Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 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.
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 Ashrim ] out of Judah.’ The addition of ‘the Ashrim’ 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.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
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.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
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 veod hesir, “and moreover he took away,” we should read, velo hesir, “and he did NOT take away.”
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
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.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father,…. Who was a good prince:
he turned not aside from doing that which was right in the eyes of the Lord; in his moral conversation, religious worship, and civil government:
nevertheless, the high places were not taken away, for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places; he took away the high places and groves for idolatrous worship, 2Ch 17:6, but not the high places in which sacrifices were offered to the Lord, which ought to have been, especially since the temple was built; and those in the tribes of Judah and Benjamin were altogether inexcusable, being near to the temple, and under no restraint, as those of the ten tribes were; but the people were fond of them, because of their antiquity, and it was difficult for religious princes to remove them, if inclined.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(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.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
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.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
And he walked. The 19th Seder begins here, and ends with 2Ki 2:14. See note on p. 866.
offered = sacrificed. See App-43.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
he walked: 1Ki 15:11, 1Ki 15:14, 2Ch 14:2-5, 2Ch 14:11, 2Ch 15:8, 2Ch 15:17, 2Ch 17:3
he turned: 1Ki 15:5, Exo 32:8, 1Sa 12:20, 1Sa 12:21, 2Ch 16:7-12, Psa 40:4, Psa 101:3, Psa 125:5, Pro 4:27
doing: 2Ch 17:3-6, 2Ch 19:3, 2Ch 19:4, 2Ch 20:3-30
the high: 1Ki 14:23, 1Ki 15:14, 2Ki 12:3, 2Ki 14:3, 2Ki 14:4, 2Ki 15:3, 2Ki 15:4, 2Ki 18:22
Reciprocal: 1Ki 3:2 – the people 1Ki 3:3 – only he 2Ki 18:4 – removed 2Ch 17:6 – he took away 2Ch 21:12 – in the ways of Jehoshaphat 2Ch 33:17 – people Isa 65:7 – burned
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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 Hezekiahs time, connived at it.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
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 {a} the high places were not taken away; [for] the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places.
(a) Meaning, that he was led with an error, thinking that they might still sacrifice to the Lord in those places, as they did before the temple was built.