God’s Word Translation
2 Kings 12:3
3But the illegal places of worship weren’t torn down. The people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense at these worship sites.
2 Kings 12:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.
- New International Version (NIV)The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away; the people continued to sacrifice and make offerings on the high places.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.
Context of 2 Kings 12:3
1Joash began to rule in Jehu’s seventh year as king of Israel, and he ruled for 40 years in Jerusalem. His mother was Zibiah from Beersheba. 2Joash did what the Lord considered right, as long as the priest Jehoiada instructed him. But the illegal places of worship weren’t torn down. The people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense at these worship sites. 4Joash told the priests, “⌞Collect⌟ all the holy contributions that are brought into the Lord’s temple—the money each person is currently required to bring and all the money brought voluntarily to the Lord’s temple. 5Each of the priests should receive it from the donors and use it to make repairs on the temple where they are needed.”
Read all of 2 Kings 122 Kings 12:3 word by word
רַ֥ק הַבָּמ֖וֹת לֹא־סָ֑רוּ ע֥וֹד הָעָ֛ם מְזַבְּחִ֥ים וּֽמְקַטְּרִ֖ים בַּבָּמֽוֹת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for 2 Kings 12:3
- 2 Kings 14:4But the illegal places of worship were still not torn down. The people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense at these worship sites.
- 2 Kings 18:4He got rid of the illegal places of worship, crushed the sacred stones, and cut down the poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah. He even crushed the bronze snake that Moses had made because up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. They called it Nehushtan.
- 1 Kings 15:14Although the illegal worship sites were not torn down, Asa remained committed to the Lord his entire life.
- 1 Kings 22:43Jehoshaphat carefully followed the example his father Asa had set and did what the Lord considered right.
- 2 Chronicles 31:4He told the people living in Jerusalem to give the priests and Levites the portions they were due so that they could devote themselves to the Lord’s Teachings.
- Jeremiah 2:20“Long ago you broke off your yoke, tore off your chains, and said that you wouldn’t be a slave. You lay down and acted like a prostitute on every high hill and under every large tree.
Commentaries on 2 Kings 12:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3The high places were not taken away - Without the total destruction of these there could be no radical reform. The toleration of any species of idolatry in the land, whatever else was done in behalf of true religion, left, and in effect fostered, a seed which springing up, regenerated in time the whole infernal system. Jehoiada did not use his influence as he might have done; for as he had the king's heart and hand with him, he might have done what he…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3The worship on the “high places” seems to have continued uninterruptedly to the time of Hezekiah, who abolished it 2 Kings 18:4. It was, however, again established by Manasseh, his son 2 Kings 21:3. The priests at this time cannot have regarded it as idolatrous, or Jehoiada would have put it during his regency.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-3Joash was grateful to Jehoiada, the priest who guided him. Joash stayed loyal to the Lord while Jehoiada lived. However, after Jehoiada died, ungodly leaders persuaded Joash to abandon the Lord and adopt Canaanite customs (see 2 Chronicles 24:17–22). Joash's failure to destroy the pagan shrines led to spiritual compromise. Allowing these shrines in Judah had previously angered God (1 Kings 14:23–26) and would do so again during Joash's time (2 Chronicles…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. But the high places were not taken away--The popular fondness for the private and disorderly rites performed in the groves and recesses of hills was so inveterate that even the most powerful monarchs had been unable to accomplish their suppression; no wonder that in the early reign of a young king, and after the gross irregularities that had been allowed during the maladministration of Athaliah, the difficulty of putting an end to the superstitions…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Kings 12:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Kings 12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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