2 Kings 23
BSA1 Then the king [the monarch, ruler] summoned [sent for, gathered] all [every single one] the elders [old, wise, and experienced leaders] of Judah [the tribe and region] and Jerusalem [the city of peace, capital of Judah]. word study 2 And he went up [to ascend, to rise] to the house [place, dwelling] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] with all [every, the whole] the people [nation, community] of Judah [the tribe of Judah] and Jerusalem [the city of peace], as well as [together with] the priests [spiritual leaders, mediators] and the prophets [messengers, spokesmen]—all [every, the whole] the people [nation, community] small [little, insignificant] and great [important, prominent]—and in their hearing [in their presence, within their ears] he read [to call out, to proclaim] all [every, the whole] the words [things, matters] of the Book [scroll, written document] of the Covenant [agreement, promise] that had been found [discovered, uncovered] in the house [place, dwelling] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God]. word study 3 So the king [the ruler, monarch] stood by the pillar [a pillar or column] and made a covenant [a solemn agreement, promise] before the LORD [Yehovah] to follow [walk after, obey] the LORD and to keep [obey, guard] His commandments [laws], decrees [ordinances, rules], and statutes [regulations, precepts] with all his heart [inner being, emotions] and all his soul [life, essence], and to carry out [fulfill, accomplish] the words [promises, teachings] of this covenant [agreement, pact] that were written [recorded, inscribed] in this book [scroll, document]. And all the people [nation, community] entered into [agreed to, committed to] the covenant [promise, agreement]. word study 4 Then the king [ruler, monarch] commanded Hilkiah the high priest [chief spiritual leader], the priests [spiritual mediators] second in rank [of lower order], and the doorkeepers [gatekeepers, guardians] to remove from the temple [house of worship] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] all the articles [utensils, vessels] made for Baal [a false deity], Asherah [a pagan goddess], and all the host [army, heavenly bodies] of heaven [the sky, the spiritual realm]. And he burned [set on fire, destroyed] them outside [beyond the city limits] Jerusalem [the city of peace] in the fields [valleys, plains] of Kidron [a brook near Jerusalem] and carried their ashes [dust, remains] to Bethel [house of God, a significant location]. word study 5 Josiah also did away with the idolatrous priests [pagan priests, Chemarims] ordained by the kings of Judah to burn incense [offer sacrifices, make perfume] on the high places [cultic platforms, elevations] of the cities of Judah and in the places all around [surrounding, enclosing] Jerusalem—those who had burned incense to Baal [the Phoenician deity], to the sun [the celestial body] and moon [the natural satellite], to the constellations [signs of the Zodiac], and to all [everything, the entirety] the host of heaven [the army of the sky, the celestial realm]. word study 6 He brought the Asherah pole [a wooden pole or grove of the goddess Asherah] from the house [the temple, a place of worship] of the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] to the Kidron Valley [a brook, a small river] outside [beyond the city limits] Jerusalem, and there he burned [set on fire, kindled flames] it, ground [crushed, pulverized] it to powder [dust, fine particles], and threw [cast, scattered] its dust [dry earth, remains] on the graves [sepulchres, burial sites] of the common people [the ordinary, the general population]. word study 7 He also tore down [demolished, broke down] the quarters [houses, rooms] of the male shrine prostitutes [cult prostitutes, sodomites] that were in the house [temple, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God], where the women [females, wives] had woven [were weaving, made] tapestries [hangings, robes] for Asherah [the goddess, a tree or pole near an altar]. word study 8 Then Josiah brought [gathered, assembled] all the priests [spiritual leaders, mediators] from the cities [towns, urban centers] of Judah [the tribe, the region] and desecrated [defiled, made unclean] the high places [elevated areas, worship sites], from Geba [a city in Benjamin] to Beersheba [a city in the south], where the priests [ministers, servants] had burned incense [offered fragrant smoke, worshiped]. He tore down [demolished, destroyed] the high places [cultic platforms, idolatrous sites] of the gates [city entrances, access points] at the entrance [doorway, threshold] of the gate [city gate, main entrance] of Joshua [a leader, a governor] the governor [ruler, leader] of the city [urban center, metropolis], which was to the left [on the north