KJV ORIGINAL
And he brake in pieces the images, and cut down the groves, and filled their places with the bones of men.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
He smashed the idols into pieces, cut down the sacred poles, and filled those places with human bones.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
King Josiah completely destroyed all the pagan worship sites and made them ceremonially unclean by scattering human bones there.
📚 Historical Context
This verse describes King Josiah's religious reforms around 621 BC, when he systematically destroyed all pagan worship sites throughout Judah. The 'groves' were wooden poles or trees associated with the worship of Asherah, a Canaanite goddess. By scattering human bones in these former worship places, Josiah made them ceremonially unclean according to Jewish law, ensuring they could never be used for religious purposes again.
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