Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Josiah brought all the priests from the towns of Judah and desecrated the high places, from Geba to Beersheba, where the priests had burned incense. He broke down the gateway at the entrance of the Gate of Joshua, the city governor, which was on the left of the city gate. New Living Translation Josiah brought to Jerusalem all the priests who were living in other towns of Judah. He also defiled the pagan shrines, where they had offered sacrifices—all the way from Geba to Beersheba. He destroyed the shrines at the entrance to the gate of Joshua, the governor of Jerusalem. This gate was located to the left of the city gate as one enters the city. English Standard Version And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had made offerings, from Geba to Beersheba. And he broke down the high places of the gates that were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on one’s left at the gate of the city. Berean Standard Bible Then Josiah brought all the priests from the cities of Judah and desecrated the high places, from Geba to Beersheba, where the priests had burned incense. He tore down the high places of the gates at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which was to the left of the city gate. King James Bible And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba, and brake down the high places of the gates that were in the entering in of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on a man's left hand at the gate of the city. New King James Version 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. New American Standard Bible Then 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; and he tore down the high places of the gates that were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on one’s left at the city gate. NASB 1995 Then 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; and he broke down the high places of the gates which were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on one’s left at the city gate. NASB 1977 Then 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; and he broke down the high places of the gates which were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on one’s left at the city gate. Legacy Standard Bible Then 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; and he tore down the high places of the gates which were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the ruler of the city, which were on one’s left at the city gate. Amplified Bible Then Josiah brought all the [idolatrous] priests from the cities of Judah, and desecrated the high places where the priests had burned incense [to idols], from Geba to Beersheba, [that is, north to south]; and he tore down the high places of the gates which were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on one’s left at the city gate. Christian Standard Bible Then Josiah brought all the priests from the cities of Judah, and he defiled the high places from Geba to Beer-sheba, where the priests had burned incense. He tore down the high places of the city gates at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city (on the left at the city gate). Holman Christian Standard Bible Then Josiah brought all the priests from the cities of Judah, and he defiled the high places from Geba to Beer-sheba, where the priests had burned incense. He tore down the high places of the gates at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city (on the left at the city gate). American Standard Version And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beer-sheba; and he brake down the high places of the gates that were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on a man's left hand at the gate of the city. Contemporary English Version In almost every town in Judah, priests had been offering sacrifices to the LORD at local shrines. Josiah brought these priests to Jerusalem and had their shrines made unfit for worship--every shrine from Geba just north of Jerusalem to Beersheba in the south. He even tore down the shrine at Beersheba that was just to the left of Joshua Gate, which was named after the highest official of the city. English Revised Version And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beer-sheba; and he brake down the high places of the gates that were at the entering in of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on a man's left hand at the gate of the city. GOD'S WORD® Translation He brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah from Geba to Beersheba and made the places where those priests sacrificed unclean. He tore down the worship site at the entrance of the Gate of Joshua, the gate named after the mayor of the city. (The worship site was to the left of anyone going through the city gate.) Good News Translation He brought to Jerusalem the priests who were in the cities of Judah, and throughout the whole country he desecrated the altars where they had offered sacrifices. He also tore down the altars dedicated to the goat demons near the gate built by Joshua, the city governor, which was to the left of the main gate as one enters the city. International Standard Version Then he gathered together all the priests from the cities of Judah and defiled the high places from Geba to Beer-sheba, where the priests had burned incense. He also demolished the high places of the gates that had been erected to the left as one enters the city gate—that is, near the entrance operated by Joshua, the governor of the city. Majority Standard Bible Then Josiah brought all the priests from the cities of Judah and desecrated the high places, from Geba to Beersheba, where the priests had burned incense. He tore down the high places of the gates at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which was to the left of the city gate. NET Bible He brought all the priests from the cities of Judah and ruined the high places where the priests had offered sacrifices, from Geba to Beer Sheba. He tore down the high place of the goat idols situated at the entrance of the gate of Joshua, the city official, on the left side of the city gate. New Heart English Bible He brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba; and he broke down the high places of the gates that were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on a man's left hand at the gate of the city. Webster's Bible Translation And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burnt incense, from Geba to Beer-sheba, and broke down the high places of the gates that were in the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on a man's left hand at the gate of the city. World English Bible He brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba; and he broke down the high places of the gates that were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on a man’s left hand at the gate of the city. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd he brings in all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiles the high places where the priests have made incense, from Geba to Beer-Sheba, and has broken down the high places of the gates that [are] at the opening of the Gate of Joshua, head of the city, that [is] on a man’s left hand at the gate of the city; Young's Literal Translation And he bringeth in all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defileth the high places where the priests have made perfume, from Geba unto Beer-Sheba, and hath broken down the high places of the gates that are at the opening of the gate of Joshua, head of the city, that is on a man's left hand at the gate of the city; Smith's Literal Translation And he will bring all the priests out of the cities of Judah and defile the heights where the priests burnt incense there from the hill even to the Well of the Oath, and he brake down the heights of the gates which were at the door of the gate of Joshua chief of the city which were at the left of a man in the gate of the city. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd he gathered together all the priests out of the cities of Juda: and he defiled the high places, where the priests offered sacrifice, from Gabaa to Bersabee: and he broke down the altars of the gates that were in the entering in of the gate of Josue governor of tile city, which was on the left hand of the gate of the city. Catholic Public Domain Version And he gathered together all the priests from the cities of Judah. And he defiled the high places, where the priests were sacrificing, from Geba as far as Beersheba. And he tore down the altars of the gates at the entrance to the gate of Joshua, the leader of the city, which was to the left of the gate of the city. New American Bible He brought in all the priests from the cities of Judah, and then defiled, from Geba to Beer-sheba, the high places where they had offered incense. He also tore down the high places of the gates, which were at the entrance of the Gate of Joshua, governor of the city, north of the city gate. New Revised Standard Version He brought all the priests out of the towns of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had made offerings, from Geba to Beer-sheba; he broke down the high places of the gates that were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on the left at the gate of the city. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense in them, from Dan to Beer-sheba, and destroyed the shrine which was at the entrance of the gate of Salvation which was on a man's left hand at the gate of the city. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And he brought all the Priests from the cities of Yehuda and defiled the high places where the Priests set incense in them, from Dan and unto Beersheba, and he threw down the high place that was in the entrance of the Gate of Redemption that is in the city, that was upon the left of the man who is at the gate of the city. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had made offerings, from Geba to Beer-sheba; and he broke down the high places of the gates that were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on a man's left hand as he entered the gate of the city. Brenton Septuagint Translation And he brought up all the priest from the cities of Juda, and defiled the high places where the priests burned incense, from Gaebal even to Bersabee; and he pulled down the house of the gates that was by the door of the gate of Joshua the ruler of the city, on a man's left hand at the gate of the city. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Josiah Destroys Idolatry…7He also tore down the quarters of the male shrine prostitutes that were in the house of the LORD, where the women had woven tapestries for Asherah. 8Then Josiah brought all the priests from the cities of Judah and desecrated the high places, from Geba to Beersheba, where the priests had burned incense. He tore down the high places of the gates at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which was to the left of the city gate. 9Although the priests of the high places did not come up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, they ate unleavened bread with their fellow priests.