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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>2 Kings 23:17 Then 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 pronounced these things that you have done to the altar of Bethel."</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/2_kings/23-17.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/new9.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><meta property="og:image" content="https://biblehub.com/visuals/15/12_2Ki_23_17.jpg" /><meta property="og:title" content="2 Kings 23:17 - Josiah Destroys Idolatry" /><meta property="og:site_name" content="Bible Hub" /><meta property="og:description" content="Then the king asked, What is this monument I see? 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And the people of the town told him, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and predicted the very things that you have just done to the altar at Bethel!” <a href="/esv/2_kings/23.htm">English Standard Version</a> Then he said, “What is that monument that I see?” And the men of the city told him, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and predicted these things that you have done against the altar at Bethel.” <a href="/bsb/2_kings/23.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a> Then 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.” <a href="/kjv/2_kings/23.htm">King James Bible</a> Then he said, What title is that that I see? And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulchre of the man of God, which came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Bethel. <a href="/nkjv/2_kings/23.htm">New King James Version</a> Then he said, “What gravestone is this that I see?” So the men of the city told him, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things which you have done against the altar of Bethel.” <a href="/nasb_/2_kings/23.htm">New American Standard Bible</a> Then he said, “What is this gravestone there that I see?” And the men of the city told him, “It is the grave of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things which you have done against the altar of Bethel.” <a href="/nasb/2_kings/23.htm">NASB 1995</a> Then he said, &#8220What is this monument that I see?&#8221 And the men of the city told him, &#8220It is the grave of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things which you have done against the altar of Bethel.&#8221 <a href="/nasb77/2_kings/23.htm">NASB 1977 </a> Then he said, “What is this monument that I see?” And the men of the city told him, “It is the grave of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things which you have done against the altar of Bethel.” <a href="/lsb/2_kings/23.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a> Then he said, “What is this monument that I see?” And the men of the city told him, “It is the grave of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things which you have done against the altar of Bethel.” <a href="/amp/2_kings/23.htm">Amplified Bible</a> Then Josiah said, “What is this monument (gravestone) that I see?” The men of the city told him, “It is the grave of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things which you have done to the altar of Bethel.” <a href="/csb/2_kings/23.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a> Then he said, “What is this monument I see? ” The men of the city told him, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things that you have done to the altar at Bethel.” <a href="/hcsb/2_kings/23.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a> Then he said, &#8220What is this monument I see?&#8221 The men of the city told him, &#8220It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things that you have done to the altar at Bethel.&#8221 <a href="/asv/2_kings/23.htm">American Standard Version</a> Then he said, What monument is that which I see? And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulchre of the man of God, who came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Beth-el. <a href="/cev/2_kings/23.htm">Contemporary English Version</a> and he asked, "Whose grave is that?" Some people who lived nearby answered, "It belongs to the prophet from Judah who told what would happen to this altar." <a href="/erv/2_kings/23.htm">English Revised Version</a> Then he said, What monument is that which I see? And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulchre of the man of God, which came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Beth-el. <a href="/gwt/2_kings/23.