2 Kings 23:6 kjv
And he brought out the grove from the house of the LORD, without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and stamped it small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people.
2 Kings 23:6 nkjv
And he brought out the wooden image from the house of the LORD, to the Brook Kidron outside Jerusalem, burned it at the Brook Kidron and ground it to ashes, and threw its ashes on the graves of the common people.
2 Kings 23:6 niv
He took the Asherah pole from the temple of the LORD to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem and burned it there. He ground it to powder and scattered the dust over the graves of the common people.
2 Kings 23:6 esv
And he brought out the Asherah from the house of the LORD, outside Jerusalem, to the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron and beat it to dust and cast the dust of it upon the graves of the common people.
2 Kings 23:6 nlt
The king removed the Asherah pole from the LORD's Temple and took it outside Jerusalem to the Kidron Valley, where he burned it. Then he ground the ashes of the pole to dust and threw the dust over the graves of the people.
2 Kings 23 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 32:20 | He took the calf… burned it with fire… ground it to powder… scattered… | Destruction of golden calf: complete ruin |
| Deut 7:5 | you shall thus deal with them: you shall tear down their altars… cut down their Asherim… | Command to destroy idols and Asherim |
| Deut 9:21 | Then I took the sinful thing… the calf… burned it with fire and crushed it… | Moses's destruction of golden calf |
| 1 Kgs 15:13 | ...Asa also removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother, because she had made a detestable image for Asherah... | Asa's removal of an Asherah |
| 1 Kgs 16:33 | ...Ahab also made the Asherah. So Ahab did more to provoke the Lord… | Ahab's prominent Asherah worship |
| 2 Kgs 21:7 | ...Manasseh set the carved image of Asherah that he had made in the house of which the Lord said… | Manasseh's desecration of Temple with Asherah |
| 2 Kgs 23:4 | The king commanded Hilkiah… to bring out of the temple of the Lord all the articles made for Baal… | Broader Temple cleansing initiated by Josiah |
| 2 Kgs 23:7 | He also broke down the houses of the male cult prostitutes… | Further aspects of Josiah's reform |
| 2 Chr 14:3 | For he removed the foreign altars and the high places and broke down the pillars and cut down the Asherim. | Asa's early reform: cutting Asherim |
| 2 Chr 15:16 | He also removed Maacah… from being queen mother because she had made an abominable image for Asherah… | Asa's continued efforts against Asherah |
| 2 Chr 30:14 | They arose and removed the altars which were in Jerusalem, and all the incense altars they removed… | Hezekiah's Temple cleansing |
| 2 Chr 31:1 | ...all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherim and pulled down the high places and the altars… | Hezekiah's widespread idolatry destruction |
| 2 Chr 34:4 | They broke down the altars of the Baals in his presence, and the incense altars… | Josiah's destruction of Baal altars |
| 2 Chr 34:7 | He broke down the altars and the Asherim and carved images and the molten images… | Josiah's destruction extends beyond Judah |
| Jer 7:10-15 | Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of robbers in your sight?... | God's judgment on a defiled Temple |
| Ezek 8:3-16 | He put out the form of a hand and took me by a lock of my head… to Jerusalem to the entrance of the inner gate that faces north, where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy. | Temple defilement with idolatry observed by Ezekiel |
| Num 19:16 | Whoever in the open field touches one who has been slain by a sword… or a bone of a human, or a grave, shall be unclean… | Ritual defilement from touching graves |
| Mal 3:2-3 | ...He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and He will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them like gold and silver… | Metaphor of purification by fire |
| Isa 2:18 | The idols shall completely vanish. | Prophecy of idolatry's end |
| Zech 13:2 | It will come about in that day… I will cut off the names of the idols from the land… | Future removal of idols predicted |
| Eph 5:5 | ...no immoral person or unclean person or covetous person, who is an idolater, has an inheritance… | New Testament view on idolatry |
| 1 Cor 10:14 | Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. | NT warning against idolatry |
2 Kings 23 verses
2 Kings 23 6 Meaning
This verse details a critical action by King Josiah during his extensive religious reforms: the removal and utter destruction of the Asherah pole, a symbol of pagan worship, from the sacred precincts of the Jerusalem Temple. Josiah brought the cult object outside the holy city to the Kidron Valley, a defiled area, where he completely burned it and then ground the ashes to a fine powder. This powder was then scattered over the graves of the common people, signifying profound defilement and irreversible eradication of this idolatry.
2 Kings 23 6 Context
This verse is set during the radical and thorough religious reformation initiated by King Josiah, detailed in 2 Kings 22-23. His reform was prompted by the discovery of the Book of the Law in the Temple, which revealed the extent of Judah's departure from Yahweh's covenant and the severity of God's impending judgment. Chapters 23 describes Josiah's active cleansing, starting with the defiled Temple in Jerusalem, moving to the cities of Judah, and even extending into the former northern kingdom. The Kidron Valley, east of Jerusalem, was a common dumping ground for discarded cultic objects (e.g., King Asa's action in 1 Kgs 15:13). The presence of the Asherah, a foreign Canaanite deity, within the Temple of the Lord was the height of syncretism and a profound abomination, representing Judah's deep apostasy under previous kings like Manasseh and Amon. Josiah's systematic destruction was a direct counter-action to Manasseh's pagan practices and an assertion of Yahweh's sole sovereignty.
