Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it?
Hasn't this same Hezekiah removed the worship sites and altars, and commanded the people of Judah and Jerusalem, saying, 'You must worship at only one altar and burn incense there'?
The writer is recording an accusation that King Hezekiah had centralized worship by removing local worship sites and requiring people to worship only at the temple in Jerusalem.
📚 Historical Context
This verse comes from the Assyrian official's speech trying to demoralize Jerusalem's defenders during King Sennacherib's siege around 701 BC. The Assyrian was twisting Hezekiah's religious reforms, which had removed pagan worship sites and centralized proper worship at Solomon's temple, making it sound like Hezekiah had weakened their god's power. This was part of psychological warfare to make the people doubt their king and surrender.
Explore Similar Verses
Ask the AI Assistant
Have a question about this chapter or verse? Ask below for a clear explanation.