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2 Chronicles 31:1

in 2 Chronicles 31

When all this had ended, the Israelites in attendance went out to the cities of Judah and broke up the sacred pillars, chopped down the Asherah poles, and tore down the high places and altars throughout Judah and Benjamin, as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the Israelites returned to their cities, each to his own property.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake in pieces the pillars, and hewed down the Asherim, and brake down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.

KJV

Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.

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This verse in 2 Chronicles 31

Commentary

8 notes on this verse
Jerusalem had been cleansed 2Ch 30:14; now the land had to be purged. Hezekiah therefore gave his sanction to a popular movement directed as much against the “high places” which had been maintained since the times of the patriarchs, as against the remnants of the Baal-worship, or the innovations of Ahaz. See 2Ki 18:4 note.

This site's exposition

as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh

The reform does not stop at Judah's border. It runs into Ephraim and Manasseh, territory of the fallen northern kingdom, evidence that the invitation Hezekiah sent north had taken hold. Kings gives the reform one summary verse at 2 Kings 18:4; Chronicles gives the sweep across the old northern tribes.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

They destroyed all: they utterly destroyed all; they spared none through favour or affection either to the images or to their worshippers; though ever so ancient, ever so costly, ever so beautiful, and ever so well patronised, yet they must all be destroyed. Note, Those that sincerely set themselves against sin will set themselves against all sin.
Now when all this was finished,....

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

Thus the reign of idolatry being completely overthrown and the pure worship of God re-established throughout the land, the people returned every one to his own home, in the confident expectation that, through the divine blessing, they would enjoy a happy future of national peace and prosperity.
IT is a pleasant sight to behold the thousands assembled together for the worship of God, but it is lamentable to reflect, how often the reverence which is exhibited in the sanctuary is lost when the thresh-hold is passed. How frequently the most earnest address of the preacher is forgotten, and becomes as “the morning cloud, and as the early dew.” We very often go up to the house of God, and imagine that we have done our duty when we have gone through the round of the service: self-satisfied, we return each man to his home.
IT is a pleasant sight to behold the thousands assembled together for the worship of God, but it is lamentable to reflect, how often the reverence which is exhibited in the sanctuary is lost when the thresh-hold is passed. How frequently the most earnest address of the preacher is forgotten, and becomes as “the morning cloud, and as the early dew.” We very often go up to the house of God, and imagine that we have done our duty when we have gone through the round of the service: self-satisfied, we return each man to his home. Oh that we would remember that the preaching of the gospel is but the sowing! afterward the reaping must come. To-day we do, as it were, lay the first stone of an edifice; and henceforward that edifice must be built, stone by stone, through your daily practice, until at last the top-stone is brought forth with shoutings of joy and gladness. Well said the Scotch woman, when her husband asked her, on her return from the house of God sooner than usual, “Wife, is the sermon all done?” “Nay, Donald,” said she; “it is all said; but it is nae begun to be done.” There was wisdom in her pithy saying, a wisdom which we too frequently forget. Praying is the end of preaching. Reformation, conversion, regeneration—these are the ends of the ministry, and a holy life should be the result of your devout worship. We have read in your hearing the story of the great Passover, which was held in the days of Hezekiah.
1 more voice on this verse

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

Brake the images in pieces - This species of reformation was not only carried on through Judah, but they carried it into Israel; whether through a transport of religious zeal, or whether with the consent of Hoshea the Israelitish king, we cannot tell.

The words behind it

32 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וּכְכַלּ֣וֹתand just as finished

    ukhekhalotH3615 →208 times

  • כָּל־all

    kol-H3605 →5413 times

  • זֹ֗אתthis

    zotH2063 →603 times

  • יָצְא֨וּthey went out

    yatzeuH3318 →1067 times

  • כָּל־all

    kol-H3605 →5413 times

  • יִשְׂרָאֵ֥לIsrael

    yisraelH3478 →2507 times

  • הַֽנִּמְצְאִים֮who were found

    hanimtzeimH4672 →455 times

  • לְעָרֵ֣יto [the] cities of

    leareiH5892 →1090 times

  • יְהוּדָה֒Judah

    yehudahH3063 →819 times

  • וַיְשַׁבְּר֣וּand they broke

    vayshaberuH7665 →147 times

  • הַמַּצֵּב֣וֹתthe sacred pillars

    hamatzevotH4676 →

  • וַיְגַדְּע֣וּand they cut down

    vaygadeuH1438 →22 times

  • הָאֲשֵׁרִ֡יםthe Asherah poles

    haasherimH842 →40 times

  • וַיְנַתְּצ֣וּand they pulled down

    vaynatetzuH5422 →42 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • הַ֠בָּמוֹתthe high places

