2 Kings 23

This chapter details the religious reforms led by King Josiah after the discovery of the Book of the Law in the temple. Josiah renews the covenant with the Lord and embarks on a comprehensive campaign to rid Judah and Israel of idolatry. He destroys high places, idols, and alters foreign worship practices. Despite Josiah's reforms, the Lord’s wrath against Judah remains due to the sins of previous kings. The chapter also records Josiah’s death in battle and the transition of power, highlighting the quick return to idolatry under his successors, which accelerates Judah’s downfall.

2 Kings 23:1-5 (NKJV)
1 Now the king sent them to gather all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem to him.
2 The king went up to the house of the Lord with all the men of Judah, and with him all the inhabitants of Jerusalem—the priests and the prophets and all the people, both small and great. And he read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant which had been found in the house of the Lord.
3 Then the king stood by a pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, to follow the Lord and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people took a stand for the covenant.
4 And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, the priests of the second order, and the doorkeepers, to bring out of the temple of the Lord all the articles that were made for Baal, for Asherah, and for all the host of heaven; and he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried their ashes to Bethel.
5 Then he removed the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense on the high places in the cities of Judah and in the places all around Jerusalem, and those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun, to the moon, to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven.

King Josiah gathers the leaders and people of Judah to renew the covenant with God. He reads the Book of the Covenant aloud, demonstrating his commitment to reestablish God's law. The people agree to this covenant. Josiah then leads a thorough purging of idolatry by destroying objects used to worship false gods such as Baal and Asherah, and he even burns these items outside the city. He also removes idolatrous priests, restoring the proper worship of God. This symbolizes a return to faithfulness, but it comes with the recognition of the people's prior disobedience.

2 Kings 23:6-7 (NKJV)
6 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.
7 Then he tore down the ritual booths of the perverted persons that were in the house of the Lord, where the women wove hangings for the wooden image.

Josiah continues his reforms by removing a wooden image that had been placed inside the temple, which was an abomination to God. He destroys it, grinding it into ashes and scattering them on the graves of the people, signifying total desecration. Additionally, Josiah removes the booths that were used for immoral activities, showing his desire to cleanse the temple of any practices that were against God’s commands. This reflects his zeal for purity in worship and his determination to remove all traces of idolatry.

2 Kings 23:8-9 (NKJV)
8 And he brought all the priests from the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba; also he broke down the high places at the gates which were at the entrance of the Gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were to the left of the city gate.
9 Nevertheless the priests of the high places did not come up to the altar of the Lord in Jerusalem, but they ate unleavened bread among their brethren.

Josiah expands his reforms beyond Jerusalem, bringing priests from other cities and desecrating the high places where they had performed idolatrous rituals. He demolishes these high places, even those located at city gates, which had become centers of pagan worship. Despite these efforts, the priests from the high places did not fully integrate into the worship at the temple in Jerusalem, indicating some residual resistance or a distinction in their roles. Yet, they still participated in certain aspects of religious life, such as eating unleavened bread.

2 Kings 23:10-11 (NKJV)
10 And he defiled Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter pass through the fire to Molech.
11 Then he removed the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun, at the entrance to the house of the Lord, by the chamber of Nathan-Melech, the officer who was in the court; and he burned the chariots of the sun with fire.

Josiah takes further steps to eliminate detestable practices by desecrating Topheth, a site where children were sacrificed to Molech, an idolatrous and cruel practice. By doing this, Josiah not only purges the land of such atrocities but also prevents their future occurrence. He also removes objects associated with the worship of the sun, including horses and chariots that previous kings had dedicated. These actions symbolize Josiah’s commitment to eradicating idolatry in all its forms, ensuring the people turn back to the worship of the true God.

2 Kings 23:12-14 (NKJV)
12 The altars that were on the roof, the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the Lord, the king broke down and pulverized there, and threw their dust into the Brook Kidron.
13 Then the king defiled the high places that were east of Jerusalem, which were on the south of the Mount of Corruption, which Solomon king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the people of Ammon.
14 And he broke in pieces the sacred pillars and cut down the wooden images, and filled their places with the bones of men.

Josiah thoroughly destroys the altars and idols that had been established even within the temple by previous kings, including Manasseh and Ahaz. He grinds these altars to dust and scatters them, signifying total destruction. He also defiles the high places east of Jerusalem, which were originally built by Solomon to worship foreign gods. By doing this, Josiah repudiates even the long-standing historical practices of idolatry, filling these places with bones, which would have been considered the ultimate desecration, ensuring that these locations would no longer be used for false worship.

2 Kings 23:15-17 (NKJV)
15 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.
16 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.
17 Then he said, “What gravestone is this that I see?” So the men of the city told him, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things which you have done against the altar of Bethel.”

Josiah extends his reforms to Bethel, destroying the altar that Jeroboam had set up for idolatry, fulfilling the prophecy that had been spoken by a man of God years earlier. By defiling the altar with human bones, he ensures its desecration.

2 Kings 23:18-20 (NKJV)
18 And he said, “Let him alone; let no one move his bones.” So they left his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet who came from Samaria.
19 Now Josiah also took away all the shrines of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke the Lord to anger; and he did to them according to all the deeds he had done in Bethel.
20 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.

