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II Chronicles 34:5

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Then he burned the bones of the priests on their altars. So he cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.

Commentaries

Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.

Keil-Delitzsch Old Testament Commentaryv. 5

And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, i.e., he caused the bones of the idolatrous priests to be taken from their graves and burnt on the spot where the destroyed altars had stood, that he might defile the place with the ashes of the dead. In these words is summarized what is stated in Kg2 23:13 and Kg2 23:14 as to the defilement of the places of sacrifice built upon the Mount of Olives by the bones of the dead, and in Kg2 23:16-20 as to the burning of the bones of the high priests of Bethel, after they had been taken from their graves, upon their own altars. מזבחותים is an orthographical error for מזבּחותם.

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Matthew Henry Bible Commentaryv. 5

Before we see Judah and Jerusalem ruined we shall yet see some glorious years, while good Josiah sits at the helm. By his pious endeavours for reformation God tried them yet once more; if they had known in this their day, the day of their visitation, the things that belonged to their peace and improved them, their ruin might have been prevented. But after this reign they were hidden from their eyes, and the next reigns brought an utter desolation upon them. In this chapter we have, I. A general account of Josiah's character (Ch2 34:1, Ch2 34:2). II. His zeal to root out idolatry (Ch2 34:3-7). III. His care to repair the temple (Ch2 34:8-13). IV. The finding of the book of the law and the good use made of it (Ch2 34:14-28). V. The public reading of the law to the people and their renewing their covenant with God thereupon (Ch2 34:29-33). Much of this we had 2 Kings 22.

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Cross-references

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I Kings 13:2rank 5

And he cried out against the altar by the word of the LORD, “O altar, O altar, this is what the LORD says: ‘A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David, and upon you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense upon you, and human bones will be burned upon you.’”

II Kings 23:16rank 2

And as Josiah turned, he saw the tombs there on the hillside, and he sent someone to take the bones out of the tombs, and he burned them on the altar to defile it, according to the word of the LORD proclaimed by the man of God who had foretold these things.

Jeremiah 4:14rank 2

Wash the evil from your heart, O Jerusalem, so that you may be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts within you?

II Chronicles 34:7rank 2

He tore down the altars and Asherah poles, crushed the idols to powder, and cut to pieces all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 3:10rank 2

Yet in spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to Me with all her heart, but only in pretense,” declares the LORD.

II Kings 23:20rank 2

On the altars he slaughtered all the priests of the high places, and he burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 22:24rank 2

“Son of man, say to her, ‘In the day of indignation, you are a land that has not been cleansed, upon which no rain has fallen.’

Numbers 35:33rank 2

Do not pollute the land where you live, for bloodshed pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land on which the blood is shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it.

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