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a> Then he asked, "What is this monument that I see?" The people of the city answered him, "It's the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah to announce that you would do these things to the altar of Bethel." <a href="/gnt/2_kings/23.htm">Good News Translation</a> "Whose tomb is that?" he asked. The people of Bethel answered, "It is the tomb of the prophet who came from Judah and predicted these things that you have done to this altar." <a href="/isv/2_kings/23.htm">International Standard Version</a> He asked, "What is this monument that I'm looking at?" The men who lived in that city answered him, "It's the grave of that godly man who came from Judah and predicted these things that you've done against the altar at Bethel!" <a href="/msb/2_kings/23.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a> Then 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.? <a href="/net/2_kings/23.htm">NET Bible</a> He asked, "What is this grave marker I see?" The men from the city replied, "It's the grave of the prophet who came from Judah and foretold these very things you have done to the altar of Bethel." <a href="/nheb/2_kings/23.htm">New Heart English Bible</a> Then he said, "What monument is that which I see?" The men of the city told him, "It is the tomb of the man of God, who came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that you have done against the altar of Bethel." <a href="/wbt/2_kings/23.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a> Then he said, What title is that which I see? And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulcher of the man of God, who came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Beth-el. <a href="/web/2_kings/23.htm">World English Bible</a> Then he said, “What monument is that which I see?” The men of the city told him, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things that you have done against the altar of Bethel.” <div class="vheading2">Literal Translations</div><a href="/lsv/2_kings/23.htm">Literal Standard Version</a> And he says, “What [is] this sign that I see?” And the men of the city say to him, “The grave of the man of God who has come from Judah, and proclaims these things that you have done concerning the altar of Beth-El.” <a href="/ylt/2_kings/23.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a> And he saith, 'What is this sign that I see?' and the men of the city say unto him, 'The grave of the man of God who hath come from Judah, and proclaimeth these things that thou hast done concerning the altar of Beth-El.' <a href="/slt/2_kings/23.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a> And he will say, What this pillar which I see? And the man of the city will say to him, The tomb of the man of God who came from Judah, and he will call these words which thou didst upon the altar of the house of God.<div class="vheading2">Catholic Translations</div><a href="/drb/2_kings/23.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a> And he said: What is that monument which I see? And the men of that city answered: It is the sepulchre of the man of God, who came from Juda, and foretold these things which thou hast done upon the altar of Bethel. <a href="/cpdv/2_kings/23.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a> And he said, “What is that monument that I see?” And the citizens of that city responded to him: “It is the sepulcher of the man of God, who came from Judah, and who predicted these events, which you have carried out concerning the altar of Bethel.” <a href="/nabre/2_kings/23.htm">New American Bible</a> he asked, “What is that marker I see?” The people of the city replied, “The grave of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed the very things you have done to the altar in Bethel.” <a href="/nrsvce/2_kings/23.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a> Then he said, “What is that monument that I see?” The people of the city told him, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and predicted these things that you have done against the altar at Bethel.”<div class="vheading2">Translations from Aramaic</div><a href="/lamsa/2_kings/23.htm">Lamsa Bible</a> Then the king said, What monument is that which I see? And the men of the city said to him, It is the sepulchre of the prophet of God, who came from Judah and proclaimed these things that you have done against the altar of Beth-el. <a href="/hpbt/2_kings/23.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a> And the King said: “What is this monument that I see?” The men of the city were saying to him, “It is the tomb of the Prophet of God who came from Yehuda, and he cried these words that you have done against the altar of Bayth Eil.”<div class="vheading2">OT Translations</div><a href="/jps/2_kings/23.