2 Chronicles 17:6

2Ch 17:6 And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah.

Ver. 6. And his heart was lifted up.] Not with pride, as 2Ch 32:25, but with undaunted courage and disengaged zeal, such as made him come off roundly and readily in the ensuing reformation: he was more forward and forth putting than his father Asa, "not slothful in business, but fervent in spirit, serving the Lord."

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.

2Ch_17:6

And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord.

Encouragement in the ways of the Lord

I. The ways of the Lord are divine. Are His ways cold and unpleasant? H we descend a deep coal-pit and look up the shaft into the bright sky, we see the stars, but the pit is cold and dark. So men think that when they commune with God, it is like being in a coal-pit beholding a star; it is a beautiful sight, but makes one cold and unpleasant. Is this the truth? No; the Bible describes Gods people as having melody in their hearts, and one of His sweetest names is The happy God. Some people are afraid of becoming religious, lest they should be miserable; but they mistake the God in whose breast there is an ever-flowing heaven. The man who the most loves God is the happiest in disposition and the most cheerful as well as the most graceful in life.

II. His ways are also humane; they constrain us to love our suffering fellow-man, when he can do us no good but when we can do him good. (W. Birch.)

Jehoshaphat

I. Some men when, like jehoshaphat, they have riches and honour in abundance, have their hearts lifted up, but not in the ways of the Lord. The natural tendency of such circumstances is to create and foster a spirit of pride, of self-sufficiency, and of independence. How necessary the warning (Deu_8:11-14). Nebuchadnezzar is a striking exemplification of this.

II. Some men whose hearts are not lifted up are in the ways of the Lord. They are real Christians, but doubting, desponding Christians.

III. Some men have their hearts lifted up, like Jehoshaphat, in the ways of the Lord. They rejoice in the Lord alway. (R. Harley.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He gave himself wholly to serve the Lord.

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

his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord--Full of faith and piety, he possessed zeal and courage to undertake the reformation of manners, to suppress all the works and objects of idolatry (see on Ch2 20:33), and he held out public encouragement to the pure worship of God.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(6) And his heart was lifted up.—Gabhah lçbh, which usually, like the phrase of Authorised version, has a bad meaning, as in 2Ch_26:16. The margin is right here: “his courage rose high,” or “he grew bold” in the ways of Jehovah, i.e., in the path of religious reform. Vulg., “cum sumpsisset cor ejus audaciam propter vias Domini.”

Moreover.—And again, further. Referring to 2Ch_17:3. Not only did he not seek the Baals, but more than this, he removed the high places, &c. [This is the common explanation. But the sense may rather be: “And he again removed,” referring back to Asa’s reforms, 2Ch_14:5.]

Groves.—’Ashêrim, “Asherahs.” (2Ch_14:3.)

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

6. moreover he took away] R.V. and furthermore he took away. In 2Ch_20:33 = 1Ki_22:43 it is said that the high places were not taken away. Cp. what is said of Asa (2Ch_14:3 and 2Ch_15:17 = 1Ki_15:14). It seems that in both cases the Chronicler incorporates mutually contradictory traditions. If the removal took place, it must have met with only partial success.

and groves] R.V. and the Asherim. See note on 2Ch_14:3.

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.

And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord,.... It was engaged in them, was bent and set upon them; he walked in them with great pleasure and cheerfulness, being inspired with zeal and courage; he was fearless and intrepid, and regarded not any opposition he might have, or expect to have, in the work of reformation in which he was concerned:

moreover, he took away the high places; such as were dedicated to idols, but not those in which the true God was worshipped, Ch2 20:33

and groves out of Judah; where idols were placed; for though these had been removed by Asa, yet had been renewed in the latter part of his days, when more negligent of religion.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

His heart was lifted up - This expression generally occurs in a bad sense Deu 8:14; 2Ch 26:16; Psa 131:1; Pro 18:12; but here it must be taken differently. The margin “was encouraged” expresses fairly the true meaning. He first began by setting an example of faithfulness to Yahweh. He then proceeded to use his best endeavors to extirpate idolatry.

He took away the high places - Compare 2Ch 20:33, and see the 2Ch 15:17 note.

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

When. Heb. "And his heart was elevated in the ways of the Lord." He was endued with courage to undertake the great work of banishing all abuses out of his dominions, seeing that the people were well affected, and the Lord urged him forward. H. --- He trusted no so much to his great army or riches, as to a good conscience, (T.) which made him fear no difficulties; (1 John iii. 21,) doubting not but God would grant him success, as he endeavoured to keep his laws. C. --- Groves of idols, (M.) though he tolerated the high places, which had been consecrated to God, C. xx. 33., and 3 K. xxii. 43. H. --- Good works, rewarded by God, encouraged people to proceed in virtue. W.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

His heart was lifted up above all discouragements, and difficulties, and fears, by which men’s hearts use to be cast down: he was valiant and resolute for God and his ways.

He took away the high places and groves, to wit, such only wherein idols were worshipped, as appears by comparing this with 2Ch 20:33. And though Asa had done this before, yet either he did not do it thoroughly, or the Jews (who were many of them mad upon their idols) had secretly made new ones, in the latter part of his reign, when he grew more infirm in body, and more remiss in God’s cause.

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

6. His heart was lifted up — That is, exalted with holy faith and courage.

Took away the high places — Yet, in spite of all his efforts and successes in this matter, the people had become so addicted to these practices that their destruction was not thoroughly secured. See note on 2Ch_14:3, and compare 2Ch_20:33.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord. Although the verb Hbg; often carries a bad sense with it, it quite as often carries with it a good one in the Old Testament, and the typical instance of the former (Psa_131:1) is fully counterbalanced by Isa_52:13.The marginal "was enencouraged may be superseded with advantage by "took courage". (Isa_40:29-31) The groves. Supersede this incorrect rendering by the Asherim; and upon the seeming discrepancy, see again 2Ch_15:17, and "Introduction to Chronicles" there quoted.

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

Lifted up - Above all discouragements, and fears. He was valiant and resolute for God and his ways. Groves - Those wherein idols were worshipped, and though Asa had done this before, yet either he did not do it thoroughly; or the Jews (who were many of them mad upon their idols) had secretly made new ones, in the latter part of his reign, when he grew more infirm in body, and more remiss in God's cause.

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

high places (See Scofield "1Ki 3:2").

groves (See Scofield "Deu 16:21") See Scofield "Jdg 3:7".

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And his heart was uplifted in the ways of the Lord His heart was lifted up in this matter, that he went only in the ways of the Lord. An example of this is (Exod. 35:26): “whose hearts had uplifted them in wisdom.”

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.