    habamotH1116 →102 times

  • וְאֶת־and <obj.>

    veetH853 →10935 times

  • הַֽמִּזְבְּחֹ֞תthe altars

    hamizbechotH4196 →401 times

  • מִכָּל־from all

    mikolH3605 →5413 times

  • יְהוּדָ֧הJudah

    yehudahH3063 →819 times

  • וּבִנְיָמִ֛ןand Benjamin

    uvinyaminH1144 →166 times

  • וּבְאֶפְרַ֥יִםand in Ephraim

    uveefrayimH669 →180 times

  • וּמְנַשֶּׁ֖הand Manasseh

    umenashehH4519 →146 times

  • עַד־until

    ʾad-H5704 →1261 times

  • לְכַלֵּ֑ה<to> finished

    lekhalehH3615 →208 times

  • וַיָּשׁ֜וּבוּand they returned

    vaiyashuvuH7725 →1056 times

  • כָּל־all

    kol-H3605 →5413 times

  • בְּנֵ֧י[the] people of

    beneiH1121 →4930 times

  • יִשְׂרָאֵ֛לIsrael

    yisraelH3478 →2507 times

  • אִ֥ישׁeach

    ʾishH376 →1663 times

  • לַאֲחֻזָּת֖וֹto possession his

    laachuzatoH272 →

  • לְעָרֵיהֶֽם׃ סto cities their

    leareihemH5892 →1090 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

2 Kings 18:4He removed the high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He also demolished the bronze snake called Nehushtan that Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had burned incense to it.8 works2 Chronicles 33:3For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had torn down, and he raised up altars for the Baals and made Asherah poles. And he worshiped and served all the host of heaven.5 works2 Chronicles 32:12Did not Hezekiah himself remove His high places and His altars and say to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship before one altar, and on it you shall burn sacrifices’?5 works2 Kings 18:22But if you say to me, ‘We trust in the LORD our God,’ is He not the One whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem: ‘You must worship before this altar in Jerusalem’?4 works2 Chronicles 34:7He tore down the altars and Asherah poles, crushed the idols to powder, and cut to pieces all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.4 worksExodus 34:13Rather, you must tear down their altars, smash their sacred stones, and chop down their Asherah poles.3 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Hosea 10:8The high places of Aven will be destroyed—it is the sin of Israel; thorns and thistles will overgrow their altars. Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!” and to the hills, “Fall on us!”3 worksExodus 23:24You must not bow down to their gods or serve them or follow their practices. Instead, you are to demolish them and smash their sacred stones to pieces.2 works2 Kings 23:2–20And he went up to the house of the LORD with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, as well as the priests and the prophets—all the people small and great—and in their hearing he read all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the LORD.2 worksGenesis 19:15At daybreak the angels hurried Lot along, saying, “Get up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.”2 worksDeuteronomy 7:5Instead, this is what you are to do to them: tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, cut down their Asherah poles, and burn their idols in the fire.2 works2 Kings 17:2And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not like the kings of Israel who preceded him.2 works2 Chronicles 34:3–7In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, Josiah began to seek the God of his father David, and in the twelfth year he began to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the cast images.2 works2 Chronicles 23:17So all the people went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.2 worksEsther 4:16“Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day, and I and my maidens will fast as you do. After that, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish!”2 works2 Chronicles 14:3He removed the foreign altars and high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and chopped down the Asherah poles.2 works1 Kings 18:38–40Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water in the trench.2 works2 Chronicles 30:1–27Then Hezekiah sent word throughout all Israel and Judah, and he also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh inviting them to come to the house of the LORD in Jerusalem to keep the Passover of the LORD, the God of Israel.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Exodus 23:24

    You must not bow down to their gods or serve them or follow their practices. Instead, you are to demolish them and smash their sacred stones to pieces.

    it leads to

    • Exodus 20:5

      You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth…

    • Numbers 33:52

      you must drive out before you all the inhabitants of the land, destroy all their carved images and cast idols, and demolish all their high places.

    • Deuteronomy 12:30–31

      be careful not to be ensnared by their ways after they have been destroyed before you. Do not inquire about their gods, asking, “How do these nations serve their gods? I will do likewise.”

    • Deuteronomy 12:3

      Tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, burn up their Asherah poles, cut down the idols of their gods, and wipe out their names from every place.

  • Through

    2 Kings 18:4

    He removed the high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He also demolished the bronze snake called Nehushtan that Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites…

    it leads to

    • Numbers 21:8–9

      Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.”

    • 2 Kings 18:22

      But if you say to me, ‘We trust in the LORD our God,’ is He not the One whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem: ‘You must worship…

  • Through

    Genesis 19:15

    At daybreak the angels hurried Lot along, saying, “Get up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.”

    it leads to

    • Numbers 16:24–27

      “Tell the congregation to move away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.”

    • Revelation 18:4

      Then I heard another voice from heaven say: “Come out of her, My people, so that you will not share in her sins or contract any of her plagues.

About 2 Chronicles

Saphan Reading the Book of the Law to Josiah, Philip Galle, engraving after Maarten van Heemskerck, 1569, Royal Library of Belgium. Public domain.
Saphan Reading the Book of the Law to Josiah, Philip Galle, engraving after Maarten van Heemskerck, 1569, Royal Library of Belgium. Public domain.
2 Chronicles: the study guide →Read 2 Chronicles 31 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Charles Spurgeon, The New Park Street Pulpit, Sermon No. 238: “Reform” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Jamieson Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

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