2 Kings 23:20

20 And he killed all the priests of [the] high things, that were there upon the altars, and he burnt men's bones on those altars; and he turned again to Jerusalem; (And he killed all the priests of the hill shrines, who were there at the altars, and he burned the bones of people upon those altars; and 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 And the king said, Suffer ye him (Do not ye touch him); no man move his bones. And (so) his bones dwelled untouched with the bones of the prophet, that came from Samaria.

19 Furthermore also Josiah did away all the temples of [the] high things, that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to stir the Lord to ire; and he did to those temples by all things which he had done in Bethel. (And furthermore Josiah did away all the temples of the hill shrines that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had built, and had so stirred the Lord to anger; and he did to those temples all the things which he had done to the temples in Bethel.

20 And he killed all the priests of [the] high things, that were there upon the altars, and he burnt men's bones on those altars; and he turned again to Jerusalem; (And he killed all the priests of the hill shrines, who were there at the altars, and he burned the bones of people upon those altars; and then he returned to Jerusalem;)

21 and he commanded to all the people, and said, Make ye pask to the Lord your God, after that, that is written in the book of this bond of peace. (and he commanded to all the people, and said, Keep ye the Passover to the Lord your God, after what is written in this Book of the Covenant.

22 Certainly such a pask was not made, from the days of judges that deemed Israel, and of all the days of the kings of Israel, and of Judah, (Certainly such a Passover was not kept, from the days of the judges who judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, or of Judah,)