The Meaning of 2 Kings 23:4 Explained

2 Kings 23:4

KJV: And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Bethel.

YLT: And the king commandeth Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the threshold, to bring out from the temple of Jehovah all the vessels that are made for Baal, and for the shrine, and for all the host of the heavens, and he burneth them at the outside of Jerusalem, in the fields of Kidron, and hath borne their ashes to Beth-El.

Darby: And the king commanded Hilkijah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the doorkeepers, to bring forth out of the temple of Jehovah all the vessels that had been made for Baal, and for the Asherah, and for all the host of the heavens; and he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them to Bethel.

ASV: And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the threshold, to bring forth out of the temple of Jehovah all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the Asherah, and for all the host of heaven, and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Beth-el.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the king  commanded  Hilkiah  the high  priest,  and the priests  of the second order,  and the keepers  of the door,  to bring forth  out of the temple  of the LORD  all the vessels  that were made  for Baal,  and for the grove,  and for all the host  of heaven:  and he burned  them without  Jerusalem  in the fields  of Kidron,  and carried  the ashes  of them unto Bethel. 

What does 2 Kings 23:4 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 23:1-4 - Hearkening To The Message
Josiah's fears were deeply stirred by the evils which the Law of the Lord clearly indicated as imminent, and he immediately sent for advice to the prophetess Huldah, who was held in great veneration. Her answer was full of gentle kindness. Though the king's punishment could not be averted, it should nevertheless be postponed. How quick is God to notice the tears of genuine contrition and to meet the soul that seeks to do His will! If only the whole nation had been equally repentant, its fate would have doubtless been altered.
It is remarkable, however, that even in Josiah's case the prediction of the prophetess was not realized. He died in battle, and his dead body was brought to Jerusalem amid mourning that became proverbial, 2 Kings 23:30; Zechariah 12:2. Why this apparent breach of promise? The answer is suggested by our Lord's temptation. He refused to make bread of stones, because of His absolute faith in God, and when Satan tempted him still further to manifest that faith by casting Himself from the beetling Temple crag, he again refused because such an act was not in the scope of the Father's plan. On the other hand, Josiah, disregarding all counsels to the contrary, needlessly flung himself into the fray between Egypt and Babylon and there lost his life. "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God!" [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Kings 23

1  Josiah causes the book to be read in a solemn assembly
3  He renews the covenant of the Lord
4  He destroys idolatry
15  He burns dead men's bones upon the altar of Bethel, as was prophesied
21  He keeps a most solemn Passover
24  He puts away witches and all abomination
26  God's final wrath against Judah
29  Josiah, provoking Pharaoh Neco, is slain at Megiddo
31  Jehoahaz, succeeding him,
33  is imprisoned by Pharaoh Neco, who makes Jehoiakim king
36  Jehoiakim's wicked reign

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 23:4 mean?

And commanded the king - Hilkiah the priest high and the priests of the second order the keepers the doorkeepers to bring out of the temple of Yahweh - all the articles that were made for Baal for Asherah for all the host of heaven and he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron and carried their ashes to Bethel
וַיְצַ֣ו הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ אֶת־ חִלְקִיָּהוּ֩ הַכֹּהֵ֨ן הַגָּד֜וֹל וְאֶת־ כֹּהֲנֵ֣י הַמִּשְׁנֶה֮ שֹׁמְרֵ֣י הַסַּף֒ לְהוֹצִיא֙ מֵהֵיכַ֣ל יְהוָ֔ה אֵ֣ת כָּל־ הַכֵּלִ֗ים הָֽעֲשׂוּיִם֙ לַבַּ֣עַל וְלָֽאֲשֵׁרָ֔ה וּלְכֹ֖ל צְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וַֽיִּשְׂרְפֵ֞ם מִח֤וּץ לִירוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ בְּשַׁדְמ֣וֹת קִדְר֔וֹן וְנָשָׂ֥א עֲפָרָ֖ם בֵּֽית־ אֵֽל

וַיְצַ֣ו  And  commanded 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
חִלְקִיָּהוּ֩  Hilkiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חִלְקִיָּה 
Sense: father of Eliakim, an officer of Hezekiah.
הַכֹּהֵ֨ן  the  priest 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
הַגָּד֜וֹל  high 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
כֹּהֲנֵ֣י  the  priests 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
הַמִּשְׁנֶה֮  of  the  second  order 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁנֶה  
Sense: double, copy, second, repetition.
שֹׁמְרֵ֣י  the  keepers 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
הַסַּף֒  the  doorkeepers 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: סַף 
Sense: a spreading out, basin, goblet, bowl.
לְהוֹצִיא֙  to  bring 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
מֵהֵיכַ֣ל  out  of  the  temple 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: הֵיכָל  
Sense: palace, temple, nave, sanctuary.
יְהוָ֔ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֵ֣ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַכֵּלִ֗ים  the  articles 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כְּלִי  
Sense: article, vessel, implement, utensil.
הָֽעֲשׂוּיִם֙  that  were  made 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
לַבַּ֣עַל  for  Baal 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּעַל  
Sense: supreme male divinity of the Phoenicians or Canaanites.
וְלָֽאֲשֵׁרָ֔ה  for  Asherah 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲשֵׁרָה  
Sense: a Babylonian (Astarte)-Canaanite goddess (of fortune and happiness), the supposed consort of Baal, her images.
וּלְכֹ֖ל  for  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
צְבָ֣א  the  host 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם  of  heaven 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
וַֽיִּשְׂרְפֵ֞ם  and  he  burned  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׂרַף  
Sense: to burn.
מִח֤וּץ  outside 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חוּץ  
Sense: outside, outward, street, the outside.
לִירוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙  Jerusalem 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
בְּשַׁדְמ֣וֹת  in  the  fields 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: שְׁדֵמָה  
Sense: field.
קִדְר֔וֹן  of  Kidron 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: קִדְרֹון  
Sense: a stream east of Jerusalem.
וְנָשָׂ֥א  and  carried 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
עֲפָרָ֖ם  their  ashes 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: עָפָר  
Sense: dry earth, dust, powder, ashes, earth, ground, mortar, rubbish.
אֵֽל  Bethel 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בֵּית־אֵל  
Sense: ancient place and seat of worship in Ephraim on border of Benjamin, identified with Luz (former name).