Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version They also set up for themselves high places, sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree. New Living Translation For they also built for themselves pagan shrines and set up sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. English Standard Version For they also built for themselves high places and pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree, Berean Standard Bible They also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. King James Bible For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree. New King James Version For they also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and wooden images on every high hill and under every green tree. New American Standard Bible For they, too, built for themselves high places, memorial stones, and Asherim on every high hill and under every luxuriant tree. NASB 1995 For they also built for themselves high places and sacred pillars and Asherim on every high hill and beneath every luxuriant tree. NASB 1977 For they also built for themselves high places and sacred pillars and Asherim on every high hill and beneath every luxuriant tree. Legacy Standard Bible They also built for themselves high places and sacred pillars and Asherim on every high hill and beneath every green tree. Amplified Bible For they also built for themselves high places [to worship idols] and sacred pillars and Asherim [for the goddess Asherah]. These were on every high hill and under every luxuriant tree. Christian Standard Bible They also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree; Holman Christian Standard Bible They also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree; American Standard Version For they also built them high places, and pillars, and Asherim, on every high hill, and under every green tree; Contemporary English Version They also built their own local shrines and stone images of foreign gods, and they set up sacred poles for worshiping the goddess Asherah on every hill and in the shade of large trees. English Revised Version For they also built them high places, and pillars, and Asherim, on every high hill, and under every green tree; GOD'S WORD® Translation They built worship sites for themselves and [put up] large stones and Asherah poles to worship on every high hill and under every large tree. Good News Translation They built places of worship for false gods and put up stone pillars and symbols of Asherah to worship on the hills and under shady trees. International Standard Version They erected high places, sacred pillars, and Asherim for themselves on every high hill and under every green tree. Majority Standard Bible They also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. NET Bible They even built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. New Heart English Bible For they also built them high places, and pillars, and Asherim, on every high hill, and under every green tree; Webster's Bible Translation For they also built for themselves high places, and images and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree. World English Bible For they also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd they build—they also—for themselves high places, and standing-pillars, and Asherim, on every high height, and under every green tree; Young's Literal Translation And they build -- also they -- for themselves high places, and standing-pillars, and shrines, on every high height, and under every green tree; Smith's Literal Translation And they will also build to them heights and statues, and pillars, upon every high hill, and, under every green tree. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleFor they also built them altars, and statues, and groves upon every high hill and under every green tree: Catholic Public Domain Version For they, too, built for themselves altars, and statues, and sacred groves, upon every high hill and under every leafy tree. New American Bible They, too, built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and asherahs, upon every high hill and under every green tree. New Revised Standard Version For they also built for themselves high places, pillars, and sacred poles on every high hill and under every green tree; Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleFor they also built for themselves high places and statues and idols on every high hill and under every green tree. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And they built up for themselves also those high places and statues and idols on every high hill that there was, and under every shade tree. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917For they also built them high places, and pillars, and Asherim, on every high hill, and under every leafy tree; Brenton Septuagint Translation And they built for themselves high places, and pillars, and planted groves on every high hill, and under every shady tree. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Rehoboam's Reign in Judah…22And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and by the sins they committed they provoked Him to jealous anger more than all their fathers had done. 23They also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. 24There were even male shrine prostitutes in the land. They imitated all the abominations of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.… Cross References 2 Kings 17:10-12 They set up for themselves sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. / They burned incense on all the high places like the nations that the LORD had driven out before them. They did wicked things, provoking the LORD to anger. / They served idols, although the LORD had told them, “You shall not do this thing.” 