2 Kings 23:4

New International Reader's Version

Certain things in the Lord’s temple had been made to honor other gods. They were the god named Baal, the female god named Asherah and all the stars in the sky. The king ordered Hilkiah the high priest to remove those things. The king ordered the priests who were next in rank and the men who guarded the doors to help Hilkiah. Josiah took those things that had been in the Lord’s temple and burned them outside Jerusalem. He burned them in the fields in the Kidron Valley. And he took the ashes to Bethel.

Cross References

2 Samuel 15:23

All the people in the countryside wept out loud as David and all his followers passed by. The king went across the Kidron Valley. He and all the people with him moved on toward the desert.

1 Kings 12:29

He set up one statue in Bethel. He set up the other one in Dan.

1 Kings 15:13

He even removed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother. That’s because she had made a pole used to worship the female god named Asherah. The Lord hated it. So Asa cut it down. He burned it in the Kidron Valley.

1 Kings 16:31

He thought it was only a small thing to commit the sins Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had committed. Ahab also married Jezebel. She was Ethbaal’s daughter. Ethbaal was king of the people of Sidon. Ahab began to serve the god named Baal and worship him.

1 Kings 18:19

Now send for people from all over Israel. Tell them to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the 450 prophets of the god named Baal. Also bring the 400 prophets of the female god named Asherah. All of them eat at Jezebel’s table.”

1 Kings 18:26

So they prepared the bull they had been given. They prayed to Baal from morning until noon. “Baal! Answer us!” they shouted. But there wasn’t any reply. No one answered. Then they danced around the altar they had made.

1 Kings 18:40

Then Elijah commanded them, “Grab the prophets of Baal. Don’t let a single one of them get away!” So they grabbed them. Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley. There he had them put to death.

1 Kings 19:18

But I will keep 7,000 people in Israel for myself. They have not bowed down to Baal. And they have not kissed him.”

2 Kings 10:26

They brought the sacred stone of Baal outside. They burned it up.

2 Kings 12:10

From time to time there was a large amount of money in the chest. When that happened, the royal secretary and the high priest came. They counted the money the people had brought to the temple. Then they put it into bags.

2 Kings 17:16

They turned away from all the commands of the Lord their God. They made two statues of gods for themselves. The statues were shaped like calves. They made a pole used to worship the female god named Asherah. They bowed down to all the stars. And they worshiped the god named Baal.

2 Kings 21:3

Manasseh rebuilt the high places. His father Hezekiah had destroyed them. Manasseh also set up altars to the god named Baal. He made a pole used to worship the female god named Asherah. Ahab, the king of Israel, had done those same things. Manasseh even bowed down to all the stars. And he worshiped them.

2 Kings 21:5

In the two courtyards of the Lord’s temple Manasseh built altars to honor all the stars.

2 Kings 21:7

Manasseh had carved a pole used to worship the female god named Asherah. He put it in the temple. The Lord had spoken to David and his son Solomon about the temple. He had said, “My Name will be in this temple and in Jerusalem forever. Out of all the cities in the tribes of Israel I have chosen Jerusalem.

2 Kings 22:4

“Go up to Hilkiah the high priest. Have him add up the money that has been brought into the Lord’s temple. The men who guard the doors have collected it from the people.

2 Kings 23:12

He pulled down the altars the kings of Judah had set up. They had put them on the palace roof near the upstairs room of Ahaz. Josiah also pulled down the altars Manasseh had built. They were in the two courtyards of the Lord’s temple. Josiah removed the altars from there. He smashed them to pieces. Then he threw the broken pieces into the Kidron Valley.

2 Kings 23:15

There was an altar at Bethel. It was at the high place made by Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit sin. Even that altar and high place were destroyed by Josiah. He burned the high place. He ground it into powder. He also burned the Asherah pole.

2 Kings 25:18

The commander of the guard took some prisoners. They included Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah the priest who was next in rank. They also included the three men who guarded the temple doors.

2 Chronicles 15:16

King Asa also removed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother. That’s because she had made a pole used to worship the female god named Asherah. The Lord hated it. So Asa cut it down. He broke it up. He burned it in the Kidron Valley.

2 Chronicles 33:3

Manasseh rebuilt the high places. His father Hezekiah had destroyed them. Manasseh also set up altars to the gods that were named Baal. He made poles used to worship the female god named Asherah. He even bowed down to all the stars and worshiped them.

2 Chronicles 33:7

Manasseh had carved a statue of a god. He put it in God’s temple. God had spoken to David and his son Solomon about the temple. He had said, “My Name will be in this temple and in Jerusalem forever. Out of all the cities in the tribes of Israel I have chosen Jerusalem.

Isaiah 27:9

The people of Jacob will have to pay for their sin. Here is how they will show that their sin has been removed. They will make all the altar stones like limestone. They will crush them to pieces. No poles used to worship the female god named Asherah will be left standing. No incense altars will be left either.

Jeremiah 52:24

The commander of the guard took many prisoners. They included Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah the priest who reported to him. They also included the three men who guarded the temple doors.

Jeremiah 7:9

“ ‘ “You continue to steal and commit murder. You commit adultery. You tell lies in court. You burn incense to Baal. You worship other gods you didn’t know before.

Ezekiel 8:6

He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what the Israelites are doing here? They are doing things I hate very much. Those things will cause me to go far away from my temple. But you will see things I hate even more.”

Hosea 4:15

“Israel, you are not faithful to me. But I do not want Judah to become guilty too. “My people, do not go to Gilgal to offer sacrifices. Do not go up to Bethel to worship other gods. When you make a promise, do not say, ‘You can be sure that the Lord is alive.’

Amos 4:4

“People of Samaria, go to Bethel and sin! Go to Gilgal! Sin there even more! Bring your sacrifices every morning. Every third year, bring a tenth of everything you produce.

Zephaniah 1:4

“I will reach out my powerful hand against Judah. I will punish all those who live in Jerusalem. I will destroy from this place what is left of Baal worship. The priests who serve other gods will be removed.

Matthew 26:3

Then the chief priests met with the elders of the people. They met in the palace of Caiaphas, the high priest.

Matthew 27:1

It was early in the morning. All the chief priests and the elders of the people planned how to put Jesus to death.

John 18:1

When Jesus had finished praying, he left with his disciples. They crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden. Jesus and his disciples went into it.

Judges 2:13

because they deserted him. They served Baal. They also served female gods that were named Ashtoreth.