2 Kings 23:17
New International Version
The king asked, “What is that tombstone I see?” The people of the city said, “It marks the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and pronounced against the altar of Bethel the very things you have done to it.”

New Living Translation
“What is that monument over there?” Josiah asked. And the people of the town told him, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and predicted the very things that you have just done to the altar at Bethel!”

English Standard Version
Then he said, “What is that monument that I see?” And the men of the city told him, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and predicted these things that you have done against the altar at Bethel.”

Berean Standard Bible
Then the king asked, “What is this monument I see?” And the men of the city replied, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things that you have done to the altar of Bethel.”

King James Bible
Then he said, What title is that that I see? And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulchre of the man of God, which came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Bethel.

New King James Version
Then he said, “What gravestone is this that I see?” So the men of the city told him, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things which you have done against the altar of Bethel.”

New American Standard Bible
Then he said, “What is this gravestone there that I see?” And the men of the city told him, “It is the grave of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things which you have done against the altar of Bethel.”

NASB 1995
Then he said, “What is this monument that I see?” And the men of the city told him, “It is the grave of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things which you have done against the altar of Bethel.”

NASB 1977
Then he said, “What is this monument that I see?” And the men of the city told him, “It is the grave of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things which you have done against the altar of Bethel.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then he said, “What is this monument that I see?” And the men of the city told him, “It is the grave of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things which you have done against the altar of Bethel.”

Amplified Bible
Then Josiah said, “What is this monument (gravestone) that I see?” The men of the city told him, “It is the grave of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things which you have done to the altar of Bethel.”

Christian Standard Bible
Then he said, “What is this monument I see? ” The men of the city told him, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things that you have done to the altar at Bethel.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then he said, “What is this monument I see?” The men of the city told him, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things that you have done to the altar at Bethel.”

American Standard Version
Then he said, What monument is that which I see? And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulchre of the man of God, who came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Beth-el.

Contemporary English Version
and he asked, "Whose grave is that?" Some people who lived nearby answered, "It belongs to the prophet from Judah who told what would happen to this altar."

English Revised Version
Then he said, What monument is that which I see? And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulchre of the man of God, which came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Beth-el.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then he asked, "What is this monument that I see?" The people of the city answered him, "It's the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah to announce that you would do these things to the altar of Bethel."

Good News Translation
"Whose tomb is that?" he asked. The people of Bethel answered, "It is the tomb of the prophet who came from Judah and predicted these things that you have done to this altar."

International Standard Version
He asked, "What is this monument that I'm looking at?" The men who lived in that city answered him, "It's the grave of that godly man who came from Judah and predicted these things that you've done against the altar at Bethel!"

Majority Standard Bible
Then the king asked, ?What is this monument I see?? And the men of the city replied, ?It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things that you have done to the altar of Bethel.?

NET Bible
He asked, "What is this grave marker I see?" The men from the city replied, "It's the grave of the prophet who came from Judah and foretold these very things you have done to the altar of Bethel."

New Heart English Bible
Then he said, "What monument is that which I see?" The men of the city told him, "It is the tomb of the man of God, who came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that you have done against the altar of Bethel."

Webster's Bible Translation
Then he said, What title is that which I see? And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulcher of the man of God, who came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Beth-el.

World English Bible
Then he said, “What monument is that which I see?” The men of the city told him, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things that you have done against the altar of Bethel.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And he says, “What [is] this sign that I see?” And the men of the city say to him, “The grave of the man of God who has come from Judah, and proclaims these things that you have done concerning the altar of Beth-El.”

Young's Literal Translation
And he saith, 'What is this sign that I see?' and the men of the city say unto him, 'The grave of the man of God who hath come from Judah, and proclaimeth these things that thou hast done concerning the altar of Beth-El.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will say, What this pillar which I see? And the man of the city will say to him, The tomb of the man of God who came from Judah, and he will call these words which thou didst upon the altar of the house of God.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said: What is that monument which I see? And the men of that city answered: It is the sepulchre of the man of God, who came from Juda, and foretold these things which thou hast done upon the altar of Bethel.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he said, “What is that monument that I see?” And the citizens of that city responded to him: “It is the sepulcher of the man of God, who came from Judah, and who predicted these events, which you have carried out concerning the altar of Bethel.”

New American Bible
he asked, “What is that marker I see?” The people of the city replied, “The grave of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed the very things you have done to the altar in Bethel.”

