1 Kings 14:23
New International Version
They also set up for themselves high places, sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree.

New Living Translation
For they also built for themselves pagan shrines and set up sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree.

English Standard Version
For they also built for themselves high places and pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree,

Berean Standard Bible
They also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree.

King James Bible
For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.

New King James Version
For they also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and wooden images on every high hill and under every green tree.

New American Standard Bible
For they, too, built for themselves high places, memorial stones, and Asherim on every high hill and under every luxuriant tree.

NASB 1995
For they also built for themselves high places and sacred pillars and Asherim on every high hill and beneath every luxuriant tree.

NASB 1977
For they also built for themselves high places and sacred pillars and Asherim on every high hill and beneath every luxuriant tree.

Legacy Standard Bible
They also built for themselves high places and sacred pillars and Asherim on every high hill and beneath every green tree.

Amplified Bible
For they also built for themselves high places [to worship idols] and sacred pillars and Asherim [for the goddess Asherah]. These were on every high hill and under every luxuriant tree.

Christian Standard Bible
They also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree;

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree;

American Standard Version
For they also built them high places, and pillars, and Asherim, on every high hill, and under every green tree;

Contemporary English Version
They also built their own local shrines and stone images of foreign gods, and they set up sacred poles for worshiping the goddess Asherah on every hill and in the shade of large trees.

English Revised Version
For they also built them high places, and pillars, and Asherim, on every high hill, and under every green tree;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They built worship sites for themselves and [put up] large stones and Asherah poles to worship on every high hill and under every large tree.

Good News Translation
They built places of worship for false gods and put up stone pillars and symbols of Asherah to worship on the hills and under shady trees.

International Standard Version
They erected high places, sacred pillars, and Asherim for themselves on every high hill and under every green tree.

Majority Standard Bible
They also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree.

NET Bible
They even built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree.

New Heart English Bible
For they also built them high places, and pillars, and Asherim, on every high hill, and under every green tree;

Webster's Bible Translation
For they also built for themselves high places, and images and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.

World English Bible
For they also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And they build—they also—for themselves high places, and standing-pillars, and Asherim, on every high height, and under every green tree;

Young's Literal Translation
And they build -- also they -- for themselves high places, and standing-pillars, and shrines, on every high height, and under every green tree;

Smith's Literal Translation
And they will also build to them heights and statues, and pillars, upon every high hill, and, under every green tree.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For they also built them altars, and statues, and groves upon every high hill and under every green tree:

Catholic Public Domain Version
For they, too, built for themselves altars, and statues, and sacred groves, upon every high hill and under every leafy tree.

New American Bible
They, too, built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and asherahs, upon every high hill and under every green tree.

New Revised Standard Version
For they also built for themselves high places, pillars, and sacred poles on every high hill and under every green tree;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For they also built for themselves high places and statues and idols on every high hill and under every green tree.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they built up for themselves also those high places and statues and idols on every high hill that there was, and under every shade tree.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
For they also built them high places, and pillars, and Asherim, on every high hill, and under every leafy tree;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they built for themselves high places, and pillars, and planted groves on every high hill, and under every shady tree.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Rehoboam's Reign in Judah
22And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and by the sins they committed they provoked Him to jealous anger more than all their fathers had done. 23They also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. 24There were even male shrine prostitutes in the land. They imitated all the abominations of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.…

Cross References
2 Kings 17:10-12
They set up for themselves sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. / They burned incense on all the high places like the nations that the LORD had driven out before them. They did wicked things, provoking the LORD to anger. / They served idols, although the LORD had told them, “You shall not do this thing.”

2 Chronicles 33:3
For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had torn down, and he raised up altars for the Baals and made Asherah poles. And he worshiped and served all the host of heaven.

Deuteronomy 12:2-3
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. / Tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, burn up their Asherah poles, cut down the idols of their gods, and wipe out their names from every place.

Jeremiah 3:6
Now in the days of King Josiah, the LORD said to me, “Have you seen what faithless Israel has done? She has gone up on every high hill and under every green tree to prostitute herself there.

Ezekiel 6:13
Then you will know that I am the LORD, when their slain lie among their idols around their altars, on every high hill, on all the mountaintops, and under every green tree and leafy oak—the places where they offered fragrant incense to all their idols.

Isaiah 57:5-7
who burn with lust among the oaks, under every luxuriant tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks? / Your portion is among the smooth stones of the valley; indeed, they are your lot. Even to them you have poured out a drink offering and offered a grain offering. Should I relent because of these? / On a high and lofty hill you have made your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifices.

