מלכים ב, פרק כ״ג, פסוק כ׳

Josiah's campaign to eliminate idol worship extends far beyond his own borders, reaching deep into the ruined territories of the former Kingdom of Israel. Although the vast majority of the residents of Samaria had already been exiled from their land, a small remnant stayed behind. These remaining inhabitants stubbornly clung to their wicked practices, continuing to worship idols exactly as they had done in the past [מצודת דוד, רלב״ג].

Confronting this persistent idolatry, Josiah took uncompromising action against the priests who led the worship at the local high places. He slaughtered them without hesitation [ביאור שטיינזלץ], carrying out the executions right next to the very altars where they had served [רלב״ג]. To ensure these sites could never be used again, he permanently defiled the altars by burning the bones of the dead upon them [מצודת דוד]. Only after he had thoroughly cleansed and purified the land from idol worship to the absolute limit of his reach did he conclude his campaign and return to Jerusalem [ביאור שטיינזלץ].