2 Kings 23:1-37
RELIGIOUS REFORM. JOSIAH'S DEATH 2. The prophets] Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah lived about this time. READ IN THEIR EARS] cp. the similar proceeding related in Nehemiah 8:4.;... [ Continue Reading ]
RELIGIOUS REFORM. JOSIAH'S DEATH 2. The prophets] Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah lived about this time. READ IN THEIR EARS] cp. the similar proceeding related in Nehemiah 8:4.;... [ Continue Reading ]
BY A PILLAR] or, 'upon a platform': cp. Nehemiah 11:14... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PRIESTS OF THE SECOND ORDER] probably to be corrected into 'the second priest' (as in 2 Kings 25:18), i.e. the high priest's deputy. GROVE] see on 2 Kings 21:7.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PLANETS] or, 'the signs of the zodiac' The word is said to mean 'mansions,' the stars being the abodes of gods.... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THE CHILDREN OF THE PEOPLE] RV 'of the common people': cp. Jeremiah 26:23. The graves of the poorer classes were probably made in the ground, whereas the tombs of the wealthy were constructed in the rocks, and were not so available for the purpose here described—viz. the defilement of the idolatr... [ Continue Reading ]
SODOMITES] The suppression of such is directed in Deuteronomy 23:17; Deuteronomy 23:18. HANGINGS] lit. 'houses,' i.e. tents which sheltered the Asherah (or emblem of Ashtoreth).... [ Continue Reading ]
DEFILED THE HIGH PLACES] That some of these were dedicated to the worship of the Lord appears from the following v., which implies that the priests who served them were priests of the Lord. The destruction of these sanctuaries thus resulted in confining the public rites of worship to the Temple at J... [ Continue Reading ]
DID EAT.. BREAD] It is not clear whether they were maintained by the offerings of their kinsfolk in their several localities or whether they shared the offerings made to the priests at Jerusalem, but were debarred from ministering in the Temple (as was the case with priests who were otherwise disqua... [ Continue Reading ]
TOPHETH] The name literally means 'spittle' or 'spitting,' and so designates the locality as a place of abhorrence. THE VALLEY.. HINNOM] usually identified with the valley that flanks the modern city of Jerusalem on the W.; but if the ancient city occupied only the eastern of the two hills upon whic... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HORSES] A chariot was similarly dedicated to the sun at Sippar in Babylonia; and it is probable that it was connected in idea with the sun's course through the sky. THE KINGS OF JUDAH] presumably Manasseh and Amon: see 2 Kings 21:3; 2 Kings 21:5. OF THE HOUSE.. BY THE CHAMBER] better, 'from the... [ Continue Reading ]
ON THE TOP OF THE UPPER CHAMBER] These altars were probably connected with the worship of the host of heaven: see on 2 Kings 21:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
BEFORE JERUSALEM] i.e. E. of the city. It is surprising that these, dating from the time of Solomon (see 1 Kings 11:1), had not been destroyed by Hezekiah; but see on 2 Kings 18:4. MOUNT OF CORRUPTION] i.e. the Mt. of Olives, the later 'mount of offence.'... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BONES OF MEN] i.e. to desecrate them, since dead bodies communicated uncleanness: cp. Numbers 19:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ALTAR THAT _was_ AT BETH-EL] see 1 Kings 12:32; 1 Kings 12:33. BURNED THE HIGH PLACE] probably the shrine erected upon it, which elsewhere is styled a 'house of high places.'... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE MOUNT] presumably some adjoining elevation. ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF THE LORD] see 1 Kings 13:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
TITLE] RV 'monument': marking the place of burial.... [ Continue Reading ]
SAMARIA] here used of the country rather than the city, since the prophet alluded to belonged to Bethel.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PASSOVER] Of this passover details are given in 2 Chronicles 35:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE WAS NOT HOLDEN, etc.] On this occasion not only were the injunctions of the Law more strictly followed than had been the case previously, but exceptionally large numbers took part in the festival.... [ Continue Reading ]
IMAGES] RV 'teraphim,' which were probably models of the human figure representing household deities and used in divination: see Genesis 31:19; 1 Samuel 19:13; Ezekiel 21:21.... [ Continue Reading ]
PHARAOH-NECHOH] i.e. Nechoh II, a king of the 26th dynasty (610-595 b.c.), whose father Psammetichus, at one time a tributary of the Assyrians, had secured independence for Egypt in 664 b.c. THE KING OF ASSYRIA] i.e. the king of Babylon. Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, fell in 607 before the unite... [ Continue Reading ]
JEHOAHAZ] also called Shallum (Jeremiah 22:11; 1 Chronicles 3:15). He was the younger brother of Jehoiakim who succeeded him (2 Kings 23:36).... [ Continue Reading ]
RIBLAH] on the Orontes, between Damascus and Hamath. Nechoh, after his success at Megiddo, had marched northward to meet the Babylonians, who eventually defeated him at Carchemish (Jeremiah 46:2).... [ Continue Reading ]
MADE ELIAKIM.. KING] Jehoahaz had been chosen by the people without the sanction of Nechoh, who therefore asserted his authority by deposing him, and substituting his brother. IN THE ROOM OF JOSIAH] Nechoh did not recognise Jehoahaz. TURNED HIS NAME TO JEHOIAKIM] The bestowal of a new name by Nechoh... [ Continue Reading ]