מלכים ב, פרק כ״ג, פסוק ה׳

King Josiah’s thorough purification campaign aimed to completely uproot the systems of idol worship that had become deeply entrenched in the Kingdom of Judah. This effort was specifically designed to eliminate the foreign practices that had penetrated even the area surrounding God's Temple [מלבי״ם]. To achieve this, Josiah put a complete halt to all idolatrous rituals.

His primary target was the network of idolatrous priests who had been officially appointed and established by the previous kings of Judah. These priests were recognizable by their distinct black garments, a feature that gave them their specific title, which is rooted in a concept associated with scorching and blackening [מצודת ציון, רד״ק, חומת אנך]. A unique perspective suggests that these priests were actually non-Jews, hired by the former kings under the mistaken belief that foreigners were not bound by the prohibition against idol worship. Recognizing this error, Josiah swiftly removed them from their posts [אהבת יהונתן].

The idolatrous activity centered around sacrificing and burning incense at various high places scattered throughout the cities of Judah and the areas immediately surrounding Jerusalem [רד״ק, שטיינזלץ]. The primary approach among commentators is that the priests themselves performed these rituals [רש״י, שטיינזלץ]. However, some explain that the previous kings of Judah personally burned the incense at these sites [רד״ק, חומת אנך].

In addition to dismantling the official priesthood, Josiah also stopped other individuals who were actively burning incense to Baal and the heavenly bodies [מצודת דוד, רד״ק]. Yet, his mission went beyond merely shutting down the physical sites and stripping the workers of their titles. Some commentators emphasize that Josiah took active steps to rehabilitate these individuals, working patiently to guide them back to the proper path [רלב״ג, רד״ק].