I Kings 14:23
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They also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
The kingdom being divided into that of Judah and that of Israel, we must henceforward, in these books of Kings, expect and attend their separate history, the succession of their kings, and the affairs of their kingdoms, accounted for distinctly. In this chapter we have, I. The prophecy of the destruction of Jeroboam's house (Kg1 14:7-16). The sickness of his child was the occasion of it (Kg1 14:1-6), and the death of his child the earnest of it (Kg1 14:17, Kg1 14:18), together with the conclusion of his reign (Kg1 14:19, Kg1 14:20). II. The history of the declension and diminution of Rehoboam's house and kingdom (Kg1 14:21-28) and the conclusion of his reign (Kg1 14:29-31). In both we may read the mischievous consequences of sin and the calamities it brings on kingdoms and families.
Open source ↗14:23-24 Solomon had married foreign wives, who led his family into idolatry. Judah, under Rehoboam’s leadership, then perpetuated the detestable practices of the pagan nations that occupied the land before the Israelites. The spiritual decline of a nation easily follows from debased leadership, which leads to disgrace and destruction (Prov 14:34). • Shrine prostitutes were not uncommon in Canaan but were prohibited for Israel (see study notes on Lev 17:7; Deut 23:17-18). They became a part of Israelite society as the people embraced Canaanite culture.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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Destroy completely all the places where the nations you are dispossessing have served their gods—atop the high mountains, on the hills, and under every green tree.
who burn with lust among the oaks, under every luxuriant tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?
“For long ago you broke your yoke and tore off your chains, saying, ‘I will not serve!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every green tree you lay down as a prostitute.
And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.
and do not set up for yourselves a sacred pillar, which the LORD your God hates.
“You must not make idols for yourselves or set up a carved image or sacred pillar; you must not place a sculpted stone in your land to bow down to it. For I am the LORD your God.
I will root out the Asherah poles from your midst and demolish your cities.
Even their children remember their altars and Asherah poles by the green trees and on the high hills.
Only acknowledge your guilt, that you have rebelled against the LORD your God. You have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every green tree and have not obeyed My voice,’” declares the LORD.
The people, however, were still sacrificing on the high places because a house for the Name of the LORD had not yet been built.