The Meaning of 2 Kings 23:5 Explained

2 Kings 23:5

KJV: And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.

YLT: And he hath caused to cease the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah have appointed, (and they make perfume in high places, in cities of Judah and suburbs of Jerusalem,) and those making perfume to Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of the heavens.

Darby: And he abolished the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense on the high places in the cities of Judah, and the environs of Jerusalem; and them that burned incense to Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven.

ASV: And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he put down  the idolatrous priests,  whom the kings  of Judah  had ordained  to burn incense  in the high places  in the cities  of Judah,  and in the places round about  Jerusalem;  them also that burned incense  unto Baal,  to the sun,  and to the moon,  and to the planets,  and to all the host  of heaven. 

What does 2 Kings 23:5 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 23:5 mean?

And he removed - the idolatrous priests whom had ordained the kings of Judah and to burn incense on the high places in the cities of Judah and in the places all around Jerusalem and those who burned incense to Baal to the sun and to the moon and to the constellations and to all the host of heaven
וְהִשְׁבִּ֣ית אֶת־ הַכְּמָרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָֽתְנוּ֙ מַלְכֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וַיְקַטֵּ֤ר בַּבָּמוֹת֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וּמְסִבֵּ֖י יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְאֶת־ הַֽמְקַטְּרִ֣ים לַבַּ֗עַל לַשֶּׁ֤מֶשׁ וְלַיָּרֵ֙חַ֙ וְלַמַּזָּל֔וֹת וּלְכֹ֖ל צְבָ֥א הַשָּׁמָֽיִם

וְהִשְׁבִּ֣ית  And  he  removed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, 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.
הַכְּמָרִ֗ים  the  idolatrous  priests 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֹּמֶר  
Sense: priest, idolatrous priest.
אֲשֶׁ֤ר  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
נָֽתְנוּ֙  had  ordained 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
מַלְכֵ֣י  the  kings 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
יְהוּדָ֔ה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
וַיְקַטֵּ֤ר  and  to  burn  incense 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מֻקְטָר 
Sense: .
בַּבָּמוֹת֙  on  the  high  places 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: בָּמָה  
Sense: high place, ridge, height, bamah (technical name for cultic platform).
בְּעָרֵ֣י  in  the  cities 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
יְהוּדָ֔ה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
וּמְסִבֵּ֖י  and  in  the  places  all  around 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מֵסַב 
Sense: round thing, surroundings, round about, that which surrounds, that which is round.
יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם  Jerusalem 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
הַֽמְקַטְּרִ֣ים  those  who  burned  incense 
Parse: Article, Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine plural
Root: מֻקְטָר 
Sense: .
לַבַּ֗עַל  to  Baal 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּעַל  
Sense: supreme male divinity of the Phoenicians or Canaanites.
לַשֶּׁ֤מֶשׁ  to  the  sun 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: שֶׁמֶשׁ  
Sense: sun.
וְלַיָּרֵ֙חַ֙  and  to  the  moon 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָרֵחַ  
Sense: moon.
וְלַמַּזָּל֔וֹת  and  to  the  constellations 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַזָּל  
Sense: constellations.
וּלְכֹ֖ל  and  to  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
צְבָ֥א  the  host 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
הַשָּׁמָֽיִם  of  heaven 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.

What are the major concepts related to 2 Kings 23:5?

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