Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Josiah smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles and covered the sites with human bones. New Living Translation He smashed the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah poles. Then he desecrated these places by scattering human bones over them. English Standard Version And he broke in pieces the pillars and cut down the Asherim and filled their places with the bones of men. Berean Standard Bible He smashed the sacred pillars to pieces, cut down the Asherah poles, and covered the sites with human bones. King James Bible And he brake in pieces the images, and cut down the groves, and filled their places with the bones of men. New King James Version And he broke in pieces the sacred pillars and cut down the wooden images, and filled their places with the bones of men. New American Standard Bible He also smashed to pieces the memorial stones and cut down the Asherim, and filled their places with human bones. NASB 1995 He broke in pieces the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherim and filled their places with human bones. NASB 1977 And he broke in pieces the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherim and filled their places with human bones. Legacy Standard Bible And he broke in pieces the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherim and filled their places with human bones. Amplified Bible He broke in pieces the sacred pillars (cultic memorial stones, images) and cut down the Asherim and replaced them with human bones [to desecrate the places forever]. Christian Standard Bible He broke the sacred pillars into pieces, cut down the Asherah poles, then filled their places with human bones. Holman Christian Standard Bible He broke the sacred pillars into pieces, cut down the Asherah poles, then filled their places with human bones. American Standard Version And he brake in pieces the pillars, and cut down the Asherim, and filled their places with the bones of men. Contemporary English Version He tore down the stone images of foreign gods and cut down the sacred pole used in the worship of Asherah. Then he had the whole area covered with human bones. English Revised Version And he brake in pieces the pillars, and cut down the Asherim, and filled their places with the bones of men. GOD'S WORD® Translation Josiah crushed the sacred stones, cut down the poles dedicated to Asherah, and filled their places with human bones. Good News Translation King Josiah broke the stone pillars to pieces, cut down the symbols of the goddess Asherah, and the ground where they had stood he covered with human bones. International Standard Version He broke the pillars to pieces, cut down the Asherim, and filled their locations with human bones. Majority Standard Bible He smashed the sacred pillars to pieces, cut down the Asherah poles, and covered the sites with human bones. NET Bible He smashed the sacred pillars to bits, cut down the Asherah pole, and filled those shrines with human bones. New Heart English Bible He broke in pieces the pillars, and cut down the Asherim, and filled their places with the bones of men. Webster's Bible Translation And he broke in pieces the images, and cut down the groves, and filled their places with the bones of men. World English Bible He broke in pieces the pillars, cut down the Asherah poles, and filled their places with men’s bones. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd he has broken the standing-pillars in pieces, and cuts down the Asherim, and fills their place with bones of men; Young's Literal Translation And he hath broken in pieces the standing-pillars, and cutteth down the shrines, and filleth their place with bones of men; Smith's Literal Translation He brake in pieces the statues and he will cut off the images, and fill their places with bones of man. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd he broke in pieces the statues, and cut down the groves: and he filled their places with the bones of dead men. Catholic Public Domain Version And he crushed the statues, and he cut down the sacred groves. And he filled their places with the bones of the dead. New American Bible He broke to pieces the pillars, cut down the asherahs, and filled the places where they had been with human bones. New Revised Standard Version He broke the pillars in pieces, cut down the sacred poles, and covered the sites with human bones. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd he broke in pieces the images and cut down the idols and filled their places with the bones of men. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And he shattered the monuments and cut off the idols and filled their place with the bones of the sons of men. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And he broke in pieces the pillars, and cut down the Asherim, and filled their places with the bones of men. Brenton Septuagint Translation And he broke in pieces the pillars, and utterly destroyed the groves, and filled their places with the bones of men. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Josiah Destroys Idolatry…13The king also desecrated the high places east of Jerusalem, to the south of the Mount of Corruption, which King Solomon 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 Ammonites. 14He smashed the sacred pillars to pieces, cut down the Asherah poles, and covered the sites with human bones. 