The people, however, were still sacrificing on the high places
In ancient Israel, high places were elevated sites often used for worship. These locations were common in Canaanite religious practices, and the Israelites adopted them for their own sacrifices. Despite God's instructions to worship at a central sanctuary, the people continued using these sites, reflecting a syncretism with local customs. This practice was a point of contention throughout Israel's history, as seen in 2 Kings 17:10-11, where high places are associated with idolatry. The use of high places indicates a period of transition and incomplete obedience to God's commands.

because a house for the Name of the LORD had not yet been built
This phrase refers to the temple in Jerusalem, which Solomon would later construct. Until the temple's completion, there was no permanent dwelling for God's presence among His people, as described in Deuteronomy 12:5-14, where God commands a central place of worship. The absence of the temple meant that the Israelites lacked a unified location for sacrifices, leading to the continued use of high places. The temple's construction was a fulfillment of God's promise to David in 2 Samuel 7:12-13, establishing a permanent place for His Name and foreshadowing the ultimate dwelling of God with humanity through Jesus Christ, as seen in John 1:14, where Christ is described as the Word made flesh, dwelling among us.

1. The People of Israel
The Israelites, God's chosen people, who were engaging in worship practices at high places.

2. High Places
Elevated sites where people offered sacrifices and worshiped. These were common in ancient Near Eastern cultures and often associated with pagan worship.

3. The Name of the LORD
Refers to the presence and authority of God, which was to be centralized in the temple in Jerusalem.

4. The Temple
The future house for the Name of the LORD, which Solomon would eventually build in Jerusalem.

5. Solomon
The king of Israel at the time, who was tasked with building the temple.Centralized Worship
The importance of having a designated place for worship to maintain purity and unity in worship practices.

Application: Consider the importance of gathering with other believers in a church setting to foster community and accountability.

Obedience to God's Commands
The Israelites' use of high places was a temporary measure, but it was not God's ultimate plan for worship.

Application: Reflect on areas in life where temporary solutions might be hindering full obedience to God's commands.

The Significance of God's Presence
The temple was to be a dwelling place for God's Name, signifying His presence among His people.

Application: Recognize the importance of inviting God's presence into our daily lives and making our hearts a dwelling place for Him.

Transition and Patience
The period before the temple was built was a time of transition for Israel.

