2 Chronicles 14:5
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
5 He built fortified cities in Judah, for the land had peace and no war was waged against him during these years, because the Lord had given him rest.
Read full chapter
2 Chronicles 34:3-4
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
3 (A)In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still a youth, he began to seek after the God of David his father. Then in his twelfth year[a] he began to purify Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the asherahs, and the carved and molten images. 4 In his presence, the altars of the Baals were torn down; the incense stands erected above them he broke down; the asherahs and the carved and molten images he smashed and beat into dust, which he scattered over the tombs of those who had sacrificed to them;
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 34:3 In his twelfth year: ca. 628 B.C., i.e., around the time of the Assyrian emperor Asshurbanipal’s death, which enabled Judah to free itself from Assyrian domination. On the basis of 2 Kgs 22:1–23:25 alone, one might suppose that Josiah’s reform began only after and as a result of the discovery of the book of the law in the Temple, in the eighteenth year of his reign (622 B.C.). But the Chronicler is no doubt right in placing the beginning of the reform at an earlier period. The repair of the Temple itself, which led to the finding of the book of the law, was likely part of a cultic reform initiated by Josiah.
2 Chronicles 34:7
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
7 he tore down the altars and asherahs, and the carved images he beat into dust, and broke down the incense stands throughout the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.
Read full chapter
Ezekiel 6:3-6
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
3 You shall say: Mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God. Thus says the Lord God to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys:(A) Pay attention! I am bringing a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places.[a] 4 Your altars shall be laid waste, your incense stands smashed, and I will throw your slain down in front of your idols. 5 Yes, I will lay the corpses of the Israelites in front of their idols, and scatter your bones around your altars.[b](B) 6 Wherever you live, cities shall be ruined and high places laid waste, in order that your altars be laid waste and devastated, your idols broken and smashed, your incense altars hacked to pieces, and whatever you have made wiped out.(C)
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 6:3 High places: raised platforms usually built on hills outside towns for making sacrifices to the Lord or to Canaanite deities. They became synonymous with places of idolatry after the centralization of worship in the Jerusalem Temple.
- 6:5 Scatter your bones…altars: the bones of the dead defiled a place; cf. 2 Kgs 23:14.
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.