MPV Commentary

He Destroys Idolatry.

Josiah began his efforts to purge Judah of idolatrous practices in his twelfth year as king, but it was eight years later that he fully committed himself to this task. At first, he had shown a keen interest in removing the remnants of idolatry from his kingdom, which had been introduced during his father's short reign. As Josiah grew older and more zealous for God, he took on the responsibility of overseeing the demolition of these idols throughout his dominion.

The narrative in this passage differs slightly from that found in 1 Kings. While both accounts describe Josiah's efforts to eradicate idolatry, they present the events in a different order. In 2 Chronicles, we see a detailed account of Josiah's measures to remove idolatry, whereas in 1 Kings, the focus is on the cleansing of the temple and the celebration of the Passover.

Despite Josiah's genuine commitment to God and his people's apparent compliance with his orders, he was unable to eradicate the deeply ingrained attachment to idolatrous practices that had been introduced during Manasseh's reign. This latent predilection would continue to manifest itself in subsequent generations, ultimately contributing to Judah's downfall.

The graves of those who had practiced idolatry were treated as guilty of their crimes (4). Josiah saw fit to destroy these graves, symbolically condemning the idolaters and their practices.

He also took a bold step by burning the bones of the priests on their altars (5), effectively branding them with infamy. This act not only defiled the altars but also served as a powerful statement against the idolatrous priests who had once officiated there.

Josiah's efforts to remove idolatry extended far beyond Judah's borders, into the territories of Ephraim, Manasseh, Simeon, and even Naphtali (6). This is not surprising, given that after the fall of Samaria, the remaining Israelites maintained close ties with Judah and looked to its kings as their natural protectors. Josiah exercised his influence over these tribes, working to eradicate every vestige of idolatry from the land. The Assyrian rulers, who controlled the region at the time, seem not to have been aware of or concerned about Josiah's actions, which they likely viewed as a matter for the local deity.