2 Kings

2 Kings 23:15–18

¹⁵He even pulled down the altar at Bethel, the high place set up by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin. Then he burned^f the high place, ground it to powder, and burned the Asherah pole. ¹⁶And 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.^g

¹⁷Then the king asked, “What is this monument I see?”

And the men of the city replied, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things that you have done to the altar of Bethel.”

¹⁸“Let him rest,” said Josiah. “Do not let anyone disturb his bones.”

So they left his bones undisturbed, along with those of the prophet who had come from Samaria.

Footnotes

f 23:15 Hebrew; LXX broke into pieces
g 23:16 See 1 Kings 13:2|1KI 13:2; Hebrew; LXX includes when Jeroboam stood by the altar at the feast. And he turned and lifted his eyes to the tomb of the man of God.

Read all of 2 Kings 23

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

2 Kings 23:15

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He even	וְגַ֨ם	wə·ḡam	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
pulled down	נָתָ֑ץ	nā·ṯāṣ	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H5422 pull down, break down
the altar	הַמִּזְבֵּ֜חַ	ham·miz·bê·aḥ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4196 altar
at Bethel	אֵ֗ל	’êl	Preposition; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1008 Bethel
the high place	הַבָּמָה֙	hab·bā·māh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H1116 high place
set up	עָשָׂ֜ה	‘ā·śāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
by Jeroboam	יָרָבְעָ֤ם	yā·rā·ḇə·‘ām	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3379 Jeroboam
son	בֶּן־	ben-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1121 son
of Nebat	נְבָט֙	nə·ḇāṭ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H5028 Nebat
who	אֲשֶׁ֣ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
had caused Israel	יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל	yiś·rā·’êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3478 Israel
to sin	הֶחֱטִ֣יא	he·ḥĕ·ṭî	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H2398 miss
Then he burned	וַיִּשְׂרֹ֧ף	way·yiś·rōp̄	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H8313 burn
the high place	הַבָּמָ֖ה	hab·bā·māh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H1116 high place
ground	הֵדַ֥ק	hê·ḏaq	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H1854 crush, pulverise, thresh; be fine
to powder	לְעָפָ֖ר	lə·‘ā·p̄ār	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H6083 dry earth, dust
and burned	וְשָׂרַ֥ף	wə·śā·rap̄	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H8313 burn
the Asherah pole	אֲשֵׁרָֽה׃	’ă·šê·rāh	Noun - feminine singular	H842 Ashera

2 Kings 23:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And as Josiah	יֹאשִׁיָּ֗הוּ	yō·šî·yā·hū	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H2977 Joshijah
turned	וַיִּ֣פֶן	way·yi·p̄en	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6437 turn
he saw	וַיַּ֨רְא	way·yar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7200 see
the tombs	הַקְּבָרִ֤ים	haq·qə·ḇā·rîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H6913 grave, sepulchre
there	שָׁם֙	šām	Adverb	H8033 there, thither
on the hillside	בָּהָ֔ר	bā·hār	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H2022 mountain, hill, hill-country
and he sent	וַיִּשְׁלַ֗ח	way·yiš·laḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7971 send
someone to take	וַיִּקַּ֤ח	way·yiq·qaḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3947 take
the bones	הָֽעֲצָמוֹת֙	hā·‘ă·ṣā·mō·wṯ	Article; Noun - feminine plural	H6106 bone, substance, self
out of	מִן־	min-	Preposition	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
the tombs	הַקְּבָרִ֔ים	haq·qə·ḇā·rîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H6913 grave, sepulchre
and he burned them	וַיִּשְׂרֹ֥ף	way·yiś·rōp̄	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H8313 burn
on	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the altar	הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ	ham·miz·bê·aḥ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4196 altar
to defile it	וַֽיְטַמְּאֵ֑הוּ	way·ṭam·mə·’ê·hū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H2930 be or become unclean
according to the word	כִּדְבַ֣ר	kiḏ·ḇar	Preposition-k; Noun - masculine singular construct	H1697 speech, word
of the LORD	יְהוָ֗ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
proclaimed	קָרָא֙	qā·rā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
by the man	אִ֣ישׁ	’îš	Noun - masculine singular construct	H376 man
of God	הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים	hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
who	אֲשֶׁ֣ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
had foretold	קָרָ֔א	qā·rā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
these	הָאֵֽלֶּה׃	hā·’êl·leh	Article; Pronoun - common plural	H428 these
things	הַדְּבָרִ֖ים	had·də·ḇā·rîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H1697 speech, word

2 Kings 23:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then	וַיֹּ֕אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
What	מָ֚ה	māh	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
is this	הַלָּ֔ז	hal·lāz	Pronoun - masculine singular	H1975 this
monument	הַצִּיּ֣וּן	haṣ·ṣî·yūn	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6725 sign-post, monument
I	אֲנִ֣י	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
see	רֹאֶ֑ה	rō·’eh	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H7200 see
And the men	אַנְשֵׁ֣י	’an·šê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H582 man, mankind
of the city	הָעִ֗יר	hā·‘îr	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H5892 excitement
replied	וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ	way·yō·mə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
It is the tomb	הַקֶּ֤בֶר	haq·qe·ḇer	Article; Noun - masculine singular construct	H6913 grave, sepulchre
of the man	אִישׁ־	’îš-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H376 man
of God	הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙	hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
who	אֲשֶׁר־	’ă·šer-	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
came	בָּ֣א	bā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
from Judah	מִֽיהוּדָ֔ה	mî·hū·ḏāh	Preposition-m; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3063 Judah
and proclaimed	וַיִּקְרָ֗א	way·yiq·rā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
these	הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙	hā·’êl·leh	Article; Pronoun - common plural	H428 these
things	הַדְּבָרִ֤ים	had·də·ḇā·rîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H1697 speech, word
that	אֲשֶׁ֣ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
you have done	עָשִׂ֔יתָ	‘ā·śî·ṯā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
to	עַ֖ל	‘al	Preposition	H5921 height
the altar	הַמִּזְבַּ֥ח	ham·miz·baḥ	Article; Noun - masculine singular construct	H4196 altar
of	בֵּֽית־	bêṯ-	Preposition	H1008 Bethel
Bethel	אֵֽל׃	’êl	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1008 Bethel

2 Kings 23:18

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Let him rest	הַנִּ֣יחוּ	han·nî·ḥū	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural	H5117 rest
said	וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Do not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
let anyone	אִ֖ישׁ	’îš	Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
disturb	יָנַ֣ע	yā·na‘	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular	H5128 quiver, wave, waver, tremble, totter
his bones	עַצְמֹתָ֑יו	‘aṣ·mō·ṯāw	Noun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H6106 bone, substance, self
So they left his bones	עַצְמֹתָ֔יו	‘aṣ·mō·ṯāw	Noun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H6106 bone, substance, self
undisturbed	וַֽיְמַלְּטוּ֙	way·mal·lə·ṭū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H4422 slip away
along with those	עַצְמ֣וֹת	‘aṣ·mō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural construct	H6106 bone, substance, self
of the prophet	הַנָּבִ֔יא	han·nā·ḇî	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5030 spokesman, speaker, prophet
who	אֲשֶׁר־	’ă·šer-	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
had come	בָּ֖א	bā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
from Samaria	מִשֹּׁמְרֽוֹן׃	miš·šō·mə·rō·wn	Preposition-m; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H8111 Shomeron