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He put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; those also who burned incense to Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of the sky.

Verse Takeaways

1

Systematic False Worship

Josiah's reform wasn't just about removing idols; it was about dismantling an entire counterfeit religious system. Commentators explain that previous kings had "ordained" a specific class of non-Levitical priests to serve at high places. This organized apostasy included worship directed at Baal, the sun, moon, and even the zodiac, showing how deeply entrenched the rebellion against God had become.

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Book Overview

2 Kings

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4

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes

On 2 Kings 23:4–20

18th Century

Theologian

A parenthesis giving the earlier reforms of Josiah.

2 Kings 23:4

The priests of the second order - This is a new exp…

Charles Ellicott

Charles Ellicott

On 2 Kings 23:5

19th Century

Bishop

He put down. —Syriac and Arabic, he slew.

The idolatrous priests. —This refers to the kěmârîm…

John Gill

John Gill

On 2 Kings 23:5

17th Century

Pastor

And he put down the idolatrous priests
The Cemarim, so called, because they wore black clothes, as Kimchi and others…

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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry

On 2 Kings 23:4–14

17th Century

Minister

What abundance of wickedness in Judah and Jerusalem! One would not have believed it possible that in Judah, where God was known, in Israel, where h…