2 Kings 23:20

20 Then he slaughtered all of the priests of the high places who [were] there, on the altars, and he burned the bones of the humans on them. Then he returned [to] Jerusalem.

2 Kings 23:20 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 23:20

And he slew all the priests of the high places that were
there
The idolatrous priests who sacrificed to Baal, and other Heathen deities; for as for others that burnt incense in high places, yet to the true God, those he spared, though they were not suffered to officiate at the altar of God: the others he slew

upon the altars;
where they sacrificed:

and burnt men's bones upon them:
the bones of the priests, and worshippers of idols, as he had done at Bethel:

and returned to Jerusalem;
after he had gone through the land, both of Judah and Israel, and abolished idolatrous worship everywhere.

2 Kings 23:20 In-Context

18 So Josiah said, "Let him rest and let no man move his bones." So they left his bones undisturbed with the bones of the prophet who had come from Samaria.

19 Moreover, all of the shrines of the high places which [were] in the towns of Samaria which the kings of Israel had made to provoke [Yahweh], Josiah removed, and he did to them like all of the deeds he had done in Bethel

20 Then he slaughtered all of the priests of the high places who [were] there, on the altars, and he burned the bones of the humans on them. Then he returned [to] Jerusalem.

21 Then the king commanded all of the people, saying, "Keep the Passover to Yahweh your God, as has been written on the scroll of this covenant.

22 For they had not kept this Passover from the days of the judges who had judged over Israel {or} [during] the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah.