2 Kings 23:15

Josiah Destroys Idolatry · 2 Kings 23:4–20
Read 2 Kings 23

Translations

Modern
He 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.
Traditional
Moreover the altar that was at Beth–el, and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, had made, both that altar and the high place he brake down, and burned the high place, and stamped it small to powder, and burned the grove.
Literal
Moreover the altar that was at Bethel and the high place that Jeroboam son of Nebat had made, who had caused caused Israel to sin—both that altar and the high place—he broke down, and he burned the high place and crushed it to powder, and he burned the Asherah pole.
Latin
Insuper et altare quod erat in Bethel, et excelsum quod fecerat Jeroboam filius Nabat, qui peccare fecit Israël: et altare illud, et excelsum destruxit, atque combussit, et comminuit in pulverem, succenditque etiam lucum.

Original

Hebrew
English
He 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.

Notes

Jeroboam built the altar at Bethel to make it easier for Israelites to worship nearby instead of traveling to Jerusalem (1 Kings 12:26–31). Josiah's destruction of the site followed the law's requirements (Deuteronomy 7:5; 12:3) and fulfilled the earlier prophecy by the man of God who had condemned the altar (1 Kings 13:1–3).

Events

Parallels

1 Kings 13:1–10 2 Chronicles 34:3–7

People

Asherah: Canaanite goddess; associated with wooden poles, idolatry Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes Jeroboam: First king of the northern kingdom of Israel Nebat: Father of Jeroboam, the first king of Israel

Places

Bethel: Important city in Israel, associated with Abraham and Jacob

Glossary

Bethel (Place), Bethelite Bone Book of the Covenant Josiah Kings, Books of First and Second Kohath, Kohathites

Topics

Altar used in Idolatrous Worship Beth-El: A City North of Jerusalem: Prophecies Against the Idolatrous Altars At Calf: Altars of, Destroyed Chemarim: A Term Descriptive of Idolatrous Priests Iconoclasm: Destroyed by Josiah Josiah: King of Judah: Destroys the Altar and High Places of Idolatry Prophecies Concerning Israel: Josiah Succeeds Amon Prophecy: Miscellaneous, Fulfilled: The Birth and Zeal of Josiah