Josiah gathers all Judah's elders at the temple, reads them the entire Book of the Covenant, and makes a covenant to walk after the LORD and keep His commandments. He purges Judah and Jerusalem: burning vessels made for Baal, Asherah, and the host of heaven; deposing idolatrous priests at high places; bringing out the Asherah from the temple and burning it at the Kidron; tearing down the houses of male cult prostitutes; defiling Topheth so none can pass children through fire to Molech; removing horses and burning chariots dedicated to the sun; destroying altars Manasseh made; defiling the high places from Geba to Beersheba; demolishing the altar and high place at Bethel, burning bones there as the man of God prophesied against Jeroboam. He slays the high place priests on their altars. He commands the Passover be kept as written; no Passover like it has been kept since the judges. He removes mediums, necromancers, household gods, and idols. Yet the LORD does not turn from His fierce anger against Judah because of Manasseh's provocations. Josiah dies at Megiddo fighting Pharaoh Neco; Jehoahaz his son reigns three months until Neco deposes him and sets up Jehoiakim.
Read 2 Kings Chapter 23 Summary
Characters in This Chapter
Elijah's successor who performed many miracles and ministered to Israel's kings
Faithful king of Judah who trusted God against Assyria and was healed from illness
Reforming king who rediscovered the Law and led Judah in renewal
Syrian commander healed of leprosy by Elisha, demonstrating God's grace to Gentiles
Wicked king of Judah who led the nation into deep idolatry
Son of Jacob, Ancestor of David and Christ
First High Priest of the Second Temple
Wise King of Israel
Prophet and Lawgiver
The Weeping Prophet
Ruler of Egypt during the Exodus
Places in This Chapter
The Temple in Jerusalem was the permanent house of worship built by Solomon on Mount Moriah. Destroyed by Babylon, it was rebuilt by Zerubbabel and later greatly expanded by Herod. Jesus taught in the Temple courts, cleared it of merchants, and predicted its destruction, which occurred in 70 AD.
Bethel means "House of God" and was where Jacob had his famous dream of a ladder reaching to heaven with angels ascending and descending. Abraham also built altars here. Later, Jeroboam set up a golden calf here as an alternative worship site to Jerusalem, which was condemned by prophets.
Beersheba, meaning "Well of the Oath," was the southernmost major city of Israel. Abraham and Isaac both dug wells and made covenants here. It marked the traditional southern boundary of Israel in the phrase "from Dan to Beersheba." Hagar wandered in its wilderness, and Elijah fled here.
The Mount of Olives is a mountain ridge east of Jerusalem with profound significance in Jesus' life. He often went there to pray, delivered the Olivet Discourse about end times, and spent his last night in the Garden of Gethsemane at its base. Jesus ascended to heaven from this mountain, and Zechariah prophesied that the Messiah would return there.
Egypt plays a significant role throughout the Bible, from the time of Abraham to the flight of the Holy Family. Joseph was sold into slavery there and rose to become second to Pharaoh, saving his family during famine. The Israelites were enslaved in Egypt for 400 years before God delivered them through Moses in the Exodus. Jesus' family fled to Egypt to escape King Herod, fulfilling the prophecy "Out of Egypt I called my son."
Position in Book
Hezekiah's faithfulness, Manasseh's wickedness, Josiah's reforms, fall of Jerusalem to Babylon.