2 Kings 23:12

12 altaria quoque quae erant super tecta cenaculi Ahaz quae fecerant reges Iuda et altaria quae fecerat Manasses in duobus atriis templi Domini destruxit rex et cucurrit inde et dispersit cinerem eorum in torrentem Cedron

2 Kings 23:12 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 23:12

And the altars that were on the top of the upper chamber of
Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made
Which were on the roof of the royal palace; the roofs of houses in Judah being flat, ( Deuteronomy 21:8 ) altars might be built upon them; so, in Arabia, altars were built on the tops of houses to offer incense thereon daily to the sun F16; as here by Manasseh and Amon very probably, which might be chosen because nearer the heavens; for which reason the Heathens made use of high places to worship in, see ( Jeremiah 19:13 ) ( 32:29 ) ( Zephaniah 1:5 )

and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house
of the Lord;
( 2 Kings 21:5 )

did the king beat down;
ordered to be demolished:

and brake them down from thence, and cast the dust of them into the
brook Kidron;
that there might be no remains of them to be put to any superstitious use.


FOOTNOTES:

F16 Strabo, Geograph l. 16. p. 539.

2 Kings 23:12 In-Context

10 contaminavit quoque Thafeth quod est in convalle filii Ennom ut nemo consecraret filium suum aut filiam per ignem Moloch
11 abstulit quoque equos quos dederant reges Iudae soli in introitu templi Domini iuxta exedram Nathanmelech eunuchi qui erat in Farurim currus autem solis conbusit igni
12 altaria quoque quae erant super tecta cenaculi Ahaz quae fecerant reges Iuda et altaria quae fecerat Manasses in duobus atriis templi Domini destruxit rex et cucurrit inde et dispersit cinerem eorum in torrentem Cedron
13 excelsa quoque quae erant in Hierusalem ad dexteram partem montis Offensionis quae aedificaverat Salomon rex Israhel Astharoth idolo Sidoniorum et Chamos offensioni Moab et Melchom abominationi filiorum Ammon polluit rex
14 et contrivit statuas et succidit lucos replevitque loca eorum ossibus mortuoru
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.