2 Kings 23:13The 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, did the king defile.
The setting
Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, 621 BC. Josiah destroys worship sites built by King Solomon 350 years earlier for his foreign wives' gods.
The emotion here: somber recognition of how far greatness had fallen
The original word
šiqquṣ (שִׁקּוּץ) — detestable thing, abomination that causes revulsion
Why it matters
The 'mountain of corruption' was likely the southern peak of the Mount of Olives, called Mount of Offense in 1 Kings 11:7
Read with care
What most readers miss in 2 Kings 23:13
Solomon built these for diplomatic marriages — what seemed like wise foreign policy became spiritual cancer
Common misconceptionPeople think Solomon just made one mistake, but he systematically built permanent worship sites for multiple pagan gods that corrupted Israel for centuries.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 2 Kings 23:13
Bible Genome reading
2 Kings 23:13 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
2 Kings 23:13 comes from the book of 2 Kings, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include idolatry, reform, consequences. Notable phrases: mountain of corruption; Solomon had built.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does 2 Kings 23:13 mean to you, today?
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