2 Kings 23 15

2 Kings 23:15 kjv

Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, had made, both that altar and the high place he brake down, and burned the high place, and stamped it small to powder, and burned the grove.

2 Kings 23:15 nkjv

Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin, had made, both that altar and the high place he broke down; and he burned the high place and crushed it to powder, and burned the wooden image.

2 Kings 23:15 niv

Even the altar at Bethel, the high place made by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin?even that altar and high place he demolished. He burned the high place and ground it to powder, and burned the Asherah pole also.

2 Kings 23:15 esv

Moreover, the altar at Bethel, the high place erected by Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, that altar with the high place he pulled down and burned, reducing it to dust. He also burned the Asherah.

2 Kings 23:15 nlt

The king also tore down the altar at Bethel ? the pagan shrine that Jeroboam son of Nebat had made when he caused Israel to sin. He burned down the shrine and ground it to dust, and he burned the Asherah pole.

2 Kings 23 verses

2 Kings 23 15 Meaning

2 Kings 23:15 describes King Josiah's extensive religious reforms extending to Bethel, a prominent center of idolatry in the former Northern Kingdom. He systematically dismantled the altar and high place established by Jeroboam, who initiated Israel's spiritual rebellion. Josiah's actions involved a complete obliteration of these symbols of apostasy: he pulled them down, utterly shattered their stones into powder, and burned the Asherah cult object, signifying a total eradication of idol worship and its associated practices. This demonstrates his zeal for YHWH and commitment to restoring pure worship in the land.

2 Kings 23 15 Context

Verse 15 is a key part of King Josiah's sweeping religious reforms detailed in 2 Kings 23. After the discovery of the Book of the Law (likely Deuteronomy) in the Temple, Josiah was convicted of Judah's widespread idolatry and disobedience. His reforms began with purging Jerusalem and the Temple (2 Kgs 23:4-14) and then extended to other areas, including the highly symbolic and long-standing center of apostasy at Bethel, located in the territory of the former Northern Kingdom of Israel. Historically, Bethel (meaning "House of God") was a sacred site from the patriarchal age (Gen 28:10-22) but was tragically corrupted by Jeroboam I who set up a golden calf there as an alternative worship site to Jerusalem (1 Kgs 12:28-30). This act initiated generations of idolatry in the northern tribes. Josiah's actions in Bethel represent the climax of his zeal to eradicate all forms of idolatry, reaching back to its historical roots in Israel. His purge in the former Israelite territory demonstrates his perceived authority over both Judah and, to some extent, the scattered remnant of Israel during a period of Assyrian decline.

2 Kings 23 15 Word analysis

• Moreover: (גַּם - gam) Indicates continuity and extension of Josiah's reforming activities from Judah into what was historically the Northern Kingdom of Israel, signifying the comprehensiveness of his purge.

• the altar at Bethel: Specifically identifies the central worship site of Jeroboam's idolatry. Bethel's name, meaning "house of God," tragically highlights the perversion of true worship that occurred there.

• and the high place: (בָּמָה - bamah) Refers to elevated places of worship, often associated with idolatry and illicit sacrifices. These were often dedicated to foreign gods, explicitly prohibited in Mosaic Law (Deut 12:2). Their inclusion signifies that Josiah targeted all forms of unauthorized worship.

• which Jeroboam the son of Nebat: Identifies the founder of this idolatrous system. Jeroboam I was the first king of the Northern Kingdom (Israel) and deliberately set up alternative worship centers to prevent his people from returning to Jerusalem for worship, thereby securing his reign. His name became a byword for spiritual apostasy.

• who made Israel to sin: (אֲשֶׁר הֶחֱטִיא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל - asher hekheti et-yisra'el) A damning indictment recurring throughout the books of Kings (e.g., 1 Kgs 14:16; 1 Kgs 15:30, 34; 1 Kgs 16:26). It underscores Jeroboam's culpability for leading an entire nation into generations of spiritual rebellion and idolatry, a direct violation of God's covenant.

• had made, both the altar and the high place he pulled down: Emphasizes Josiah's deliberate and direct confrontation with Jeroboam's long-standing religious rebellion. The repetition ("both the altar and the high place") highlights the specific objects targeted for demolition. The action "pulled down" (נָתַץ - natats) signifies forcible dismantling.

• and broke in pieces the stones thereof: (וְשִׁבַּר אֶת־אֲבָנֶיהָ - v'shibar et-avanehah) Describes a more intense form of destruction, indicating complete fragmentation. This action ensures that the sacred elements of the idolatrous worship cannot be reassembled or revered.

• and stamped them to powder: (וְדִקֵּק עָפָר - v'dikkeq afar) This is the ultimate act of defilement and obliteration. Reducing the altar stones to dust or powder renders them useless and symbolic of utter degradation, as if they were worthless dirt. This severe method parallels the treatment of the golden calf by Moses (Exo 32:20) and exemplifies the command to completely eradicate idols (Deut 9:21).

• and burned the Asherah: (וְשָׂרַף אֶת־הָאֲשֵׁרָה - v'saraf et-ha'asherah) The Asherah was a wooden cult object, often a pole or a tree, associated with the Canaanite fertility goddess Asherah. Burning it signifies its defilement and total destruction. It demonstrates the rejection of syncretistic worship practices which blended the worship of YHWH with pagan rites. This action aligns with Deuteronomic law (Deut 12:3; 7:5).

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "the altar at Bethel, and the high place which Jeroboam...had made": This phrase succinctly connects the current action to the foundational sin of Jeroboam, underscoring the long history of spiritual defilement. It highlights that Josiah's reforms were not merely surface-level but targeted the very root of Israel's national apostasy.
  • "who made Israel to sin": This phrase functions as a fixed epithet for Jeroboam throughout the historical books. It emphasizes the lasting and catastrophic impact of a leader's unrighteous decisions on an entire nation's spiritual well-being.
  • "pulled down, and broke in pieces the stones thereof, and stamped them to powder, and burned the Asherah": This sequence of actions illustrates a comprehensive and meticulous campaign of destruction. From dismantling to utter pulverization and burning, it demonstrates an unyielding zeal for God and a complete abhorrence of idolatry, leaving no possibility of future use or reverence for these pagan objects.

2 Kings 23 15 Bonus section

• Fulfillment of Prophecy: Josiah's actions in 2 Kings 23, particularly concerning the altar at Bethel, explicitly fulfill the detailed prophecy given by a nameless man of God to Jeroboam hundreds of years prior in 1 Kings 13:1-3. This demonstration of prophetic fulfillment underscores God's sovereignty over history and His word, showing that divine judgment, though long-delayed, is never forgotten.
• Political Implications: Josiah's ability to exert authority and carry out reforms in Bethel, which was within the former Northern Kingdom territory, suggests the weakening of Assyrian control over the region. At this time, the Assyrian Empire was in decline, allowing Josiah greater freedom to expand Judah's influence and restore Mosaic Law beyond Judah's strict borders.
• Bethel's Symbolic Importance: Bethel was not merely an idolatrous site but one with deep patriarchal roots (Gen 28, Jacob's dream and renaming the place El-Bethel). Jeroboam's choice of Bethel as a cultic center was a deliberate attempt to legitimize his new religious system by hijacking a revered biblical location, making Josiah's actions there all the more significant in reclaiming holy ground for true worship.
• Spiritual Parallel for Believers: The detailed, violent, and complete destruction of these idols serves as a powerful metaphor for how believers should deal with sin and idolatry in their own lives. It's not enough to simply 'stop doing wrong'; true repentance involves "pulling down," "breaking in pieces," "stamping to powder," and "burning" any "high places" or "Asherah" that compete for allegiance and attention due to God. There must be no remnants or potential for revival of that which defiles.

2 Kings 23 15 Commentary

2 Kings 23:15 is a potent encapsulation of King Josiah's divinely inspired zeal and the comprehensive nature of his reforms. His actions at Bethel were not arbitrary but targeted the deeply entrenched sin initiated by Jeroboam I, representing the systemic apostasy of the Northern Kingdom for centuries. The specific and thorough methods of destruction – pulling down, breaking into pieces, pulverizing the stones, and burning the Asherah – reveal an absolute rejection of idolatry in its very foundations and symbols. This echoes Moses' destruction of the golden calf (Exo 32:20) and fulfills the stern commands of Deuteronomy to utterly demolish pagan worship sites (Deut 7:5, 12:2-3). Beyond mere physical removal, this was a symbolic defilement, rendering the sacred objects of pagan worship as worthless as dust. Josiah's extension of his purge into the former Israelite territory, an area long since dispersed, further highlights his unique devotion and perceived authority to bring the entire land back under the dominion of God's Law. His commitment stands as a testament to radical obedience and the urgent need for believers to decisively and thoroughly dismantle spiritual idols in their own lives and communities, recognizing that even subtle forms of compromise can lead to widespread spiritual corruption.