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a> Then he said: 'What monument is that which I see' And the men of the city told him: 'It is the sepulchre of the man of God, who came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Beth-el.' <a href="/sep/2_kings/23.htm">Brenton Septuagint Translation</a> And he said, What is that mound which I see? And the men of the city said to him, It is the grave of the man of God that came out of Juda, and uttered these imprecations which he imprecated upon the altar of Baethel. <a href="/parallel/2_kings/23-17.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv">Audio Bible</div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FiLs3w_mMFQ?start=8098" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="vheadingv">Context</div><a href="/bsb/2_kings/23.htm">Josiah Destroys Idolatry</a> …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. 17<a href="/hebrew/559.htm" title="559: way·yō·mer (Conj-w:: V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms) -- To utter, say. A primitive root; to say.">Then the king asked,</a> <a href="/hebrew/4100.htm" title="4100: māh (Interrog) -- What? how? anything. ">“What</a> <a href="/hebrew/1975.htm" title="1975: hal·lāz (Pro-ms) -- This. From hallazeh; this or that.">is this</a> <a href="/hebrew/6725.htm" title="6725: haṣ·ṣî·yūn (Art:: N-ms) -- A signpost, monument. From the same as tsiyah in the sense of conspicuousness; a monumental or guiding pillar.">monument</a> <a href="/hebrew/834.htm" title="834: ’ă·šer (Pro-r) -- Who, which, that. A primitive relative pronoun; who, which, what, that; also when, where, how, because, in order that, etc."></a> <a href="/hebrew/589.htm" title="589: ’ă·nî (Pro-1cs) -- I. Contracted from 'anokiy; I.">I</a> <a href="/hebrew/7200.htm" title="7200: rō·’eh (V-Qal-Prtcpl-ms) -- To see. A primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively.">see?”</a> <a href="/hebrew/582.htm" title="582: ’an·šê (N-mpc) -- Man, mankind. From 'anash; properly, a mortal; hence, a man in general.">And the men</a> <a href="/hebrew/5892.htm" title="5892: hā·‘îr (Art:: N-fs) -- Excitement. Or par; or ayar; from uwr a city in the widest sense.">of the city</a> <a href="/hebrew/559.htm" title="559: way·yō·mə·rū (Conj-w:: V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp) -- To utter, say. A primitive root; to say.">replied,</a> <a href="/hebrew/413.htm" title="413: ’ê·lāw (Prep:: 3ms) -- To, into, towards. "></a> <a href="/hebrew/6913.htm" title="6913: haq·qe·ḇer (Art:: N-msc) -- A grave, sepulcher. Or qibrah; from qabar; a sepulchre.">“It is the tomb</a> <a href="/hebrew/376.htm" title="376: ’îš- (N-msc) -- Man. Contracted for 'enowsh; a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term.">of the man</a> <a href="/hebrew/430.htm" title="430: hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm (Art:: N-mp) -- Plural of 'elowahh; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used of the supreme God">of God</a> <a href="/hebrew/834.htm" title="834: ’ă·šer- (Pro-r) -- Who, which, that. A primitive relative pronoun; who, which, what, that; also when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.">who</a> <a href="/hebrew/935.htm" title="935: bā (V-Qal-Perf-3ms) -- To come in, come, go in, go. A primitive root; to go or come.">came</a> <a href="/hebrew/3063.htm" title="3063: mî·hū·ḏāh (Prep-m:: N-proper-ms) -- From yadah; celebrated; Jehudah, the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory.">from Judah</a> <a href="/hebrew/7121.htm" title="7121: way·yiq·rā (Conj-w:: V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms) -- To call, proclaim, read. A primitive root; to call out to.">and pronounced</a> <a href="/hebrew/853.htm" title="853: ’eṯ- (DirObjM) -- Apparent contracted from 'owth in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self."></a> <a href="/hebrew/428.htm" title="428: hā·’êl·leh (Art:: Pro-cp) -- These. Prolonged from 'el; these or those.">these</a> <a href="/hebrew/1697.htm" title="1697: had·də·ḇā·rîm (Art:: N-mp) -- Speech, word. From dabar; a word; by implication, a matter or thing; adverbially, a cause.">things</a> <a href="/hebrew/834.htm" title="834: ’ă·šer (Pro-r) -- Who, which, that. A primitive relative pronoun; who, which, what, that; also when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.">that</a> <a href="/hebrew/6213.htm" title="6213: ‘ā·śî·ṯā (V-Qal-Perf-2ms) -- To do, make. A primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application.">you have done</a> <a href="/hebrew/5921.htm" title="5921: ‘al (Prep) -- Properly, the same as al used as a preposition; above, over, upon, or against in a great variety of applications.">to</a> <a href="/hebrew/4196.htm" title="4196: ham·miz·baḥ (Art:: N-msc) -- An altar. From zabach; an altar.">the altar</a> <a href="/hebrew/1008.htm" title="1008: bêṯ- (Prep) -- From bayith and 'el; house of God; Beth-El, a place in Palestine.">of</a> <a href="/hebrew/1008.htm" title="1008: ’êl (N-proper-fs) -- From bayith and 'el; house of God; Beth-El, a place in Palestine.">Bethel.”