seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
2 Kings 23:12 He pulled down the altars the kings of Judah had erected on the roof near the upper room of Ahaz, and the altars Manasseh had built in the two courts of the temple of the Lord. He removed them from there, smashed them to pieces and threw the rubble into the Kidron Valley. 13 The king also desecrated the high places that were east of Jerusalem on the south of the Hill of Corruption—the ones Solomon king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the vile goddess of the Sidonians, for Chemosh the vile god of Moab, and for Molek the detestable god of the people of Ammon. 14 Josiah smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles and covered the sites with human bones.
15 Even the altar at Bethel, the high place made by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin—even that altar and high place he demolished. He burned the high place and ground it to powder, and burned the Asherah pole also. 16 Then Josiah looked around, and when he saw the tombs that were there on the hillside, he had the bones removed from them and burned on the altar to defile it, in accordance with the word of the Lord proclaimed by the man of God who foretold these things.
15 Even the altar at Bethel, the high place made by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin—even that altar and high place he demolished. He burned the high place and ground it to powder, and burned the Asherah pole also. 16 Then Josiah looked around, and when he saw the tombs that were there on the hillside, he had the bones removed from them and burned on the altar to defile it, in accordance with the word of the Lord proclaimed by the man of God who foretold these things.
Not only did he take the Asharah poles and crap out of God's Temple in Jerusalem.... but he cleaned out the high places too. Josiah smashed stones and cut down poles and then to make it total.... he spread human bone dust over everything. Boy... human bone dust... now that's something I bet those humans never figured they'd be useful for.
I used the commentary from the easy English site this morning.
In verses 10-11, we are not sure exactly who ‘he’ was. Maybe the king did those things himself or maybe he ordered someone to do them.
In this passage, King Josiah continued to destroy the altars of false religions. He began in Judah, where of course he ruled (verses 10-14). But then he went north of the border into the country which was previously called Israel (verses 15-20). This was after Assyria had destroyed Israel. So Assyria probably ruled Bethel and Samaria. But Josiah still went there to destroy the altars of these religions.
Topheth means the place where people burn something. It was in the valley called Ben Hinnom. That valley is near Jerusalem. King Josiah made Topheth unclean. Then people could not burn their children there as a sacrifice to Molech. Molech was the god that the people in Ammon worshipped. In order to worship him, people burned their children in the fire. Afterwards, Ben Hinnom became a place to bury dead people (Jeremiah 7:32).
In Jerusalem city, Josiah removed horses from the entrance to the temple. They pulled chariots in processions to give honour to the sun. Josiah burned the chariots. People had kept those near Nathan-Melech’s room. At the palace, Josiah burned down altars that Judah’s kings had put on the roof. He also destroyed the altars in the open yards at the temple. Manasseh had put them there. But Josiah broke them in pieces. Then he threw the pieces into the valley called Kidron. So nobody would ever use those altars again.
People had also worshipped on the high hills that were east from Jerusalem. King Josiah made those places unclean also. Solomon (an early king) had built altars there to give honour to the false gods called Astarte, Chemosh and Molech. He had done that to please his wives (1 Kings 11:5-8). Josiah broke the holy stones and he destroyed the images of Asherah. He scattered human bones over the places so that people would not worship there again.
Then Josiah left the country that he ruled. He went north into the country that had formerly belonged to Israel. The army from Assyria had forced most of Israel’s inhabitants to leave their homes. So most of the people who were now living in Israel were foreigners. Josiah was very bold when he destroyed altars outside his own country. He knew that those altars had been the cause of great sin in Judah as well as Israel. He did everything possible to end those wicked religions.
At Bethel, Josiah destroyed the altar that another previous king, Nebat’s son Jeroboam, had made. Josiah burned the place where people worshipped there. He turned it into dust. He also burned the image of Asherah.
Then Josiah saw the graves where people had buried some priests. Those priests had worshipped idols. Josiah removed the bones from the graves and he burned them on the altar. So the prophet’s message became true (1 Kings 13:1-2).
In this passage, King Josiah continued to destroy the altars of false religions. He began in Judah, where of course he ruled (verses 10-14). But then he went north of the border into the country which was previously called Israel (verses 15-20). This was after Assyria had destroyed Israel. So Assyria probably ruled Bethel and Samaria. But Josiah still went there to destroy the altars of these religions.
Topheth means the place where people burn something. It was in the valley called Ben Hinnom. That valley is near Jerusalem. King Josiah made Topheth unclean. Then people could not burn their children there as a sacrifice to Molech. Molech was the god that the people in Ammon worshipped. In order to worship him, people burned their children in the fire. Afterwards, Ben Hinnom became a place to bury dead people (Jeremiah 7:32).
In Jerusalem city, Josiah removed horses from the entrance to the temple. They pulled chariots in processions to give honour to the sun. Josiah burned the chariots. People had kept those near Nathan-Melech’s room. At the palace, Josiah burned down altars that Judah’s kings had put on the roof. He also destroyed the altars in the open yards at the temple. Manasseh had put them there. But Josiah broke them in pieces. Then he threw the pieces into the valley called Kidron. So nobody would ever use those altars again.
People had also worshipped on the high hills that were east from Jerusalem. King Josiah made those places unclean also. Solomon (an early king) had built altars there to give honour to the false gods called Astarte, Chemosh and Molech. He had done that to please his wives (1 Kings 11:5-8). Josiah broke the holy stones and he destroyed the images of Asherah. He scattered human bones over the places so that people would not worship there again.
Then Josiah left the country that he ruled. He went north into the country that had formerly belonged to Israel. The army from Assyria had forced most of Israel’s inhabitants to leave their homes. So most of the people who were now living in Israel were foreigners. Josiah was very bold when he destroyed altars outside his own country. He knew that those altars had been the cause of great sin in Judah as well as Israel. He did everything possible to end those wicked religions.
At Bethel, Josiah destroyed the altar that another previous king, Nebat’s son Jeroboam, had made. Josiah burned the place where people worshipped there. He turned it into dust. He also burned the image of Asherah.
Then Josiah saw the graves where people had buried some priests. Those priests had worshipped idols. Josiah removed the bones from the graves and he burned them on the altar. So the prophet’s message became true (1 Kings 13:1-2).
Amazing... IMHO.... amazing.... Josiah even went north into the area that use to be Israel. The towns were full of foreigners because the Israelites had been rounded up and herded to another country. Assyria was in control now.... but they couldn't stop Josiah's rampage. It's amazing that people had no problem with burning babies to death but they wouldn't touch that same alter if it had human bone dust on it?
Stupid humans.... Go Josiah.... pulverize that stuff... grind that bone.... apply liberally.
