Topical Encyclopedia High places, or "bamot" in Hebrew, were elevated sites often used for worship and religious rituals in ancient Israel and surrounding regions. These sites frequently included altars, sacred stones, and sometimes Asherah poles, and were typically located on hills or other elevated areas. The practice of using high places for worship was common among the Canaanites and other neighboring peoples, and it often led the Israelites into idolatry, contrary to the worship of Yahweh as prescribed in the Mosaic Law.King Ahaz of Judah, who reigned from approximately 732 to 716 BC, is noted in the biblical narrative for his significant departure from the religious reforms of his predecessors. Ahaz's reign is marked by a return to idolatrous practices, including the construction of high places. The Berean Standard Bible provides insight into Ahaz's actions in 2 Kings 16:3-4: "Instead, he walked in the way of the kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree." Ahaz's construction and use of high places represented a direct violation of God's commandments. The Law of Moses explicitly forbade the worship of other gods and the use of high places for such practices. Deuteronomy 12:2-4 commands the Israelites: "Destroy completely all the places on the high mountains, on the hills, and under every green tree where the nations you are dispossessing have served their gods. Tear down their altars, smash their sacred stones, and burn up their Asherah poles in the fire; cut down the idols of their gods and wipe out their names from those places. You shall not worship the LORD your God in this way." Ahaz's actions were not only a personal departure from the faith of his forefathers but also led the nation of Judah into sin. His reign is characterized by a syncretism that blended the worship of Yahweh with the idolatrous practices of surrounding nations. This syncretism is further evidenced by Ahaz's introduction of an altar modeled after one he saw in Damascus, as recorded in 2 Kings 16:10-12 : "Then King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria. He saw an altar in Damascus and sent to Uriah the priest a model of the altar and a detailed plan for its construction. So Uriah the priest built an altar according to all the instructions that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus, and he finished it before King Ahaz returned." The high places built by Ahaz were part of a broader pattern of apostasy that plagued the southern kingdom of Judah. Despite the warnings of prophets and the clear instructions of the Law, Ahaz's reign contributed to the spiritual decline of the nation. His actions set a precedent that would later be addressed by reforming kings such as Hezekiah and Josiah, who sought to restore true worship by removing the high places and centralizing worship in Jerusalem, as prescribed by the covenant with Yahweh. The legacy of Ahaz's high places serves as a cautionary tale within the biblical narrative, illustrating the dangers of compromising faith and the consequences of turning away from God's commandments. Torrey's Topical Textbook 2 Chronicles 28:25And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers. Torrey's Topical Textbook Library Nineveh. The Earlier Hebrew Histories. Book 9 Footnotes Babylonia and Assyria Costly and Fatal Help The Antiquities of the Jews The Greater Prophets. Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ... The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire The Jewish Institutions and Laws of Far Higher Antiquity than the ... Resources Why did Solomon worship at a high place? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is a high Sabbath? | GotQuestions.org Did the high priest have a rope tied to him when he entered the Holy of Holies? | GotQuestions.org High: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Subtopics High Places of the Canaanites to be Destroyed High Places used for Idolatrous Worship High Places: A Term Used to Describe Places of Worship High Places: Adorned With Tapestry High Places: Built By Jeroboam High Places: Built By Manasseh High Places: Built By People of Israel High Places: Built By People of Judah High Places: Destroyed: Asa, Partially High Places: Destroyed: Hezekiah High Places: Destroyed: Jehoshaphat High Places: Destroyed: Josiah High Places: Enchantments Used Upon High Places: God Sometimes Worshipped On High Places: Hezekiah Destroys High Places: Jehoshaphat Destroys High Places: Licentious