And the altars that were on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD, did the king beat down, and brake them down from thence, and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron.
The king also tore down the altars that were on the roof of King Ahaz's upper room, which the kings of Judah had built, and the altars that Manasseh had set up in the two courtyards of the LORD's temple. He smashed them to pieces, removed them from there, and threw their dust into the Kidron Valley.
King Josiah was completely destroying all the false altars that previous kings had built, even throwing their broken pieces into the valley to show his commitment to worshiping God alone.
📚 Historical Context
This verse describes King Josiah's religious reforms around 621 BC, when he was purging Judah of idolatrous worship practices. Previous kings like Ahaz and Manasseh had built altars to foreign gods even within the temple courtyards, severely corrupting Israel's worship. The Kidron Valley was considered an unclean place where refuse was dumped, making it the perfect location to dispose of these defiled altar remains.
Ask the AI Assistant
Have a question about this chapter or verse? Ask below for a clear explanation.