Bible Strands
2 Kings 23:20
On the altars he slaughtered all the priests of the high places, and he burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — King Josiah acts during his nationwide religious reforms, executing judgment on altars after clearing shrines in Samaria and immediately before commanding the Passover in Jerusalem.
The words — וִַיִּזְבַּח (vayyizbach) literally means "and he slaughtered," and הַבָּמוֹת (habbamot) denotes "the high places."
The thread — The destruction of altars and execution of their priests repeats in 2 Kings 10:25 and 2 Kings 11:18, while the principle of judgment for unauthorized sacrifice is stated in Exodus 22:20.
Why it lands — The text demands a concrete response to covenant violation by removing idolatrous infrastructure and personnel, leaving no ambiguity about the required boundary between worship of the LORD and foreign shrines.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And he slew all the priests of the high places that were there upon the altars, and burned men’s bones upon them, and returned to Jerusalem.
Cross-references
- 2 Kings 11:18 So all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars. And Jehoiada the priest posted guards for the house of the LORD.
- Exodus 22:20 If anyone sacrifices to any god other than the LORD alone, he must be set apart for destruction.
- 2 Kings 10:25 When he had finished making the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guards and officers, “Go in and kill them. Do not let anyone out.” So the guards and officers put them to the sword, threw the bodies out, and went into the inner room of the temple of Baal.
- 2 Chronicles 34:5 Then he burned the bones of the priests on their altars. So he cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.
- 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 18:40 Then Elijah ordered them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let a single one escape.” So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered them there.
- Deuteronomy 13:5 Such a prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he has advocated rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery; he has tried to turn you from the way in which the LORD your God has commanded you to walk. So you must purge the evil from among you.
- Isaiah 34:6 The sword of the LORD is bathed in blood. It drips with fat—with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams. For the LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah, a great slaughter in the land of Edom.
- Zechariah 13:2 And on that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, I will erase the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered. I will also remove the prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land.