2 Kings 23:19

19 Josiah also removed all the houses of the high places which were 1in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made provoking the LORD; and he did to them just * as he had done in Bethel

2 Kings 23:19 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 23:19

And all the houses also of the high places
The temples of the idols there, and the houses for the priests to dwell in:

that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made
to provoke the Lord to anger, Josiah took away;
particularly in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, unto Naphtali, ( 2 Chronicles 34:6 ) the Israelites that remained there acknowledging Josiah as their king; and perhaps, after the defeat of Sennacherib, many of the cities of Israel might put themselves under the protection of Hezekiah, and especially upon the destruction of the Assyrian empire; and Manasseh, with his liberty, might have his kingdom enlarged by the king of Babylon; and which being continued and increased in the times of Josiah, might be the reason of his opposing the king of Egypt in favour of the king of Babylon:

and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Bethel;
defiled them, and broke down the altars in them.

2 Kings 23:19 In-Context

17 Then he said, "What is this monument that I see?" And the men of the city told him, "It is the grave of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things which you have done against the altar of Bethel."
18 He said, "Let him alone; let no one disturb his bones." So they left his bones undisturbed with the bones of the prophet who came from Samaria.
19 Josiah also removed all the houses of the high places which were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made provoking the LORD ; and he did to them just as he had done in Bethel
20 All the priests of the high places who were there he slaughtered on the altars and burned human bones on them; then he returned to Jerusalem.
21 Then the king commanded all the people saying, "Celebrate the Passover to the LORD your God as it is written in this book of the covenant.

Cross References 1

  • 1. 2 Chronicles 34:6, 7

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. So with ancient versions
  • [b]. Lit "according to all the acts"
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