Application: Trust in God's timing and plan during transitional phases in life, knowing that He is working towards a greater purpose.(2) In high places.--The historian, writing from the point of view of his own time, when, after the solemn consecration of the Temple, the worship at "the high places," which form natural sanctuaries, was forbidden, explains that "because there was no house built unto the name of the Lord," the people, and Solomon himself, sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places. It is clear that these high places were of two kinds--places of sacrifice to false gods, and unauthorised sanctuaries of the Lord, probably associating His worship with visible representations of Deity. The former class were, of course, absolute abominations, like the high places of the Canaanite races, so sternly denounced in Deuteronomy 12:2-3. The prohibition of the other class of high places--constantly disobeyed by some even of the better kings--appears to have had two distinct objects--(a) to guard against all local corruptions of God's service, and all idolatry, worshipping Him (as at Bethel) under visible forms; (b) to prevent the breach of national unity, by the congregation of the separate tribes round local sanctuaries. But besides these objects, it served (c), as a very remarkable spiritual education for the worship of the invisible God, without the aid of local and visible emblems of His presence, in accordance with the higher prophetic teaching, and preparatory for the perfect spirituality of the future. It is, indeed, hardly to be conceived that there should not have been before the Captivity some places of non-sacrificial worship, in some degree like the synagogues of the period after the exile, although not as yet developed into a fully organised system. Unless we refer Psalm 74:8 to the Maccabaean times, it must be supposed to describe the Chaldaean invasion, as destroying not only the Temple, but also "all the houses of God"--properly "assemblies," and in our Bible version actually translated "synagogues "--"in the land." But these places of prayer and praise and instruction would be different in their whole idea from the "high places" rivalling the Temple. Up to this time it is clear that, even under Samuel and David, sacrificial worship elsewhere than in the Tabernacle was used without scruple, though certainly alien from the spirit of the Mosaic Law as to the supreme sacredness of the "place which God should choose to place his name there." (See, for example, 1Samuel 7:10; 1Samuel 13:9; 1Samuel 14:35; 1Samuel 16:5; 1Chronicles 21:26.) After the solemn consecration of the Temple, the circumstances and the character of such worship were altogether changed. . . . Verse 2. - Only [The word perhaps signifies "that there was one exception to the flourishing condition of things which the writer has been describing" (Rawlinson), though the people are nowhere blamed for sacrificing on the high places, and Solomon's sacrifice at "the great high place "was full of blessing. The idea rather is that just as he was obliged to bring his Egyptian wife into the city of David, because his palace was not yet finished, so the people were compelled to sacrifice on the high places, because the temple was not yet built (Keil), and "the place" where God would put His name had only just been chosen (1 Chronicles 22:1)] the people sacrificed [Heb. were sacrificing, i.e., habitually, constantly] in high places [All nations have chosen hill tops for acts of worship, perhaps as being nearer heaven. "Even Abraham built an altar to the Lord on a mountain near Bethel (Genesis 12:7, 8; cf. 22:2, 9; 31:54)." And the use of high places for this purpose was not distinctly condemned in the Law. It is true the Hebrews were commanded to have but one place of sacrifice (Leviticus 17:9; Deuteronomy 12:5, 11, 13, 26, 27; cf. Joshua 22:29), and this no doubt was, if not an indirect prohibition, a discouragement of such sanctuaries. It has been held, however, that this command was purely prospective, and it is certainly remarkable that even when the Israelites were settled in the promised land, and the tabernacle was set up (Joshua 18:1), altars were constantly built and sacrifices offered on high places, and sometimes, as in the case of Gideon (Judges 6:26), and Manoah (Judges 13:19, 20), by express Divine command. Later on we find Samuel (1 Samuel 7:9, 10; 1 Samuel 11:15; 1 Samuel 16:5), Saul (1 Samuel 13:9; 14:35), David (1 Chronicles 21:26), Solomon and Elijah (1 Kings 18:30), offering sacrifices in various places, which they could not possibly have done had it seemed to them that this was condemned beforehand by the Law. It is highly probable, therefore, that though the contemporaries of Joshua took a different view (as Joshua 22:15-31 proves), the men of a later age excused themselves on the ground stated in the text, that "there was no house built unto the name of the Lord." It has been held by some that "had they not sacrificed and burnt incense on high places, they could not have sacrificed or burnt incense at all" (Bp. Horsley); but this seems to overlook the fact that there was one place provided for sacrifices - the door of the tabernacle — and that for some reason or other they sacrificed elsewhere. And the reason, no doubt, was the one assigned by the historian. It should be added that this term "high place" (בָּמָה) came to be used of all places of worship, not only on heights, but even those in valleys (2 Kings 17:9; Jeremiah 7:31; Jeremiah 32:35). The Bamah sometimes consisted of an altar only, but as a rule, there was a shrine or sanctuary, erected hard by (1 Kings 13:32; 2 Kings 17:29; 2 Kings 23:19), the Beth-Bamah, for which the word Bamah is sometimes loosely employed (1 Kings 11:7; 1 Kings 14:23; 2 Kings 21:3)], because there was no house built unto the name of the Lord until those days.

Parallel Commentaries ...


The people,
הָעָ֔ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

however,
רַ֣ק (raq)
Adverb
Strong's 7535: But, even, except, howbeit howsoever, at the least, nevertheless

were still sacrificing
מְזַבְּחִ֖ים (mə·zab·bə·ḥîm)
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 2076: To slaughter for sacrifice

on the high places
בַּבָּמ֑וֹת (bab·bā·mō·wṯ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 1116: An elevation

because
כִּ֠י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

a house
בַ֙יִת֙ (ḇa·yiṯ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1004: A house

for the Name
לְשֵׁ֣ם (lə·šêm)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8034: A name

of the LORD
יְהוָ֔ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

had not
לֹא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

yet
עַ֖ד (‘aḏ)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

been built.
נִבְנָ֥ה (niḇ·nāh)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1129: To build


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OT History: 1 Kings 3:2 Only the people sacrificed in the high (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)