2 Kings 12:4-6

The Voice

The “high places” where the Israelites worship the Lord start out as pagan shrines. When Solomon builds the temple in Jerusalem, he converts those high places to shrines—honoring both the Eternal of Israel and the foreign deities that are worshiped by his many wives and concubines—so the northern tribes don’t have to travel so far to worship and so the locals can retain some of their heritage. Unfortunately Solomon’s attempt to grow the worship of God in the north produces odd cults that blend worship of the Lord with worship of other gods at these high places. No matter how good a king is, if he leaves the high places standing, then he isn’t fully committing his nation to God and there must be repercussions.