2 Kings 23:15

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 23:4-24

We have here an account of such a reformation as we have not met with in all the history of the kings of Judah, such thorough riddance made of all the abominable things and such foundations laid of a glorious good work; and here I cannot but wonder at two things:?1. That so many wicked things should have got in, and kept standing so long, as we find here removed. 2. That notwithstanding the removal of these wicked things, and the hopeful prospects here given of a happy settlement, yet within a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 23:15

Moreover, the altar that was at Bethel, and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, had made. For the worship of the calf there: both that altar, and the high place, he brake down ; according to an ancient prophecy of the man of God, 1 Kings 13:3 and of Amos in later times, Amos 9:1 . and burnt the high place, and stamped it small to powder ; that there might be no remains of it: and burnt the grove ; either the grove of trees on it, or the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 23:1-25

Good aims and bad methods. "And the king sent," etc. Did the world ever contain a people more morally corrupt than that of the Jews? When we mark them journeying in the wilderness forty years, a more murmuring, disorderly, rebellious set of men where else could we discover? When settled in Palestine, a "land flowing with milk and honey" we find them committing every crime of which humanity is capable—adulteries, suicides, murders, ruthless wars, gross idolatries, their priests impostors,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 23:1-37

JOSIAH 'S RENEWAL OF THE COVENANT . HIS REFORMS AND DEATH . REIGN OF JEHOAHAZ . ACCESSION OF JEHOIAKIM . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 23:4-27

Josiah ' s reformation of religion . The reformation of religion by Josiah next engages the writer's attention, and is treated, not chronologically, but rather gee-graphically, under the three heads of The celebration of the Passover is then briefly noticed ( 2 Kings 23:21-25 ); and the section concludes with a eulogy of Josiah ( 2 Kings 23:24 , 2 Kings 23:25 ), who, however, it is noticed could not, with all his piety, obtain a revocation of the sentence passed on Judah in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 23:4-27

The inability of the best intentions and the strongest will to convert a nation that is corrupt to the core. Josiah's reformation was the most energetic and the most thorough-going that was ever carried out by any Jewish king. It far transcended, not only the efforts made by Jehoiada in the time of Joash ( 2 Kings 11:17-21 ; 2 Kings 12:1-16 ), and the feeble attempts of Manasseh on his return from Babylon ( 2 Chronicles 33:15-19 ), but even the earnest endeavors of Hezekiah at the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 23:15

Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, and the high place ; rather, the altar that was at Bethel , the high place , without any "and." הַבָמָה is in apposition with הַמִּזְבֵּץַ . By setting up an altar at Bethel, Jeroboam constituted Bethel a "high place." Which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, had made , both that altar end the high place he brake down . "The high place" is here equivalent to the "house of high places" in 1 Kings 12:31 , and designates... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 23:15-20

The altar at Bethel. From Judah Josiah passed on to Israel, continuing his work of idol-demolition. Everywhere he went he proved himself a veritable "hammer of God"—leveling, defacing, dishonoring, destroying. I. AN ANCIENT PROPHECY FULFILLED . 1. Iconoclasm at Bethel . Bethel had been the chief scene of Israel's idolatry—the head and front of its offending (cf. Hosea 4:15 ; Hosea 10:4-9 , etc.). On it Josiah's zeal first expended itself. Hosea had prophesied its... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 2 Kings 23:4-20

A parenthesis giving the earlier reforms of Josiah.2 Kings 23:4The priests of the second order - This is a new expression; and probably refers to the ordinary priests, called here “priests of the second order,” in contrast with the high priest, whose dignity was reviving (2 Kings 12:2 note).The vessels - This would include the whole apparatus of worship, altars, images, dresses, utensils, etc., for Baal, etc. (2 Kings 21:3-5 notes).The ashes of the idolatrous objects burned in the first... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 2 Kings 23:15

2 Kings 23:15. The altar that was at Beth-el he brake down Probably this city was now under the kingdom of Judah, to which it was added by Abijah long before this time. And it is probable, since the ten tribes were carried away, many cities had put themselves under the protection of Judah. The golden calf, it seems, was gone; but Josiah would leave no remains of that idolatry. read more

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