2 Kings 23:4

2 Kings 23:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the Lord all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Beth–el.
• New International Version (NIV)The king ordered Hilkiah the high priest, the priests next in rank and the doorkeepers to remove from the temple of the Lord all the articles made for Baal and Asherah and all the starry hosts. He burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron Valley and took the ashes to Bethel.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second order and the keepers of the threshold to bring out of the temple of the Lord all the vessels made for Baal, for Asherah, and for all the host of heaven. He burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron and carried their ashes to Bethel.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, the priests of the second order, and the doorkeepers, to bring out of the temple of the Lord all the articles that were made for Baal, for Asherah, and for all the host of heaven; and he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried their ashes to Bethel.

Context of 2 Kings 23:4

2And the king went up to the Temple of the Lord with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, along with the priests and the prophets—all the people from the least to the greatest. There the king read to them the entire Book of the Covenant that had been found in the Lord’s Temple. 3The king took his place of authority beside the pillar and renewed the covenant in the Lord’s presence. He pledged to obey the Lord by keeping all his commands, laws, and decrees with all his heart and soul. In this way, he confirmed all the terms of the covenant that were written in the scroll, and all the people pledged themselves to the covenant. Then the king instructed Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second rank and the Temple gatekeepers to remove from the Lord’s Temple all the articles that were used to worship Baal, Asherah, and all the powers of the heavens. The king had all these things burned outside Jerusalem on the terraces of the Kidron Valley, and he carried the ashes away to Bethel. 5He did away with the idolatrous priests, who had been appointed by the previous kings of Judah, for they had offered sacrifices at the pagan shrines throughout Judah and even in the vicinity of Jerusalem. They had also offered sacrifices to Baal, and to the sun, the moon, the constellations, and to all the powers of the heavens. 6The king removed the Asherah pole from the Lord’s Temple and took it outside Jerusalem to the Kidron Valley, where he burned it. Then he ground the ashes of the pole to dust and threw the dust over the graves of the people.

2 Kings 23:4 word by word

וַיְצַ֣ו הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ אֶת־חִלְקִיָּהוּ֩ הַכֹּהֵ֨ן הַגָּד֜וֹל וְאֶת־כֹּהֲנֵ֣י הַמִּשְׁנֶה֮ וְאֶת־שֹׁמְרֵ֣י הַסַּף֒ לְהוֹצִיא֙ מֵהֵיכַ֣ל יְהוָ֔ה אֵ֣ת כָּל־הַכֵּלִ֗ים הָֽעֲשׂוּיִם֙ לַבַּ֣עַל וְלָֽאֲשֵׁרָ֔ה וּלְכֹ֖ל צְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וַֽיִּשְׂרְפֵ֞ם מִח֤וּץ לִירוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ בְּשַׁדְמ֣וֹת קִדְר֔וֹן וְנָשָׂ֥א אֶת־עֲפָרָ֖ם בֵּֽית־אֵֽל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• commandedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
• Hilkiahחִלְקִיָּהוּchilqîyâh chilqîyâhû · HilkiahH2518
• the highגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• of the second orderמִשְׁנֶהmishneh · secondH4932
• and the keepersשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
• of the doorסַףsaph · thresholdH5592
• to bring forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: sendH3318
• out of the templeהֵיכָלhêykâl · templeH1964
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• all the vesselsכְּלִיkelîy · article/utensilH3627
• that were madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• for Baalבַּעַלba‛al · BaalH1168
• and for the groveאֲשֵׁרָה'ăshêrâh 'ăshêyrâh · AsherahH842
• and for all the hostצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · armyH6635
• of heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• and he burnedשָׂרַףώâraph · to burnH8313
• them withoutחוּץchûts chûts · outsideH2351
• Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
• in the fieldsשְׁדֵמָהshedêmâh · fieldH7709
• of Kidronקִדְרוֹןqidrôn · KidronH6939
• and carriedנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: bearH5375
• the ashesעָפָר‛âphâr · dustH6083
• of them unto Beth–elבֵּֽיתְ־אֵלbêyth-'êl · BethelH1008

