2 Kings 12:3

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

1In the seventh year of Jehu, Jehoash became king, and he reigned for forty years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba. 2Jehoash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all his days that Jehoiada the priest instructed him. Only the high places did not end; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. 4Then Jehoash said to the priests, “All the money of the sacred offerings which is brought into the house of the Lord, in current money, both the money of each man’s assessment and all the money which anyone’s heart prompts him to bring into the house of the Lord, 5the priests are to take it for themselves, each from his acquaintance; and they shall repair damage to the house wherever any damage is found.”

2 Kings 12:3 word by word

רַ֥ק הַבָּמ֖וֹת לֹא־סָ֑רוּ ע֥וֹד הָעָ֛ם מְזַבְּחִ֥ים וּֽמְקַטְּרִ֖ים בַּבָּמֽוֹת׃Read the interlinear

• the highבָּמָהbâmâh · high placeH1116
• did not endסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: removeH5493
• the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• stillעוֹד‛ôd ‛ôd · stillH5750
• sacrificedזָבַחzâbach · to sacrificeH2076
• and burnedקָטַרqâţar · to offer: burnH6999

Cross-references for 2 Kings 12:3

• 2 Kings 14:4Only the high places were not eliminated; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.
• 2 Kings 18:4He removed the high places and smashed the memorial stones to pieces, and cut down the Asherah. He also crushed to pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel had been burning incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan.
• 1 Kings 15:14But the high places were not eliminated; nevertheless Asa’s heart was wholly devoted to the Lord all his days.
• 1 Kings 22:43He walked entirely in the way of his father Asa; he did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord. However, the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.
• 2 Chronicles 31:4Also he told the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion due to the priests and the Levites, so that they might devote themselves to the Law of the Lord.
• Jeremiah 2:20“For long ago I broke your yoke And tore off your restraints; But you said, ‘I will not serve!’ For on every high hill And under every leafy tree You have lain down as a prostitute.

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

• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Fight
• Hole
• Pertain
• High Place
• How
• Jehoash; Joash
• Jehoiada
• Jerusalem
• Treasury, (of Temple)

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