Keraia
2 Kings 23

2 Kings 23:17

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

Translations

Modern
Then the king asked, “What is this monument I see?” And the men of the city replied, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things that you have done to the altar of Bethel.”
Traditional
Then he said, What title is that that I see? And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulchre of the man of God, which came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Beth–el.
Literal
And he said, “What is this monument that I see?” And the men of the city said to him, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things that you have done against the altar of Bethel.”
Latin
Et ait: Quis est titulus ille, quem video? Responderuntque ei cives urbis illius: Sepulchrum est hominis Dei, qui venit de Juda, et prædixit verba hæc, quæ fecisti super altare Bethel.

Original

Hebrew
English
Then the king asked, “What is this monument I see?” And the men of the city replied, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things that you have done to the altar of Bethel.”

Notes

2 Kings 23:15–17

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).

Theme notes and profiles

Josiah The Collapse of Culture

Events

Parallels

1 Kings 13:1–10 2 Chronicles 34:3–7

People

Judah: Israelite tribe, kingdom, and province

Places

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

Glossary

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

Topics

Beth-El: A City North of Jerusalem: Prophecies Against the Idolatrous Altars At Burial: Burying Places: And Inscriptions Burial: Sometimes had Inscriptions Calf: Altars of, Destroyed Iconoclasm: Destroyed by Josiah Inscriptions: On Gravestones 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 Tombstones