side, in a specific direction] of the city gate [main entrance, access point]. word study 9 Although [certainly, surely] the priests [spiritual leaders, mediators] of the high places [elevated cultic platforms, mountain shrines] did not come up [ascend, go up] to the altar [place of sacrifice, worship] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] in Jerusalem [city of peace, capital of Israel], they ate [devoured, consumed] unleavened bread [sweet bread without yeast] with their fellow [brother, male sibling] priests [ministers, servants of God]. word study 10 He also desecrated [defiled, made unclean] Topheth [a place of child sacrifice] in the Valley [lowland, gorge] of Ben-hinnom [the valley of lamentation] so that no one could sacrifice [offer, give up] his son [child, descendant] or daughter [female child, offspring] in the fire [flames, burning] to Molech [a false god, idol]. word study 11 And he removed [took away, eliminated] from the entrance [at the entering in, the doorway] to the house [temple, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] the horses [chariot horses, swift steeds] that the kings [rulers, monarchs] of Judah [the tribe of Judah, the southern kingdom] had dedicated [given, devoted] to the sun [the sun; the east or the west]. They were in the court [the courtyard, the outer area] near the chamber [room, private quarters] of an official [a eunuch, a high-ranking servant] named Nathan-melech [the gift of the king, a royal servant]. And Josiah burned up [set on fire, completely destroyed] the chariots [vehicles, means of transportation] of the sun [the object of worship]. word study 12 He pulled down the altars [places of sacrifice, sites for worship] that the kings [rulers, monarchs] of Judah had set up on the roof [the top, the upper chamber] near the upper chamber [the high room, the loft] of Ahaz, and the altars [sacred tables, platforms for offerings] that Manasseh had set up in the two courtyards [open areas, enclosed spaces] of the house [the temple, the dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]. The king [the ruler, the monarch] pulverized them there and threw their dust [powder, fragments] into the Kidron Valley [the brook Kidron, the dark stream]. word study 13 The king also desecrated [defiled, made unclean] the high places [cultic platforms, idolatrous altars] east of Jerusalem, to the south of the Mount of Corruption [destruction, ruin], which King Solomon of Israel had built [constructed, established] for Ashtoreth [the goddess of love, Astarte] the abomination [idol, disgusting thing] of the Sidonians [people of Sidon], for Chemosh [the national deity of Moab] the abomination [detestable idol] of the Moabites [descendants of Lot], and for Milcom [the God of the Ammonites, Molech] the abomination [filthy idol] of the Ammonites [sons of Ammon]. word study 14 He smashed [broke in pieces, shattered] the sacred pillars [memorials, monuments] to pieces, cut down [destroyed, chopped down] the Asherah poles [idols, images of the goddess Asherah], and covered [filled, overlaid] the sites [places, locations] with human bones [remains, skeletons]. word study 15 He even [also, too] pulled down the altar [place of sacrifice, where offerings are made to God] at Bethel [house of God, a significant location], the high place [cultic platform, elevation] set up by Jeroboam [the people will contend, a king of Israel] son of Nebat [an Ephraimite, Jeroboam’s father], who had caused Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, also referring to his descendants] to sin [to miss the mark, go wrong, incur guilt]. Then he burned [set on fire, kindled flames] the high place [cultic platform, elevation], ground [crushed, pulverized] it to powder [dust, dry earth], and burned [set on fire, kindled flames] the Asherah pole [a tree or pole near an altar]. word study 16 And as Josiah [the king whom Jehovah heals] turned, he saw the tombs [sepulchres, graves] there on the hillside [mountain], and he sent someone to take the bones [the substance or essence of the body] out of the tombs, and he burned them on the altar [the place of sacrifice] to defile [make foul or contaminated] it, according to the word [thing, matter] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] proclaimed [called out, spoken] by the man [male person, individual] of God [Elohim, the supreme God] who had foretold [proclaimed, spoken beforehand] these things. word study 17 Then the king asked, “What [signpost or monument] is this [marker or memorial] monument I see [behold or look upon]?” And the men of the city replied, “It is the tomb [sepulchre or grave] of the man [prophet or messenger] of God [Elohim, the supreme God] who came from Judah [the tribe or region of Judah] and pronounced [proclaimed or declared] these things [events or prophecies] that you have done [accomplished or fulfilled] to the altar [place of sacrifice] of Bethel [house of God].” word study 18 “Let him rest [in peace, undisturbed],” said Josiah [the king of Judah]. “Do not [by no means] let anyone disturb [shake, move] his bones [remains, body].” So they left his bones [remains, skeletal frame] undisturbed [unmoved, at rest], along with those of the prophet [one who speaks for God, messenger] who had come from Samaria [the capital city of Israel, watch mountain]. word study 19 Just as Josiah [the king whom Jehovah heals] had done at Bethel [the house of God], so also in the cities [towns, urban centers] of Samaria [the watch mountain, a region in northern Palestine] he removed [turned aside, took away] all the shrines [temples, places of worship] of the high places [elevations, cultic platforms] set up by the kings [royal rulers] of Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] who had provoked [angered, stirred up] the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] to anger [wrath, indignation]. word study 20 On the altars [of idolatrous worship] he slaughtered [killed, put to death] all the priests [spiritual leaders, mediators] of the high places [elevated areas of pagan worship], and he burned [set on fire, consumed] human bones [the remains of the dead] on them. Then he returned [turned back, came again] to Jerusalem [the city of peace, God’s holy city]. word study 21 The king [ruling monarch, leader] commanded [gave orders, instructed] all [every single one, the entire nation] the people [nation, community], “Keep [observe, celebrate] the Passover [festival of liberation, commemoration] of the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] your God [Elohim, the supreme Deity], as it is written [recorded, inscribed] in this [specific, present] Book of the Covenant [agreement, promise].” word study 22 No such [unique, extraordinary] Passover [festival of liberation, commemorating the exodus] had been observed [kept, celebrated] from the days [period, era] of the judges [rulers, governors] who had governed [led, guided] Israel [the people of God, descendants of Jacob] through all the days [time, period] of the kings [rulers, monarchs] of Israel [the northern kingdom] and Judah [the southern kingdom, tribe of Judah]. word study 23 But in the eighteenth [a time of renewal] year of Josiah’s [whom Jehovah heals, King of Judah] reign, this [annual Jewish festival, commemorating Israel’s liberation] Passover [a time of remembrance and sacrifice] was observed [kept, held, or celebrated] to the [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] LORD [the supreme God, Yehovah] in [the city of peace, the capital of Judah] Jerusalem. word study 24 Furthermore, Josiah removed the mediums [those who had familiar spirits] and spiritists [wizards, soothsayers], the household gods [teraphim, family idols] and idols [objects of worship], and all the abominations [disgusting practices, filthy things] that were seen in the land [territory, region] of Judah and in Jerusalem. He did this to carry out [fulfill, perform] the words of the law [instruction, guidance] written in the book [scroll, written document] that Hilkiah the priest [spiritual leader, servant of God] had found [discovered, uncovered] in the house [temple, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]. word study 25 Neither before nor after Josiah was there any king [like unto him, comparable to him] like him, who turned [returned, came back] to the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] with all his heart [the center of his being, his innermost self] and with all his soul [his entire inner life, his emotions and will] and with all his strength [might, power, exceedingly], according to all the Law [torah, instruction] of Moses [the mediator of God’s covenant]. word study 26 Nevertheless, the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] did not turn away [refuse to change His course, withdraw] from the fury [intense anger, fierceness] of His burning anger [great wrath, intense displeasure], which was kindled [ignited, provoked] against Judah [the tribe and region] because of all [everything, each thing] that Manasseh [the king who provoked God] had done [committed, carried out] to provoke [anger, irritate, vex] Him to anger [incite His wrath, arouse His indignation]. word study 27 For the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] had said, “I will remove [to turn aside, depart from] Judah [the tribe descended from Judah] from My sight [presence, face], just as I removed [to turn aside, depart from] Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, also referring to his descendants]. I will reject [to spurn, abandon] this city Jerusalem [the city of peace, the chief city of