2 Kings 23:4
in 2 Kings 23Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, the priests second in rank, and the doorkeepers to remove from the temple of the LORD all the articles made for Baal, Asherah, and all the host of heaven. And he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron and carried their ashes to Bethel.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the threshold, to bring forth out of the temple of Jehovah all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the Asherah, and for all the host of heaven, and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Beth-el.
KJV
And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the Lord all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Beth–el.
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This verse in 2 Kings 23
Commentary
7 notes on this verseThe priests of the second order - These were probably such as supplied the place of the high priest when he was prevented: from fulfilling the functions of his office. So the Chaldee understood the place - the sagan of the high priests. But the words may refer to those of the second course or order established by David: though it does not appear that those orders were now in use, yet the distinction was continued even to the time of our Lord.
This site's exposition
vessels that were made for Baal
on 2 Kings 23:4-6
Hilkiah and the priests of the second order carry out every vessel made for Baal, for the Asherah, and for the host of heaven, and Josiah burns them in the fields of Kidron and carries the ashes to Bethel, the very place the reform will end at verse 15. The Asherah itself is cut down from the temple, burned at Kidron, ground to powder, and the powder scattered on the graves of the common people, an act meant to make the idol as unclean as a corpse. The idolatrous priests earlier kings had ordained are put down together with the vessels they served.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Though Josiah had suppressed the worship of idols, yet the utensils made for that worship were all carefully preserved, even in the temple itself, to be used again whenever the present restraint should be taken off; nay, even the grove itself, the image of it, was yet standing in the temple (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order,....
The idolatrous priests were all put down. Those of them that were not of the house of Aaron, or had sacrificed to Baal or other false gods, he put to death, according to the law,
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
It is a level, spacious basin, abounding at present with plantations [ROBINSON]. The brook winds along the east and south of the city, the channel of which is throughout a large portion of the year almost or wholly dry, except after heavy rains, when it suddenly swells and overflows.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
A parenthesis giving the earlier reforms of Josiah. 2Ki 23:4 The priests of the second order - This is a new expression; and probably refers to the ordinary priests, called here “priests of the second order,” in contrast with the high priest, whose dignity was reviving (2Ki 12:2 note). The vessels - This would include the whole apparatus of worship, altars, images, dresses, utensils, etc., for Baal, etc. (2Ki 21:3-5 notes). The ashes of the idolatrous objects burned in the first instance in the “fields of Kidron” (i. e., in the part of the valley which lies northeast of the city, a part much broader than that between the Temple Hill and the Mount of Olives) were actually taken to Bethel, as to an accursed place, and one just beyond the borders of Judah; while those of other objects burned afterward were not carried so far, the trouble being great and the need not absolute, but were thrown into the Kidron 2Ki 23:12, when there happened to be water to carry them away, or scattered on graves which were already unclean 2Ki 23:6. Compare 1Ki 15:13. 2Ki 23:5 He put down ... - or, “He caused to cease the idolatrous priests” (margin); i. e., he stopped them. The word translated “idolatrous priests” (see the margin) is a rare one, occurring only here and in marginal references. Here and in Zephaniah it is contrasted with כהן kôhên, another class of high-place priests. The כהן kôhên were probably “Levitical,” the כהן kâhêm “non-Levitical priests of the highplaces.” כהן kâhêm appears to have been a foreign term, perhaps derived from the Syriac cumro, which means a priest of any kind. Whom the kings of Judah had ordained - The consecration of non-Levitical priests by the kings of Judah (compare 1Ki 12:31) had not been previously mentioned; but it is quite in accordance with the other proceedings of Manasseh and Amon. The planets - See the marginal note, i. […]
The words behind it
34 Hebrew wordsEvery 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.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְצַ֣ו | vaytzav | and he commanded | H6680 → | 494 times |
| הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| חִלְקִיָּהוּ֩ | chilkiyahu | Hilkiah | H2518 → | 34 times |
| הַכֹּהֵ֨ן | hakohen | the priest | H3548 → | 750 times |
| הַגָּד֜וֹל | hagadol | <the> great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כֹּהֲנֵ֣י | kohanei | [the] priests of | H3548 → | 750 times |
| הַמִּשְׁנֶה֮ | hamishneh | the second rank | H4932 → | 35 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שֹׁמְרֵ֣י | shomerei | [the] keepers of | H8104 → | 468 times |
| הַסַּף֒ | hasaf | the threshold | H5592 → | 32 times |
