2 Kings 14:4

Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away, and the people continued sacrificing and burning incense on the high places.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The narrator describes the religious condition of Judah during the early reign of King Amaziah, immediately after he secures his throne but before his military campaigns. The words — רַק (rak) "only/nevertheless" contrasts with לֹא סָרוּ (lo sarû) "were not removed" and עוֹד (‘ôd) "still" to mark a deliberate pause in reform. The active participles מְזַבְּחִים (mezaḇḥîm) "sacrificing" and מְקַטְּרִים (meqaṭṭərîm) "burning incense" show the people's ongoing practice at the high places. The thread — This exact formula appears in 2 Kings 12:3 and 15:4 to track the failure of royal policy to dismantle local cult sites. The pattern repeats across multiple Judahite reigns to show a consistent institutional limitation. Why it lands — The text records a factual limitation on royal authority rather than offering a moral verdict. Readers must note that political consolidation does not automatically produce religious uniformity.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

רַ֥קrakonly הַבָּמ֖וֹתha./ba.Motthe/ high places לֹא־lo'-not סָ֑רוּSa.ruthey were removed ע֥וֹדodstill הָעָ֛םha./'Amthe/ people מְזַבְּחִ֥יםme.za.be.Chim[were] sacrificing וּֽמְקַטְּרִ֖יםu./me.ka.te.Rimand/ [were] making smoke בַּבָּמֽוֹת׃ba./ba.Motat the/ high places

King James Version

Howbeit the high places were not taken away: as yet the people did sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places.

Cross-references

2 Kings 12:3 Nevertheless, the high places were not removed; the people continued sacrificing and burning incense there.
2 Kings 16:4 And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.
2 Kings 15:4 Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away; the people continued sacrificing and burning incense there.
2 Kings 15:35 Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away; the people continued sacrificing and burning incense there. Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the house of the LORD.