He brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah is literally “he caused to come out….” The Hebrew verb rendered brought … out is not the same one used in verse 6. The priests in question were removed from their own cities throughout Judah and taken to the capital. Many common language translations make it clear that these priests were brought “to Jerusalem” (Good News Translation, New Living Translation, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje, Bible en français courant, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

The Hebrew word for priests here is not the same as the one for “idolatrous priests” in verse 5. The word used here is the same one that is often used to refer to legitimate priests in the cultic life of the people of Israel.

Defiled the high places: The text does not state how Josiah “desecrated” (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible), “profaned” (La Bible du Semeur), or “rendered unsanctified” (New Jerusalem Bible) these high places, but it has been suggested by some commentators that it was done by scattering garbage over them. What is important, however, is that they could no longer be used as places of worship.

From Geba to Beersheba: The usual expression for talking about the entire united kingdom is “from Dan to Beersheba” (see the comments on 1 Kgs 4.25). The use of Geba as the northernmost point shows that only the southern kingdom is intended here. According to 1 Kgs 15.22 (see also 2 Chr 16.6), King Asa reinforced this city as one of Judah’s northern defenses. Geba was about 10 kilometers (6 miles) northeast of Jerusalem, and Beersheba was about 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) to the southwest. This expression, therefore, stresses the thoroughness of Josiah’s reform movement. Pagan worship was abolished throughout the entire territory of Judah. Good News Translation omits the place names and says simply “throughout the whole country.” But the meaning may be kept while also keeping the place names. Compare “from Geba just north of Jerusalem to Beersheba in the south” (Contemporary English Version) and “from Geba to Beersheba, from one end of the country to the other” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente; similarly Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje).

He broke down the high places of the gates that were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua …: Some interpreters have suggested that the Hebrew noun translated of the gates should be slightly corrected to read “of the demons” (Revised English Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy) or “of the satyrs” (New American Bible, Osty-Trinquet [a “satyr” is a forest deity with characteristics of a horse or goat]). Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje says “dedicated to the desert demons.” According to Lev 17.7, the Israelite people were no longer to offer sacrifices to goat demons (called “satyrs” in Revised Standard Version). This proposed change of the Masoretic Text is the basis for the Good News Translation rendering “dedicated to the goat demons.” Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text with “of the gates,” but it is not certain what this means.

It is possible to understand the Hebrew at the end of this verse in several different ways: (a) there were several high places in one city (either Jerusalem or Beersheba) located at one gate, which was called the gate of Joshua; (b) there were high places located at the gates of numerous cities from Geba to Beersheba, and one such place in one specific city was called the gate of Joshua.

The gate of Joshua refers to the gate built by the governor of the city whose name was Joshua. This person is not to be confused with the man named Joshua, the son of Nun, who was the assistant and successor of Moses (Num 11.28; Josh 1.1). The name, however, is the same. For governor see the comments at 1 Kgs 22.6.

It is not clear what city is referred to. If Jerusalem is the intended city, as is usually thought, then this is the only reference to a gate in Jerusalem by this name. Good News Translation implies that the reference is to Jerusalem, and Bible en français courant makes this explicit by saying “In Jerusalem he destroyed the altars…” (similarly New Living Translation, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje).

A few interpreters, however, think that the reference is to a gate in the city of Beersheba rather than Jerusalem. This is the basis for the Contemporary English Version rendering “He even tore down the shrine at Beersheba that was just to the left of Joshua Gate, which was named after the highest official of the city.” But since there is no certain evidence to support the interpretation found in Contemporary English Version, translators should not include the name of Beersheba in the text. In light of the uncertainty of meaning, it will be better not to make the name Jerusalem explicit here either.

Which were on one’s left at the gate of the city is literally “which [was/were] on the left hand of a man at the gate of the city.” It is not clear whether this means the high places were left of the city gate, as Revised Standard Version seems to suggest, or, more likely, that the gate of Joshua was left of the main gate (so Good News Translation). See also New Living Translation “This gate was located to the left of the city gate as one enters the city.” A literal translation is “on the left hand of a man at the gate of the city.” Probably what is intended is the perspective of a person going into the city. Some may have to adopt the following model of Jewish Publication Version in translating this part of the verse: “on a man’s left hand as he entered the gate of the city.” New American Bible provides a model that is perhaps somewhat smoother for some languages: “to the left as one enters the city gate.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .