High Places

How Nave’s arranged it

• A term used to describe places of worshipGenesis 12:8Genesis 22:2Genesis 22:14Genesis 31:541 Samuel 9:122 Samuel 24:251 Kings 3:21 Kings 3:41 Kings 18:301 Kings 18:381 Chronicles 16:392 Chronicles 1:32 Chronicles 33:17
• Signify a place of idolatrous worshipNumbers 22:411 Kings 11:71 Kings 12:311 Kings 14:231 Kings 15:141 Kings 22:432 Kings 17:92 Kings 17:29Jeremiah 7:31
• Licentious practices atEzekiel 16:24–43
• The idolatrous, to be destroyedLeviticus 26:30Numbers 33:52
• Asa destroys2 Chronicles 14:3
• Jehoshaphat destroys2 Chronicles 17:6
• Hezekiah destroys2 Kings 18:4
• Josiah destroys2 Kings 23:8
• See Groves
• See Idolatry

The passages, in Bible order (29)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 16 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. Genesis 12:8

   From there Abram moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to the LORD, and he called on the name of the LORD.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 12:82 voices

   “Where there is Bethel, that is, the house of God, there is also the altar. Where there is the altar, there is also the calling on the name of God. It is not by chance that he made such great progress. He hoped in the help of God. The athlete of God exercised and strengthened himself in adversity. He went into the desert.

   “Beth-el - The place which was afterwards called Beth-el by Jacob, for its first name was Luz. See Gen 28:19. בית אל beith El literally signifies the house of God. And pitched his tent - and - builded an altar unto the Lord - Where Abram has a tent, there God must have an Altar, as he well knows there is no safety but under the Divine protection. How few who build houses ever think on the propriety and necessity of building an altar to their Maker!

   Everything gathered on Genesis 12:8→

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2. Genesis 22:2

   “Take your son,” God said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”

   ›Commentary on Genesis 22:22 voices

   “(Chapter 22, Verse 2.) And God said to him: Take your beloved son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the high land, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I will tell you. It is difficult to translate the Hebrew language into Latin. Where it is now said, go to the high land, in Hebrew it has Moriah, which Aquila translated as 'the visible', that is, clear, and Symmachus, 'the vision', that is, sight.

   “Take now thy son - Bishop Warburton’s observations on this passage are weighty and important. “The order in which the words are placed in the original gradually increases the sense, and raises the passions higher and higher: Take now thy son, (rather, take I beseech thee נא na), thine only son whom thou lovest, even Isaac. Jarchi imagines this minuteness was to preclude any doubt in Abraham.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 22:2→

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3. Genesis 22:14

   And Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. So to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”

   ›Commentary on Genesis 22:141 voice

   “(Verse 14) And Abraham called the name of that place, The Lord will see: so that they say to this day, In the mount the Lord will be seen. For because he hath seen in this place, in the Hebrew tongue it is said, He shall be seen. And this hath passed into a proverb with the Hebrews, so that when they are in distress and desire the Lord's aid, they say, In the mount the Lord will be seen: that is, as He pitied Abraham, so will He have pity on us.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 22:14→

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4. Genesis 31:54

   Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat a meal. And after they had eaten, they spent the night on the mountain.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 31:541 voice

   “Offered sacrifice upon the mount - It is very likely that Laban joined in this solemn religious rite, and that, having offered the blood and fat to God, they feasted upon the sacrifice.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 31:54→

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5. 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.

   Verse page →Original language →

6. Numbers 22:41

   The next morning, Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal. From there he could see the outskirts of the camp of the people.

   ›Commentary on Numbers 22:411 voice

   “That - he might see the utmost part of the people - As he thought Balaam must have them all in his eye when he pronounced his curse, lest it might not extend to those who were not in sight. On this account he took him up into the high places of Baal.

   Everything gathered on Numbers 22:41→

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7. Numbers 33:52

   you must drive out before you all the inhabitants of the land, destroy all their carved images and cast idols, and demolish all their high places.

   ›Commentary on Numbers 33:521 voice

   “Ye shall - destroy all their pictures - משכיתם maskiyotham, from שחה sachah, to be like, or resemble, either pictures, carved work, or embroidery, as far as these things were employed to exhibit the abominations of idolatry. Molten images צלמי מסכתם tsalmey massechotham, metallic talismanical figures, made under certain constellations, and supposed in consequence to be possessed of some extraordinary influences and virtues.

   Everything gathered on Numbers 33:52→

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8. 1 Samuel 9:12

   “Yes, he is ahead of you,” they answered. “Hurry now, for today he has come to the city because the people have a sacrifice on the high place.

   ›Commentary on 1 Samuel 9:121 voice

   “He came to - day to the city - Though Samuel lived chiefly in Ramah, yet he had a dwelling in the country, at a place called Naioth, where it is probable there was a school of the prophets. See 1Sa 19:18-24. A sacrifice of the people - A great feast. The animals used were first sacrificed to the Lord; that is, their blood was poured out before him; and then all the people fed on the flesh. By high place probably Samuel’s altar is alone meant; which no doubt was raised on an eminence.

   Everything gathered on 1 Samuel 9:12→

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9. 2 Samuel 24:25

   And there he built an altar to the LORD and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. Then the LORD answered the prayers on behalf of the land, and the plague upon Israel was halted.

   ›Commentary on 2 Samuel 24:252 voices

   “Therefore, the king himself offered blessed David the threshing floor and oxen for a burnt offering, but King David refused to accept them without first paying a price. This, too, was fulfilled at the coming of our Lord and Savior, for he refused to take …

   “David - offered burnt-offerings - And that these sacrifices were pleasing to the Lord, is evident from a circumstance marked in the parallel place, 1Ch 21:26: David called upon the Lord, and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt-offering. The plague was stalled - Jerusalem did not share in the common calamity, seventy thousand being the whole that were slain throughout the land. This book is unfinished, and requires 1 Chronicles 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29, to complete it.

   Everything gathered on 2 Samuel 24:25→

   Verse page →Original language →

10. 1 Kings 3:2

    The people, however, were still sacrificing on the high places because a house for the Name of the LORD had not yet been built.

    ›Commentary on 1 Kings 3:22 voices

    “Only the people sacrificed in high places,.... On the tops of their houses, on hills and mountains, and particularly at the high place in Gibeon, where the tabernacle was: because there was no house built unto the name of the Lord until those days; to which they were obliged to repair as afterwards, and there offer their sacrifices, as the Lord had commanded, Deu 12:5.

    “The people sacrificed in high places - Could there be any sin in this, or was it unlawful till after the temple was built? for prophets, judges, the kings which preceded Solomon, and Solomon himself, sacrificed on high places, such as Gibeon, Gilgal, Shiloh, Hebron, Kirjath-jearim, etc. But after the temple was erected, it was sinful to offer sacrifices in any other place; yet here it is introduced as being morally wrong, and it is introduced, 1Ki 3:3, as being an exceptionable trait in the character of Solomon.

    Everything gathered on 1 Kings 3:2→

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11. 1 Kings 3:4

    Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for it was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on the altar there.

    ›Commentary on 1 Kings 3:41 voice

    “Gibeon - The transfer to Gibeon of the “tabernacle of the congregation,” and the brass “altar of burnt offerings” made by Moses, which were removed there from Nob (compare 1Sa 21:6, with marginal references “i,” “k”), had made it “the great high-place,” more sacred, i. e., than any other in the holy land, unless it were Mount Zion where the ark had been conveyed by David. For the position of Gibeon, see Jos 9:3 note. A thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer - Solomon presented the victims. The priests were the actual sacrificers 1Ki 8:

    Everything gathered on 1 Kings 3:4→

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12. 1 Kings 11:7

    At that time on a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites.

    ›Commentary on 1 Kings 11:72 voices

    “Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Mesh,.... Of this idol see Gill on Jer 48:7, an high place for which he ordered to be built, or at least suffered it to be built, at the instigation of his Moabitish woman or women, 1Ki 11:1, this was built in the hill that is before Jerusalem; on the mount of Olives, as Jarchi, called from hence afterwards the mount of corruption, 2Ki 23:15 and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon, 1Ki 11:5.

    “Chemosh (Num 21:29 note), seems to have been widely worshipped in Western Asia. His name occurs frequently on the “Moabite-Stone.” Car-Chemish, “the fort of Chemosh,” a great city of the northern Hittites, must have been under his protection. In Babylon he seems to have been known as Chomus-belus, or Chemosh-Bel. The hill - Olivet.

    Everything gathered on 1 Kings 11:7→

    Verse page →Original language →

13. 1 Kings 12:31

    Jeroboam also built shrines on the high places and appointed from every class of people priests who were not Levites.

    ›Commentary on 1 Kings 12:311 voice

    “He made an house of high places - i. e., “He built a temple, or sanctuary, at each of the two cities where the calves were set up.” The writer uses the expression “house of high places” in contempt, meaning that the buildings were not real temples, or houses of God, like that at Jerusalem, but only on a par with the temples upon high places which had long existed in various parts of the land.

    Everything gathered on 1 Kings 12:31→

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14. 1 Kings 14:23

    They also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree.

    ›Commentary on 1 Kings 14:231 voice

    “The words “they also” are emphatic. Not only did the Israelites make themselves high places 1Ki 12:31; 1Ki 13:32, but the people of Judah also. The “high places,” which are said to have been “built,” were probably small shrines or tabernacles hung with bright-colored tapestry Eze 16:16, like the “sacred tent” of the Carthaginians. The “images” were rather “pillars” (Gen 28:18 note). Groves - See 1Ki 14:15, note.

    Everything gathered on 1 Kings 14:23→

    Verse page →Original language →

15. 1 Kings 15:14

    The high places were not removed, but Asa’s heart was fully devoted to the LORD all his days.

    ›Commentary on 1 Kings 15:141 voice

    “Regarding many kings of the line of David, we read that they were saved not through their own merit but through the virtues of their father, David, who did that which was pleasing in the sight of God. And we come to Asa, the king of Judah, of whom it is written: "Asa did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, as did David, his father." And after a lengthy account of his many virtues, the story is concluded with these words: "But the high places he did not take away.

    Everything gathered on 1 Kings 15:14→

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16. 1 Kings 18:30

    Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people approached him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down.

    ›Commentary on 1 Kings 18:301 voice

    “He repaired the altar of the Lord - There had been an altar of Jehovah in that place, called, even among the heathens, the altar of Carmel, probably built in the time of the judges, or, as the rabbins imagine, by Saul. Tacitus and Suetonius mention an altar on Mount Carmel, which Vespasian went to consult; there was no temple nor statue, but simply an altar that was respectable for its antiquity. “Est Judaeam inter Syriamque Carmelus; ita vocant montem Deumque: nec simulachrum Deo, aut templum situm tradidere majores: aram tantum, et reverentiam.” - Tacit. Hist. lib. ii., c.

    Everything gathered on 1 Kings 18:30→

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