He pulled down the altars that the kings of Judah had set up on the roof near the upper chamber of Ahaz, and the altars that Manasseh had set up in the two courtyards of the house of the LORD. The king pulverized them there and threw their dust into the Kidron Valley.
We have here an account of such a reformation as we have not met with in all the history of the kings of Judah, such thorough riddance made of all the abominable things and such foundations laid of a glorious good work; and here I cannot but wonder at two things: - 1.
Commenting on 2 Kings 23:4-24
And the high places that were before Jerusalem,.... Not only that were within the city, and at the gates of it, but what were without it: which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption: the mount of Olives, so called from the idolatry and corrupt worship performed in it, by way of reproach, with a small alteration of the letters of the...
HE DESTROYS IDOLATRY. (2Ki. 23:4-28) the king commanded Hilkiah, &c.--that is, the high priest and other priests, for there was not a variety of official gradations in the temple. all the vessels, &c.--the whole apparatus of idol-worship. burned them without Jerusalem--The law required them to be consigned to the flames (Deu 7:25).
Commenting on 2 Kings 23:4-28