2 Chronicles 23:17 So all the people went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.

Bible > 2 Chronicles > Chapter 23 > Verse 17

◄ 2 Chronicles 23:17 ►

New International Version
All the people went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.

New Living Translation
And all the people went over to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They demolished the altars and smashed the idols, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.

English Standard Version
Then all the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down; his altars and his images they broke in pieces, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

Berean Standard Bible
So all the people went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.

King James Bible
Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and brake it down, and brake his altars and his images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

New King James Version
And all the people went to the temple of Baal, and tore it down. They broke in pieces its altars and images, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

New American Standard Bible
And all the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down, and they broke in pieces his altars and his images, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

NASB 1995
And all the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down, and they broke in pieces his altars and his images, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

NASB 1977
And all the people went to the house of Baal, and tore it down, and they broke in pieces his altars and his images, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

Legacy Standard Bible
And all the people came to the house of Baal and tore it down, and his altars and his images they broke in pieces, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

Amplified Bible
Then all the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down, and they smashed its altars and its images to pieces, and killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars.

Christian Standard Bible
So all the people went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed its altars and images and killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, at the altars.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So all the people went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They broke its altars and images into pieces and killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, at the altars.

American Standard Version
And all the people went to the house of Baal, and brake it down, and brake his altars and his images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

Contemporary English Version
then rushed to the temple of the god Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and the idols and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.

English Revised Version
And all the people went to the house of Baal, and brake it down, and brake his altars and his images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then all the people went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed Baal's altars and his statues and killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars.

Good News Translation
Then they all went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols there and killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars.

International Standard Version
Then all the people went to the temple of Baal, broke its altars and idols to pieces, and executed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars.

Majority Standard Bible
So all the people went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.

NET Bible
All the people went and demolished the temple of Baal. They smashed its altars and idols. They killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.

New Heart English Bible
All the people went to the house of Baal, and broke it down, and broke his altars and his images in pieces, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and broke it down, and broke his altars and his images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

World English Bible
All the people went to the house of Baal, broke it down, broke his altars and his images in pieces, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
and all the people enter the house of Ba‘al, and break it down, indeed, they have broken his altars and his images, and they have slain Mattan priest of Ba‘al before the altars.

Young's Literal Translation
and all the people enter the house of Baal, and break it down, yea, his altars and his images they have broken, and Mattan priest of Baal they have slain before the altars.

Smith's Literal Translation
And all the people will come to the house of Baal, and they will pull it down, and they broke his altars and his images, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And all the people went into the house of Baal, and destroyed it: and they broke down his altars and his idols: and they slew Mathan the priest of Baal before the altars.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And so, all the people entered into the house of Baal, and they destroyed it. And they broke apart his altars and idols. Also, they put to death Mattan, the priest of Baal, before the altars.

New American Bible
Thereupon all the people went to the temple of Baal and demolished it. They shattered its altars and images completely, and killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, before the altars.

New Revised Standard Version
Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and tore it down; his altars and his images they broke in pieces, and they killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
Then all the people went to the house of Baal and demolished it, and broke his altars and his images in pieces, and slew the priest of Baal before the altar.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And all the people of Israel entered the house of Baala, and they tore it down, and its high places; they broke down “Beautiful” and its images they broke in pieces, and the Priest of Baal they killed before the altar.

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And all the people went to the house of Baal, and broke it down, and broke his altars and his images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and tore down it and its altars, and they ground his images to powder, and they slew Matthan the priest of Baal before his altars.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Jehoiada Restores the Worship of the LORD
16Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and the king and the people that they would be the LORD’s people. 17So all the people went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars. 18Moreover, Jehoiada put the oversight of the house of the LORD into the hands of the Levitical priests, whom David had appointed over the house of the LORD, to offer burnt offerings to the LORD as is written in the Law of Moses, with rejoicing and song, as ordained by David.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

1 Kings 18:40
Then Elijah ordered them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let a single one escape.” So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered them there.

