2 Kings 23:15-27
Josiah's Thorough Reform
15He even pulled down the altar at Bethel, the high place set up by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin. Then he burned the high place, ground it to powder, and burned the Asherah pole.
16And as Josiah turned, he saw the tombs there on the hillside, and he sent someone to take the bones out of the tombs, and he burned them on the altar to defile it, according to the word of the LORD proclaimed by the man of God who had foretold these things.
17Then 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 proclaimed 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.
19Just 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.
20On the altars he slaughtered all the priests of the high places, and he burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem.
21The king commanded all the people, “Keep the Passover of the LORD your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant.”
22No such Passover had been observed from the days of the judges who had governed Israel through all the days of the kings of Israel and Judah.
23But in the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, this Passover was observed to the LORD in Jerusalem.
24Furthermore, Josiah removed the mediums and spiritists, the household gods and idols, and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem. He did this to carry out the words of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had found in the house of the LORD.
25Neither before nor after Josiah was there any king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, according to all the Law of Moses.
26Nevertheless, the LORD did not turn away from the fury of His burning anger, which was kindled against Judah because of all that Manasseh had done to provoke Him to anger.
27For the LORD had said, “I will remove Judah from My sight, just as I removed Israel. I will reject this city Jerusalem, which I chose, and the temple of which I said, ‘My Name shall be there.’”
Berean Standard Bible
Josiah reaches Bethel and tears down the altar and high place that Jeroboam made. He burns the high place, crushes it to dust, and burns the Asherah pole. The earlier word spoken by the man of God is fulfilled, including the naming of Josiah long before his birth.
Josiah looks at the tombs on the hill and sends for the bones. He burns them on the altar and defiles it, but he leaves alone the tomb of the man of God who had announced these things. The action is a sign of judgment on the altar and a recognition of the earlier prophetic word.
The king continues through the cities of Samaria, removing the shrines and killing the priests of the high places. He then returns to Jerusalem and commands the people to keep the Passover to the LORD as written in the Book of the Covenant.
No Passover like it had been kept since the days of the judges or any kings of Israel or Judah. Yet the LORD does not turn from the great fury burning against Judah because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had angered him. Thorough reform is honored, but it does not make judgment disappear.
How We Know
This account is best tested by reading it alongside the surrounding witness. The events in 2 Kings 23:15-27 belong to the royal history also preserved in 2 Chronicles and interpreted by the prophets. Where the account names Assyria, Babylon, kings, cities, or temple practice, those details sit within the wider history of the ancient Near East; the parallel biblical records help us test the sequence while retaining the passage's covenant meaning.
Questions
1 What does Josiah do at Bethel?
AnswerHe tears down Jeroboam's altar and high place, crushes it to dust, and burns the Asherah pole.
2 Whose tomb does Josiah leave untouched?
AnswerHe leaves untouched the tomb of the man of God who had announced the judgment against Bethel's altar.
3 What feast does Josiah command?
AnswerJosiah commands the people to keep the Passover to the LORD as written in the Book of the Covenant.
4 Why does judgment remain?
AnswerJudgment remains because of the great provocations and sins of Judah, especially those associated with Manasseh's reign.
What This Means for Us
Josiah's reform is described as unusually thorough, yet the passage still acknowledges consequences rooted in earlier generations. Faithful action matters even when it cannot erase every result of what came before.
Do the good that is in front of you without demanding that it immediately repair the whole past. Let reform be real, patient, and humble rather than a performance designed to force God or people to forget.
Prayer
Lord, make our repentance thorough and humble. Help us do faithful work even when we cannot undo every past consequence, and keep us from treating visible reform as a reason to stop listening. Amen.