2 Kings 23 6 Word analysis
- And he brought out: (וַיֹּצֵא - Vayyotsi) The Hebrew verb "yatsa" implies causing something to go out. It signifies a decisive, active removal, emphasizing Josiah's direct involvement and authority in purifying the sacred space.
- the Asherah: (הָאֲשֵׁרָה - Ha’Asherah) This refers to a wooden cultic pole or tree symbolizing the Canaanite goddess Asherah, who was worshipped as the consort of Baal or El. Her presence "from the house of the Lord" was an egregious defilement, representing a deep religious apostasy and syncretism with foreign polytheism that explicitly violated God's commands (Deut 7:5). It was an attack on the unique identity of Israel and Yahweh.
- from the house of the Lord: (מִבֵּית יְהוָה - Mibbeit YHVH) This designates the sacred Jerusalem Temple, the dwelling place of God's presence among His people. Its defilement by an Asherah pole highlighted the extent of Judah's spiritual corruption. Its cleansing was paramount for restoring pure worship.
- outside Jerusalem, to the Kidron Valley: (מִחוּץ לִירוּשָׁלַם אֶל־נַחַל קִדְרוֹן - Mikhûts Liyrūšalaim el-Nachal Qidrōn) The Kidron Valley is a ravine to the east of Jerusalem, symbolically outside the sacred space of the city. It was historically a place for disposing of unclean and idolatrous items, a testament to its status as an "unholy" dumping ground, thereby underscoring the contempt for the idol.
- and burned it: (וַיִּשְׂרֹף - Vayishroph) Burning symbolizes complete destruction, often used for objects of abhorrence or items requiring purification (Lev 8:32, Deut 7:25). It reduces the physical object to ash, removing any tangible form that could be venerated again.
- and ground it to powder: (וַיָּדֶק לְעָפָר - Vayadeq la’aphar) This action ensures absolute disintegration. It vividly recalls Moses's destruction of the Golden Calf (Exod 32:20, Deut 9:21), a potent biblical precedent for the total annihilation of idolatrous objects. It symbolically stripped the idol of any power or identity, reducing it to mere dust.
- and cast the powder of it: (וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ עֲפָרוֹ - Vayashlikh ‘apharo) Scattering the powder signified further dispersal, making it impossible to recollect or reconstruct the idol. It rendered the Asherah utterly formless and irrecoverable.
- on the graves of the common people: (עַל קִבְרוֹת בְּנֵי הָעָם - Al qivrot benei ha’am) Graves, according to Levitical law (Num 19:16), were ritually defiling. Scattering the idol's remnants on graves intensified its defilement and dishonor. It suggested that the idol and its worshippers were now inextricably linked with death and ritual impurity, marking them as abominable. It may also serve as a final act of contempt, linking the demise of the idol to the people who supported such abominations.
- "Brought out the Asherah from the house of the Lord": This phrase emphasizes the radical purification of Yahweh's sacred dwelling place. It's a clear declaration that God's presence cannot co-exist with idolatry and pollution. The holiness of the Temple demanded the complete expulsion of any rival deities.
- "burned it… ground it to powder and cast the powder of it on the graves": This sequence demonstrates the most extreme and thorough form of destruction and desecration possible. It goes beyond mere removal, ensuring no trace or memory of the idol's power or significance remained. It asserts the complete powerlessness and nullity of the false deity in contrast to the living God. The link to graves signifies linking idolatry to death and corruption.
2 Kings 23 6 Bonus section
The thoroughness of Josiah's actions in this verse, particularly the grinding to powder and scattering over graves, suggests an understanding of the Mosaic Law's requirements for completely destroying false worship elements (e.g., Deut 12:3). This specific act of defiling the burial site was a profound statement, as contact with the dead brought ritual uncleanness. By mingling the Asherah's remains with the graves, Josiah ensured the area remained permanently defiled for anyone considering worshipping there, effectively making the location taboo for religious rites. This acted as a strong deterrent against future syncretistic practices. Such a deliberate desecration reinforces the notion that idolatry is a "dead" and defiling spiritual entity, directly opposing the "living" God.
2 Kings 23 6 Commentary
2 Kings 23:6 powerfully illustrates Josiah's zeal and the meticulousness of his reformation. The destruction of the Asherah pole was not a superficial act but a deeply symbolic and thorough process of desecration. By removing it from the Temple, Josiah restored the sanctuary's integrity. By burning and grinding it to powder in the Kidron Valley, he mirrored biblical precedents for destroying condemned idols, asserting Yahweh's unrivaled supremacy over powerless, man-made objects. Scattering the powder on graves amplified the idol's impurity, linking idolatry irrevocably with death, defilement, and utter contempt, making it unfit for any future veneration. This was a clear polemic against the Canaanite deity and a public declaration of Israel's covenant fidelity to Yahweh alone, ensuring no physical remnant could be repurposed or remembered fondly by idolatrous worshippers. Practically, it highlights the need for a thorough and uncompromising approach to ridding ourselves of spiritual "idols"—anything that usurps God's rightful place in our hearts—leading to true worship and purification.