2 Chronicles 30:14

And they arose and took away the altars that [were] in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast [them] into the brook Kidron.

And they arose {H6965} and took away {H5493} the altars {H4196} that were in Jerusalem {H3389}, and all the altars for incense {H6999} took they away {H5493}, and cast {H7993} them into the brook {H5158} Kidron {H6939}.

First they set about removing the altars that were in Yerushalayim, and they also removed all the altars for incense and threw them in Vadi Kidron.

They proceeded to remove the altars in Jerusalem and to take away the incense altars and throw them into the Kidron Valley.

And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron.

Commentary

Context

This verse is situated within the narrative of King Hezekiah's reign in Judah, specifically during his extensive religious reforms and revival. Hezekiah, unlike his wicked father Ahaz, began his rule with a fervent commitment to restoring the worship of the Lord. Chapter 29 details the cleansing and consecration of the Temple, and Chapter 30 describes Hezekiah's bold initiative to invite all Israel and Judah to celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem, an event that had not been observed collectively for many years. For such a sacred observance to take place, the land, particularly Jerusalem, needed to be purified from all forms of idolatry and unauthorized worship. The removal of these altars, as described in 2 Chronicles 29:16 and here, was a crucial prerequisite for the nation to approach God in a proper manner.

Key Themes

  • Religious Purity and Reformation: The central theme is the zealous effort to cleanse Jerusalem of all elements that defiled true worship. The altars, whether for foreign gods or unauthorized altars for Yahweh outside the Temple, represented a deviation from God's prescribed worship.
  • Zeal for God: The phrase "they arose and took away" highlights the people's active and enthusiastic participation in Hezekiah's reform, demonstrating a renewed commitment to the Lord.
  • Confronting Idolatry: This act was a direct confrontation with the pervasive idolatry and syncretism that had gripped Judah and Israel. The casting of these altars into the brook Kidron symbolized their utter rejection and defilement, rendering them unusable for any future illicit worship.
  • Obedience to God's Law: The removal of these altars was in direct obedience to the Mosaic Law, which commanded Israel to have no other gods before Him (Exodus 20:3) and to worship only at the central sanctuary.

Linguistic Insights

The term "brook Kidron" (Hebrew: נַחַל קִדְרוֹן, nachal Qidron) refers to the Kidron Valley, located east of Jerusalem, between the city and the Mount of Olives. Historically, this valley served as a dumping ground for refuse and defiled objects, making it a fitting place to cast the idolatrous altars. This act was not merely disposal but a symbolic act of defilement and utter rejection, underscoring the impurity associated with these altars and the worship conducted on them. It was a physical manifestation of cleansing the land from spiritual pollution.

Practical Application

The actions described in this verse offer a powerful lesson for believers today. Just as Hezekiah and the people purified Jerusalem, we are called to cleanse our own lives and hearts from anything that competes with God's rightful place. This can include:

  • Identifying "Altars" in Our Lives: Anything that takes priority over God—material possessions, worldly ambitions, unhealthy relationships, or self-reliance—can become an "altar" that defiles our worship.
  • Active Removal: Spiritual cleansing requires intentional action. It's not enough to passively acknowledge sin; we must actively "take away" and cast out anything that hinders our relationship with God.
  • Sincere Worship: This passage reminds us of the importance of worshiping God in spirit and in truth, free from the defilement of idols or unauthorized practices. As 1 John 5:21 exhorts, we are to "keep yourselves from idols."
  • Communal Responsibility: The people's unified effort shows that spiritual revival often involves a collective commitment to purity and obedience within a community of faith.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 2 Chronicles 28:24

    And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem.

  • 2 Chronicles 29:16

    And the priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD, to cleanse [it], and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of the LORD into the court of the house of the LORD. And the Levites took [it], to carry [it] out abroad into the brook Kidron.

  • 2 Chronicles 15:16

    And also [concerning] Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from [being] queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped [it], and burnt [it] at the brook Kidron.

  • 2 Samuel 15:23

    And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.

  • 2 Chronicles 34:7

    And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.

  • 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.
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