2 Kings 23:20
New International Version
Josiah slaughtered all the priests of those high places on the altars and burned human bones on them. Then he went back to Jerusalem.

New Living Translation
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.

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
On the altars he slaughtered all the priests of the high places, and he burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
And he slaughtered all the priests of the high places who were there on the altars, and burned human bones on them; then he returned to Jerusalem.

NASB 1995
All the priests of the high places who were there he slaughtered on the altars and burned human bones on them; then he returned to Jerusalem.

NASB 1977
And all the priests of the high places who were there he slaughtered on the altars and burned human bones on them; then he returned to Jerusalem.

Legacy Standard Bible
And all the priests of the high places who were there he slaughtered on the altars and burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

Amplified Bible
All the priests of the high places who were there he slaughtered on the altars, and burned human bones on them [to desecrate the places forever]. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

Christian Standard Bible
He slaughtered on the altars all the priests of those high places, and he burned human bones on the altars. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He slaughtered on the altars all the priests of the high places who were there, and he burned human bones on the altars. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

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

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he slaughtered all the Priests of the high places who had put incense on the altars, and he burned the bones of the men upon them, and he returned to Jerusalem.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he sacrificed all the priests of the high places that were there on the altars, and burnt the bones of men upon them, and returned to Jerusalem.

Contemporary English Version
He killed the priests who served at them and burned their bones on the altars. After all that, Josiah went back to Jerusalem.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he slew all the priests of the high places, that were there, upon the altars: and he burnt men's bones upon them: and returned to Jerusalem.

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

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He slaughtered all the priests of the illegal worship sites on their altars and then burned human bones on them. He went back to Jerusalem.

Good News Translation
He killed all the pagan priests on the altars where they served, and he burned human bones on every altar. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

International Standard Version
After he had slaughtered all the priests who served at the high places and burned their bones on those high places, he returned to Jerusalem.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And he slew all the priests of the high places that were there, upon the altars, and burned men's bones upon them; and he returned to Jerusalem.

Literal Standard Version
And he slays all the priests of the high places who [are] there by the altars, and burns the bones of man on them, and turns back to Jerusalem.

Majority Standard Bible
On the altars he slaughtered all the priests of the high places, and he burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

New American Bible
He slaughtered upon the altars all the priests of the high places that were there, and burned human bones upon them. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

NET Bible
He sacrificed all the priests of the high places on the altars located there, and burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

New Revised Standard Version
He slaughtered on the altars all the priests of the high places who were there, and burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

New Heart English Bible
He killed all the priests of the high places that were there, on the altars, and burned men's bones on them; and he returned to Jerusalem.

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

World English Bible
He killed all the priests of the high places that were there, on the altars, and burned men’s bones on them; and he returned to Jerusalem.

Young's Literal Translation
And he slayeth all the priests of the high places who are there by the altars, and burneth the bones of man upon them, and turneth back to Jerusalem.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Josiah Destroys Idolatry
19Just as Josiah had done at Bethel, so also in the cities of Samaria he removed all the shrines of the high places set up by the kings of Israel who had provoked the LORD to anger. 20On the altars he slaughtered all the priests of the high places, and he burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

Cross References
Leviticus 26:30
I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and heap your lifeless bodies on the lifeless remains of your idols; and My soul will despise you.

2 Kings 10:25
When he had finished making the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guards and officers, "Go in and kill them. Do not let anyone out." So the guards and officers put them to the sword, threw the bodies out, and went into the inner room of the temple of Baal.

2 Kings 11:18
So all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars. And Jehoiada the priest posted guards for the house of the LORD.

2 Chronicles 34:5
Then he burned the bones of the priests on their altars. So he cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.


Treasury of Scripture

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

he slew.

2 Kings 10:25
And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal.

2 Kings 11:18
And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the LORD.

Exodus 22:20
He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.

burned.

2 Chronicles 34:5
And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.

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2 Kings 23
1. Josiah causes the book to be read in a solemn assembly.
3. He renews the covenant of the Lord.
4. He destroys idolatry.
15. He burns dead men's bones upon the altar of Bethel, as was prophesied.
21. He keeps a most solemn Passover.
24. He puts away witches and all abomination.
26. God's final wrath against Judah.
29. Josiah, provoking Pharaoh Neco, is slain at Megiddo.
31. Jehoahaz, succeeding him,
33. is imprisoned by Pharaoh Neco, who makes Jehoiakim king.
36. Jehoiakim's wicked reign.














(20) He slew.--He slaughtered. A contrast to his mild treatment of the priests of the Judaean high places (2Kings 23:8-9). They were Levites, and these heathenish priests. (Comp. Deuteronomy 17:2-5.) Thus was fulfilled the prophecy of 1Kings 13:2. (Thenius considers the event historical, because that prophecy "is undoubtedly modelled upon it.")

Verse 20. - And he slew all the priests of the high places that were there upon the altars. It is not directly said that he had done this at Bethel, though it had been prophesied that he would do so (1 Kings 13:2). Possibly there were no priests at Bethel at the time, since the "calf" set up by Jeroboam had been carried off (Hosea 10:6) by the Assyrians. The difference between the treatment of the high-place priests in Israel and in Judah (ver. 9) clearly implies that the former were attached to the worship of false gods, while the latter were priests of Jehovah who worshipped him with superstitious and unauthorized rites and ceremonies. And burned men's bones upon them (comp. ver. 16), and returned to Jerusalem.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
On
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the altars
הַֽמִּזְבְּח֔וֹת (ham·miz·bə·ḥō·wṯ)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4196: An altar

he slaughtered
וַ֠יִּזְבַּח (way·yiz·baḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2076: To slaughter for sacrifice

all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the priests
כֹּהֲנֵ֨י (kō·hă·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3548: Priest

of the high places,
הַבָּמ֤וֹת (hab·bā·mō·wṯ)
Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 1116: An elevation

and he burned
וַיִּשְׂרֹ֛ף (way·yiś·rōp̄)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8313: To be, on fire

human
אָדָ֖ם (’ā·ḏām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being

bones
עַצְמ֥וֹת (‘aṣ·mō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 6106: A bone, the body, the substance, selfsame

on them.
עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם (‘ă·lê·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

Then he returned
וַיָּ֖שָׁב (way·yā·šāḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

to Jerusalem.
יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ (yə·rū·šā·lim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3389: Jerusalem -- probably 'foundation of peace', capital city of all Israel


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OT History: 2 Kings 23:20 He killed all the priests (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)
2 Kings 23:19
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