… Cross References 2 Chronicles 34:6-7 Josiah did the same in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins around them. / He tore down the altars and Asherah poles, crushed the idols to powder, and cut to pieces all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem. 1 Kings 13:2 And he cried out against the altar by the word of the LORD, “O altar, O altar, this is what the LORD says: ‘A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David, and upon you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense upon you, and human bones will be burned upon you.’” 2 Kings 17:9-11 The Israelites secretly did things against the LORD their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city, they built high places in all their cities. / They set up for themselves sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. / They burned incense on all the high places like the nations that the LORD had driven out before them. They did wicked things, provoking the LORD to anger. 2 Kings 18:4 He removed the high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He also demolished the bronze snake called Nehushtan that Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had burned incense to it. 2 Kings 21:3 For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed, and he raised up altars for Baal. He made an Asherah pole, as King Ahab of Israel had done, and he worshiped and served all the host of heaven. 2 Kings 23:13-14 The king also desecrated the high places east of Jerusalem, to the south of the Mount of Corruption, which King Solomon 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 Ammonites. / He smashed the sacred pillars to pieces, cut down the Asherah poles, and covered the sites with human bones. 2 Chronicles 31:1 When all this had ended, the Israelites in attendance went out to the cities of Judah and broke up the sacred pillars, chopped down the Asherah poles, and tore down the high places and altars throughout Judah and Benjamin, as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the Israelites returned to their cities, each to his own property. Jeremiah 7:31 They have built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Ben-hinnom so they could burn their sons and daughters in the fire—something I never commanded, nor did it even enter My mind. Jeremiah 19:5 They have built high places to Baal on which to burn their children in the fire as offerings to Baal—something I never commanded or mentioned, nor did it even enter My mind. Hosea 10:8 The high places of Aven will be destroyed—it is the sin of Israel; thorns and thistles will overgrow their altars. Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!” and to the hills, “Fall on us!” Amos 5:5 Do not seek Bethel or go to Gilgal; do not journey to Beersheba, for Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will come to nothing. Matthew 23:27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity. John 4:20-24 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say that the place where one must worship is in Jerusalem.” / “Believe Me, woman,” Jesus replied, “a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. / You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. ... Acts 7:48-50 However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says: / ‘Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me, says the Lord, or where will My place of repose be? / Has not My hand made all these things?’ Romans 12:1-2 Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. / Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. Treasury of Scripture And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba, and broke down the high places of the gates that were in the entering in of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on a man's left hand at the gate of the city. from, etc. Geba. Joshua 21:17 And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with her suburbs, Geba with her suburbs, 1 Kings 15:22 Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah. 1 Chronicles 6:60 And out of the tribe of Benjamin; Geba with her suburbs, and Alemeth with her suburbs, and Anathoth with her suburbs. All their cities throughout their families were thirteen cities. Beer-sheba. Genesis 21:31 Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them. Genesis 26:23 And he went up from thence to Beersheba. Judges 20:1 Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh. Jump to Previous Beersheba Beer-Sheba Brake Broke Burned Burnt Cities City Defiled Entering Entrance Gate Gates Geba Governor Hand High Incense Joshua Judah Offerings Places PriestsJump to Next Beersheba Beer-Sheba Brake Broke Burned Burnt Cities City Defiled Entering Entrance Gate Gates Geba Governor Hand High Incense Joshua Judah Offerings Places Priests2 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. Then Josiah brought all the priests from the cities of Judah Josiah, the king of Judah, is depicted as a reformer deeply committed to restoring the worship of Yahweh. The phrase "brought all the priests" indicates a comprehensive action, suggesting that Josiah was determined to centralize worship in Jerusalem, as prescribed in Deuteronomy 12:5-14. The Hebrew root for "brought" (יָבֵא, yabe) implies a gathering or assembling, emphasizing Josiah's authority and the seriousness of his reforms. Historically, this reflects a period of religious consolidation, where local shrines were abolished to unify worship practices. and defiled the high places from Geba to Beersheba where the priests had burned incense He tore down the high places at the gates at the entrance of the Gate of Joshua, the governor of the city which were on the left at the city gate From Geba.--The present Jeba, near the ancient Ramah (1Kings 15:22). To Beer-sheba.--Where was a specially frequented high place (Amos 5:5, Amos 8:14; and Note on 2Chronicles 34:6). The high places of the gates.