2 kings 23:9 - Nevertheless the priests of the high places didn’t come up to Yahweh’s altar in Jerusalem, but they ate unleavened bread among their brothers.
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What does "2 kings 23:9" mean?
This verse from 2 Kings 23:9 refers to the reforms of King Josiah, a king of Judah who reigned in the late 7th century BCE. To understand the verse, we need to understand the context of Josiah's reforms.
Here's a breakdown:
Context: Josiah's Religious Reforms: Josiah was known for his efforts to purify the religion of Judah and centralize worship in Jerusalem. He destroyed local shrines and "high places" (places outside of Jerusalem where sacrifices and worship were offered to Yahweh and sometimes other gods), and he sought to enforce exclusive worship of Yahweh in the Temple in Jerusalem.
"Nevertheless the priests of the high places didn’t come up to Yahweh’s altar in Jerusalem...": This is the core of the verse. Josiah closed down the high places and wanted all priests to serve at the Temple in Jerusalem. However, the priests who had previously served at the local high places were not allowed to serve as priests at the altar in the Temple. This was likely due to several reasons:
Concern for Purity: The priests of the high places were often associated with syncretistic worship, blending Yahweh worship with the worship of other deities. They might have been seen as religiously impure or untrustworthy by the Jerusalem-based priestly establishment.
Jealousy from Jerusalem Priests: The priests already serving in the Temple in Jerusalem may have been reluctant to share their positions and income with the influx of priests from the high places. Integrating a large number of new priests would have disrupted the existing power structure and likely led to financial strain.
Past idolatry: Since the high places were sometimes seen as syncretic (mixing Yahweh's worship with other gods), priests from those locations might have been seen as untrustworthy when it came to pure monotheistic worship.
"...but they ate unleavened bread among their brothers.": This indicates that although the priests of the high places were not permitted to perform priestly duties (i.e., offering sacrifices) at the altar in Jerusalem, they were still allowed to receive a portion of the food offerings brought to the Temple, and were treated as fellow Israelites. The phrase "unleavened bread" in this context, is likely used as a reference to the bread offerings to Yahweh which are shared among the priests. They were not rejected entirely from the community, and were still afforded a certain status and support.
In summary:
King Josiah's reforms aimed to centralize worship in Jerusalem and eliminate practices associated with the high places. However, he faced a dilemma: what to do with the priests who had served at those high places? He opted for a compromise:
He didn't allow them to officiate as priests at the altar in Jerusalem (likely for reasons of religious purity, politics, and economic concerns).
He did allow them to live among their fellow Israelites and receive a portion of the Temple's food offerings, thus preventing them from being completely destitute or alienated.
This verse reveals the complexity of religious reform. It shows that even with good intentions, implementing sweeping changes can be difficult and require compromises that may not fully achieve the desired outcome. It also sheds light on the social and economic consequences of religious policies.
2 kings 23:9 - Nevertheless the priests of the high places didn’t come up to Yahweh’s altar in Jerusalem, but they ate unleavened bread among their brothers.
What does "2 kings 23:9" mean?
This verse from 2 Kings 23:9 refers to the reforms of King Josiah, a king of Judah who reigned in the late 7th century BCE. To understand the verse, we need to understand the context of Josiah's reforms.
Here's a breakdown:
Context: Josiah's Religious Reforms: Josiah was known for his efforts to purify the religion of Judah and centralize worship in Jerusalem. He destroyed local shrines and "high places" (places outside of Jerusalem where sacrifices and worship were offered to Yahweh and sometimes other gods), and he sought to enforce exclusive worship of Yahweh in the Temple in Jerusalem.
"Nevertheless the priests of the high places didn’t come up to Yahweh’s altar in Jerusalem...": This is the core of the verse. Josiah closed down the high places and wanted all priests to serve at the Temple in Jerusalem. However, the priests who had previously served at the local high places were not allowed to serve as priests at the altar in the Temple. This was likely due to several reasons:
Concern for Purity: The priests of the high places were often associated with syncretistic worship, blending Yahweh worship with the worship of other deities. They might have been seen as religiously impure or untrustworthy by the Jerusalem-based priestly establishment.
Jealousy from Jerusalem Priests: The priests already serving in the Temple in Jerusalem may have been reluctant to share their positions and income with the influx of priests from the high places. Integrating a large number of new priests would have disrupted the existing power structure and likely led to financial strain.
Past idolatry: Since the high places were sometimes seen as syncretic (mixing Yahweh's worship with other gods), priests from those locations might have been seen as untrustworthy when it came to pure monotheistic worship.
"...but they ate unleavened bread among their brothers.": This indicates that although the priests of the high places were not permitted to perform priestly duties (i.e., offering sacrifices) at the altar in Jerusalem, they were still allowed to receive a portion of the food offerings brought to the Temple, and were treated as fellow Israelites. The phrase "unleavened bread" in this context, is likely used as a reference to the bread offerings to Yahweh which are shared among the priests. They were not rejected entirely from the community, and were still afforded a certain status and support.
In summary:
King Josiah's reforms aimed to centralize worship in Jerusalem and eliminate practices associated with the high places. However, he faced a dilemma: what to do with the priests who had served at those high places? He opted for a compromise:
He didn't allow them to officiate as priests at the altar in Jerusalem (likely for reasons of religious purity, politics, and economic concerns).
He did allow them to live among their fellow Israelites and receive a portion of the Temple's food offerings, thus preventing them from being completely destitute or alienated.
This verse reveals the complexity of religious reform. It shows that even with good intentions, implementing sweeping changes can be difficult and require compromises that may not fully achieve the desired outcome. It also sheds light on the social and economic consequences of religious policies.