Bible Strands
2 Kings 23:24
Furthermore, Josiah removed the mediums and spiritists, the household gods and idols, and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem. He did this to carry out the words of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had found in the house of the LORD.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — King Josiah acts in his eighteenth regnal year, immediately following the Jerusalem Passover, to purge Judah and Jerusalem of forbidden spiritual practitioners and objects.
The words — The Hebrew תְּרָפִים (terāpîm) denotes household idols or teraphim, while אֹבּוֹת (’obbot) and יִדְּעֹנִים (yidd‘ônîm) designate necromancers and soothsayers respectively.
The thread — The removal of mediums and spiritists directly fulfills the prohibition in Leviticus 19:31, reverses the sorcery and divination condemned in 2 Kings 21:6, and addresses the household idols first noted in Genesis 31:19.
Why it lands — The text states that Josiah executed these purges specifically to carry out the law written in the book found by Hilkiah, requiring readers to acknowledge that covenant obedience demands the systematic elimination of all competing spiritual practices.
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
Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the Lord.
Cross-references
- Leviticus 19:31 You must not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out, or you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.
- Genesis 31:19 Now while Laban was out shearing his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household idols.
- 2 Kings 21:6 He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.
- Leviticus 20:27 A man or a woman who is a medium or spiritist must surely be put to death. They shall be stoned; their blood is upon them.’”
- Deuteronomy 18:10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, practices divination or conjury, interprets omens, practices sorcery,
- Judges 17:5 Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household idols, and ordained one of his sons as his priest.
- Judges 18:17 And the five men who had gone to spy out the land went inside and took the graven image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molten idol, while the priest stood at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred armed men.
- 1 Samuel 28:3 Now by this time Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed the mediums and spiritists from the land.
- 2 Kings 21:3 For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed, and he raised up altars for Baal. He made an Asherah pole, as King Ahab of Israel had done, and he worshiped and served all the host of heaven.
- 2 Kings 21:11 “Since Manasseh king of Judah has committed all these abominations, acting more wickedly than the Amorites who preceded him, and with his idols has caused Judah to sin,