The Meaning of 2 Kings 23:8 Explained

2 Kings 23:8

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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;

Darby: 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 even to Beer-sheba; and he broke down the high places of the gates, those at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, and those on the left hand of any going in at the gate of the city.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 2 Kings 23:8 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 23:8 mean?

And he brought - all the priests from the cities of Judah and defiled the high places where had burned incense there the priests from Geba to in Beersheba and he broke down the high places at the gates that [were] at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city that [were] to the left of a man of Gate the city
וַיָּבֵ֤א אֶת־ כָּל־ הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ מֵעָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וַיְטַמֵּ֣א הַבָּמ֗וֹת אֲשֶׁ֤ר קִטְּרוּ־ שָׁ֙מָּה֙ הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים מִגֶּ֖בַע עַד־ בְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע וְנָתַ֞ץ בָּמ֣וֹת הַשְּׁעָרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁר־ פֶּ֜תַח שַׁ֤עַר יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ שַׂר־ הָעִ֔יר אֲשֶֽׁר־ עַל־ שְׂמֹ֥אול אִ֖ישׁ בְּשַׁ֥עַר הָעִֽיר

וַיָּבֵ֤א  And  he  brought 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
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.
הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙  the  priests 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
מֵעָרֵ֣י  from  the  cities 
Parse: Preposition-m, 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.
וַיְטַמֵּ֣א  and  defiled 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: טָמֵא 
Sense: to be unclean, become unclean, become impure.
הַבָּמ֗וֹת  the  high  places 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: בָּמָה  
Sense: high place, ridge, height, bamah (technical name for cultic platform).
אֲשֶׁ֤ר  where 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
קִטְּרוּ־  had  burned  incense 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: מֻקְטָר 
Sense: .
הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים  the  priests 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
מִגֶּ֖בַע  from  Geba 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: גֶּבַע  
Sense: a city in Benjamin, modern ‘Jeba’, which stands on the top of a steep terraced hill, six miles or ten kilometres north east of Jerusalem and three miles or five kilometres from Gibeah, on the edge of the Wadi Suweinit looking northward to the opposite village of ancient Michmash, modern ‘Mukhmas’.
שָׁ֑בַע  Beersheba 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּאֵר 
Sense: a city at the south edge of Israel.
וְנָתַ֞ץ  and  he  broke  down 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָתַץ  
Sense: to pull down, break down, cast down, throw down, beat down, destroy, overthrow, break out (teeth).
בָּמ֣וֹת  the  high  places  at 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: בָּמָה  
Sense: high place, ridge, height, bamah (technical name for cultic platform).
הַשְּׁעָרִ֗ים  the  gates 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
אֲשֶׁר־  that  [were] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
פֶּ֜תַח  at  the  entrance 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּתַח  
Sense: opening, doorway, entrance.
שַׁ֤עַר  of  the  gate 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙  of  Joshua 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹושֻׁעַ  
Sense: son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan.
שַׂר־  the  governor 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: סָרַר 
Sense: prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
הָעִ֔יר  of  the  city 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
אֲשֶֽׁר־  that  [were] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
שְׂמֹ֥אול  the  left 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׂמֹאל  
Sense: the left, the left hand, the left side.
אִ֖ישׁ  of  a  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
בְּשַׁ֥עַר  of  Gate 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
הָעִֽיר  the  city 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.