2 Chronicles 33:3 For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had torn down, and he raised up altars for the Baals and made Asherah poles. And he worshiped and served all the host of heaven. Deuteronomy 12:2-3 Destroy completely all the places where the nations you are dispossessing have served their gods—atop the high mountains, on the hills, and under every green tree. / Tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, burn up their Asherah poles, cut down the idols of their gods, and wipe out their names from every place. Jeremiah 3:6 Now in the days of King Josiah, the LORD said to me, “Have you seen what faithless Israel has done? She has gone up on every high hill and under every green tree to prostitute herself there. Ezekiel 6:13 Then you will know that I am the LORD, when their slain lie among their idols around their altars, on every high hill, on all the mountaintops, and under every green tree and leafy oak—the places where they offered fragrant incense to all their idols. Isaiah 57:5-7 who burn with lust among the oaks, under every luxuriant tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks? / Your portion is among the smooth stones of the valley; indeed, they are your lot. Even to them you have poured out a drink offering and offered a grain offering. Should I relent because of these? / On a high and lofty hill you have made your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifices. Hosea 4:13 They sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is pleasant. And so your daughters turn to prostitution and your daughters-in-law to adultery. 2 Kings 21:3 For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed, and he raised up altars for Baal. He made an Asherah pole, as King Ahab of Israel had done, and he worshiped and served all the host of heaven. 2 Kings 23:5 Josiah also did away with the idolatrous priests ordained by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the cities of Judah and in the places all around Jerusalem—those who had burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven. Leviticus 26:30 I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and heap your lifeless bodies on the lifeless remains of your idols; and My soul will despise you. Micah 5:14 I will root out the Asherah poles from your midst and demolish your cities. 2 Chronicles 28:4 And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree. 2 Kings 16:4 And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree. 2 Kings 18:4 He removed the high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He also demolished the bronze snake called Nehushtan that Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had burned incense to it. 2 Kings 23:13 The king also desecrated the high places east of Jerusalem, to the south of the Mount of Corruption, which King Solomon of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. Treasury of Scripture For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree. built 1 Kings 3:2 Only the people sacrificed in high places, because there was no house built unto the name of the LORD, until those days. Deuteronomy 12:2 Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree: Isaiah 57:5 Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks? images. Leviticus 26:1 Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God. groves Micah 5:14 And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities. Deuteronomy 12:2 Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree: 2 Kings 17:9,10 And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the LORD their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city… under every Isaiah 57:5 Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks? Jeremiah 3:13 Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD. Jump to Previous Asherah Asherahs Asherim Ashe'rim Beneath Build Built Columns Green Groves Height High Hill Images Leafy Pillars Places Poles Sacred Shrines Standing-Pillars Stones Themselves Tree Upright WoodJump to Next Asherah Asherahs Asherim Ashe'rim Beneath Build Built Columns Green Groves Height High Hill Images Leafy Pillars Places Poles Sacred Shrines Standing-Pillars Stones Themselves Tree Upright Wood1 Kings 14 1. Abijah being sick, 2. Jeroboam sends his wife, disguised, with presents to the prophet Ahijah 5. Ahijah forewarned by God, denounces God's judgment 17. Abijah dies, and is buried 19. Nadab succeeds Jeroboam 21. Rehoboam's wicked reign, 25. Shishak raids Jerusalem 29. Abijam succeeds Rehoboam They also built for themselves This phrase indicates a deliberate and personal action by the people of Israel. The Hebrew root for "built" is "בָּנָה" (banah), which means to construct or establish. This suggests a conscious effort to create something enduring. In the context of ancient Israel, building often implied a significant investment of time and resources, reflecting the people's commitment to their actions. The phrase "for themselves" underscores the self-serving nature of their idolatry, prioritizing their desires over God's commandments. high places sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree Persons / Places / Events 1. RehoboamThe son of Solomon and king of Judah during this period. His reign is marked by a departure from the worship of Yahweh, leading to idolatry. 2. Judah The southern kingdom of Israel, which Rehoboam ruled. This verse highlights the spiritual decline in Judah as they adopted pagan practices. 3. High Places Elevated sites where people worshiped deities other than Yahweh. These were often associated with Canaanite religious practices. 