2 Kings 23 20

2 Kings 23:20 kjv

And he slew all the priests of the high places that were there upon the altars, and burned men's bones upon them, and returned to Jerusalem.

2 Kings 23:20 nkjv

He executed all the priests of the high places who were there, on the altars, and burned men's bones on them; and he returned to Jerusalem.

2 Kings 23:20 niv

Josiah slaughtered all the priests of those high places on the altars and burned human bones on them. Then he went back to Jerusalem.

2 Kings 23:20 esv

And he sacrificed all the priests of the high places who were there, on the altars, and burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

2 Kings 23:20 nlt

He executed the priests of the pagan shrines on their own altars, and he burned human bones on the altars to desecrate them. Finally, he returned to Jerusalem.

2 Kings 23 verses

2 Kings 23 20 Meaning

This verse details King Josiah's further purification of the land, specifically focusing on the destruction and defilement of the "high places" and their illegitimate priests throughout Israel. He slaughtered the pagan priests on their own altars and desecrated these altars by burning human bones upon them, rendering them utterly unusable for any cultic practice, thereby completing a decisive act against idolatry before returning to Jerusalem.

2 Kings 23 20 Context

2 Kings chapter 23 describes King Josiah's sweeping religious reforms after the discovery of the Book of the Law in the Temple (2 Kgs 22). This verse specifically falls within the account of Josiah's thorough cleansing of idolatry not only from Judah but extending into the former territory of Israel (the northern kingdom), including Samaria and surrounding regions (2 Kgs 23:19). This unprecedented action targeted all forms of idolatrous worship, from the Asherah poles and Baal altars to the "high places" where even illicit worship of Yahweh might have taken place. The acts described in verse 20 represent the pinnacle of his destructive efforts, desecrating the sites and eliminating the personnel involved in these detestable practices, signifying a profound spiritual cleansing and return to the exclusive worship of the Lord, as prescribed by the Law.

2 Kings 23 20 Word analysis

• And he slew (וַיִּזְבַּח - vayyizbaḥ): This verb can mean "to slaughter," particularly in a sacrificial sense. Here, Josiah executes the priests as an act of divine judgment. The choice of zabach is significant; these priests, who engaged in illicit sacrifices to pagan deities or even corrupted worship of Yahweh, are now themselves made a grim 'sacrifice' on their own altars, a polemic reversal and act of purification. This highlights the severity of their apostasy and God's condemnation of it.
• all the priests of the high places (כָּל־כֹּהֲנֵי הַבָּמוֹת - kol kohaney habbamot): Refers to priests serving illicit worship sites. These were not priests of the Lord as defined by the Law (Levitical/Aaronic priesthood) but served foreign deities or practiced a syncretistic form of worship not sanctioned by God, often including detestable rites. Josiah's act indicates no mercy for those propagating religious impurity.
• that were there upon the altars (אֲשֶׁר־שָׁם עַל־הַמִּזְבְּחוֹת - asher sham al-hammizbechot): "There" refers to the various idolatrous high places mentioned in the preceding verses. The act of slaying them directly "upon the altars" underscores the defilement of these unholy structures and is a direct judgment on their illicit ritual function. It desecrates the very locus of their sin.
• and burned (וַיִּשְׂרֹף - vayyisrof): Signifies total destruction and rendering something useless or ritually impure. Burning was a method to completely eliminate idolatrous objects as prescribed by the Law.
• men's bones (עַצְמוֹת אָדָם - atzmot adam): The bones of human beings. This is an act of extreme desecration. Contact with human bones rendered a person or place ritually unclean (Num 19:16). Burning human bones on an altar rendered it perpetually defiled, making it unfit for any religious ceremony thereafter. This act was deliberately chosen to ensure that these idolatrous altars could never again be used for cultic purposes.
• upon them (עֲלֵיהֶם - aleihem): Upon the altars previously mentioned. This specifies where the bones were burned, further cementing the defilement.
• and returned to Jerusalem (וַיָּשָׁב יְרוּשָׁלָ‍ִם - vayyashav Yerushalayim): This concludes the extensive cleansing operation outside Jerusalem. It signifies that the task was thoroughly completed, and Jerusalem, as the designated place for Yahweh's true worship, was now the cleansed center of Judah, free from immediate external threats of idolatry.
  • "slew all the priests of the high places... upon the altars": This powerful and shocking action goes beyond simple execution. It implies a targeted act of judgment that mirrored (and inverted) the pagan sacrificial practices. By sacrificing the illicit priests on their own altars, Josiah completed a horrific yet divinely sanctioned act of justice, making a definitive statement about the absolute impurity and judgment upon these idolatrous cults. It's an act of cultic inversion and purification.
  • "and burned men's bones upon them": This specific act of defilement ensures that the altars are ritually corrupted beyond use. By Mosaic law, human bones, especially those of the unpurified dead, carried extreme defilement. The prophecy in 1 Kgs 13:2 specifically foretold that "bones of men" would be burned on the altar at Bethel, and this very act is seen as Josiah fulfilling that ancient word, demonstrating God's long-reaching plan and his power over human history. This transforms a physical place into a perpetual monument of condemnation.

  Commentary

  2 Kings 23:20 encapsulates the radical thoroughness of King Josiah's divinely inspired reformation. The brutal elimination of the priests on their own altars, far from being wanton violence, was a calculated act of cultic purification. The verb "slew" (Hebrew: zabach) carries connotations of ritual slaughter, transforming these instruments and perpetrators of unholy worship into objects of a reversed 'sacrifice' to God's justice. The burning of human bones upon the altars was an ultimate act of defilement, ensuring these sites could never be used for any religious practice again. This direct and dramatic act was not only a physical cleansing but also a symbolic statement to the people about the abomination of idolatry and the uncompromising nature of God's holy demand for exclusive worship. It marked the definitive end of organized, state-sanctioned pagan worship during his reign, restoring Jerusalem's role as the singular hub of pure Yahwistic worship.

  Bonus section

  The act described in 2 Kings 23:20 is a direct and precise fulfillment of the prophecy uttered by the man of God from Judah against Jeroboam's altar at Bethel, recorded in 1 Kings 13:1-3. Nearly three centuries prior, a prophet declared that a king named "Josiah" would arise from the house of David, who would "sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you [the altar], and men's bones will be burned on you." This detail emphasizes the sovereignty of God over history, demonstrating that His word is immutable and will come to pass exactly as prophesied, even across vast spans of time and unforeseen historical circumstances. The fulfillment underscores Josiah's pivotal role as a chosen instrument of divine justice.

2 Kings 23 20 Bonus section

2 Kings 23 20 Commentary