| לְהוֹצִיא֙ | lehotzi' | to bring out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| מֵהֵיכַ֣ל | meheikhal | from [the] temple of | H1964 → | 80 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֵ֣ת | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַכֵּלִ֗ים | hakelim | the articles | H3627 → | 325 times |
| הָֽעֲשׂוּיִם֙ | haasuyim | which were made | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| לַבַּ֣עַל | labaal | for <the> Baal | H1168 → | 82 times |
| וְלָֽאֲשֵׁרָ֔ה | velaasherah | and for <the> Asherah | H842 → | 40 times |
| וּלְכֹ֖ל | ulekhol | and for all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| צְבָ֣א | tzeva' | [the] host of | H6635 → | 485 times |
| הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם | hashamayim | the heavens | H8064 → | 421 times |
| וַֽיִּשְׂרְפֵ֞ם | vaiyisrefem | and he burned them | H8313 → | 117 times |
| מִח֤וּץ | michutz | from [the] outside | H2351 → | 164 times |
| לִירוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ | lirushalim | of Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
| בְּשַׁדְמ֣וֹת | beshadmot | in [the] fields of | H7709 → | |
| קִדְר֔וֹן | kidron | Kidron | H6939 → | 11 times |
| וְנָשָׂ֥א | venasa' | and he carried | H5375 → | 656 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| עֲפָרָ֖ם | ʾafaram | dust their | H6083 → | 110 times |
| בֵּֽית־ | beit- | Beth- | H1008 → | 142 times |
| אֵֽל׃ | ʾel | -el | H1008 → | 142 times |
וַיְצַ֣וand he commanded
vaytzavH6680 →494 times
הַמֶּ֡לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
חִלְקִיָּהוּ֩Hilkiah
chilkiyahuH2518 →34 times
הַכֹּהֵ֨ןthe priest
hakohenH3548 →750 times
הַגָּד֜וֹל<the> great
hagadolH1419 →526 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
כֹּהֲנֵ֣י[the] priests of
kohaneiH3548 →750 times
הַמִּשְׁנֶה֮the second rank
hamishnehH4932 →35 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
שֹׁמְרֵ֣י[the] keepers of
shomereiH8104 →468 times
הַסַּף֒the threshold
hasafH5592 →32 times
לְהוֹצִיא֙to bring out
lehotzi'H3318 →1067 times
מֵהֵיכַ֣לfrom [the] temple of
meheikhalH1964 →80 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֵ֣ת<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הַכֵּלִ֗יםthe articles
hakelimH3627 →325 times
הָֽעֲשׂוּיִם֙which were made
haasuyimH6213 →2628 times
לַבַּ֣עַלfor <the> Baal
labaalH1168 →82 times
וְלָֽאֲשֵׁרָ֔הand for <the> Asherah
velaasherahH842 →40 times
וּלְכֹ֖לand for all
ulekholH3605 →5413 times
צְבָ֣א[the] host of
tzeva'H6635 →485 times
הַשָּׁמָ֑יִםthe heavens
hashamayimH8064 →421 times
וַֽיִּשְׂרְפֵ֞םand he burned them
vaiyisrefemH8313 →117 times
מִח֤וּץfrom [the] outside
michutzH2351 →164 times
לִירוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙of Jerusalem
lirushalimH3389 →643 times
בְּשַׁדְמ֣וֹתin [the] fields of
beshadmotH7709 →
קִדְר֔וֹןKidron
kidronH6939 →11 times
וְנָשָׂ֥אand he carried
venasa'H5375 →656 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
עֲפָרָ֖םdust their
ʾafaramH6083 →110 times
בֵּֽית־Beth-
beit-H1008 →142 times
אֵֽל׃-el
ʾelH1008 →142 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
2 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…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 17:3
and going to worship other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven—which I have forbidden—
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Deuteronomy 16:21
Do not set up any wooden Asherah pole next to the altar you will build for the LORD your God,
- 2 Chronicles 31:1
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…
- Deuteronomy 17:3
Through
2 Kings 21:7Manasseh even took the carved Asherah pole he had made and set it up in the temple, of which the LORD had said to David and his son Solomon, “In this temple and in…
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 7:16
For I have now chosen and consecrated this temple so that My Name may be there forever. My eyes and My heart will be there for all time.
- 2 Chronicles 7:16
Through
1 Kings 18:19Now summon all Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel, along with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
it leads to
- Joshua 19:26
Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal. On the west the border touched Carmel and Shihor-libnath,
- Joshua 19:26
Through
2 Kings 21:3For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed, and he raised up altars for Baal. He made an Asherah pole, as King Ahab of Israel had done, and he worshiped…
it leads to
- 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…
- 2 Kings 17:16
They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves two cast idols of calves and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the host of heaven and served…
- 2 Kings 18:4
Through
2 Kings 25:18The captain of the guard also took away Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest of second rank, and the three doorkeepers.
it leads to
- Ezra 7:1
Many years later, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
- Ezra 7:1
Where this verse is studied
About 2 Kings
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PlaceCentral hill countryBethelThe house of God, where Jacob saw the ladder and heard the promise, where he returned to raise an altar, and where Jeroboam’s gold…
- PlaceJerusalemJerusalemThe city David took from the Jebusites and made his capital, where Solomon built the temple, where Christ was crucified and rose,…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); 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.