2 Chronicles 31:1

“Now when all this was finished, etc.] The temple cleansed, the priests and Levites sanctified, the passover and feast of unleavened bread observed, and other seven days of rejoicing kept: all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin; which had been erected by Ahaz, (<142802>2 Chronicles 28:2,25) at or about this time also the brasen serpent was broke to pieces, (<121804>2 Kings 18:4), in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all; which must be understood of such cities in those tribes that had been taken in former…”

“THE PEOPLE FORWARD IN DESTROYING IDOLATRY. (Ch2 31:1-10) all Israel . . . present went out to the cities of Judah--The solemnities of this paschal season left a deep and salutary impression on the minds of the assembled worshippers; attachment to the ancient institutions of their country was extensively revived; ardor in the service of God animated every bosom; and under the impulse of the devout feelings inspired by the occasion, they took measures at the close of the passover for extirpating idolatrous statues and altars out of every city, as at the beginning of the festival they had done in Jerusalem. Judah and Benjamin--denote the southern kingdom. Ephraim also and Manasseh--refer to the…”

“Jerusalem had been cleansed 2 Chronicles 30:14; now the land had to be purged. Hezekiah therefore gave his sanction to a popular movement directed as much against the “high places” which had been maintained since the times of the patriarchs, as against the remnants of the Baal-worship, or the innovations of Ahaz. See 2 Kings 18:4 note. The invasion of the northern kingdom “Ephraim and Manasseh” by a tumultuous crowd from the southern one, and the success which attended the movement, can only be explained by the state of weakness into which the northern kingdom had fallen (see the note at 2 Chronicles 29:24). return to 'Top of Page'”

“Manasseh - By the special impulse and direction of God's spirit. And he knew Hoshea contented himself with the worship of the calves, and did not practise that great idolatry which his predecessors had used, and therefore would patiently suffer the breaking of the images of Baal, and the things belonging to them. 2 Chronicles 31:2”

“31:1 Following the purification and rededication of the Temple, the city of Jerusalem, and the people, Hezekiah initiated the third stage of his reform, purifying the entire land of pagan objects of worship, not only in Judah but also in the territories of the north.”

“Now when: 2Chr. 30:1-27 all Israel: Kg1 18:38-40; 2Kings 23:2-20 present: Heb. found, Gen 19:15; Est 4:16 brake: Ch2 14:3, Ch2 23:17, Ch2 32:12, Ch2 34:3-7; Exo 23:24; Deu 7:5; Kg2 18:4 images: Heb. statues, Ch2 30:14 in Ephraim: Ch2 30:1, Ch2 30:18, Ch2 34:6, Ch2 34:7; Kg2 17:2, Kg2 18:4, Kg2 23:15 until: etc. Heb. until to make an end 2 Chronicles 31:2”

“Destruction of the idols and the altars of the high places. Provisions for the ordering and maintenance of the temple worship, and the attendants upon it. - Ch2 31:1. At the conclusion of the festival, all the Israelites who had been present at the feast (הנּמצאים כּל־שׂראל to be understood as in Ch2 30:21) went into the cities of Judah, and destroyed all the idols, high places, and altars not only in Judah and Benjamin (the southern kingdom), but also in Ephraim and Manasseh (the domain of the ten tribes), utterly (עד־לככּה, cf. Ch2 24:10), and only then returned each to his home; cf. Kg2 18:4. 2 Chronicles 31:2”