</a> 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.…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div> <a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><a href="/1_kings/13-2.htm">1 Kings 13:2</a> And he cried out against the altar by the word of the LORD, “O altar, O altar, this is what the LORD says: ‘A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David, and upon you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense upon you, and human bones will be burned upon you.’” <a href="/1_kings/13-30.htm">1 Kings 13:30-32</a> Then he laid the body in his own tomb, and they lamented over him, “Oh, my brother!” / After he had buried him, the prophet said to his sons, “When I die, you must bury me in the tomb where the man of God is buried. Lay my bones beside his bones, / for the message that he cried out by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel and against all the shrines on the high places in the cities of Samaria will surely come to pass.” <a href="/2_chronicles/34-5.htm">2 Chronicles 34:5</a> Then he burned the bones of the priests on their altars. So he cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. <a href="/jeremiah/44-4.htm">Jeremiah 44:4-5</a> Yet I sent you all My servants the prophets again and again, saying: ‘Do not do this detestable thing that I hate.’ / But they did not listen or incline their ears; they did not turn from their wickedness or stop burning incense to other gods. <a href="/matthew/23-29.htm">Matthew 23:29-31</a> Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous. / And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ / So you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets. <a href="/luke/11-47.htm">Luke 11:47-48</a> Woe to you! For you build tombs for the prophets, but it was your fathers who killed them. / So you are witnesses consenting to the deeds of your fathers: They killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. <a href="/acts/7-52.htm">Acts 7:52</a> Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers— <a href="/hebrews/11-32.htm">Hebrews 11:32-38</a> And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, / who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, / quenched the raging fire, and escaped the edge of the sword; who gained strength from weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight. ... <a href="/2_chronicles/34-6.htm">2 Chronicles 34:6-7</a> Josiah did the same in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins around them. / He tore down the altars and Asherah poles, crushed the idols to powder, and cut to pieces all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem. <a href="/jeremiah/26-18.htm">Jeremiah 26:18</a> “Micah the Moreshite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah and told all the people of Judah that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, and the temple mount a wooded ridge.’ <a href="/matthew/23-34.htm">Matthew 23:34-35</a> Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town. / And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. <a href="/luke/13-34.htm">Luke 13:34</a> O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling! <a href="/acts/13-27.htm">Acts 13:27-29</a> The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning Him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. / And though they found no ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have Him executed. / When they had carried out all that was written about Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. <a href="/romans/11-3.htm">Romans 11:3</a> “Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well”? <a href="/revelation/16-6.htm">Revelation 16:6</a> For they have spilled the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink, as they deserve.”</div> <a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div>Then he said, What title is that that I see? And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulcher of the man of God, which came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that you have done against the altar of Bethel.It is the sepulchre.