1 Kings 22:43

1Ki 22:43 And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing [that which was] right in the eyes of the LORD: nevertheless the high places were not taken away; [for] the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places.

Ver. 43. Nevertheless the high places were not taken away,] viz., Those wherein the people served and worshipped the God of Israel. The people were much set upon them; and the king perhaps thought there was no great harm in them; hence they still stood, when there was otherwise a great reformation.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ki 22:43. He walked in all the ways of Asa — He took the same care for the government of his kingdom, and especially for the reformation of religion, which Asa did. Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away — Not fully, or not in the beginning of his reign. For that he did take them away, at least in part, and probably all those which were erected for the worship of idols, appears from 2Ch 17:9. The people offered — incense yet in the high places — Old corruptions are not eradicated without difficulty, especially when they have formerly had the patronage of those that were good, as the high places had of Samuel, Solomon, and some others. Indeed this error was so deeply rooted, that the best of their kings, till Hezekiah’s time, connived at it.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

22:43-44 Although Jehoshaphat is remembered as a king who did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, his record is blemished by his failure to remove all the pagan shrines (see 15:14) and by his involvement with Ahab (22:4, 29-32; 2 Chr 19:1-3) and, later, Joram (2 Kgs 3:4-27).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Meaning, that he was led with an error, thinking that they might still sacrifice to the Lord in those places, as well as they did before the Temple was built.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 43. The high places were not taken away] In 2Ch 17:6, it is expressly said, that he did take away the high places. Allowing that the text is right in 2 Chron., the two places may be easily reconciled. There were two kinds of high places in the land:

1. Those used for idolatrous purposes.

2. Those that were consecrated to God, and were used before the temple was built. The former he did take away; the latter he did not.

But some think the parallel place in 2Ch 17:6 is corrupted, and that, instead of ועוד הסיר veod hesir, "and moreover he took away," we should read, ולא הסיר velo hesir, "and he did NOT take away."

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(43) The high places were not taken away.—This agrees with 2Ch_20:33, and stands in apparent contradiction with 2Ch_17:6 : “He took away the high places and groves out of Judah.” Probably the key to the apparent discrepancy lies in the words “and groves” (Asherah). The high places taken away were those connected with the base Asherah worship; those which were simply unauthorised sanctuaries remained, at any rate in part.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

43. nevertheless [R.V. howbeit] the high places were not taken away] for [om. for R.V.] the people offered [R.V. still sacrificed] and burnt incense yet [om. yet R.V.] in the high places. The changes get rid of the italic for, and put still instead of yet in its proper place in the verse. ‘To sacrifice’ is the constant translation of the verb changed in R.V.

The statement here made is no contradiction, as might at first sight appear, to 2Ch_17:6, ‘he took away the high places and groves [R.V. the Ashêrim] out of Judah.’ The addition of ‘the Ashêrim’ in the latter passage shews that the writer is speaking of the high places which were devoted to the worship of Baal and Astoreth. This worship had spread from Israel into Judah, and it was this which Jehoshaphat swept away, an act which Jehu the prophet specially commends (2Ch_19:3). But the high places which had been from early times set apart for the worship of Jehovah, and which were meant to be put down when the Temple was built, he had not power to abolish. From long custom people clung to them, and having at first been places of acceptable worship, there was great difficulty in proceeding to extremities against those who still chose to worship there.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

On the general piety of Asa, see above, 1Ki 15:11-15 and references. Jehoshaphat seems to have been a still better king, for he did not, like Asa, fall away in his old age 2Ch 16:2-12.

The high places were not taken away - This seems to contradict 2Ch 17:6. Probably the writer of Chronicles refers to the desire and intention of the monarch, while the author of Kings records the practical failure of his efforts.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

He walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he took the same care for the government of his kingdom, and especially for the reformation of religion, that Asa did; of whom see 1Ki 15:11.

The high places were not taken away.

Object. It is said he did take them away, 2Ch 17:6.

Answ. He took away those which were erected to idols; of which he seems to speak there, because the high places are there joined with groves, which were generally erected to idols, and not to the true God, as will appear to any one that shall compare all the scriptures where groves are mentioned; but he could not take away those which were erected to the true God, of which this; place manifestly speaks; as also that parallel place 1Ki 15:14, where See Poole "1Ki 15:14". Or he took them away, but not fully; or not in the very beginning of his reign.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

And he walked in the ways of Asa his father Apart from his alliance with the house of Ahab, and the troubles in which it involved him, his reign was alike pious and prosperous. Like Asa"s, it was distinguished by internal reforms, and By signal deliverances from foreign enemies; he turned not aside from it as Asa was tempted to do in his old age, doing Heb. to do that which was right in the eyes of the Lord: nevertheless the high places were not taken away Heb. de parted not, as in 1Ki_15:14; 2Ch_15:17; 2Ki_12:4 2Ki_14:4, Hebrews But see 2Ch_18:6. The discrepancy is the exact parallel of that between 1Ki_15:14 and 2Ch_14:3; or between this latter passage and; 2Ch_15:17. And the explanation is the same, viz., that an effort was made to remove the high places, which was partially, and only partially, successful for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places. (cf. 1Ki_3:2)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

High places - He took them away, but not fully; or not in the beginning of of his reign.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

He walked in the ways of Asa, his father

A person's behavior is spoken of as if that person walked along a path. AT: "He did the same things that Asa, his father, had done" (See: Metaphor)

what was right in the eyes of Yahweh

Here "eyes" represents seeing and Yahweh's opinion is spoken of as if he were able to see something. AT: "what Yahweh considered to be right" (See: Metaphor)

the high places were not taken away

This can be stated in active form. AT: "he did not take away the high places" (See: Active or Passive)

translationWords

walk

turn

Yahweh

high place

sacrifice

incense

peace

king

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.