Practices At High Places: Not Removed: Amaziah High Places: Not Removed: Azariah High Places: Not Removed: Jehoash High Places: Not Removed: Jotham High Places: Priests Ordained For High Places: Sacrifices and Incense offered to Idols Upon High Places: Signify a Place of Idolatrous Worship High Places: Surrounded With Groves High Places: The Idolatrous, to be Destroyed High Places: The Jews: Built, in all Their Streets High Places: The Jews: Built, in Their Cities High Places: The Jews: Condemned for Building High Places: The Jews: Provoked God With High Places: The Jews: Punished For High Places: The Jews: Threatened With Destruction of The High Priest was Called: God's High Priest The High Priest was Called: Ruler of the People The High Priest was Called: The Priest The High Priest were for Beauty and Ornament The High Priest: Assisted by a Deputy The High Priest: Consecrated to his office The High Priest: Duties of Appointing Priests to offices The High Priest: Duties of Bearing Before the Lord the Names of Israel for a Memorial The High Priest: Duties of Blessing the People The High Priest: Duties of Consecrating the Levites The High Priest: Duties of Enquiring of God by Urim and Thummim The High Priest: Duties of Lighting the Sacred Lamps The High Priest: Duties of Making Atonement in the Most Holy Place Once a Year The High Priest: Duties of Offering Gifts and Sacrifices The High Priest: Duties of Presiding in the Superior Court The High Priest: Duties of Taking Charge of Money Collected in the Sacred Treasury The High Priest: Duties of Taking the Census of the People The High Priest: Family of Eli Degraded from office of, for Bad Conduct The High Priest: Forbidden to Mourn for Any The High Priest: Inferior to Christ in Being Made Without an Oath The High Priest: Inferior to Christ in Being of the Order of Aaron The High Priest: Inferior to Christ in Entering Into Holiest Every Year The High Priest: Inferior to Christ in Needing to Make Atonement for his own Sins The High Priest: Inferior to Christ in not Being Able to Continue The High Priest: Inferior to Christ in Offering oftentimes the Same Sacrifices The High Priest: Made by Divine Wisdom Given to Bezaleel The High Priest: Needed to Sacrifice for Himself The High Priest: Next in Rank to the King The High Priest: Office of, Made Annual by the Romans The High Priest: Office of, Promised to the Posterity of Phinehas for his Zeal The High Priest: Often Exercised Chief Civil Power The High Priest: Sometimes Deposed by the Kings The High Priest: Sometimes Enabled to Prophesy The High Priest: Special Garments of Breastplate The High Priest: Special Garments of Broidered Coat The High Priest: Special Garments of Ephod With Its Curious Girdle The High Priest: Special Garments of Girdle The High Priest: Special Garments of Linen Mitre The High Priest: Special Garments of Plate or Crown of Gold The High Priest: Special Garments of Robe of the Ephod The High Priest: Specially Called of God The High Priest: The Deputy of Called the Second Priest The High Priest: The Deputy of had Oversight of the Levites The High Priest: The Deputy of had Oversight of the Tabernacle The High Priest: The office of, Hereditary The High Priest: To be Tender and Compassionate The High Priest: To Marry a Virgin of Aaron's Family The High Priest: Typified Christ in Alone Entering Into Most Holy Place The High Priest: Typified Christ in Bearing the Names of Israel Upon his Heart The High Priest: Typified Christ in Being Called of God The High Priest: Typified Christ in Being Liable to Temptation The High Priest: Typified Christ in Blessing The High Priest: Typified Christ in Compassion and Sympathy for the Weak and Ignorant The High Priest: Typified Christ in His Appointment The High Priest: Typified Christ in His Title The High Priest: Typified Christ in Holiness of office The High Priest: Typified Christ in Interceding The High Priest: Typified Christ in Making Atonement The High Priest: Typified Christ in Marrying a Virgin The High Priest: Typified Christ in Performing by Himself all the Services on Day of Atonement The High Priest: Typified Christ in Splendid Dress The High Priest: Wore the Ordinary Priest's Garments when Making Atonement In The High Priest: Worn at his Consecration The High Priest: Worn at his Consecration: Descended to his Successors The High Priest: Worn at his Consecration: Worn Seven Days After Consecration Related Terms |
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