And all the people of the land
That were at Jerusalem, and the parts adjacent, that came from the country, hearing what was done: went into the house of Baal; a temple of his Athaliah had built, either in Jerusalem, or near it; perhaps on the mount of Olives, called the mount of corruption, ( 2 Kings 23:13 ) from the idolatry there committed:
and brake it down, his altars and his images brake they in pieces
thoroughly;
made an entire destruction of them all, temple, altars, the images of Baal and other deities:
and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altar;
either as he was sacrificing, or that he might be a sacrifice, or where he had fled for refuge:
and the priest appointed officers over the house of the Lord;
priests to offer sacrifices, Levites to sing the praises of God, porters at the door of the temple, and watches in it, and restored the courses of the priests, and everything to its proper order, which had been neglected, or had ceased, during the usurpation of Athaliah; see ( 2 Chronicles 23:18 2 Chronicles 23:19 ) .