Exodus 32:20
Then he took the calf they had made, burned it in the fire, ground it to powder, and scattered the powder over the face of the water. Then he forced the Israelites to drink it.

Deuteronomy 13:5
Such a prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he has advocated rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery; he has tried to turn you from the way in which the LORD your God has commanded you to walk. So you must purge the evil from among you.

2 Kings 11:18
So all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars. And Jehoiada the priest posted guards for the house of the LORD.

Deuteronomy 7:5
Instead, this is what you are to do to them: tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, cut down their Asherah poles, and burn their idols in the fire.

Judges 6:25-27
On that very night the LORD said to Gideon, “Take your father’s young bull and a second bull seven years old, tear down your father’s altar to Baal, and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. / Then build a proper altar to the LORD your God on the top of this stronghold. And with the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down, take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering.” / So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD had told him. But because he was too afraid of his father’s household and the men of the city, he did it by night rather than in the daytime.

1 Kings 15:13
He also removed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made a detestable Asherah pole. Asa chopped down the pole and burned it in the Kidron Valley.

2 Kings 23:4-6
Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, the priests second in rank, and the doorkeepers to remove from the temple of the LORD all the articles made for Baal, Asherah, and all the host of heaven. And he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron and carried their ashes to Bethel. / Josiah also did away with the idolatrous priests ordained by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the cities of Judah and in the places all around Jerusalem—those who had burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven. / He brought the Asherah pole from the house of the LORD to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem, and there he burned it, ground it to powder, and threw its dust on the graves of the common people.

2 Kings 23:20
On the altars he slaughtered all the priests of the high places, and he burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

2 Kings 23:24
Furthermore, Josiah removed the mediums and spiritists, the household gods and idols, and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem. He did this to carry out the words of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had found in the house of the LORD.

1 Samuel 7:3-4
Then Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and Ashtoreths among you, prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only. And He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” / So the Israelites put away the Baals and Ashtoreths and served only the LORD.

1 Samuel 12:10
Then they cried out to the LORD and said, ‘We have sinned, for we have forsaken the LORD and served the Baals and Ashtoreths. Now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, that we may serve You.’

1 Kings 18:21
Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people did not answer a word.

2 Kings 10:26-28
They brought out the sacred pillar of the temple of Baal and burned it. / They also demolished the sacred pillar of Baal. Then they tore down the temple of Baal and made it into a latrine, which it is to this day. / Thus Jehu eradicated Baal from Israel,

Isaiah 2:18
and the idols will vanish completely.

Treasury of Scripture

Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and broke it down, and broke his altars and his images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

the house of Baal

2 Chronicles 34:4,7
And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them…

2 Kings 10:25-28
And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal…

2 Kings 11:18
And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the LORD.

brake his altars

Deuteronomy 12:3
And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place.

Isaiah 2:18
And the idols he shall utterly abolish.

Zechariah 13:2,3
And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land…

slew Mattan

Deuteronomy 13:5,9
And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee…

1 Kings 18:40
And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

2 Kings 11:18,19
And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the LORD…

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Altars Baal Ba'al Brake Break Broke Enter House Idols Images Killed Mattan Pieces Priest Pulled Slain Slew Smashed Temple Tore

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Altars Baal Ba'al Brake Break Broke Enter House Idols Images Killed Mattan Pieces Priest Pulled Slain Slew Smashed Temple Tore

2 Chronicles 23

1. Jehoiada, having set things in order, makes joash king
12. Athaliah is slain
16. Jehoiada restores the worship of God

Berean Study Bible

So all the people
This phrase indicates a collective action by the nation of Judah. The Hebrew word for "people" here is "עָם" (am), which often refers to a community bound by common identity and purpose. This collective movement signifies a unified return to the worship of Yahweh, reflecting a national repentance and rejection of idolatry. Historically, this moment marks a significant turning point where the people, under the leadership of Jehoiada the priest, actively participate in the reformation of their religious practices.

