2 Chronicles 34:4
New International Version
Under his direction the altars of the Baals were torn down; he cut to pieces the incense altars that were above them, and smashed the Asherah poles and the idols. These he broke to pieces and scattered over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.

New Living Translation
He ordered that the altars of Baal be demolished and that the incense altars which stood above them be broken down. He also made sure that the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the cast images were smashed and scattered over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.

English Standard Version
And they chopped down the altars of the Baals in his presence, and he cut down the incense altars that stood above them. And he broke in pieces the Asherim and the carved and the metal images, and he made dust of them and scattered it over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.

Berean Standard Bible
Then in his presence the altars of the Baals were torn down, and he cut to pieces the incense altars that were above them. He shattered the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the cast images, crushed them to dust, and scattered them over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.

King James Bible
And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them.

New King James Version
They broke down the altars of the Baals in his presence, and the incense altars which were above them he cut down; and the wooden images, the carved images, and the molded images he broke in pieces, and made dust of them and scattered it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.

New American Standard Bible
They tore down the altars of the Baals in his presence, and he chopped down the incense altars that were high above them; also he broke in pieces the Asherim, the carved images, and the cast metal images, and ground them to powder, and scattered it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.

NASB 1995
They tore down the altars of the Baals in his presence, and the incense altars that were high above them he chopped down; also the Asherim, the carved images and the molten images he broke in pieces and ground to powder and scattered it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.

NASB 1977
And they tore down the altars of the Baals in his presence, and the incense altars that were high above them he chopped down; also the Asherim, the carved images, and the molten images he broke in pieces and ground to powder and scattered it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.

Legacy Standard Bible
And they tore down the altars of the Baals in his presence, and the incense altars that were high above them he cut in pieces; also the Asherim, the graven images, and the molten images he broke in pieces and ground to powder and scattered it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.

Amplified Bible
They tore down the altars of the Baals in his presence; he cut to pieces the incense altars that were high above them; he also smashed the Asherim and the carved images and the cast images to pieces, and ground them to dust and scattered it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.

Christian Standard Bible
Then in his presence the altars of the Baals were torn down, and he chopped down the shrines that were above them. He shattered the Asherah poles, the carved images, and the cast images, crushed them to dust, and scattered them over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then in his presence the altars of the Baals were torn down, and he chopped down the incense altars that were above them. He shattered the Asherah poles, the carved images, and the cast images, crushed them to dust, and scattered them over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.

American Standard Version
And they brake down the altars of the Baalim in his presence; and the sun-images that were on high above them he hewed down; and the Asherim, and the graven images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strewed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he broke down and broke up all trees that were made for the idols, and he scattered their ashes among the tombs of the children of men who were sacrificing to them.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he pulled down the altars of Baalim that were before his face, and the high places that were above them; and he cut down the groves, and the graven images, and broke in pieces the molten images, and reduced them to powder, and cast it upon the surface of the tombs of those who had sacrificed to them.

Contemporary English Version
He watched as the altars for the worship of the god Baal were torn down, and as the nearby incense altars were smashed. The Asherah poles, the idols, and the stone images were also smashed, and the pieces were scattered over the graves of their worshipers.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And they broke down before him the altars of Baalim, and demolished the idols that had been set upon them: and be cut down the groves and the graven things, and broke them in pieces: and strewed the fragments upon the graves of them that had sacrificed to them.

English Revised Version
And they brake down the altars of the Baalim in his presence; and the sun-images, that were on high above them, he hewed down; and the Asherim, and the graven images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He had the altars of the various Baal gods torn down. He cut down the incense altars that were above them. He destroyed the Asherah poles, carved idols, and metal idols. He ground them into powder and scattered the powder over the tombs of those who had sacrificed to them.

Good News Translation
Under his direction the altars where Baal was worshiped were smashed, and the incense altars near them were torn down. They ground to dust the images of Asherah and all the other idols and then scattered the dust on the graves of the people who had sacrificed to them.