<a href="/1_kings/13-1.htm">1 Kings 13:1,30,31</a> And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense… <div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/2_kings/23-16.htm">Altar</a> <a href="/2_kings/23-15.htm">Bethel</a> <a href="/2_kings/17-28.htm">Beth-El</a> <a href="/2_kings/23-8.htm">City</a> <a href="/2_kings/22-20.htm">Grave</a> <a href="/zechariah/4-7.htm">Headstone</a> <a href="/2_kings/23-12.htm">Judah</a> <a href="/1_samuel/21-13.htm">Marks</a> <a href="/2_samuel/18-18.htm">Monument</a> <a href="/1_samuel/28-17.htm">Predicted</a> <a href="/2_kings/23-16.htm">Proclaimed</a> <a href="/2_kings/9-25.htm">Pronounced</a> <a href="/2_kings/21-26.htm">Resting-Place</a> <a href="/2_kings/21-26.htm">Sepulcher</a> <a href="/2_kings/21-26.htm">Sepulchre</a> <a href="/2_kings/22-11.htm">Sign</a> <a href="/revelation/17-5.htm">Title</a> <a href="/2_kings/21-26.htm">Tomb</a> <a href="/2_kings/23-16.htm">Word</a> <a href="/2_kings/4-25.htm">Yonder</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/1_chronicles/6-49.htm">Altar</a> <a href="/2_kings/23-19.htm">Bethel</a> <a href="/2_kings/23-19.htm">Beth-El</a> <a href="/2_kings/23-27.htm">City</a> <a href="/2_chronicles/2-7.htm">Grave</a> <a href="/zechariah/4-7.htm">Headstone</a> <a href="/2_kings/23-22.htm">Judah</a> <a href="/job/26-10.htm">Marks</a> <a href="/1_chronicles/18-3.htm">Monument</a> <a href="/john/18-32.htm">Predicted</a> <a href="/2_kings/24-2.htm">Proclaimed</a> <a href="/2_kings/25-6.htm">Pronounced</a> <a href="/1_chronicles/17-9.htm">Resting-Place</a> <a href="/2_kings/23-30.htm">Sepulcher</a> <a href="/2_kings/23-30.htm">Sepulchre</a> <a href="/2_chronicles/32-24.htm">Sign</a> <a href="/isaiah/45-4.htm">Title</a> <a href="/2_kings/23-30.htm">Tomb</a> <a href="/2_kings/24-2.htm">Word</a> <a href="/psalms/104-25.htm">Yonder</a><div class="vheading2">2 Kings 23</div>1. <a href="/2_kings/23-1.htm">Josiah causes the book to be read in a solemn assembly.</a> 3. <a href="/2_kings/23-3.htm">He renews the covenant of the Lord.</a> 4. <a href="/2_kings/23-4.htm">He destroys idolatry.</a> 15. <a href="/2_kings/23-15.htm">He burns dead men's bones upon the altar of Bethel, as was prophesied.</a> 21. <a href="/2_kings/23-21.htm">He keeps a most solemn Passover.</a> 24. <a href="/2_kings/23-24.htm">He puts away witches and all abomination.</a> 26. <a href="/2_kings/23-26.htm">God's final wrath against Judah.</a> 29. <a href="/2_kings/23-29.htm">Josiah, provoking Pharaoh Neco, is slain at Megiddo.</a> 31. <a href="/2_kings/23-31.htm">Jehoahaz, succeeding him,</a> 33. <a href="/2_kings/23-33.htm">is imprisoned by Pharaoh Neco, who makes Jehoiakim king.</a> 36. <a href="/2_kings/23-36.htm">Jehoiakim's wicked reign.</a> </div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div>  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/2_kings/23.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/2_kings/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/2_kings/23.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div>Then the king asked, “What is this monument I see?” This phrase occurs during King Josiah's reforms, as he seeks to purify the land of idolatry. The "monument" refers to a grave or tomb, indicating a place of significance. Josiah's inquiry shows his interest in understanding the historical and spiritual significance of the sites he encounters. This reflects his commitment to restoring true worship in Judah, aligning with his efforts to remove pagan altars and high places.And the men of the city replied, The men of the city are likely inhabitants of Bethel, a city with a complex religious history. Bethel was a center of idolatrous worship established by Jeroboam I, who set up golden calves there (<a href="/1_kings/12-28.htm">1 Kings 12:28-29</a>). The response of the city's men indicates their awareness of the site's historical and prophetic significance, suggesting that the memory of the "man of God" and his prophecy had been preserved over generations.“It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah The "man of God" refers to the unnamed prophet from Judah who confronted King Jeroboam at Bethel (<a href="/1_kings/13.htm">1 Kings 13:1-2</a>). This prophet's journey from Judah to Bethel underscores the division between the northern and southern kingdoms and highlights the ongoing conflict between true worship and idolatry. His actions and subsequent burial in Bethel serve as a testament to his faithfulness and the fulfillment of his prophecy.and proclaimed these things that you have done to the altar of Bethel.” The prophecy mentioned here is found in <a href="/1_kings/13-2.htm">1 Kings 13:2</a>, where the man of God foretold the desecration of the altar at Bethel by a future king named Josiah. This prophecy is fulfilled in <a href="/2_kings/23-15.htm">2 Kings 23:15-16</a>, as Josiah destroys the altar and burns human bones on it, defiling it. This act symbolizes the triumph of true worship over idolatry and serves as a type of Christ, who would ultimately fulfill the law and the prophets, bringing about spiritual renewal and restoration.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <a href="/topical/j/josiah.htm">Josiah</a> The king of Judah who initiated religious reforms and sought to restore true worship by removing idolatry from the land. 2. <a href="/topical/t/the_man_of_god_from_judah.htm">The Man of God from Judah</a> A prophet who had previously prophesied against the altar at Bethel, foretelling its destruction. 