15He even pulled down the altar at Bethel, the high place set up by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin. Then he burned the high place, ground it to powder, and burned the Asherah pole.… Cross References Deuteronomy 12:3 Tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, burn up their Asherah poles, cut down the idols of their gods, and wipe out their names from every place. Exodus 23:24 You must not bow down to their gods or serve them or follow their practices. Instead, you are to demolish them and smash their sacred stones to pieces. 2 Chronicles 31:1 When all this had ended, the Israelites in attendance went out to the cities of Judah and broke up the sacred pillars, chopped down the Asherah poles, and tore down the high places and altars throughout Judah and Benjamin, as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the Israelites returned to their cities, each to his own property. 2 Chronicles 34:4-7 Then in his presence the altars of the Baals were torn down, and he cut to pieces the incense altars that were above them. He shattered the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the cast images, crushed them to dust, and scattered them over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. / Then he burned the bones of the priests on their altars. So he cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. / Josiah did the same in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins around them. ... Leviticus 26:1 “You must not make idols for yourselves or set up a carved image or sacred pillar; you must not place a sculpted stone in your land to bow down to it. For I am the LORD your God. Isaiah 27:9 Therefore Jacob’s guilt will be atoned for, and the full fruit of the removal of his sin will be this: When he makes all the altar stones like crushed bits of chalk, no Asherah poles or incense altars will remain standing. Micah 1:7 All her carved images will be smashed to pieces; all her wages will be burned in the fire, and I will destroy all her idols. Since she collected the wages of a prostitute, they will be used again on a prostitute. Jeremiah 8:1-2 “At that time,” declares the LORD, “the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of the officials, the bones of the priests, the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the people of Jerusalem will be removed from their graves. / They will be exposed to the sun and moon, and to all the host of heaven which they have loved, served, followed, consulted, and worshiped. Their bones will not be gathered up or buried, but will become like dung lying on the ground. Hosea 10:2 Their hearts are devious; now they must bear their guilt. The LORD will break down their altars and demolish their sacred pillars. Ezekiel 6:3-6 You are to say: ‘O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD! This is what the Lord GOD says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: I am about to bring a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places. / Your altars will be demolished and your incense altars will be smashed; and I will cast down your slain before your idols. / I will lay the corpses of the Israelites before their idols and scatter your bones around your altars. ... 1 Kings 13:2 And he cried out against the altar by the word of the LORD, “O altar, O altar, this is what the LORD says: ‘A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David, and upon you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense upon you, and human bones will be burned upon you.’” 1 Kings 14:23 They also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. 1 Kings 15:13 He also removed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made a detestable Asherah pole. Asa chopped down the pole and burned it in the Kidron Valley. 1 Kings 16:32-33 First, Ahab set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he had built in Samaria. / Then he set up an Asherah pole. Thus Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel before him. 1 Kings 21:26 He committed the most detestable acts by going after idols, just like the Amorites whom the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.) Treasury of Scripture And he broke in pieces the images, and cut down the groves, and filled their places with the bones of men. he brake. Exodus 23:24 Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images. Numbers 33:52 Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places: Deuteronomy 7:5,25,26 But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire… images. 2 Kings 23:16 And as Josiah turned himself, he spied the sepulchres that were there in the mount, and sent, and took the bones out of the sepulchres, and burned them upon the altar, and polluted it, according to the word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these words. Numbers 19:16,18 And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days… Jeremiah 8:1,2 At that time, saith the LORD, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves: … Jump to Previous Asherah Asherahs Asherim Ashe'rim Bits Bones Brake Broke Broken Columns Covered Cut Cutteth Filled Filleth Groves Human Images Josiah Pieces Pillars Places Poles rs Sacred Shrines Smashed Standing-Pillars Stone Stones WoodJump to Next Asherah Asherahs Asherim Ashe'rim Bits Bones Brake Broke Broken Columns Covered Cut Cutteth Filled Filleth Groves Human Images Josiah Pieces Pillars Places Poles rs Sacred Shrines Smashed Standing-Pillars Stone Stones Wood2 Kings 23 1. Josiah causes the book to be read in a solemn assembly.3. He renews the covenant of the Lord. 4. He destroys idolatry. 