the united kingdom], which I chose [to select, elect], and the temple [the house, dwelling place] of which I said, ‘My Name [fame, renown, reputation] shall be there [in that place, at that time].’” word study 28 As for the rest [remainder, what is left] of the acts [deeds, accomplishments] of Josiah [whom Jehovah heals], along with all [everything, the entirety] his accomplishments [achievements, works], are they not [is it not the case] written [recorded, inscribed] in the Book [scroll, written document] of the Chronicles [history, events] of the Kings [rulers, monarchs] of Judah [the tribe of Judah, the region]? word study 29 At the end [conclusion, final period] of Josiah’s [whom Jehovah heals] reign, Pharaoh Neco [an Egyptian king, ruler of Egypt] king of Egypt [Mizraim, a country in northeastern Africa] marched up [ascended, went up] to help [assist, support] the king of Assyria [a powerful nation, the Assyrian empire] at the Euphrates River [Perath, a major river in western Asia]. King Josiah [the king of Judah, a righteous leader] went out [proceeded, advanced] to confront [meet, encounter] him, but Neco [the Egyptian pharaoh, a formidable opponent] faced [saw, looked at] him and killed [slew, put to death] him at Megiddo [a strategic city, a place of battle]. word study 30 From Megiddo [the place of great battles] his servants [faithful attendants, slaves] carried his body [lifeless, deceased] in a chariot, brought him to Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital], and buried him in his own tomb [sepulcher, grave]. Then the people of the land [the nation, the inhabitants] took Jehoahaz [whom Jehovah has seized] son of Josiah [whom Jehovah heals], anointed [rubbed oil on, set apart] him, and made him king [ruler, monarch] in place of his father [parent, ancestor]. word study 31 Jehoahaz [also known as Ahaziah, whom Jehovah has seized] was twenty-three [twenty and three] years old when he became king [began to reign], and he reigned [ruled as king] in Jerusalem [the city of peace] three [a quarter of a year] months. His mother’s [female parent] name was Hamutal [father-in-law’s gift, a woman of noble birth] daughter of Jeremiah [whom Jehovah has appointed, a prophet of God]; she was from Libnah [a city in Palestine, originally a Canaanite royal city]. word study 32 And he did [that which was] evil [bad, morally wrong] in the sight [eye, presence] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God], just as [according to all that] his fathers [ancestors, forefathers] had done [made, committed]. word study 33 And Pharaoh Neco [the Egyptian king, a powerful ruler] imprisoned [put in bonds, bound] Jehoahaz at Riblah [a town in Syria, a place of fertility] in the land [the territory, the region] of Hamath [an ancient city, a key location] so that he could not reign [rule, have dominion] in Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital], and he imposed [laid upon, put] on Judah [the tribe, the people] a levy [a fine, a tribute] of a hundred [many, numerous] talents [a unit of weight, a large amount] of silver [valuable metal, wealth] and a talent [a unit of weight, a significant amount] of gold [a precious metal, a treasure]. word study 34 Then Pharaoh Neco [the Egyptian king] made Eliakim [a king of Judah] son of Josiah king in place of his father Josiah [whom Jehovah heals], and he changed Eliakim’s name [his identity and character] to Jehoiakim [Jehovah raises up]. But Neco took Jehoahaz [whom Jehovah has seized] and carried him off to Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa], where he died [came to the end of his life, perished]. word study 35 So Jehoiakim [the king of Judah, son of Josiah] paid the silver [money, wealth] and gold [a valuable metal] to Pharaoh Neco [the Egyptian king, a powerful leader], but to meet Pharaoh’s demand [command, requirement] he taxed [imposed a burden, levied] the land [the territory, region of Judah] and exacted [collected, demanded] the silver [payment, tribute] and the gold [treasure, riches] from the people [the nation, inhabitants of the land], each according to his wealth [valuation, assessment, ability to pay]. word study 36 Jehoiakim [Jehovah raises up, son of Josiah] was twenty-five [twenty and five] years old when he became king [to reign, rule as a king], and he reigned [exercised royal authority] in Jerusalem eleven [ten and one] years. His mother’s [female parent, maternal figure] name was Zebidah [Zebudah] daughter of Pedaiah [Jehovah has ransomed]; she was from Rumah [a place in Palestine]. word study 37 And he did [that which was] evil [bad, morally wrong] in the sight [eye, presence] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God], just as [according to all that] his fathers [ancestors, forefathers] had done [made, committed]. word study