3. <a href="/topical/b/bethel.htm">Bethel</a> A significant location in the Northern Kingdom of Israel, known for its idolatrous practices, particularly the worship of golden calves. 4. <a href="/topical/t/the_men_of_the_city.htm">The Men of the City</a> Residents of Bethel who inform Josiah about the tomb of the man of God. 5. <a href="/topical/t/the_altar_of_bethel.htm">The Altar of Bethel</a> An altar that was a center of idolatrous worship, which Josiah defiled as part of his reforms.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><a href="/topical/f/faithfulness_to_god's_word.htm">Faithfulness to God's Word</a> Josiah's actions demonstrate the importance of adhering to God's commands, even when it requires significant change and courage. <a href="/topical/t/the_power_of_prophecy.htm">The Power of Prophecy</a> The fulfillment of the man of God's prophecy underscores the reliability and authority of God's word. <a href="/topical/l/legacy_of_obedience.htm">Legacy of Obedience</a> The man of God from Judah left a legacy through his obedience, reminding us that our actions can have lasting spiritual impact. <a href="/topical/c/confronting_idolatry.htm">Confronting Idolatry</a> Josiah's reforms challenge us to identify and remove any form of idolatry in our lives, prioritizing God above all else. <a href="/topical/r/respect_for_god's_servants.htm">Respect for God's Servants</a> Josiah's respect for the tomb of the man of God highlights the importance of honoring those who faithfully serve God.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_2_kings_23.htm">Top 10 Lessons from 2 Kings 23</a> <a href="/q/does_ezekiel_17_12-15_conflict_with_2_kings.htm">Does Ezekiel 17:12-15's account of Zedekiah's rebellion against Babylon conflict with the historical timeline recorded in 2 Kings 24-25?</a> <a href="/q/why_do_2_chron._23_1-7_and_2_kings_11_differ.htm">Why do the details in 2 Chronicles 23:1-7 differ from the parallel account in 2 Kings 11, suggesting possible biblical inconsistencies?</a> <a href="/q/2_kings_17_34-39__why_did_god_reject_israel.htm">2 Kings 17:34-39 - If God's covenant with Israel was everlasting, how does the text reconcile this with the assertion that He 'rejected all the descendants of Israel?'</a> <a href="/q/why_does_2_kings_23_25_exalt_josiah_over_david.htm">Why does 2 Kings 23:25 suggest Josiah surpassed even David in devotion, seemingly contradicting other texts that exalt David's faithfulness?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/2_kings/23.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(17) What title is this?--What is yonder monument, or memorial stone? <a href="/ezekiel/39-15.htm" title="And the passengers that pass through the land, when any sees a man's bone, then shall he set up a sign by it, till the buriers have buried it in the valley of Hamongog.">Ezekiel 39:15</a>, "sign." Jeremiah uses the same term of a sign-post (<a href="/jeremiah/31-21.htm" title="Set you up markers, make you high heaps: set your heart toward the highway, even the way which you went: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these your cities.">Jeremiah 31:21</a>, "waymarks"). (See <a href="/1_kings/13-29.htm" title="And the prophet took up the carcass of the man of God, and laid it on the ass, and brought it back: and the old prophet came to the city, to mourn and to bury him.">1Kings 13:29</a> seq.)<div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/2_kings/23.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div>Verse 17. - Then he said, What title is that that I see? rather, What pillar is that that I see? Josiah's eye caught sight of a "pillar" or obelisk (צִיון) among the tombs, or in their neighborhood, and he had the curiosity to ask what it was. And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulcher of the man of God, which earns from Judah (see <a href="/1_kings/13-1.htm">1 Kings 13:1</a>). The "pillar" could not have been the actual "sepulcher," but was no doubt a monument connected with it. Many of the Phoenician excavated tombs are accompanied by monuments above ground, which are very conspicuous (see Renan's 'Mission de Phenicie,' pls. 11, et seq.). And proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Bethel (see <a href="/1_kings/13-2.htm">1 Kings 13:2</a>). According to the present text of Kings, Josiah was prophesied of by name, as the king who would defile the altar; but it is possible that the words, "Josiah by name" (יאשִׁיָהוּ שְׂמו), have crept in from the margin. <a href="/commentaries/2_kings/23-17.