International Standard Version
They tore down the altars of Baals in his presence. He chopped down the incense altars that stood high above them. He broke into pieces the Asherim, the carved images, and the cast images, ground them to dust, and scattered the residue on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And they broke down the altars of the Baalim in his presence; and the sun-images, that were on high above them, he hewed down; and the Asherim, and the graven images, and the molten images, he broke in pieces, and made dust of them, and strewed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them.

Literal Standard Version
And they break down the altars of the Ba‘alim before him, and he has cut down the images that [are] on high above them, and the Asherim, and the carved images, and the molten images, he has broken and beaten small, and strews [them] on the surface of the graves of those sacrificing to them,

Majority Standard Bible
Then in his presence the altars of the Baals were torn down, and he cut to pieces the incense altars that were above them. He shattered the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the cast images, crushed them to dust, and scattered them over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.

New American Bible
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;

NET Bible
He ordered the altars of the Baals to be torn down, and broke the incense altars that were above them. He smashed the Asherah poles, idols and images, crushed them up and sprinkled the dust over the tombs of those who had sacrificed to them.

New Revised Standard Version
In his presence they pulled down the altars of the Baals; he demolished the incense altars that stood above them. He broke down the sacred poles and the carved and the cast images; he made dust of them and scattered it over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.

New Heart English Bible
They broke down the altars of the Baals in his presence; and the incense altars that were on high above them he cut down; and the Asherim, and the engraved images, and the molten images, he broke in pieces, and made dust of them, and strewed it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.

Webster's Bible Translation
And they broke down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he broke in pieces, and made dust of them and strewed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed to them.

World English Bible
They broke down the altars of the Baals in his presence; and he cut down the incense altars that were on high above them. He broke the Asherah poles, the engraved images, and the molten images in pieces, made dust of them, and scattered it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.

Young's Literal Translation
And they break down before him the altars of the Baalim, and the images that are on high above them he hath cut down, and the shrines, and the graven images, and the molten images, he hath broken and beaten small, and streweth on the surface of the graves of those sacrificing to them,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Josiah Destroys Idolatry
3In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, Josiah began to seek the God of his father David, and in the twelfth year he began to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the cast images. 4Then in his presence the altars of the Baals were torn down, and he cut to pieces the incense altars that were above them. He shattered the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the cast images, crushed them to dust, and scattered them over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. 5Then he burned the bones of the priests on their altars. So he cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.…

Cross References
Exodus 32:20
Then he took the calf they had made, burned it in the fire, ground it to powder, and scattered the powder over the face of the water. Then he forced the Israelites to drink it.

Exodus 34:13
Rather, you must tear down their altars, smash their sacred stones, and chop down their Asherah poles.

Leviticus 26:30
I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and heap your lifeless bodies on the lifeless remains of your idols; and My soul will despise you.

2 Kings 23:4
Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, the priests second in rank, and the doorkeepers to remove from the temple of the LORD all the articles made for Baal, Asherah, and all the host of heaven. And he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron and carried their ashes to Bethel.

2 Kings 23:5
Josiah also did away with the idolatrous priests ordained by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the cities of Judah and in the places all around Jerusalem--those who had burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven.

2 Kings 23:6
He brought the Asherah pole from the house of the LORD to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem, and there he burned it, ground it to powder, and threw its dust on the graves of the common people.

2 Chronicles 14:5
He also removed the high places and incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and under him the kingdom was at peace.


Treasury of Scripture

And they broke down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he broke in pieces, and made dust of them, and strewed it on the graves of them that had sacrificed to them.

brake down

2 Chronicles 33:3
For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

Exodus 23:24
Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.

Leviticus 26:30
And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you.

images.

2 Chronicles 14:5
Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.

2 Kings 23:4,5,11
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 Bethel…

made dust

2 Chronicles 34:7
And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.

Exodus 32:20
And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.

