2 Kings 23:19

Josiah Bethel (of Palestine)Samaria

¹⁷ Then 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 pronounced 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.

Just as Josiah had done at Bethel, so also in the cities of Samaria he removed all the shrines of the high places set up by the kings of Israel who had provoked the LORD to anger.

²⁰ On the altars he slaughtered all the priests of the high places, and he burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

²¹ The king commanded all the people, “Keep the Passover of the LORD your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant.”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Just as Josiah had done at Bethel, so also in the cities of Samaria he removed all the shrines of the high places set up by the kings of Israel who had provoked the LORD to anger.
KJV: And all the houses also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke the Lord to anger, Josiah took away, and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Beth-el.
WEB: All the houses also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke the LORD to anger, Josiah took away, and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Bethel.
ASV: And all the houses also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke [Jehovah] to anger, Josiah took away, and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Beth-el.
DARBY: And all the houses also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke [Jehovah] to anger, Josiah removed, and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Bethel.
BLB: And also all the shrines of the high places that [were] in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke anger, Josiah took away. And he did to them according to all the deeds that he had done in Bethel.

ÅB: Også alle offerhaug-husene i Samarias byer som Israels konger hadde gjort for å vekke Herrens harme, fikk Josias bort og gjorde med dem aldeles som han hadde gjort i Betel.
OTB: Så fjernet Josjia også alle helligdommene til de høye stedene som var i Samarias byer, som Israels konger hadde laget for å vekke Herrens vrede; og han gjorde med dem som han hadde gjort i Betel.
B1930: Også alle offerhaug-husene i Samarias byer som Israels konger hadde gjort for å vekke Herrens harme, fikk Josias bort og gjorde med dem aldeles som han hadde gjort i Betel.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

2 Chronicles 34:6–7
Josiah did the same in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins around them.
Read in context
Ezekiel 8:17–18
“Son of man,” He said to me, “do you see this? Is it not enough for the house of Judah to commit the abominations they are practicing here, that they must also fill the land with violence and continually provoke Me to anger? Look, they are even putting the branch to their nose!
Read in context
2 Kings 17:9
The Israelites secretly did things against the LORD their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city, they built high places in all their cities.
Read in context
2 Kings 21:6
He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.
Read in context
1 Kings 13:32
for the message that he cried out by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel and against all the shrines on the high places in the cities of Samaria will surely come to pass.”
Read in context
2 Chronicles 31:1
When all this had ended, the Israelites in attendance went out to the cities of Judah and broke up the sacred pillars, chopped down the Asherah poles, and tore down the high places and altars throughout Judah and Benjamin, as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the Israelites returned to their cities, each to his own property.
Read in context
1 Kings 16:33
Then he set up an Asherah pole. Thus Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel before him.
Read in context
Jeremiah 7:18–19
The sons gather wood, the fathers light the fire, and the women knead the dough to make cakes for the Queen of Heaven; they pour out drink offerings to other gods to provoke Me to anger.
Read in context