And he slew all the priests of the high places that were there upon the altars, and burned men’s bones upon them, and returned to Jerusalem.
And he killed all the priests of the pagan shrines who were there at their altars, and burned human bones on those same altars, then returned to Jerusalem.
The writer is describing King Josiah's complete destruction of idolatrous worship by executing the pagan priests and desecrating their altars with human bones.
📚 Historical Context
This verse describes King Josiah's radical religious reforms around 621 BC, where he systematically destroyed all forms of idol worship in Israel and Judah. The burning of human bones on altars was considered the ultimate defilement in ancient Near Eastern culture, making those places permanently unfit for any future religious use. This was part of Josiah's campaign to centralize worship in Jerusalem and eliminate all competing religious practices.
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