on the hills
The mention of "hills" emphasizes the widespread nature of Ahaz's idolatry. Hills were often chosen for worship due to their natural elevation, which was thought to bring worshippers closer to the gods. This practice was common among the Canaanites, whose religious customs influenced the Israelites. The use of hills for pagan worship was a direct violation of God's command to destroy such sites (Numbers 33:52). The persistence of this practice highlights the challenge of maintaining pure worship amidst surrounding pagan cultures. It also reflects the failure of the kings of Judah to lead the nation in faithfulness to God.

and under every green tree
The phrase "under every green tree" is a common biblical expression denoting widespread idolatry. Green trees, often associated with fertility and life, were used in Canaanite religious practices, particularly in the worship of Asherah, a fertility goddess. This imagery is used in several prophetic books (e.g., Isaiah 57:5, Jeremiah 2:20) to describe the pervasive nature of Israel's unfaithfulness. The use of trees in idol worship was not only a physical act but also symbolized spiritual adultery against God. This practice was a direct affront to the covenant relationship between God and Israel, as it involved adopting the religious customs of the surrounding nations. The reference to "every green tree" underscores the extent of Ahaz's apostasy and the nation's departure from the worship of Yahweh.

• King Ahaz, like many of the kings who turned from the LORD, offered sacrifices and incense that should have been reserved for the temple altar in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 28:24). By taking worship into his own hands, he violated the clear instructions God had given in Leviticus 17:8-9 and Deuteronomy 12:13-14, where worship was to be centralized and regulated.

• His actions mirror those of the northern kingdom’s kings who “sacrificed and burned incense on the high places” (2 Kings 16:4), revealing a heart that preferred human inventions over divine command.

• The phrase underscores deliberate, repeated activity—this was not a single lapse but a settled pattern of rebellion.

• High places were elevated sites—often open-air shrines—where people believed they could get closer to the gods. Yet God had warned, “You must demolish all the high places” (Deuteronomy 12:2-3).

• The allure of high places lay in their cultural popularity and convenience, but their use directly contradicted exclusive worship in the temple (2 Chronicles 33:17).

• By embracing these centers, Ahaz led Judah back into practices that earlier reforms (like those under Asa and Jehoshaphat) had tried to eliminate (1 Kings 15:12, 2 Chronicles 17:6).

• Hills provided ready-made platforms for pagan rites. Jeremiah later described Judah’s “hills and fertile land” as dotted with altars to shameful idols (Jeremiah 3:23).

• This spread of worship into every elevated spot illustrates unchecked idolatry. Rather than one central altar, many scattered sites diluted true faith and multiplied false gods (2 Kings 17:9-11).

• It shows how sin, when tolerated, expands geographically and culturally until it dominates everyday life.

• Lush trees symbolized fertility, so pagan cults set up Asherah poles or altars beneath their shade (1 Kings 14:23). Isaiah condemned those “who burn with lust among the oaks, under every green tree” (Isaiah 57:5), linking these spots to immoral rites.

• The phrase paints a picture of total saturation: sacred spaces were no longer limited to formal shrines but invaded ordinary landscapes. Ezekiel 6:13 foretold that judgment would fall where “they offered sweet aroma to all their idols…under every leafy tree.”

• Ahaz’s reign therefore normalized idolatry in the public square, family life, and national identity—provoking the LORD’s wrath (2 Chronicles 28:19).

2 Chronicles 28:4 shows King Ahaz taking worship that rightly belonged in God’s temple and scattering it across high places, hills, and leafy trees. Each phrase marks a widening circle of compromise: deliberate offerings, pagan platforms, prominent hills, and finally everyday groves. The verse exposes how rejecting God’s clear commands leads to pervasive idolatry, national corruption, and inevitable discipline—yet it also warns every generation to keep worship pure, centered on the Lord alone, and anchored in His Word.

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