went to the temple of Baal
The "temple of Baal" was a center for idol worship, representing the infiltration of Canaanite religious practices into Judah. The Hebrew word for "Baal" means "lord" or "master," and Baal was a major deity in the Canaanite pantheon. Archaeological findings have uncovered numerous Baal temples throughout the ancient Near East, underscoring the widespread influence of this cult. The people's movement towards the temple signifies a direct confrontation with the idolatrous practices that had led them astray.

and tore it down
The act of tearing down the temple is symbolic of the rejection and destruction of false worship. The Hebrew verb "נָתַץ" (natats) means to break down or demolish, indicating a complete and thorough destruction. This action is not merely physical but also spiritual, as it represents the eradication of idolatry from the hearts and lives of the people. It is a decisive step in restoring the worship of the one true God.

They smashed the altars and idols
"Smashed" translates the Hebrew verb "שָׁבַר" (shabar), meaning to shatter or break into pieces. This emphasizes the total obliteration of the objects of false worship. Altars and idols were central to Baal worship, and their destruction signifies the removal of any means to continue such practices. This act is reminiscent of the commands given in the Mosaic Law to destroy the high places and idols (Deuteronomy 12:3), highlighting obedience to God's commandments.

and killed Mattan the priest of Baal
Mattan, whose name means "gift," was a priest serving Baal, representing the leadership of idolatrous worship. His execution is a stark demonstration of the seriousness with which the people and their leaders approached the purging of idolatry. In the context of ancient Israel, priests held significant influence, and removing a priest of Baal was necessary to prevent the resurgence of idol worship. This act underscores the commitment to purify the nation and restore proper worship.

in front of the altars
The location of Mattan's execution "in front of the altars" is significant. It serves as a public declaration of the end of Baal worship and a warning against future idolatry. The altars, once sites of false worship, become the backdrop for this act of justice, symbolizing the triumph of God's righteousness over pagan practices. This public act would have reinforced the seriousness of the covenant renewal and the return to the worship of Yahweh.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(17) Brake it down.--Pulled it down.

And brake.--And its altars, &c., they broke in pieces. Kings adds, "thoroughly." (See 2Kings 11:18.)

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 17. - The house of Baal. It becomes plain that some building had been actually reared alongside, so to say, of the very temple itself, for Baal. Slew Mattan (Deuteronomy 13:6, 9). Brake... his images; Hebrew, צְלָמָיו; this is the more pronounced word, distinguished from מַצְּבות.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

So all
כָל־ (ḵāl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the people
הָעָ֤ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

went
וַיָּבֹ֨אוּ (way·yā·ḇō·’ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

to the temple
בֵּית־ (bêṯ-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of Baal
הַבַּ֙עַל֙ (hab·ba·‘al)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1168: Baal -- a heathen god

and tore it down.
וַֽיִּתְּצֻ֔הוּ (way·yit·tə·ṣu·hū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5422: To pull down, break down

They smashed the altars
מִזְבְּחֹתָ֥יו (miz·bə·ḥō·ṯāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4196: An altar

and idols
צְלָמָ֖יו (ṣə·lā·māw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6754: A phantom, illusion, resemblance, a representative figure, an idol

into pieces
שִׁבֵּ֑רוּ (šib·bê·rū)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 7665: To break, break in pieces

and killed
הָרְג֖וּ (hā·rə·ḡū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 2026: To smite with deadly intent

Mattan
מַתָּן֙ (mat·tān)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4977: Mattan -- a priest of Baal, also a man of Judah

the priest
כֹּהֵ֣ן (kō·hên)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3548: Priest

of Baal
הַבַּ֔עַל (hab·ba·‘al)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1168: Baal -- a heathen god

in front of
לִפְנֵ֥י (lip̄·nê)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

the altars.
הַֽמִּזְבְּחֽוֹת׃ (ham·miz·bə·ḥō·wṯ)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4196: An altar

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OT History: 2 Chronicles 23:17 All the people went to the house (2 Chron. 2Ch iiCh ii ch 2 chr 2chr)