New Revised Standard Version
Then he said, “What is that monument that I see?” The people of the city told him, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and predicted these things that you have done against the altar at Bethel.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then the king said, What monument is that which I see? And the men of the city said to him, It is the sepulchre of the prophet of God, who came from Judah and proclaimed these things that you have done against the altar of Beth-el.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the King said: “What is this monument that I see?” The men of the city were saying to him, “It is the tomb of the Prophet of God who came from Yehuda, and he cried these words that you have done against the altar of Bayth Eil.”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Then he said: 'What monument is that which I see' And the men of the city told him: 'It is the sepulchre of the man of God, who came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Beth-el.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he said, What is that mound which I see? And the men of the city said to him, It is the grave of the man of God that came out of Juda, and uttered these imprecations which he imprecated upon the altar of Baethel.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Josiah Destroys Idolatry
16And as Josiah turned, he saw the tombs there on the hillside, and he sent someone to take the bones out of the tombs, and he burned them on the altar to defile it, according to the word of the LORD proclaimed by the man of God who had foretold these things. 17Then the king asked, “What is this monument I see?” And the men of the city replied, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and pronounced these things that you have done to the altar of Bethel.” 18“Let him rest,” said Josiah. “Do not let anyone disturb his bones.” So they left his bones undisturbed, along with those of the prophet who had come from Samaria.…

Cross References
1 Kings 13:2
And he cried out against the altar by the word of the LORD, “O altar, O altar, this is what the LORD says: ‘A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David, and upon you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense upon you, and human bones will be burned upon you.’”

1 Kings 13:30-32
Then he laid the body in his own tomb, and they lamented over him, “Oh, my brother!” / After he had buried him, the prophet said to his sons, “When I die, you must bury me in the tomb where the man of God is buried. Lay my bones beside his bones, / for the message that he cried out by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel and against all the shrines on the high places in the cities of Samaria will surely come to pass.”

2 Chronicles 34:5
Then he burned the bones of the priests on their altars. So he cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 44:4-5
Yet I sent you all My servants the prophets again and again, saying: ‘Do not do this detestable thing that I hate.’ / But they did not listen or incline their ears; they did not turn from their wickedness or stop burning incense to other gods.

Matthew 23:29-31
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous. / And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ / So you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets.

Luke 11:47-48
Woe to you! For you build tombs for the prophets, but it was your fathers who killed them. / So you are witnesses consenting to the deeds of your fathers: They killed the prophets, and you build their tombs.

Acts 7:52
Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers—

Hebrews 11:32-38
And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, / who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, / quenched the raging fire, and escaped the edge of the sword; who gained strength from weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight. ...

2 Chronicles 34:6-7
Josiah did the same in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins around them. / He tore down the altars and Asherah poles, crushed the idols to powder, and cut to pieces all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 26:18
“Micah the Moreshite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah and told all the people of Judah that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, and the temple mount a wooded ridge.’

Matthew 23:34-35
Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town. / And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

Luke 13:34
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!

Acts 13:27-29
The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning Him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. / And though they found no ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have Him executed. / When they had carried out all that was written about Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb.

Romans 11:3
“Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well”?

Revelation 16:6
For they have spilled the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink, as they deserve.”


Treasury of Scripture

Then he said, What title is that that I see? And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulcher of the man of God, which came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that you have done against the altar of Bethel.

It is the sepulchre.

1 Kings 13:1,30,31
And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense…

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Altar Bethel Beth-El City Grave Headstone Judah Marks Monument Predicted Proclaimed Pronounced Resting-Place Sepulcher Sepulchre Sign Title Tomb Word Yonder
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Altar Bethel Beth-El City Grave Headstone Judah Marks Monument Predicted Proclaimed Pronounced Resting-Place Sepulcher Sepulchre Sign Title Tomb Word Yonder
2 Kings 23
1. Josiah causes the book to be read in a solemn assembly.
3. He renews the covenant of the Lord.
4. He destroys idolatry.
15. He burns dead men's bones upon the altar of Bethel, as was prophesied.
21. He keeps a most solemn Passover.
24. He puts away witches and all abomination.
26. God's final wrath against Judah.
29. Josiah, provoking Pharaoh Neco, is slain at Megiddo.
31. Jehoahaz, succeeding him,
33. is imprisoned by Pharaoh Neco, who makes Jehoiakim king.
36. Jehoiakim's wicked reign.














Then the king asked, “What is this monument I see?”
This phrase occurs during King Josiah's reforms, as he seeks to purify the land of idolatry. The "monument" refers to a grave or tomb, indicating a place of significance. Josiah's inquiry shows his interest in understanding the historical and spiritual significance of the sites he encounters. This reflects his commitment to restoring true worship in Judah, aligning with his efforts to remove pagan altars and high places.

And the men of the city replied,
The men of the city are likely inhabitants of Bethel, a city with a complex religious history. Bethel was a center of idolatrous worship established by Jeroboam I, who set up golden calves there (1 Kings 12:28-29). The response of the city's men indicates their awareness of the site's historical and prophetic significance, suggesting that the memory of the "man of God" and his prophecy had been preserved over generations.