After identifying the tomb of the man of God who prophesied against Jeroboam’s altar, Josiah shows respect by leaving the bones undisturbed. He then moves throughout Samaria, the former northern kingdom of Israel, demolishing idolatrous shrines and altars. By burning human bones on these altars, Josiah ensures their desecration and permanent disuse. His reforms extend beyond Judah into territories once held by the kingdom of Israel, demonstrating his resolve to purify the land from all forms of idolatry.

2 Kings 23:21-23 (NKJV)
21 Then the king commanded all the people, saying, “Keep the Passover to the Lord your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant.”
22 Such a Passover surely had never been held since the days of the judges who judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah.
23 But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah this Passover was held before the Lord in Jerusalem.

Josiah reintroduces the observance of the Passover, one of the most significant festivals in Israel’s religious calendar, and commands all the people to keep it according to the instructions in the Book of the Covenant. This Passover stands out as unparalleled in its grandeur and significance, having not been celebrated in such a way since the time of the judges. It highlights the revival of true worship under Josiah’s leadership, a major religious milestone for the nation.

2 Kings 23:24-25 (NKJV)
24 Moreover Josiah put away those who consulted mediums and spiritists, the household gods and idols, all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the Lord.
25 Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him.

Josiah's reforms go even further as he eliminates all forms of paganism, including the practices of consulting mediums and spiritists, as well as the use of household gods and idols. His commitment to fulfilling the words of the law is complete, demonstrating his devotion to God in every aspect of life. This verse highlights Josiah’s unique status among the kings of Judah. His wholehearted pursuit of God, unmatched by any other king, sets him apart as a model of faithfulness and obedience to the Law of Moses.

2 Kings 23:26-27 (NKJV)
26 Nevertheless the Lord did not turn from the fierceness of His great wrath, with which His anger was aroused against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked Him.
27 And the Lord said, “I will also remove Judah from My sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, ‘My name shall be there.’”

Despite Josiah's fervent reforms and dedication, the Lord’s wrath against Judah is not appeased. The sins of Manasseh, Josiah's predecessor, had been so grievous that God had already determined Judah’s judgment. This passage underscores the inevitability of Judah’s downfall, showing that even righteous leadership cannot reverse the consequences of long-standing rebellion. God declares that just as He had removed Israel, He would also remove Judah and forsake the temple in Jerusalem, signaling the coming destruction and exile.

2 Kings 23:28-30 (NKJV)
28 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
29 In his days Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt went to the aid of the king of Assyria, to the River Euphrates; and King Josiah went against him. And Pharaoh Necho killed him at Megiddo when he confronted him.
30 Then his servants moved his body in a chariot from Megiddo, brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own tomb. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, anointed him, and made him king in his father’s place.

Josiah’s death comes unexpectedly when he confronts Pharaoh Necho of Egypt, who was marching to assist Assyria. Josiah’s decision to engage Necho in battle leads to his death at Megiddo. His body is brought back to Jerusalem, and he is buried with honor in his tomb. Josiah’s untimely death marks the end of his righteous reign, and the people quickly anoint his son Jehoahaz as king. This event signals the beginning of the final decline of Judah, as subsequent kings fail to follow Josiah’s example.

2 Kings 23:31-32 (NKJV)
31 Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
32 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done.

Jehoahaz, Josiah’s son, ascends to the throne but reigns for only three months. Unlike his father, Jehoahaz does evil in the sight of the Lord, following the sinful practices of previous kings. His brief reign is marked by a return to the idolatrous ways that Josiah had worked so hard to eradicate, indicating the rapid moral decline of Judah following Josiah’s death.

2 Kings 23:33-35 (NKJV)
33 Now Pharaoh Necho put him in prison at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and he imposed on the land a tribute of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.
34 Then Pharaoh Necho made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in place of his father Josiah, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. And Pharaoh took Jehoahaz and went to Egypt, and he died there.
35 So Jehoiakim gave the silver and gold to Pharaoh; but he taxed the land to give money according to the command of Pharaoh; he exacted the silver and gold from the people of the land, from everyone according to his assessment, to give it to Pharaoh Necho.

Pharaoh Necho asserts control over Judah by imprisoning Jehoahaz and replacing him with his brother Eliakim, whom he renames Jehoiakim. This name change symbolizes Judah’s subjugation to Egypt. Pharaoh also imposes a heavy tribute on Judah, which Jehoiakim collects by taxing the people. This marks the beginning of Judah’s political and economic decline under foreign powers, leading to greater instability. Jehoahaz dies in Egypt, never returning to the throne.

2 Kings 23:36-37 (NKJV)
36 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zebudah the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah.
37 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done.

Jehoiakim, the new king, follows in the footsteps of previous kings who did evil in the sight of the Lord. Despite his long reign of eleven years, his leadership is marked by idolatry and rebellion against God’s commandments. The spiritual decline continues, setting the stage for Judah’s eventual destruction. Jehoiakim’s reign is a reflection of the people’s persistent disobedience, which ultimately leads to the fulfillment of God’s judgment against the nation.