2 Kings 23:13

13 Likewise, the king defiled 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 unto Ashtoreth, the abomination of the Zidonians, and unto Chemosh, the abomination of the Moabites, and unto Milcom, the abomination of the sons of Ammon.

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 took away the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun, at the entrance of the house of the LORD, by the chamber of Nathanmelech, the chamberlain who was in charge of the Parbar, and burned the chariots of the sun with fire.

12 And the king cast down the altars that were on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD and made haste and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron.

13 Likewise, the king defiled 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 unto Ashtoreth, the abomination of the Zidonians, and unto Chemosh, the abomination of the Moabites, and unto Milcom, the abomination of the sons of Ammon.

14 And he broke the images in pieces and cut down the groves and filled their places with the bones of men.

15 Likewise, the altar that was at Bethel and the high place which 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 and stamped it small to powder and burned the grove.