Cross-references for 2 Kings 23:4

• 1 Chronicles 24:4Eleazar’s descendants were divided into sixteen groups and Ithamar’s into eight, for there were more family leaders among the descendants of Eleazar.
• Matthew 26:3At that same time the leading priests and elders were meeting at the residence of Caiaphas, the high priest,
• Matthew 27:1Very early in the morning the leading priests and the elders of the people met again to lay plans for putting Jesus to death.
• 2 Kings 22:4“Go to Hilkiah the high priest and have him count the money the gatekeepers have collected from the people at the Lord’s Temple.
• 1 Chronicles 26:1These are the divisions of the gatekeepers: From the Korahites, there was Meshelemiah son of Kore, of the family of Abiasaph.
• 2 Kings 21:3He rebuilt the pagan shrines his father, Hezekiah, had destroyed. He constructed altars for Baal and set up an Asherah pole, just as King Ahab of Israel had done. He also bowed before all the powers of the heavens and worshiped them.
• 2 Chronicles 33:3He rebuilt the pagan shrines his father, Hezekiah, had broken down. He constructed altars for the images of Baal and set up Asherah poles. He also bowed before all the powers of the heavens and worshiped them.
• 2 Chronicles 34:3During the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, Josiah began to seek the God of his ancestor David. Then in the twelfth year he began to purify Judah and Jerusalem, destroying all the pagan shrines, the Asherah poles, and the carved idols and cast images.
• 2 Kings 17:16They rejected all the commands of the Lord their God and made two calves from metal. They set up an Asherah pole and worshiped Baal and all the forces of heaven.
• Judges 2:13They abandoned the Lord to serve Baal and the images of Ashtoreth.
• 1 Kings 16:31And as though it were not enough to follow the sinful example of Jeroboam, he married Jezebel, the daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians, and he began to bow down in worship of Baal.
• 1 Kings 18:19Now summon all Israel to join me at Mount Carmel, along with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah who are supported by Jezebel.”
• 1 Kings 19:18Yet I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!”
• Isaiah 27:9The Lord did this to purge Israel’s wickedness, to take away all her sin. As a result, all the pagan altars will be crushed to dust. No Asherah pole or pagan shrine will be left standing.
• Jeremiah 7:9Do you really think you can steal, murder, commit adultery, lie, and burn incense to Baal and all those other new gods of yours,
• 2 Samuel 15:23Everyone cried loudly as the king and his followers passed by. They crossed the Kidron Valley and then went out toward the wilderness.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 23:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4The priests of the second order - These were probably such as supplied the place of the high priest when he was prevented: from fulfilling the functions of his office. So the Chaldee understood the place - the sagan of the high priests. But the words may refer to those of the second course or order established by David: though it does not appear that those orders were now in use, yet the distinction was continued even to the time of our Lord. We find the…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. 4remove … all the articles: Josiah removed detestable items related to pagan worship from the temple. the fields of Kidron: The fields of the Kidron Valley were close to the Valley of Ben-Hinnom. In that valley, people once carried out ceremonies for the god Molech. These ceremonies involved burning children as sacrifices. Later, the Kidron Valley became a place where ashes and dead bodies were taken (Jeremiah 26:23). Taking the ashes to Bethel, where…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. the king commanded Hilkiah, &c.--that is, the high priest and other priests, for there was not a variety of official gradations in the temple. all the vessels, &c.--the whole apparatus of idol-worship. burned them without Jerusalem--The law required them to be consigned to the flames (De 7:25). in the fields of Kidron--most probably that part of the valley of Kidron, where lies Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives. It is a level, spacious basin, abounding…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 23:4

• Baal
• Beth-El
• Calf
• Hilkiah
• Iconoclasm
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Josiah
• Prophecy

In the dictionaries

• Baal
• Hilkiah
• Jerusalem
• High priest
• Host of heaven
• Grove
• Jeremiah
• Josiah
• Kings, The Books of
• Pentateuch

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