23:4 The king ordered Hilkiah the high priest, the high-ranking priests, 8 and the guards 9 to bring out of the Lord’s temple all the items that were used in the worship of 10 Baal, Asherah, and all the stars of the sky. 11 The king 12 burned them outside of Jerusalem in the terraces 13 of Kidron, and carried their ashes to Bethel. 14
1 tn The Hebrew text also has, “and said to them.” This is redundant in English and has not been translated.
2 tn Heb “ranks.”
3 tn Heb “for the priest had said, ‘Let her not be put to death in the house of the
4 tn Or “tore down.”
5 tn Or “images.”
6 tn The Hebrew construction translated “smashed…to bits” is emphatic. The adverbial infinitive absolute (הֵיטֵב [hetev], “well”) accompanying the Piel form of the verb שָׁבַר (shavar), “break,” suggests thorough demolition.
7 tn Heb “the priest.” Jehoiada’s name is added for clarification.
8 tn Heb “the priests of the second [rank],” that is, those ranked just beneath Hilkiah.
9 tn Or “doorkeepers.”
10 tn Heb “for.”
11 tn Heb “all the host of heaven” (also in v. 5).
12 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
13 tn Or “fields.” For a defense of the translation “terraces,” see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 285.
14 map For location see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3.