Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 23:6
And he brought out the grove from the house of the LORD, without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and stamped [it] small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people.
6. without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron ] So that nothing of the polluting idol might remain, even in its destruction, within the holy city. On the brook Kidron, and its connexion with the destruction of other idols, see note on 1Ki 15:13.
upon the graves of the children of the people ] R.V. of the common people. The A.V. renders the same words thus in Jer 26:23. Those who could not afford to have graves cut out of the rocks and made secure by a stone at the entrance, were laid in the ground at some distance from the city. The reason for desiring a grave in the rock was lest the prowling wild beasts, which were not uncommon in the land, might disturb the dead bodies. The Chronicler (2Ch 34:4) says the dust was strewn ‘on the graves of them that had sacrificed’ unto the idols. This would imply that a special burying-place had been made for those who had adopted the idolatries that had been introduced; a thing which is very improbable.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 6. He brought out the grove] He brought out the idol Asherah. 2Kg 21:26.
Upon the graves of the children of the people.] I believe this; means the burial-place of the common people.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The grove: See Poole “2Ki 23:4“. Of the children of the people, i.e. of the common people, whose graves were made together in some common place, which was generally accounted very impure and contemptible, and therefore a fit place for this filth to be thrown into. Or, of bastards, who are oft called
the children of the people; who as they had this brand of infamy laid upon them, that they might not enter into the congregation of the Lord, Deu 23:2; so possibly they were exposed to this further ignominy, to be buried in a peculiar, and in the most infamous place. Or rather, as it is in the Hebrew, of that people, i.e. those idolatrous people, as it is explained, 2Ch 34:4, and here sufficiently implied in this and the foregoing verse.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6. brought out the grovethatis, Asherah, the mystic tree, placed by Manasseh in the temple[2Ki 21:5; 2Ch 33:5],removed by him after his conversion [2Ch33:15], but replaced in the sanctuary by his wicked son Amon[2Ki 21:20; 2Ki 21:21].Josiah had it taken to Kidron, burnt the wood, ground the metal aboutit to powder, and strewed the ashes “on the graves of thechildren of the people.” The poor were buried in a common onpart of the valley of Kidron. But reference is here made to thegraves “of those that had sacrificed” (2Ch34:4).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And he brought out the grove from the house of the Lord,…. Not a real grove of trees, but a carved one, as some think; or rather the image of the grove, 2Ki 21:7 that is, the idol Ashtoreth, or Astarte, which was set up there; so Theodoret says; some interpreters call it Astoreth, the name of Venus, whom they call Astarte: this Josiah ordered to be brought
without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burnt it at the brook Kidron; the black brook, where the filth of the sacrifices was carried:
and stamped it small to powder; as Moses did the golden calf:
and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people; the common people, see Jer 26:23 or rather on the graves of the worshippers of idols, as it seems from 2Ch 34:4 the Targum is,
“on the graves of the children of Galia,”
which, Kimchi says, is the name of an idol; this was done partly in contempt of the idol, groves being, according to law, impure; and partly to the reproach of the deceased, and the memory of them, for their idolatry, and to deter from it those that survived them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(6) And he brought out the grove . . .The Asherah set up by Manasseh (2Ki. 21:3; 2Ki. 21:7), and removed by him on his repentance (2Ch. 33:15), but restored (probably) by Amon (2Ki. 21:21).
Unto the brook . . . at the brook.Unto the ravine . . . in the ravine, or wady.
The graves of the children (sons) of the peoplei.e., the common graves (Jer. 26:23); a mark of utter contempt: 2Ch. 34:4 paraphrases, the graves of them that sacrificed unto them.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6. Brought out the grove Rather, the Asherah image, mentioned in 2Ki 21:7.
Kidron See on 2Ki 23:4.
Graves of the children of the people That is, of the common people. See Jer 26:23. 2Ch 34:4, says, “Upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them;” but that passage seems to refer to other images of Asherah, to which, however, many of the common people may have often sacrificed. The object of casting the powder, or dust, of these images on the graves may have been either to defile them as the graves of idolaters, or, what is more probable, to dishonour the dust of the idols.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Ki 23:6. And he brought out the grove And he brought out Aschera. Houbigant.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Ki 23:6 And he brought out the grove from the house of the LORD, without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and stamped [it] small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people.
Ver. 6. And he brought out the grove. ] See on 2Ki 21:7 .
Upon the graves of the children of the people.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
graves. Hebrew. keber. See note on 2Ki 21:26.
of the children of the people = of the common people in Jer 26:23. In 2Ch 35:5 it = the laity as distinguished from Levites.
children = sons.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
grove
(See Scofield “Deu 16:21”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
the grove: Or rather, Asherah, or Astarte. 2Ki 21:7, Jdg 3:7, 1Ki 14:23, 1Ki 16:33, Jer 17:2
and burned: Exo 32:20, Deu 7:25, Deu 9:21
the graves: 2Ki 10:27, 2Ch 34:4
the children: Probably the common people.
Reciprocal: Deu 7:5 – destroy 1Ki 2:37 – over the 1Ki 15:13 – the brook 2Ki 21:5 – in the two courts 2Ki 23:12 – cast 2Ki 23:15 – stamped 2Ch 14:3 – cut down 2Ch 15:16 – cut down 2Ch 33:3 – the host 2Ch 33:7 – in the house Jer 31:40 – the brook Jer 32:34 – General Joh 18:1 – the brook
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ki 23:6. And cast the powder thereof upon the graves By the law, a ceremonial uncleanness was contracted by the touch of a grave, so that by casting these ashes here, he declared them most impure, and that none could touch them without making themselves unclean thereby. The Chaldee renders it, He cast it into the graves, to signify that he would have all idolatry buried out of his sight, as a loathsome thing. Of the children of the people The common people, whose graves were made together in some common place, which was generally accounted very impure and contemptible, and therefore a fit place for this filth to be thrown into. But the Hebrew here is more properly rendered, Of that people; that is, those idolatrous people, as it is expressed 2Ch 34:4.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
23:6 And he brought out the {g} grove from the house of the LORD, without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and stamped [it] small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the {h} graves of the children of the people.
(g) He removed the grove which idolaters for devotion had planted near the temple, contrary to the commandment of the Lord, De 16:21 , or as some read, the similitude of a grove which was hung in the temple.
(h) Both in contempt of the idols and reproach of them who had worshipped them in their lives.