The king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the threshold, to bring out of the LORD’s temple all the vessels that were made for Baal, for the Asherah, and for all the army of the sky; and he burned them outside of Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron, and carried their ashes to Bethel.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 4. Order, who presided over the 24 classes of inferior priests. Menochius.—Jonathas understands it of those who supplied the place of the high priest when he could not attend. Grotius.—Baal, the sun: ( Calmet.) in Hebrew “for.”—The grove, Astarte, or the moon. Bible.—Cedron, to the east and south of Jerusalem, where Topheth and the sepulchres of the poor, and all unclean things, were placed. Here the pagans burnt their children in honour of Moloch. See 3 Kennicott. 15:13. 2 Chronicles 29:16 and 30:14.—Bethel, out of contempt for the golden calf, ( Bible.) and to remove those impurities to a greater distance. Calmet.