Deuteronomy 9:21
And I took your sin, the calf which ye had made, and burnt it with fire, and stamped it, and ground it very small, even until it was as small as dust: and I cast the dust thereof into the brook that descended out of the mount.

graves [heb] face of the graves

2 Kings 10:26,27
And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them…

2 Kings 23:4,6
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 Bethel…

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Altars Asherim Baalim Baals Brake Broke Carved Chopped Cut Dust Engraved Graven Graves Groves Hewed High Images Incense Molten Pieces Presence Sacrificed Strewed Sun-Images
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Altars Asherim Baalim Baals Brake Broke Carved Chopped Cut Dust Engraved Graven Graves Groves Hewed High Images Incense Molten Pieces Presence Sacrificed Strewed Sun-Images
2 Chronicles 34
1. Josiah's good reign
3. He destroys idolatry
8. He takes order for the repair of the temple
14. Hilkiah, having found a book of the law,
21. Josiah sends to Huldah to enquire of the Lord
23. Huldah prophesies the destruction of Jerusalem, but respite thereof in Josiah's time
29. Josiah, causing it to be read in a solemn assembly, renews the covenant with God














(4) Of Baalim.--Of the Baals. 2Kings 23:4-5, "the Baal."

In his presence.--Comp. 2Kings 23:16, from which it appears that Josiah personally superintended the work of demolition.

The images.--Sun statues (2Chronicles 14:4).

That were on high above them, he cut down.--Or, that were above, from off them he hewed.

The molten images.--Rather, the maccebuth, or sacred pillars. (See 2Kings 23:14.) . . .

Verse 4. - Note references in Leviticus 26:1, 30. The images, that were on high above them; i.e., as Revised Version, the sun-images (הַחַמָּנִים). The word and name occur only eight times - in Leviticus as just quoted; in our Second Book of Chronicles three times; in Isaiah twice; and in Ezekiel twice. The groves; i.e. the Asherim; again as last verse. The carved images; Revised Version, graven images; Hebrew, הַפְסִלִים. This word is found twenty-two times, occurring in Deuteronomy, Judges, Kings, Chronicles, Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, and Micah. The molten images; Hebrew, הַמַּסֵּכות. This word also occurs just twenty-two times, from Exodus downwards. Made dust of them and strewed it (so Exodus 32:20; 2 Kings 23:6).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then in his presence
לְפָנָ֗יו (lə·p̄ā·nāw)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face

the altars
מִזְבְּח֣וֹת (miz·bə·ḥō·wṯ)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 4196: An altar

of the Baals
הַבְּעָלִ֔ים (hab·bə·‘ā·lîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1168: Baal -- a heathen god

were torn down,
וַיְנַתְּצ֣וּ (way·nat·tə·ṣū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5422: To pull down, break down

and he cut to pieces the incense altars
וְהַֽחַמָּנִ֛ים (wə·ha·ḥam·mā·nîm)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2553: A sun-pillar

that
אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

were above
לְמַ֥עְלָה (lə·ma‘·lāh)
Preposition-l | Adverb | third person feminine singular
Strong's 4605: The upper part, with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top

them.
מֵעֲלֵיהֶ֖ם (mê·‘ă·lê·hem)
Preposition-m | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

He shattered
שִׁבַּ֣ר (šib·bar)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7665: To break, break in pieces

the Asherah poles,
וְ֠הָאֲשֵׁרִים (wə·hā·’ă·šê·rîm)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 842: A Phoenician goddess, also an image of the same

the carved idols,
וְהַפְּסִלִ֤ים (wə·hap·pə·si·lîm)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6456: An idol, image

and the cast images,
וְהַמַּסֵּכוֹת֙ (wə·ham·mas·sê·ḵō·wṯ)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 4541: A pouring over, fusion of metal, a libation, league, a coverlet

crushed them to dust,
וְהֵדַ֔ק (wə·hê·ḏaq)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1854: To crush, pulverize, thresh

and scattered
וַיִּזְרֹק֙ (way·yiz·rōq)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2236: Be here and there, scatter, sprinkle, strew

them over
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the graves
הַקְּבָרִ֔ים (haq·qə·ḇā·rîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6913: A grave, sepulcher

of those who had sacrificed
הַזֹּבְחִ֖ים (haz·zō·ḇə·ḥîm)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 2076: To slaughter for sacrifice

to them.
לָהֶֽם׃ (lā·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 0: 0


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OT History: 2 Chronicles 34:4 They broke down the altars (2 Chron. 2Ch iiCh ii ch 2 chr 2chr)
2 Chronicles 34:3
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