Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD.

2 KINGS 23:24KJV
Know the Bible

2 Kings 23:24 (KJV)

What does 2 Kings 23:24 mean?

2 Kings 23:24 describes how King Josiah removed all forms of pagan practices and objects—such as those who claimed to communicate with spirits, magicians, idols, and other detestable things—from Judah and Jerusalem. Josiah did this to fully obey the laws written in the book of the law that the priest Hilkiah had found in the temple.

This verse is part of a larger story about Josiah’s religious reforms. After the discovery of the book of the law (most likely part of Deuteronomy), Josiah took strong action to purify the land from anything that went against the worship of the LORD. The verse highlights both the seriousness of the idolatry in Judah and Josiah’s commitment to restoring true worship according to what was written in the sacred text.

The Hebrew behind 2 Kings 23:24

  • The word for "workers with familiar spirits" is אוֹב (’ov), often understood as people who claimed to consult the dead or spirits. This shows Josiah’s concern with removing occult practices.
  • "Wizards" comes from יִדְּעֹנִי (yidde‘oni), meaning those who claimed secret knowledge or magical power. This highlights the effort to eliminate all sources of forbidden supernatural guidance.
  • "Images" uses the word תְּרָפִים (terafim), which refers to household gods or idols. These were often used for personal or family worship, so Josiah’s removal of them shows how thorough his reforms were.
  • "Abominations" is from שִׁקּוּץ (shiqquṣ), a word used for things considered especially offensive or detestable, often in the context of idol worship. This underlines the seriousness of what Josiah was removing.

Why 2 Kings 23:24 matters

  • This verse clears up that Josiah’s reforms were not just about public ceremonies but also about rooting out private and hidden practices that went against the law found by Hilkiah.
  • The verse emphasizes that Josiah’s actions were motivated by a desire to "perform the words of the law," showing a direct link between scripture and reform.
  • It connects to the wider passage by showing how the rediscovery of the law led to a sweeping transformation in Judah’s religious life, setting Josiah apart as a king who responded wholeheartedly to God’s word.

Where else these words appear

“wizards” Hebrew H3049 · used in 11 verses

  • Leviticus 19:31 Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.
  • Deuteronomy 18:11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
  • 2 Kings 21:6 And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

“images” Hebrew H8655 · used in 15 verses

  • Genesis 31:19 And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's.
  • Judges 18:14 Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? now therefore consider what ye have to do.
  • 1 Samuel 19:13 And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth.

“spirits” Hebrew H178 · used in 16 verses

  • Leviticus 19:31 Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.
  • 1 Samuel 28:7 Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.
  • 2 Chronicles 33:6 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

“abominations” Hebrew H8251 · used in 26 verses

  • Deuteronomy 29:17 And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them:)
  • Jeremiah 13:27 I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be?
  • Ezekiel 20:8 But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.