“It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah
The "man of God" refers to the unnamed prophet from Judah who confronted King Jeroboam at Bethel (1 Kings 13:1-2). This prophet's journey from Judah to Bethel underscores the division between the northern and southern kingdoms and highlights the ongoing conflict between true worship and idolatry. His actions and subsequent burial in Bethel serve as a testament to his faithfulness and the fulfillment of his prophecy.

and proclaimed these things that you have done to the altar of Bethel.”
The prophecy mentioned here is found in 1 Kings 13:2, where the man of God foretold the desecration of the altar at Bethel by a future king named Josiah. This prophecy is fulfilled in 2 Kings 23:15-16, as Josiah destroys the altar and burns human bones on it, defiling it. This act symbolizes the triumph of true worship over idolatry and serves as a type of Christ, who would ultimately fulfill the law and the prophets, bringing about spiritual renewal and restoration.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Josiah
The king of Judah who initiated religious reforms and sought to restore true worship by removing idolatry from the land.

2. The Man of God from Judah
A prophet who had previously prophesied against the altar at Bethel, foretelling its destruction.

3. Bethel
A significant location in the Northern Kingdom of Israel, known for its idolatrous practices, particularly the worship of golden calves.

4. The Men of the City
Residents of Bethel who inform Josiah about the tomb of the man of God.

5. The Altar of Bethel
An altar that was a center of idolatrous worship, which Josiah defiled as part of his reforms.
Teaching Points
Faithfulness to God's Word
Josiah's actions demonstrate the importance of adhering to God's commands, even when it requires significant change and courage.

The Power of Prophecy
The fulfillment of the man of God's prophecy underscores the reliability and authority of God's word.

Legacy of Obedience
The man of God from Judah left a legacy through his obedience, reminding us that our actions can have lasting spiritual impact.

Confronting Idolatry
Josiah's reforms challenge us to identify and remove any form of idolatry in our lives, prioritizing God above all else.

Respect for God's Servants
Josiah's respect for the tomb of the man of God highlights the importance of honoring those who faithfully serve God.(17) What title is this?--What is yonder monument, or memorial stone? Ezekiel 39:15, "sign." Jeremiah uses the same term of a sign-post (Jeremiah 31:21, "waymarks"). (See 1Kings 13:29 seq.)

Verse 17. - Then he said, What title is that that I see? rather, What pillar is that that I see? Josiah's eye caught sight of a "pillar" or obelisk (צִיון) among the tombs, or in their neighborhood, and he had the curiosity to ask what it was. And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulcher of the man of God, which earns from Judah (see 1 Kings 13:1). The "pillar" could not have been the actual "sepulcher," but was no doubt a monument connected with it. Many of the Phoenician excavated tombs are accompanied by monuments above ground, which are very conspicuous (see Renan's 'Mission de Phenicie,' pls. 11, et seq.). And proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Bethel (see 1 Kings 13:2). According to the present text of Kings, Josiah was prophesied of by name, as the king who would defile the altar; but it is possible that the words, "Josiah by name" (יאשִׁיָהוּ שְׂמו), have crept in from the margin.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then [the king] asked,
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“What
מָ֚ה (māh)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

is this
הַלָּ֔ז (hal·lāz)
Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 1975: This, that

monument
הַצִּיּ֣וּן (haṣ·ṣî·yūn)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6725: A monumental, guiding pillar

I
אֲנִ֣י (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

see?”
רֹאֶ֑ה (rō·’eh)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

And the men
אַנְשֵׁ֣י (’an·šê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

of the city
הָעִ֗יר (hā·‘îr)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

replied,
וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ (way·yō·mə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“It is the tomb
הַקֶּ֤בֶר (haq·qe·ḇer)
Article | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6913: A grave, sepulcher

of the man
אִישׁ־ (’îš-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

of God
הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ (hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

who
אֲשֶׁ֖ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

came
בָּ֣א (bā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

from Judah
מִֽיהוּדָ֔ה (mî·hū·ḏāh)
Preposition-m | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites

and pronounced
וַיִּקְרָ֗א (way·yiq·rā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7121: To call, proclaim, read

these
הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ (hā·’êl·leh)
Article | Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those

things
הַדְּבָרִ֤ים (had·də·ḇā·rîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

that
אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

you have done
עָשִׂ֔יתָ (‘ā·śî·ṯā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

to
עַ֖ל (‘al)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the altar
הַמִּזְבַּ֥ח (ham·miz·baḥ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4196: An altar

of
בֵּֽית־ (bêṯ-)
Preposition
Strong's 0: 0

Bethel.”
אֵֽל׃ (’êl)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1008: Bethel -- 'house of God', a city in Ephraim, also a place in southern Judah


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OT History: 2 Kings 23:17 Then he said What monument is that (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)
2 Kings 23:16
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