SEV Biblia, Chapter 23:4
¶ Entonces mandó el rey al sumo sacerdote Hilcías, y a los sacerdotes de la segunda orden, y a los guardianes de la puerta, que sacasen del templo del SEÑOR todos los vasos que habían sido hechos para Baal, y para el bosque, y para toda la corte del cielo; y los quemó fuera de Jerusalén en el campo de Cedrón, e hizo llevar las cenizas de ellos a Bet-el.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 23:4
Verse 4. The priests of the second order] These were probably such as supplied the place of the high priest when he was prevented: from fulfilling the functions of his office. So the Chaldee understood the place-the sagan of the high priests. But the words may refer to those of the second course or order established by David: though it does not appear that those orders were now in use, yet the distinction was continued even to the time of our Lord. We find the course of Abia, which was the eighth, mentioned Luke i. 5; where see the note. All the vessels] These had been used for idolatrous purposes; the king is now to destroy them; for although no longer used in this way, they might, if permitted to remain, be an incentive to idolatry at a future time.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 4. And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order , etc.] Or the second course of the priests; the course of Jedaiah, ( 1 Chronicles 24:7) as some think; or rather, the two chief priests next to the high priest, who were of the line both of Eleazar and Ithamar; though the Targum interprets it of the Sagan of the priests, a deputy of the high priest, such as in later times the high priest had always appointed for him on the day of atonement f261 : and the keepers of the door : the porters at the door and gates of the temple; or rather the treasurers, as the Targum; such as were appointed over the vessels of the sanctuary, as the Jewish writers generally interpret it, and which best agrees with what follows: to bring forth out of the temple of the Lord all the vessels that were made for Baal : used in burning incense, or offering sacrifices to him: and for the grove : the idol of the grove, or Asherah, that is, Ashtoreth, or Astarte, the same with Venus, or the moon, as Baal was the sun, the one the husband, and the other the wife, according to the Jews f262 : and for all the host of heaven : the stars: and he burnt them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron ; or plain of Kidron, as the Targum; through which the brook Kidron ran: and carried the ashes of them unto Bethel ; where one of Jeroboam’s calves was set, and was the source of idolatry; and this he did in contempt of that place; and, to show his detestation of the idolatry there, he made it a dunghill of ashes of things used in idolatrous service; this he could do, that place being in the hands of the kings of Judah from the times of Ahijah, ( 2 Chronicles 13:19).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 4-14 - What abundance of wickedness in Judah and Jerusalem! One would not have believed it possible, that in Judah, where God was known, in Israel where his name was great, in Salem, in Zion, where his dwelling-plac was, such abominations should be found. Josiah had reigned eightee years, and had himself set the people a good example, and kept u religion according to the Divine law; yet, when he came to search for idolatry, the depth and extent were very great. Both common history and the records of God's word, teach, that all the real godliness of goodness ever found on earth, is derived from the new-creating Spiri of Jesus Christ.
Original Hebrew
ויצו 6680 המלך 4428 את 853 חלקיהו 2518 הכהן 3548 הגדול 1419 ואת 853 כהני 3548 המשׁנה 4932 ואת 853 שׁמרי 8104 הסף 5592 להוציא 3318 מהיכל 1964 יהוה 3068 את 853 כל 3605 הכלים 3627 העשׂוים 6213 לבעל 1168 ולאשׁרה 842 ולכל 3605 צבא 6635 השׁמים 8064 וישׂרפם 8313 מחוץ 2351 לירושׁלם 3389 בשׁדמות 7709 קדרון 6939 ונשׂא 5375 את 853 עפרם 6083 בית אל׃ 1008
