Revised Literal Translation
2 Kings 23:4
4And 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 Yhwh 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.
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 into the house of Yhwh, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of Yhwh. 3And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before Yhwh, to walk after Yhwh, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant. 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 Yhwh 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. 5And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven. 6And he brought out the grove from the house of Yhwh, without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and stamped it small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people.
Read all of 2 Kings 232 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
- 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 Yhwhיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · 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 24:4And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar; and thus were they divided. Among the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen chief men of the house of their fathers, and eight among the sons of Ithamar according to the house of their fathers.
- Matthew 26:3Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,
- Matthew 27:1When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:
- 2 Kings 22:4Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of Yhwh, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people:
- 1 Chronicles 26:1Concerning the divisions of the porters: Of the Korhites was Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph.
- 2 Kings 21:3For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
- 2 Chronicles 33:3For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
- 2 Chronicles 34:3For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.
- 2 Kings 17:16And they left all the commandments of Yhwh their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.
- Judges 2:13And they forsook Yhwh, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.
- 1 Kings 16:31And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.
- 1 Kings 18:19Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table.
- 1 Kings 19:18Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
- Isaiah 27:9By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit to take away his sin; when he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in sunder, the groves and images shall not stand up.
- Jeremiah 7:9Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not;
- 2 Samuel 15:23And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of 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
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
Revised Literal Translation — © 2018 Michael W. Jones, Sr. — GPL
Commentaries