All the people [85] were crying loudly. King David crossed over Kidron Brook. Then all of the people went out to the desert.
2 Kings 23:4 - Easy To Read Version Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, the other priests, and the gatekeepers, to bring out of the Lord’s temple [277] all the dishes and things that were made to honor Baal, [278] Asherah, [279] and the stars of heaven. Then Josiah burned those things outside Jerusalem in the fields in Kidron Valley. Then they carried the ashes to Bethel. Tuilleadh leaganachaKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Beth-el. Amplified Bible - Classic Edition And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second rank and the keepers of the threshold to bring out of the temple of the Lord all the vessels made for Baal, for [the goddess] Asherah, and for all the hosts of the heavens; and he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron, and carried their ashes to Bethel [where Israel's idolatry began]. [I Kings 12:28, 29.] American Standard Version (1901) And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the threshold, to bring forth out of the temple of Jehovah all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the Asherah, and for all the host of heaven, and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Beth-el. Common English Bible The king then commanded the high priest Hilkiah, the second-order priests, and the doorkeepers to remove from the LORD’s temple all the religious objects made for Baal, Asherah, and all the heavenly bodies. The king burned them outside Jerusalem in the Kidron fields and took the ashes to Bethel. Catholic Public Domain Version And the king instructed Hilkiah, the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the doorkeepers, so that they would cast out of the temple of the Lord all the vessels which had been made for Baal, and for the sacred grove, and for the entire army of heaven. And he burned them outside of Jerusalem, in the steep valley of Kidron. And he carried their dust into Bethel. Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version And the king commanded Helcias the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the doorkeepers, to cast out of the temple of the Lord all the vessels that had been made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven. And he burnt them without Jerusalem in the valley of Cedron: and he carried the ashes of them to Bethel. |
All the people [85] were crying loudly. King David crossed over Kidron Brook. Then all of the people went out to the desert.
King Jeroboam put one golden calf in Bethel. [156] He put the other golden calf in the city of Dan. [157]
Asa also removed his grandmother, Maacah, from being queen. Maacah had made one of those terrible images of the goddess Asherah. Asa cut down this terrible image. He burned it in Kidron Valley.
It was not enough for Ahab to do the same sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had done. So Ahab also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal. Ethbaal was the king of the people of Sidon. Then Ahab began to serve and worship Baal. [190]
Now, tell all Israel to meet me at Mount Carmel. Also bring to that place the 450 prophets of Baal. [197] And bring the 400 prophets of the false goddess Asherah. [198] Queen Jezebel supports those prophets.” [199]
So the prophets took the bull that was given to them. They prepared it. They prayed to Baal [203] until noon. They prayed, “Baal, please answer us!” But there was no sound. No one answered. The prophets danced around the altar that they had built. {But the fire never started.}
Then Elijah said, “Get the prophets of Baal! [207] Don’t let any of them escape!” So the people captured all the prophets. Then Elijah led them down to Kishon Creek. At that place he killed all the prophets.
{Elijah, you are not the only faithful person in Israel. Those men will kill many people. But, even after that,} there will still be 7,000 people living in Israel that never bowed down to Baal! I will let those 7,000 people live—and none of those people ever kissed a Baal idol.
They brought out the memorial stones [130] that were in the temple of Baal and burned the temple.
{Then the people began putting money into that box when they went to the temple.} Whenever the king’s secretary and the high priest saw there was a lot of money in the box, they came and took the money from the box. They put the money in bags and counted it.
The people stopped following the commands of the Lord their God. They made two gold statues of calves. They made Asherah poles. [209] They worshiped all the stars of heaven and served Baal. [210]
Manasseh built again the high places [251] that his father Hezekiah had destroyed. Manasseh also built altars [252] for Baal [253] and made an Asherah pole, [254] just like Ahab king of Israel. Manasseh worshiped and served the stars of heaven.
Manasseh built altars for the stars of heaven in the two courtyards of the Lord’s temple.
Manasseh made a carved statue of Asherah. [258] He put this statue in the temple. The Lord had said to David and to David’s son Solomon about this temple: “I have chosen Jerusalem from all the cities in Israel. I will put my name in the temple in Jerusalem forever.
“Go up to Hilkiah the high priest. Tell him that he must get the money that people brought to the Lord’s temple. The gatekeepers collected that money from the people.
In the past, the kings of Judah had built altars on the roof of Ahab’s building. King Manasseh had also built altars in the two courtyards of the Lord’s temple. Josiah destroyed all those altars and threw the broken pieces into Kidron Valley.
Josiah also broke down the altar and high place [296] at Bethel. Jeroboam son of Nebat had made this altar. Jeroboam caused Israel to sin. [297] Josiah broke down both that altar and the high place. Josiah broke the stones of the altar to pieces. Then he beat it into dust. And he burned the Asherah pole.
King Asa also removed Maacah, his mother, from being queen mother. Asa did this because she had set up one of those awful poles to honor the goddess Asherah. Asa cut down that Asherah pole {\cf2\super [190]} and smashed it into small pieces. Then he burned the pieces in the Kidron Valley.
Manasseh built again the high places {\cf2\super [399]} that Hezekiah his father had broken down. Manasseh built altars for the Baal gods and made Asherah Poles. {\cf2\super [400]} He bowed down to the constellations {\cf2\super [401]} and worshiped those groups of stars.
Manasseh also made a statue of an idol and put it in God’s temple—the very same temple that God had talked about to David and his son Solomon. God had said, “I will put my name in this house and in Jerusalem—the city that I chose from \{all the cities in\} all the family groups—\{and my name will be there\} forever!
How will Jacob’s guilt be forgiven? What will happen so his sins can be taken away? \{These things will happen\}: The rocks of the altar will be crushed to dust; the statues {\cf2\super [251]} and altars {\cf2\super [252]} for worshiping false gods will all be destroyed.
The commander of the king’s special guards took Seraiah and Zephaniah as prisoners. Seraiah was the high priest, and Zephaniah was the next highest priest. The three doorkeepers were also taken as prisoners.
Will you steal and murder? Will you do the sin of adultery {\cf2\super [56]} ? Will you falsely accuse other people? Will you worship the false god Baal {\cf2\super [57]} and follow other gods that you have not known?
Then \{God\} said to me, “Son of man, {\cf2\super [63]} do you see what terrible things the people of Israel are doing? They built that thing here, right next to my temple! And if you come with me, you will see even more terrible things!”
“Israel, you act like a prostitute. {\cf2\super [44]} But don’t let Judah be guilty. Don’t go to Gilgal {\cf2\super [45]} or go up to Beth-aven. {\cf2\super [46]} Don’t use the Lord’s name to make promises. Don’t say, ‘As the Lord lives …!’
“Go to Bethel and sin! Go to Gilgal {\cf2\super [51]} and sin even more. Offer your sacrifices in the morning. Bring a tenth of your crops for the three-day holiday.
\{The Lord said,\} “I will punish Judah and the people living in Jerusalem. I will remove these things from that place: I will remove the last signs of Baal worship. I will remove the priests and all the people that
Then the leading priests and the older Jewish leaders had a meeting at the palace where the high priest {\cf2\super [393]} lived. The high priest’s name was Caiaphas.
Early the next morning, all the leading priests and older leaders of the people decided to kill Jesus.
When Jesus finished praying, he left with his followers. They went across the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden \{of olive trees\}. Jesus and his followers went there.
The people of Israel quit following the Lord and began worshiping Baal and Ashtoreth. [18]