The Meaning of 2 Kings 23:11 Explained

2 Kings 23:11

KJV: And he took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entering in of the house of the LORD, by the chamber of Nathanmelech the chamberlain, which was in the suburbs, and burned the chariots of the sun with fire.

YLT: And he causeth to cease the horses that the kings of Judah have given to the sun from the entering in of the house of Jehovah, by the chamber of Nathan-Melech the eunuch, that is in the suburbs, and the chariots of the sun he hath burnt with fire.

Darby: And he abolished the horses that the kings of Judah had appointed to the sun at the entrance of the house of Jehovah, by the chamber of Nathan-melech the chamberlain, which was in the suburbs, and burned the chariots of the sun, with fire.

ASV: And he took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entrance of the house of Jehovah, by the chamber of Nathan-melech the chamberlain, which was in the precincts; and he burned the chariots of the sun with fire.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he took away  the horses  that the kings  of Judah  had given  to the sun,  at the entering in  of the house  of the LORD,  by the chamber  of Nathanmelech  the chamberlain,  which [was] in the suburbs,  and burned  the chariots  of the sun  with fire. 

What does 2 Kings 23:11 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 23:5-14 - Destroying Inducements To Evil
Encouraged by the prophets Zephaniah, Urijah, and perhaps Jeremiah, Josiah set himself to the work of thorough reform, in which he endeavored to carry his people. The various items mentioned here prove how deeply the heart of the nation had become corrupted. In the very Temple itself were altars and vessels for the unholy rites of Baal and Ashtaroth. Multitudes of black-hooded priests filled the streets. At the Temple gates were the horses and chariots of the sun-worship. Around the hills glittered idol shrines. These were all swept away.
In all our lives there are times when we should carefully examine ourselves-not by our own conceptions of what may be right or wrong, nor by the conventional standards which are accepted by our neighbors, but by the high and holy standards of the New Testament-the example and precepts of our Lord. We are too prone to suit our conceptions of what He requires to the fancies or choices of our own desires, instead of testing ourselves by "the pattern given in the Mount." If hand or foot or eye cause us to offend, we must show ourselves no mercy. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 23:11 mean?

And he removed - the horses that had dedicated the kings of Judah to the sun at the entrance to the house of Yahweh by the chamber of Nathan-melech the officer who [was] in the court and the chariots of the sun he burned with fire
וַיַּשְׁבֵּ֣ת אֶת־ הַסּוּסִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָתְנוּ֩ מַלְכֵ֨י יְהוּדָ֤ה לַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ מִבֹּ֣א בֵית־ יְהוָ֔ה אֶל־ לִשְׁכַּת֙ נְתַן־ מֶ֣לֶךְ הַסָּרִ֔יס אֲשֶׁ֖ר בַּפַּרְוָרִ֑ים וְאֶת־ מַרְכְּב֥וֹת הַשֶּׁ֖מֶשׁ שָׂרַ֥ף בָּאֵֽשׁ

וַיַּשְׁבֵּ֣ת  And  he  removed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁבַת 
Sense: to cease, desist, rest.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַסּוּסִ֗ים  the  horses 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: סוּס 
Sense: swallow, swift.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
נָתְנוּ֩  had  dedicated 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
מַלְכֵ֨י  the  kings 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
יְהוּדָ֤ה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
לַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙  to  the  sun 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: שֶׁמֶשׁ  
Sense: sun.
מִבֹּ֣א  at  the  entrance  to 
Parse: Preposition-m, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בֵית־  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
יְהוָ֔ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לִשְׁכַּת֙  the  chamber 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: לִשְׁכָּה  
Sense: room, chamber, hall, cell.
מֶ֣לֶךְ  Nathan-melech 
Parse: Noun, proper
Root: נְתַן־מֶלֶךְ  
Sense: an official of Judah in the time of king Josiah.
הַסָּרִ֔יס  the  officer 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: סָרִיס  
Sense: official, eunuch.
אֲשֶׁ֖ר  who  [was] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
בַּפַּרְוָרִ֑ים  in  the  court 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: פַּרְבָּר 
Sense: a structure or building attached to the west side of Solomon’s temple.
מַרְכְּב֥וֹת  the  chariots 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: מֶרְכָּבָה  
Sense: chariot.
הַשֶּׁ֖מֶשׁ  of  the  sun 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: שֶׁמֶשׁ  
Sense: sun.
שָׂרַ֥ף  he  burned 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׂרַף  
Sense: to burn.
בָּאֵֽשׁ  with  fire 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.