15. He burns dead men's bones upon the altar of Bethel, as was prophesied. 21. He keeps a most solemn Passover. 24. He puts away witches and all abomination. 26. God's final wrath against Judah. 29. Josiah, provoking Pharaoh Neco, is slain at Megiddo. 31. Jehoahaz, succeeding him, 33. is imprisoned by Pharaoh Neco, who makes Jehoiakim king. 36. Jehoiakim's wicked reign. He smashed the sacred pillars to pieces This phrase refers to King Josiah's reform efforts to eradicate idolatry from Judah. Sacred pillars, or "standing stones," were often associated with pagan worship practices, particularly those of the Canaanites. These pillars were erected as symbols of deities and were considered abominations in the eyes of the Lord (Deuteronomy 16:22). Josiah's actions fulfilled the commands given in Exodus 23:24 and Deuteronomy 12:3, which instructed the Israelites to destroy such objects of idolatry. His zeal for purifying worship in Judah is reminiscent of the actions of earlier reformers like Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:4). cut down the Asherah poles and covered the sites with human bones Persons / Places / Events 1. JosiahThe king of Judah who initiated religious reforms to restore the worship of Yahweh and eliminate idolatry from the land. 2. Sacred Pillars These were stone structures associated with pagan worship, often dedicated to false gods. 3. Asherah Poles Wooden symbols representing the goddess Asherah, commonly used in Canaanite religious practices. 4. Sites Covered with Human Bones This act was a form of desecration, rendering the sites ritually unclean and unsuitable for future worship. Teaching Points Zeal for PurityJosiah's actions demonstrate a commitment to purifying worship and removing idolatry. Believers today are called to examine their lives for anything that detracts from pure worship of God. Obedience to God's Commands Josiah's reforms were in direct obedience to God's commands in the Law. Christians are encouraged to live in obedience to God's Word, even when it requires difficult changes. The Consequences of Idolatry The desecration of the sites with human bones serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of idolatry. Believers should be vigilant against modern forms of idolatry that can creep into their lives. Leadership and Influence Josiah's leadership had a profound impact on the nation. This highlights the importance of godly leadership and the influence it can have on others. The Importance of Repentance Josiah's actions were part of a broader movement of repentance and returning to God. Christians are called to regularly repent and turn back to God in areas where they have strayed.(14) The images . . . the groves.--The pillars . . . the ash?rahs. These pillars and sacred trees may have been set up at the high places mentioned in the last verse; but the Hebrew construction does not prove this, for comp. 2Kings 23:10. The reference is probably general. Their places.--Their place or station; a technical term for the position of an idol (the Heb. m?qom, equivalent to Sabaean maqamum. and Arabic muqam, which is still the common designation of holy sites in Palestine. Verse 14. - And he brake in pieces the images - or, pillars (see the comment on 1 Kings 14:23) - and out down the groves - i.e. the asherirn, or "sacred trees" - and filled their places with the bones of men. Whatever spoke of death and dissolution was a special defilement to shrines where the gods worshipped were deities of productivity and generation. Bones of men had also the actual taint of corruption about them. The "uncleanness" of dead bodies arose first out of man's natural shrinking from death, and was then further confirmed by the horrors accompanying decay. The notion was probably coeval with death itself. It received a sanction from the Law, which made it a legal defilement to touch a corpse (Numbers 19:11, 16), and placed under a sentence of uncleanness all that was in the tent where a man died (Numbers 19:14, 15).Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew He smashed the sacred pillarsהַמַּצֵּב֔וֹת (ham·maṣ·ṣê·ḇō·wṯ) Article | Noun - feminine plural Strong's 4676: Something stationed, a column, an idol to pieces, וְשִׁבַּר֙ (wə·šib·bar) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 7665: To break, break in pieces cut down וַיִּכְרֹ֖ת (way·yiḵ·rōṯ) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 3772: To cut, to destroy, consume, to covenant the Asherah poles, הָאֲשֵׁרִ֑ים (hā·’ă·šê·rîm) Article | Noun - feminine plural Strong's 842: A Phoenician goddess, also an image of the same and covered וַיְמַלֵּ֥א (way·mal·lê) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 4390: To fill, be full of the sites מְקוֹמָ֖ם (mə·qō·w·mām) Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 4725: A standing, a spot, a condition with human אָדָֽם׃ (’ā·ḏām) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being bones. עַצְמ֥וֹת (‘aṣ·mō·wṯ) Noun - feminine plural construct Strong's 6106: A bone, the body, the substance, selfsame Links 2 Kings 23:14 NIV2 Kings 23:14 NLT 2 Kings 23:14 ESV 2 Kings 23:14 NASB 2 Kings 23:14 KJV 2 Kings 23:14 BibleApps.com 2 Kings 23:14 Biblia Paralela 2 Kings 23:14 Chinese Bible 2 Kings 23:14 French Bible 2 Kings 23:14 Catholic Bible OT History: 2 Kings 23:14 He broke in pieces the pillars (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg) |
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