4. Sacred Pillars Stone monuments erected as part of idol worship, often dedicated to pagan gods. 5. Asherah Poles Wooden symbols representing the goddess Asherah, a Canaanite deity, indicating the syncretism of Israelite and pagan worship. Teaching Points The Danger of SyncretismMixing true worship with pagan practices leads to spiritual decline. Believers must guard against incorporating secular or non-biblical elements into their faith. The Importance of Obedience God’s commands regarding worship are clear and must be followed. Disobedience leads to consequences, as seen in the history of Israel and Judah. The Role of Leadership Leaders have a significant influence on the spiritual direction of their people. Rehoboam’s failure to lead Judah in true worship had dire consequences. The Call to Purity Believers are called to maintain purity in worship, avoiding any form of idolatry or compromise with worldly practices. The Need for Repentance When idolatry or sin is identified, immediate repentance and a return to God’s ways are necessary to restore fellowship with Him.(23) High places, and images, and groves.--On the "high places," see 1Kings 3:2, and Note there. The "images" of this passage seem undoubtedly to have been stone pillars, as the "groves" (i.e., the asherahs) were wooden stumps of trees (possibly in both cases surmounted by some rude representation of the deity worshipped). The first mention of such a pillar is in Genesis 28:18; Genesis 31:13; Genesis 35:14, there applied to the stone which Jacob raises and anoints, in order to mark the scene of the vision at Bethel; next, we find repeated commands to destroy them (with the asherahs also) as erected by the Canaanites (Exodus 23:24; Exodus 34:13; Leviticus 26:1; Deuteronomy 7:5; Deuteronomy 12:3), and to suffer neither near the altar of the Lord (Deuteronomy 16:21). Like the high places, it seems plain that both might be either unauthorised emblems of God's presence or images of false gods; and, indeed, the stone pillar appears in some cases to be associated with the worship of Baal, as the Asherah with that of Ashtoreth. In this passage, from the strength of the language used, and from the notice in 1Kings 14:24, it seems that the grosser idolatry is referred to. It was practised "on every high hill, and every shady tree"--such trees as were notable for size and shade in the bareness of the hills of Palestine. . . . Verse 23. - For they also [i.e., they as well as the ten tribes] built them high places [i.e., houses of high places. See on 1 Kings 3:2 and 1 Kings 13:32] and images [Heb. pillars or statues (מַצֵּבות; LXX., στήλας). These were, no doubt, originally memorial pillars or stones, erected to commemorate some Divine manifestation, and with no thought of idolatry (see Genesis 31:13; Genesis 35:14, 20; Genesis 28:18). But the Canaanites erected pillars, which were also statues or images, to their god, Baal. Hence we read of the "image" (מַצֵּבָה) of Baal (2 Kings 3:2; 2 Kings 10:26, 27; cf. 18:4; 23. 14); and hence also we find such images frequently mentioned side by side with the so-called "groves," i.e., the "Asherahs" (ver. 15; Exodus 34:13; Deuteronomy 7:5; Deuteronomy 12:3; Deuteronomy 16:21, etc.) Both the Mazzebah and the Asherah, consequently, was an upright pillar or post, but the former was of stone, the latter of wood; the former dedicated to Baal, the god of nature, of generation; the latter to Ashtoreth, the goddess of nature and productive power. The gradual transition of the memorial pillar into the Baal statue is hinted at in Leviticus 26:1. It is observable that these idolatrous and immoral rites seem to have found a home in Judah before they were introduced into Israel] and groves [Asherahs, idols; see on ver. 15. This verse proves conclusively that the translation "grove" is a mistaken one] on every high hill, and under every green tree. [The phrase is from the Pentateuch, Deuteronomy 12:2; cf. Jeremiah 2:20; Jeremiah 3:6; Hosea 4:13. "Probably the evil example of Maachah, his favourite wife (2 Chronicles 11:20-22), whose idolatrous tastes were displayed under Asa (2 Chronicles 15:16), was not without a pernicious effect on Rehoboam" (Wordsworth).] Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Theyהֵ֧מָּה (hêm·māh) Pronoun - third person masculine plural Strong's 1992: They also גַם־ (ḡam-) Conjunction Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and built וַיִּבְנ֨וּ (way·yiḇ·nū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 1129: To build for themselves לָהֶ֛ם (lā·hem) Preposition-l | Pronoun - third person masculine plural Strong's 1992: They high places, בָּמ֥וֹת (bā·mō·wṯ) Noun - feminine plural Strong's 1116: An elevation sacred pillars, וּמַצֵּב֖וֹת (ū·maṣ·ṣê·ḇō·wṯ) Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural Strong's 4676: Something stationed, a column, an idol and Asherah poles וַאֲשֵׁרִ֑ים (wa·’ă·šê·rîm) Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural Strong's 842: A Phoenician goddess, also an image of the same on עַ֚ל (‘al) Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against every כָּל־ (kāl-) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every high גְבֹהָ֔ה (ḡə·ḇō·hāh) Adjective - feminine singular Strong's 1364: Elevated, powerful, arrogant hill גִּבְעָ֣ה (giḇ·‘āh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 1389: A hillock and under וְתַ֖חַת (wə·ṯa·ḥaṯ) Conjunctive waw | Preposition Strong's 8478: The bottom, below, in lieu of every כָּל־ (kāl-) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every green רַעֲנָֽן׃ (ra·‘ă·nān) Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 7488: Verdant, new, prosperous tree. עֵ֥ץ (‘êṣ) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 6086: Tree, trees, wood Links 1 Kings 14:23 NIV1 Kings 14:23 NLT 1 Kings 14:23 ESV 1 Kings 14:23 NASB 1 Kings 14:23 KJV 1 Kings 14:23 BibleApps.com 1 Kings 14:23 Biblia Paralela 1 Kings 14:23 Chinese Bible 1 Kings 14:23 French Bible 1 Kings 14:23 Catholic Bible OT History: 1 Kings 14:23 For they also built them high places (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg) |
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