛êbah · abominationH8441
- of the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Ammonעַמּוֹן‛ammôn · AmmonH5983
- defileטָמֵאţâmê' · to defileH2930
Cross-references for 2 Kings 23:13
- 1 Kings 11:7Then Solomon built an illegal worship site on the hill east of Jerusalem for Chemosh (the disgusting idol of Moab) and for Molech (the disgusting idol of the Ammonites).
- Nehemiah 13:26I said, “Wasn’t it because of marriages like these that King Solomon of Israel sinned? There wasn’t a king like him among all nations. God loved him, and God made him king of all Israel. But his non-Israelite wives led him to sin.
- Judges 2:13They abandoned the Lord to serve the god Baal and the goddess Astarte.
- Judges 10:6The people of Israel again did what the Lord considered evil. They began to serve other gods and goddesses—the Baals and the Astartes—and the gods of Aram, Sidon, Moab, Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines. They abandoned the Lord and did not serve him.
- 1 Samuel 7:4So the Israelites got rid of the statues of Baal and Astarte and served only the Lord.
- 1 Samuel 12:10Then they cried out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned. We have abandoned the Lord and served other gods and goddesses—the Baals and the Astartes. But rescue us from our enemies now, and we will serve you.’
- 1 Kings 11:5Solomon followed Astarte (the goddess of the Sidonians) and Milcom (the disgusting idol of the Ammonites).
- Numbers 21:29How horrible it is for you, Moab! You are destroyed, you people of the god Chemosh. Chemosh let his sons become refugees and he let his daughters become prisoners of King Sihon of the Amorites.
- Judges 11:24Shouldn’t you take possession of what your god Chemosh took for you? Shouldn’t we take everything the Lord our God took for us?
- Jeremiah 48:7Since you trust the things you do and your treasures, you will be captured. Chemosh will go into captivity with all its priests and officials.
- Zephaniah 1:5I will remove those who worship all the stars in the sky on their rooftops and those who worship by swearing loyalty to the Lord while also swearing loyalty to the god Milcom.
Commentaries on 2 Kings 23:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13Mount of corruption - This, says Jarchi, following the Chaldee, was the mount of Olives, for this is the mount המשחה hammishchah, of unction; but because of the idolatrous purposes for which it was used, the Scripture changed the appellation to the mount המשחית hammashchith, of corruption. Ashtoreth the abomination, etc. - See on 1 Kings 11:7; (note).Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4-20Verses 4-20 A parenthesis giving the earlier reforms of Josiah. 2 Kings 23:4 The priests of the second order - This is a new expression; and probably refers to the ordinary priests, called here “priests of the second order,” in contrast with the high priest, whose dignity was reviving (2 Kings 12:2 note). The vessels - This would include the whole apparatus of worship, altars, images, dresses, utensils, etc., for Baal, etc. (2 Kings 21:3-5 notes). The…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-14Verses 4-14 What abundance of wickedness in Judah and Jerusalem! One would not have believed it possible, that in Judah, where God was known, in Israel, where his name was great, in Salem, in Zion, where his dwelling-place was, such abominations should be found. Josiah had reigned eighteen years, and had himself set the people a good example, and kept up religion according to the Divine law; yet, when he came to search for idolatry, the depth and extent…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13Solomon built the pagan shrines because he had many foreign wives (1 Kings 11:5, 7, 33).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1413-14. the high places ... which Solomon ... had builded--(See on 1Ki 11:5). the right hand of the mount of corruption--The Mount of Olives is a hilly range on the east of Jerusalem. This range has three summits, of which the central one is the Mount of Corruption, so called from the idol temples built there, and of course the hill on the right hand denotes the southernmost peak. Josiah is said not to have destroyed, but only defiled, "the high places on…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Kings 23:13
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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