15 Even the altar(A) at Bethel, the high place made by Jeroboam(B) son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin—even that altar and high place he demolished. He burned the high place and ground it to powder, and burned the Asherah pole also. 16 Then Josiah(C) looked around, and when he saw the tombs that were there on the hillside, he had the bones removed from them and burned on the altar to defile it, in accordance(D) with the word of the Lord proclaimed by the man of God who foretold these things.

17 The king asked, “What is that tombstone I see?”

The people of the city said, “It marks the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and pronounced against the altar of Bethel the very things you have done to it.”

18 “Leave it alone,” he said. “Don’t let anyone disturb his bones(E).” So they spared his bones and those of the prophet(F) who had come from Samaria.

19 Just as he had done at Bethel, Josiah removed all the shrines at the high places that the kings of Israel had built in the towns of Samaria and that had aroused the Lord’s anger. 20 Josiah slaughtered(G) all the priests of those high places on the altars and burned human bones(H) on them. Then he went back to Jerusalem.

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15 Furthermore, (A)the altar that was at Bethel and the (B)high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who misled Israel into sin, had made, even that altar and the high place he tore down. Then he (C)burned the high place, ground the remains to dust, and burned the Asherah. 16 Now when Josiah turned, he saw the graves that were there on the mountain, and he sent men and took the bones from the graves, and burned them on the altar and defiled it (D)in accordance with the word of the Lord which the man of God proclaimed, the one who proclaimed these things. 17 Then he said, “What is this gravestone there that I see?” And the men of the city told him, “(E)It is the grave of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things which you have done against the altar of Bethel.” 18 And he said, “Leave him alone; no one is to disturb his bones.” So they left his bones undisturbed (F)with the bones of the prophet who came from Samaria. 19 Then Josiah also removed all the houses of the high places which were (G)in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had constructed, [a]provoking the Lord to anger; and he did to them [b]just as he had done in Bethel. 20 And (H)he slaughtered all the priests of the high places who were there on the altars, and burned human bones on them; then he returned to Jerusalem.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 23:19 As in ancient versions; MT provoking; and he
  2. 2 Kings 23:19 Lit according to all the acts