Josiah’s faithful obedience in removing the high places in Samaria underscores the importance of eradicating sin and idolatry from every corner of our lives, no matter how distant or entrenched.
Josiah, the king of Judah from 640-609 BC, traveled beyond the borders of his own kingdom to cleanse Israel’s former heartland of idolatry. Scripture declares, “Josiah also removed all the houses of the high places which were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made provoking the LORD; and he did to them just as he had done in Bethel.” (v.19). Samaria had fallen to the Assyrians in 722 BC, but many illicit shrines remained. According to the Law of Moses, the Israelites were to destroy pagan worship sites and refrain from adopting foreign religious customs (see Deuteronomy 12:2-4). Unfortunately, the kings of the northern kingdom had defied these commands, leading to rampant idol worship (2 Kings 17:7-11). Josiah’s reforms thus fulfilled a long-neglected command to remove these corrupt places of worship.
In this verse, we see how Josiah fervently extended his spiritual reforms into territories once belonging to the northern kingdom, even though that kingdom had ceased to exist in its original form. The destructive practices in Samaria were similar to those he had already eradicated in Judah, including places dedicated to child sacrifice (2 Kings 23:10)and pagan idols. This act of cleansing was both an outward and inward expression of Josiah’s devotion to God, signifying a renewed commitment to follow the LORD wholeheartedly and return the nation to covenant fidelity. By tearing down the high places in Samaria “just as he had done in Bethel,” Josiah demonstrated consistency in abolishing false worship wherever it was found.
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2 Kings 23:19 meaning
Josiah, the king of Judah from 640-609 BC, traveled beyond the borders of his own kingdom to cleanse Israel’s former heartland of idolatry. Scripture declares, “Josiah also removed all the houses of the high places which were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made provoking the LORD; and he did to them just as he had done in Bethel.” (v.19). Samaria had fallen to the Assyrians in 722 BC, but many illicit shrines remained. According to the Law of Moses, the Israelites were to destroy pagan worship sites and refrain from adopting foreign religious customs (see Deuteronomy 12:2-4). Unfortunately, the kings of the northern kingdom had defied these commands, leading to rampant idol worship (2 Kings 17:7-11). Josiah’s reforms thus fulfilled a long-neglected command to remove these corrupt places of worship.
In this verse, we see how Josiah fervently extended his spiritual reforms into territories once belonging to the northern kingdom, even though that kingdom had ceased to exist in its original form. The destructive practices in Samaria were similar to those he had already eradicated in Judah, including places dedicated to child sacrifice (2 Kings 23:10)and pagan idols. This act of cleansing was both an outward and inward expression of Josiah’s devotion to God, signifying a renewed commitment to follow the LORD wholeheartedly and return the nation to covenant fidelity. By tearing down the high places in Samaria “just as he had done in Bethel,” Josiah demonstrated consistency in abolishing false worship wherever it was found.