--Altars erected within the gates, that persons entering or leaving the city might make an offering to ensure success in their business. . . . Verse 8. - And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah. Here the writer diverges from his proper subject - the reforms in and near Jerusalem - to speak of changes which were made in other parts of Judaea. The Levitical priests, who in various cities of Judah had conducted the worship at the high places, were summoned to Jerusalem by Josiah, and forced to remain there, that the unauthorized worship which they had conducted might be brought to an end. And defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense. Hezekiah had "removed the high places, and broken the images, and cut down the groves" throughout his dominions (2 Kings 18:4), but he had not in any way "defiled the high places;" and therefore no sooner did a king take a different view of his duties than the worship was at once restored (2 Kings 21:3), and flourished as before. Josiah conceived the idea that, if the high places were "defiled," it would be impossible to renew the worship at them. From Geba to Beersheba. Geba takes here the place of Bethel as the northern limit of Judah. It was situated at a very short distance from Bethel, and was made to supersede it on account of the idolatries by which Bethel had been disgraced. The exact site is probably the modern Jeba, on the southern edge of the Wady Suweinit. And brake down the high places of the gates. The high-place worship had, it would seem, invaded Jerusalem itself. In some of the gates of the city, which were "large open buildings for public meetings and intercourse" (Bahr), altars, or more elaborate places of worship, had been established, and an unauthorized ritual of the high-place type had been set up. That were - rather, that which was - in the entering in of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city. This and the succeeding clauses are limitations of the general statement concerning the "high places of the gates," and indicate that two gates only had been polluted by high-place worship, viz. "the gate of Joshua," and the gale known κατ ἐξοχὴν as "the city gate." Neither of these can be determinately fixed, since they are only mentioned in the present passage. Which were on a man's left hand at the gate of the city; rather, and also that which was on the left-hand side in the gate of the city. (So Thenius, Keil, and Bahr.)Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Then Josiah broughtוַיָּבֵ֤א (way·yā·ḇê) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go all כָּל־ (kāl-) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every the priests הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ (hak·kō·hă·nîm) Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 3548: Priest from the cities מֵעָרֵ֣י (mê·‘ā·rê) Preposition-m | Noun - feminine plural construct Strong's 5892: Excitement of Judah יְהוּדָ֔ה (yə·hū·ḏāh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites and desecrated וַיְטַמֵּ֣א (way·ṭam·mê) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 2930: To be or become unclean the high places, הַבָּמ֗וֹת (hab·bā·mō·wṯ) Article | Noun - feminine plural Strong's 1116: An elevation from אֲשֶׁ֤ר (’ă·šer) Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that Geba מִגֶּ֖בַע (mig·ge·ḇa‘) Preposition-m | Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 1387: Geba -- a Levitical city of Benjamin to עַד־ (‘aḏ-) Preposition Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while Beersheba, שָׁ֑בַע (šā·ḇa‘) Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 884: Beersheba -- 'well of seven', a place in the Negev where שָׁ֙מָּה֙ (šām·māh) Adverb | third person feminine singular Strong's 8033: There, then, thither the priests הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים (hak·kō·hă·nîm) Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 3548: Priest had burned incense. קִטְּרוּ־ (qiṭ·ṭə·rū-) Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 6999: To smoke, turn into fragrance by fire He tore down וְנָתַ֞ץ (wə·nā·ṯaṣ) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 5422: To pull down, break down the high places בָּמ֣וֹת (bā·mō·wṯ) Noun - feminine plural construct Strong's 1116: An elevation of the gates הַשְּׁעָרִ֗ים (haš·šə·‘ā·rîm) Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 8179: An opening, door, gate at the entrance פֶּ֜תַח (pe·ṯaḥ) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 6607: An opening, door, entrance way of the gate שַׁ֤עַר (ša·‘ar) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 8179: An opening, door, gate of Joshua, יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ (yə·hō·wō·šu·a‘) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3091: Joshua -- 'the LORD is salvation', Moses' successor, also the name of a number of Israelites the governor שַׂר־ (śar-) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 8269: Chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince of the city, הָעִ֔יר (hā·‘îr) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 5892: Excitement which was אֲשֶֽׁר־ (’ă·šer-) Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that to עַל־ (‘al-) Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against the left שְׂמֹ֥אול (śə·mō·wl) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 8040: Dark, the north, the left hand of the city הָעִֽיר׃ (hā·‘îr) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 5892: Excitement gate. בְּשַׁ֥עַר (bə·ša·‘ar) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 8179: An opening, door, gate Links 2 Kings 23:8 NIV2 Kings 23:8 NLT 2 Kings 23:8 ESV 2 Kings 23:8 NASB 2 Kings 23:8 KJV 2 Kings 23:8 BibleApps.com 2 Kings 23:8 Biblia Paralela 2 Kings 23:8 Chinese Bible 2 Kings 23:8 French Bible 2 Kings 23:8 Catholic Bible OT History: 2 Kings 23:8 He brought all the priests out (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg) |
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