Bible Strands
2 Kings 23:4
Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, the priests second in rank, and the doorkeepers to remove from the temple of the LORD all the articles made for Baal, Asherah, and all the host of heaven. And he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron and carried their ashes to Bethel.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — King Josiah issues a directive to Hilkiah the high priest, the priests second in rank, and the doorkeepers immediately after publicly renewing the covenant. This action initiates a physical purge of the temple following the covenant reading.
The words — וַיְצַו (vayṣav) translates literally as "and he commanded," establishing royal authority. הַגָּדוֹל (haggādōl) means "the great" or "the chief," specifying Hilkiah's elevated office.
The thread — The targeting of the chief priest, second-rank priest, and doorkeepers directly parallels the Babylonian capture listed in 2 Kings 25:18. The destruction of Baal and Asherah artifacts reverses the temple defilement described in 2 Kings 21:3 and 21:7.
Why it lands — The text records that covenant renewal requires the physical removal of idolatrous objects, not merely verbal commitment. It demands that readers distinguish between nominal allegiance and the active eradication of competing worship systems.
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 the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the Lord all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Beth–el.
Cross-references
- 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 21:7 Manasseh even took the carved Asherah pole he had made and set it up in the temple, of which the LORD had said to David and his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will establish My Name forever.
- 2 Kings 25:18 The captain of the guard also took away Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest of second rank, and the three doorkeepers.
- 2 Chronicles 33:3 For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had torn down, and he raised up altars for the Baals and made Asherah poles. And he worshiped and served all the host of heaven.
- Judges 2:13 for they forsook Him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.
- 2 Samuel 15:23 Everyone in the countryside was weeping loudly as all the people passed by. And as the king crossed the Kidron Valley, all the people also passed toward the way of the wilderness.
- 1 Kings 12:29 One calf he set up in Bethel, and the other in Dan.
- 1 Kings 16:31 And as if it were not enough for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, he even married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and he then proceeded to serve and worship Baal.
- 1 Kings 18:19 Now summon all Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel, along with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
- 1 Kings 18:26 And they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no sound, and no one answered as they leaped around the altar they had made.