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a> <a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div>Then [the king] asked, וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (way·yō·mer) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_559.htm">Strong's 559: </a> To utter, say “What מָ֚ה (māh) Interrogative <a href="/hebrew/strongs_4100.htm">Strong's 4100: </a> What?, what!, indefinitely what is this הַלָּ֔ז (hal·lāz) Pronoun - masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_1975.htm">Strong's 1975: </a> This, that monument הַצִּיּ֣וּן (haṣ·ṣî·yūn) Article | Noun - masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_6725.htm">Strong's 6725: </a> A monumental, guiding pillar I אֲנִ֣י (’ă·nî) Pronoun - first person common singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_589.htm">Strong's 589: </a> I see?” רֹאֶ֑ה (rō·’eh) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_7200.htm">Strong's 7200: </a> To see And the men אַנְשֵׁ֣י (’an·šê) Noun - masculine plural construct <a href="/hebrew/strongs_376.htm">Strong's 376: </a> A man as an individual, a male person of the city הָעִ֗יר (hā·‘îr) Article | Noun - feminine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_5892.htm">Strong's 5892: </a> Excitement replied, וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ (way·yō·mə·rū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural <a href="/hebrew/strongs_559.htm">Strong's 559: </a> To utter, say “It is the tomb הַקֶּ֤בֶר (haq·qe·ḇer) Article | Noun - masculine singular construct <a href="/hebrew/strongs_6913.htm">Strong's 6913: </a> A grave, sepulcher of the man אִישׁ־ (’îš-) Noun - masculine singular construct <a href="/hebrew/strongs_376.htm">Strong's 376: </a> A man as an individual, a male person of God הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ (hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm) Article | Noun - masculine plural <a href="/hebrew/strongs_430.htm">Strong's 430: </a> gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative who אֲשֶׁ֖ר (’ă·šer) Pronoun - relative <a href="/hebrew/strongs_834.htm">Strong's 834: </a> Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that came בָּ֣א (bā) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_935.htm">Strong's 935: </a> To come in, come, go in, go from Judah מִֽיהוּדָ֔ה (mî·hū·ḏāh) Preposition-m | Noun - proper - masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_3063.htm">Strong's 3063: </a> Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites and pronounced וַיִּקְרָ֗א (way·yiq·rā) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_7121.htm">Strong's 7121: </a> To call, proclaim, read these הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ (hā·’êl·leh) Article | Pronoun - common plural <a href="/hebrew/strongs_428.htm">Strong's 428: </a> These, those things הַדְּבָרִ֤ים (had·də·ḇā·rîm) Article | Noun - masculine plural <a href="/hebrew/strongs_1697.htm">Strong's 1697: </a> A word, a matter, thing, a cause that אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-) Pronoun - relative <a href="/hebrew/strongs_834.htm">Strong's 834: </a> Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that you have done עָשִׂ֔יתָ (‘ā·śî·ṯā) Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_6213.htm">Strong's 6213: </a> To do, make to עַ֖ל (‘al) Preposition <a href="/hebrew/strongs_5921.htm">Strong's 5921: </a> Above, over, upon, against the altar הַמִּזְבַּ֥ח (ham·miz·baḥ) Article | Noun - masculine singular construct <a href="/hebrew/strongs_4196.htm">Strong's 4196: </a> An altar of בֵּֽית־ (bêṯ-) Preposition <a href="/hebrew/strongs_0.htm">Strong's 0: </a> 0 Bethel.” אֵֽל׃ (’êl) Noun - proper - feminine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_1008.htm">Strong's 1008: </a> Bethel -- 'house of God', a city in Ephraim, also a place in southern Judah <div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/2_kings/23-17.htm">2 Kings 23:17 NIV</a> <a href="/nlt/2_kings/23-17.htm">2 Kings 23:17 NLT</a> <a href="/esv/2_kings/23-17.htm">2 Kings 23:17 ESV</a> <a href="/nasb/2_kings/23-17.htm">2 Kings 23:17 NASB</a> <a href="/kjv/2_kings/23-17.htm">2 Kings 23:17 KJV</a> <a href="//bibleapps.com/2_kings/23-17.htm">2 Kings 23:17 BibleApps.com</a> <a href="//bibliaparalela.com/2_kings/23-17.htm">2 Kings 23:17 Biblia Paralela</a> <a href="//holybible.com.cn/2_kings/23-17.htm">2 Kings 23:17 Chinese Bible</a> <a href="//saintebible.com/2_kings/23-17.htm">2 Kings 23:17 French Bible</a> <a href="/catholic/2_kings/23-17.htm">2 Kings 23:17 Catholic Bible</a> <a href="/2_kings/23-17.htm">OT History: 2 Kings 23:17 Then he said What monument is that (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/2_kings/23-16.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="2 Kings 23:16"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="2 Kings 23:16" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/2_kings/23-18.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="2 Kings 23:18"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="2 Kings 23:18" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>