2 Kings 23:13

13 And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.

2 Kings 23:13 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 23:13

And the high places that were before Jerusalem
Not only that were within the city, and at the gates of it, but what were without it:

which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption:
the mount of Olives, so called from the idolatry and corrupt worship performed in it, by way of reproach, with a small alteration of the letters of the word (tyxvm) for (hxvm) ; at the right hand, or south of this mountain, as the Targum; though others say ^F17, on the north side of the mount of Olives, four furlongs or half a mile from Jerusalem, were high places:

which Solomon king of Israel had builded for Ashtoreth the abomination
of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites,
and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon;
of which (See Gill on 1 Kings 11:5) (See Gill on 1 Kings 11:7)

did the king defile;
by casting unclean things into them. Rauwolff ^F18 says,

``before Mount Zion toward the south, at the other side of the rivulet Kidron, lies the mount of transgression, called Mashith, ( 2 Kings 23:13 ) , this is higher and steeper than any hereabout; there you still see some old walls of habitations, wherein the concubines of Solomon did live;''

and Mr. Maundrell ^F19 observes, that below the hill stands now a village called Siloe, where it is said he kept them.

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 Vid Adrichom. Theatrum T. S. p. 171.
F18 Travels, par. 3. c. 4. p. 233.
F19 Journey from Aleppo p. 102.

2 Kings 23:13 In-Context

11 And he abolished the horses that the kings of Judah had appointed to the sun at the entrance of the house of Jehovah, by the chamber of Nathan-melech the chamberlain, which was in the suburbs, and burned the chariots of the sun, with fire.

12 And the king broke down the altars that were on the roof of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars that Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of Jehovah, and he shattered them, [removing them] from thence, and cast the powder of them into the torrent of Kidron.

13 And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.

14 And he broke in pieces the columns, and cut down the Asherahs, and filled their place with the bones of men

15 Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, the high place that Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin, had made, both that altar and the high place he broke down; and burned the high place, stamped it small to powder, and burned the Asherah.