2 Kings 23 · Verse 13

2 Kings 23:13

And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.
2 Kings 23:13, King James Version

2 Kings 23:13 in other translations

BSBThe king also desecrated the high places east of Jerusalem, to the south of the Mount of Corruption, which King Solomon of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
WEBThe king defiled the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mountain of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon.
ASVAnd the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.
YLTAnd the high places that are on the front of Jerusalem, that are on the right of the mount of corruption, that Solomon king of Israel had built to Ashtoreth abomination of the Zidonians, and Chemosh abomination of Moab, and to Milcom abomination of the sons of Ammon, hath the king defiled.
DARBYAnd the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.
BBEAnd the high places before Jerusalem, on the south side of the mountain of destruction, which Solomon, king of Israel, had made for Ashtoreth, the disgusting god of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh, the disgusting god of Moab, and for Milcom, the disgusting god of the children of Ammon, the king made unclean.
WebsterAnd the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.

What does 2 Kings 23:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Kings 23:13-14
13-14. the high places ... which Solomon ... had builded--(See on 1Ki 11:5). the right hand of the mount of corruption--The Mount of Olives is a hilly range on the east of Jerusalem. This range has three summits, of which the central one is the Mount of Corruption, so called from the idol temples built there, and of course the hill on the right hand denotes the southernmost peak. Josiah is said not to have destroyed, but only defiled, "the high places on the hill of corruption." It is most probable that Hezekiah had long before demolished the idolatrous temples erected there by Solomon but, as the superstitious people continued to regard the spot as consecrated ground, Josiah defiled it.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 Mount of corruption - This, says Jarchi, following the Chaldee, was the mount of Olives, for this is the mount המשחה hammishchah, of unction; but because of the idolatrous purposes for which it was used, the Scripture changed the appellation to the mount המשחית hammashchith, of corruption. Ashtoreth the abomination, etc. - See on 1Kgs 11:7 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Kings 23:4-14

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-place was, such abominations should be found. Josiah had reigned eighteen years, and had himself set the people a good example, and kept up religion according to the Divine law; yet, when he came to search for…

Read the full comment on 2 Kings 23:4-14 →

2 Kings 23:13 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְֽאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
הַבָּמ֞וֹתha.ba.Motthe high placesH1116
אֲשֶׁ֣ר\׀'a.SherwhichH834
עַל\־'al-[were] onH5921
פְּנֵ֣יpe.Nei[the] face ofH6440
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗םye.ru.sha.LimJerusalemH3389
אֲשֶׁר֮'a.SherwhichH834
מִימִ֣יןmi.Min[were] from [the] southH3225
לְהַר\־le.har-of [the] mountain ofH2022
הַמַּשְׁחִית֒ha.mash.Chit<the> destructionH4889
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherwhichH834
בָּ֠נָהBa.nahhe had builtH1129
שְׁלֹמֹ֨הshe.lo.MohSolomonH8010
מֶֽלֶךְ\־Me.lekh-[the] king ofH4428
יִשְׂרָאֵ֜לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
לְעַשְׁתֹּ֣רֶת\׀le.'ash.To.retto AstarteH6253
שִׁקֻּ֣ץshi.Kutz[the] detestable thing ofH8251
צִידֹנִ֗יםtzi.do.Nim[the] SidoniansH6722
וְלִכְמוֹשׁ֙ve.likh.mo.Voshand to ChemoshH3645
שִׁקֻּ֣ץshi.Kutz[the] detestable thing ofH8251
מוֹאָ֔בmo.'AvMoabH4124
וּלְמִלְכֹּ֖םu.le.mil.Komand to MilcomH4445
תּוֹעֲבַ֣תto.'a.Vat[the] abomination ofH8441
בְּנֵֽי\־be.nei-[the] people ofH1121
עַמּ֑וֹןa.MonAmmonH5983
טִמֵּ֖אti.Me'he made uncleanH2930
הַמֶּֽלֶךְ\׃ha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Kings 23:13

  • 1 Kings 11:7

    Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.

  • 1 Kings 11:5

    For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

  • Numbers 21:29

    Woe to thee, Moab! thou art undone, O people of Chemosh: he hath given his sons that escaped, and his daughters, into captivity unto Sihon king of the Amorites.

  • Judges 2:13

    And they forsook the Lord, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.

  • Judges 11:24

    Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the Lord our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess.

  • Jeremiah 48:13

    And Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Beth–el their confidence.

  • Jeremiah 48:16

    The calamity of Moab is near to come, and his affliction hasteth fast.

  • 1 Samuel 7:4

    Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the Lord only.

  • Nehemiah 13:26

    Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin.

  • Jeremiah 48:7

    For because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou shalt also be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity with his priests and his princes together.

  • 1 Samuel 12:10

    And they cried unto the Lord, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.

  • 1 Kings 11:33

    Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the mount of corruption. that is, the mount of Olives.Houbigant, deriving the Hebrew {mashchith} from {mashach,} "to anoint," reads "the Mount of Olives." Jarchi, following the Chaldee, also says this was the Mount of Olives; for this is the mount {hammishchah,} of unction: but because of the idolatrous purposes for which it was used, the Scripture changed the appellation to the mount of {hammashchith,} corruption.
Solomon.
1Ki 11:7; Ne 13:26
Ashtoreth.
Jud 2:13; 10:6; 1Sa 7:4; 12:10; 1Ki 11:5,33
Chemosh.
Nu 21:29; Jud 11:24; Jer 48:7,13,16
Milcom.
Zep 1:5
Malcham.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Kings 23:12

    And the altars that were on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the Lord, did the king beat down, and brake them down from thence, and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron.

  • 2 Kings 23:13

    And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.

  • 2 Kings 23:14

    And he brake in pieces the images, and cut down the groves, and filled their places with the bones of men.

Read all of 2 Kings 23

2 Kings 23:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Asimismo profanó el rey los altos que estaban delante de Jerusalem, á la mano derecha del monte de la destrucción, los cuales Salomón rey de Israel había edificado á Astharoth, abominación de los Sidonios, y á Chêmos abominación de Moab, y á Milcom abominación de los hijos de Ammón.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et le roi souilla les hauts lieux qui étaient en face de Jérusalem, à la droite de la montagne de corruption, que Salomon, roi d’Israël, avait bâtis pour Ashtoreth, l’abomination des Sidoniens, et pour Kemosh, l’abomination de Moab, et pour Milcom, l’abomination des fils d’Ammon;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und der König verunreinigte die Höhen, die vor Jerusalem, zur Rechten des Berges des Verderbens waren, welche Salomo, der König von Israel, der Astoreth, dem Scheusal der Zidonier, und Kamos, dem Scheusal Moabs, und Milkom, dem Greuel der Kinder Ammon, gebaut hatte.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Excelsa quoque, quæ erant in Jerusalem ad dexteram partem montis offensionis, quæ ædificaverat Salomon rex Israël Astaroth idolo Sidoniorum, et Chamos offensioni Moab, et Melchom abominationi filiorum Ammon, polluit rex.