Horses of the Sun
The Biblical Account
Second Kings 23:11 records one of the more striking details of King Josiah's religious reformation: "He removed the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun, at the entrance to the house of the LORD, by the chamber of Nathan-melech the eunuch, which was in the precincts; and he burned the chariots of the sun with fire." This brief verse reveals that previous kings had introduced solar worship into the very precincts of the temple, complete with horses and chariots dedicated to the sun deity.
Sun Worship in Ancient Judah
The presence of sun horses at the temple entrance was part of a broader pattern of solar worship that had infiltrated Judah's religious life. Second Kings 23:5 mentions priests appointed by earlier kings who burned incense to the sun, moon, and stars. Ezekiel provides an even more disturbing glimpse: in a vision of the temple, he saw about twenty-five men with their backs to the sanctuary, facing east and worshiping the sun (Ezekiel 8:16). This deliberate turning away from God's house to face the rising sun represented a profound theological betrayal.
The worship of the sun was not unique to Israel's neighbors; it had penetrated to the heart of Judah's own religious establishment. Deuteronomy 4:19 and 17:3 explicitly prohibited the worship of celestial bodies, making these practices a direct violation of covenant law.
Horses Sacred to the Sun in the Ancient Near East
The dedication of horses to the sun had deep roots in ancient Near Eastern religion. In Persian religion, white horses were sacred to the sun god and were offered in sacrifice. Assyrian and Babylonian texts also reference horses and chariots associated with solar deities. The sun was often depicted riding across the sky in a chariot, and horses symbolized the power and speed of the sun's daily journey. This widespread practice made it culturally familiar to Judah's kings, who adopted it despite its incompatibility with the worship of Yahweh.
Josiah's Reformation
Josiah's removal of the sun horses was part of the most thorough religious reformation in Judah's history, triggered by the discovery of the Book of the Law in the temple around 622 BC (2 Kings 22:8-13). The young king systematically dismantled every form of idolatrous worship throughout the land: he destroyed the high places, broke down the Asherah poles, removed the idolatrous priests, and defiled the sites of pagan worship (2 Kings 23:4-20). The destruction of the sun horses and chariots was particularly significant because it purified the temple entrance itself.
Theological Significance
The sun horses at the temple represent one of the most vivid examples of syncretism in biblical history — the blending of pagan worship with the worship of the true God. By placing these objects at the entrance to God's house, Judah's kings suggested that Yahweh could be worshiped alongside the sun or that solar deities deserved honor in His courts. Josiah's dramatic removal declared that the LORD alone deserved worship and that no compromise with false religion would be tolerated. The psalmist had declared, "The LORD God is a sun and shield" (Psalm 84:11), affirming that whatever glory pagans attributed to the sun belonged properly to God alone.
Biblical Context
The Horses of the Sun are mentioned in 2 Kings 23:11 within the account of Josiah's reformation. Related passages include 2 Kings 23:5 (sun worship by appointed priests), Ezekiel 8:16 (sun worship in the temple courts), and Deuteronomy 4:19 and 17:3 (prohibitions against worshiping celestial bodies).
Theological Significance
The sun horses illustrate the danger of syncretism — blending worship of the true God with pagan practices. Their presence at the temple entrance showed how far Judah had strayed from covenant faithfulness. Josiah's removal demonstrated that genuine worship of God requires the complete rejection of all rival objects of devotion.
Historical Background
Horses sacred to the sun were common throughout the ancient Near East. Persian religion featured white horses dedicated to the sun god Mithra. Assyrian and Babylonian cultures similarly associated horses and chariots with solar deities. Archaeological evidence from across the region confirms the widespread nature of solar worship, including horse figurines found in excavations of Iron Age sites in Judah itself.