2 Kings 23 16

2 Kings 23:16 kjv

And as Josiah turned himself, he spied the sepulchres that were there in the mount, and sent, and took the bones out of the sepulchres, and burned them upon the altar, and polluted it, according to the word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these words.

2 Kings 23:16 nkjv

As Josiah turned, he saw the tombs that were there on the mountain. And he sent and took the bones out of the tombs and burned them on the altar, and defiled it according to the word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these words.

2 Kings 23:16 niv

Then Josiah looked around, and when he saw the tombs that were there on the hillside, he had the bones removed from them and burned on the altar to defile it, in accordance with the word of the LORD proclaimed by the man of God who foretold these things.

2 Kings 23:16 esv

And as Josiah turned, he saw the tombs there on the mount. And he sent and took the bones out of the tombs and burned them on the altar and defiled it, according to the word of the LORD that the man of God proclaimed, who had predicted these things.

2 Kings 23:16 nlt

Then Josiah turned around and noticed several tombs in the side of the hill. He ordered that the bones be brought out, and he burned them on the altar at Bethel to desecrate it. (This happened just as the LORD had promised through the man of God when Jeroboam stood beside the altar at the festival.) Then Josiah turned and looked up at the tomb of the man of God who had predicted these things.

2 Kings 23 verses

2 Kings 23 16 Meaning

King Josiah, during his extensive religious reforms, observed the tombs on the mountain near Bethel where Jeroboam I had erected an idolatrous altar. In an act of profound defilement, Josiah exhumed bones from these tombs and incinerated them upon that pagan altar, rendering it utterly polluted. This specific, decisive action served to completely desacralize the altar and was a direct fulfillment of a prophecy declared by an unnamed man of God approximately 350 years earlier.

2 Kings 23 16 Context

This verse is embedded within King Josiah's sweeping religious reforms (2 Kings 23:4-20). Having discovered the Book of the Law in the Temple, Josiah was convicted by its precepts and initiated a national cleansing of all idolatry, first in Judah and then extending into the former northern kingdom of Israel. His actions in Bethel were particularly significant as this city was the birthplace of official state idolatry under Jeroboam I (1 Kings 12:28-33), making it a deeply rooted stronghold of false worship. Josiah's act of burning bones on Jeroboam's altar directly addressed the corruption at its source, fulfilling a centuries-old prophecy and signaling a powerful return to exclusive Yahweh worship.

2 Kings 23 16 Word analysis

• Now as Josiah turned (וַיִּפֶן יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ - vayyifen Yo'shiyahu): The Hebrew verb panah means "to turn," indicating a deliberate movement or observation. Josiah actively directed his attention, implying purposeful intent behind his discovery and subsequent actions, rather than an accidental encounter. His reform was thorough and left no stone unturned.
• he saw the tombs (וַיַּרְא אֶת־הַקְּבָרִים - vayyar 'et-haq-qevarim): Qever (grave, tomb) refers to a burial site. These tombs likely belonged to the pagan priests who had served at the altar or prominent idolaters, highlighting the depth of false worship ingrained in the very landscape.
• that were there on the mountain: Refers to the elevated location, typical for high places of worship (both legitimate and illegitimate), often used for pagan rituals. This mountain was historically significant as a site for Jeroboam's illicit altar in Bethel.
• and he sent and took the bones (וַיִּשְׁלַח וַיִּקַּח אֶת־הָעֲצָמוֹת - vayyishlach vayyiq-qach 'et-ha'atzamot): Atzamot means "bones." Handling human bones or dead bodies caused severe ritual defilement according to Mosaic Law (Num 19:16). Josiah intentionally employed this act of uncleanness to pollute the altar, turning its very desecration into a holy act against idolatry.
• and burned them on the altar (וַיִּשְׂרֹף עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ - vayyisrof 'al-hammizbeach): Mizbeach is an altar, in this case, Jeroboam's altar in Bethel. Burning human bones, especially from revered (by idolaters) figures, on an altar was the ultimate act of degradation and religious contempt, rendering it irrecoverably unclean and unfit for any future worship.
• and defiled it (וַיְטַמֵּא אֹתוֹ - vaytamme' oto): The verb tame' signifies "to make ritually unclean or impure." Josiah's action specifically caused cultic impurity, destroying any vestige of "sacredness" (even perverted sacredness) the altar might have held for its idolaters. It signified that the place of sin became a symbol of impurity itself.
• according to the word of the LORD (כִּדְבַר יְהוָה - kidvar Adonai): Davar Yahweh emphasizes the divine origin and authority of the prophecy. This phrase is central, elevating Josiah's actions from mere historical event to prophetic fulfillment, underscoring God's ultimate sovereignty and precision.
• which the man of God proclaimed (אֲשֶׁר קָרָא אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים - asher qara' 'ish ha'elohim): Qara' means "to proclaim" or "call out." "Man of God" is an anonymous designation for the prophet from Judah in 1 Kings 13:1-2. His anonymity highlights that it was God's word, not the prophet's name, that held the enduring power to be fulfilled.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:
• "he sent and took the bones from the tombs and burned them on the altar and defiled it": This sequence highlights a deliberate and thorough act of cultic warfare against idolatry. It's not spontaneous vandalism but a calculated ritual of defilement. The physical act of desecration mirrored the spiritual defilement that idolatry brought to the land. It aimed to permanently break the religious hold of this false worship center.
• "according to the word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed": This powerful conclusion firmly anchors Josiah's specific act in the unfolding of God's long-range plan. It shows God's omniscience (knowing centuries in advance), omnipotence (ensuring fulfillment), and justice (addressing past sin definitively). This fulfillment affirms the truth of God's revealed word and underscores His sovereignty over all human endeavors and even future historical events. It is a testament to the fact that God's threats against idolatry are as sure as His promises to His people.

2 Kings 23 16 Bonus section

• The meticulous fulfillment of this specific prophecy (burning bones on the altar, 1 Kgs 13:2) is remarkable, given the time gap of over 350 years. This emphasizes God's patience, long-suffering, and ultimately, His perfect timing and unwavering commitment to His declared word.
• The "man of God" who prophesied in 1 Kings 13 remained anonymous throughout the account, emphasizing that the message was paramount, not the messenger. However, his prophecy was fulfilled precisely because it was God's word, whereas the prophet himself failed to obey God on a seemingly minor point and paid with his life, contrasting divine infallibility with human fallibility.
• Josiah's actions in 2 Kings 23 extend beyond physical destruction; they involve a theological desacralization, reclaiming and purifying the land by reversing the cultic pollution that generations of idolatry had wrought upon it.

2 Kings 23 16 Commentary

2 Kings 23:16 captures a pinnacle moment in Josiah's reform: the precise, prophetic fulfillment of judgment against Jeroboam's idolatrous altar at Bethel. Josiah’s act was a divinely orchestrated counter-ritual. By taking the bones of the dead, likely pagan priests or adherents, from their graves and burning them on the altar they once served, he turned a symbol of false worship into a vessel of extreme ritual defilement. This made the altar so polluted, according to Mosaic Law, that it could never again be used for any sacred purpose, effectively neutralizing its evil influence forever. This was not a spontaneous act but a direct, detailed obedience to the long-standing prophetic word, showcasing God's meticulous memory of sin and His unfailing faithfulness in bringing about His judgment, even after centuries. It serves as a potent reminder of God's ultimate victory over all forms of false religion and the surety of His word.