Hosea 4:13
They sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is pleasant. And so your daughters turn to prostitution and your daughters-in-law to adultery.

2 Kings 21:3
For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed, and he raised up altars for Baal. He made an Asherah pole, as King Ahab of Israel had done, and he worshiped and served all the host of heaven.

2 Kings 23:5
Josiah also did away with the idolatrous priests ordained by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the cities of Judah and in the places all around Jerusalem—those who had burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven.

Leviticus 26:30
I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and heap your lifeless bodies on the lifeless remains of your idols; and My soul will despise you.

Micah 5:14
I will root out the Asherah poles from your midst and demolish your cities.

2 Chronicles 28:4
And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.

2 Kings 16:4
And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.

2 Kings 18:4
He removed the high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He also demolished the bronze snake called Nehushtan that Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had burned incense to it.

2 Kings 23:13
The king also desecrated the high places east of Jerusalem, to the south of the Mount of Corruption, which King Solomon of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.


Treasury of Scripture

For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.

built

1 Kings 3:2
Only the people sacrificed in high places, because there was no house built unto the name of the LORD, until those days.

Deuteronomy 12:2
Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:

Isaiah 57:5
Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?

images.

Leviticus 26:1
Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God.

groves

Micah 5:14
And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities.

Deuteronomy 12:2
Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:

2 Kings 17:9,10
And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the LORD their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city…

under every

Isaiah 57:5
Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?

Jeremiah 3:13
Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.

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Asherah Asherahs Asherim Ashe'rim Beneath Build Built Columns Green Groves Height High Hill Images Leafy Pillars Places Poles Sacred Shrines Standing-Pillars Stones Themselves Tree Upright Wood
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Asherah Asherahs Asherim Ashe'rim Beneath Build Built Columns Green Groves Height High Hill Images Leafy Pillars Places Poles Sacred Shrines Standing-Pillars Stones Themselves Tree Upright Wood
1 Kings 14
1. Abijah being sick,
2. Jeroboam sends his wife, disguised, with presents to the prophet Ahijah
5. Ahijah forewarned by God, denounces God's judgment
17. Abijah dies, and is buried
19. Nadab succeeds Jeroboam
21. Rehoboam's wicked reign,
25. Shishak raids Jerusalem
29. Abijam succeeds Rehoboam














They also built for themselves
This phrase indicates a deliberate and personal action by the people of Israel. The Hebrew root for "built" is "בָּנָה" (banah), which means to construct or establish. This suggests a conscious effort to create something enduring. In the context of ancient Israel, building often implied a significant investment of time and resources, reflecting the people's commitment to their actions. The phrase "for themselves" underscores the self-serving nature of their idolatry, prioritizing their desires over God's commandments.

high places
The term "high places" comes from the Hebrew "בָּמוֹת" (bamot), referring to elevated sites used for worship. Historically, these locations were often chosen for their proximity to the heavens, symbolizing a closer connection to the divine. However, in the context of Israel, these high places became centers of idolatrous worship, contrary to God's instructions to worship Him in the temple in Jerusalem. The use of high places reflects a syncretism where the Israelites adopted pagan practices, diluting their covenant relationship with Yahweh.

sacred pillars
"Sacred pillars" translates from the Hebrew "מַצֵּבוֹת" (matzevot), which were stone monuments often erected as memorials or objects of worship. In the ancient Near East, these pillars were associated with Canaanite religious practices, particularly the worship of Baal. The presence of sacred pillars among the Israelites indicates a departure from monotheistic worship and an embrace of pagan customs, which were explicitly forbidden in the Mosaic Law (Deuteronomy 16:22).

and Asherah poles
"Asherah poles" are derived from the Hebrew "אֲשֵׁרִים" (asherim), referring to wooden symbols or trees associated with the goddess Asherah, a consort of Baal in Canaanite religion. These poles were often placed near altars and were integral to fertility rites. The Israelites' use of Asherah poles signifies a profound spiritual adultery, as they turned to foreign deities for blessings and prosperity, violating the first commandment to have no other gods before Yahweh (Exodus 20:3).

on every high hill
The phrase "on every high hill" emphasizes the widespread nature of idolatry in Israel. Hills were traditionally seen as sacred spaces in many ancient cultures, believed to be closer to the divine. The Israelites' choice of high hills for their idolatrous practices highlights their complete immersion in pagan worship, as they sought to replicate the religious customs of their neighbors rather than adhere to the worship of Yahweh in the designated temple.

and under every green tree
"Under every green tree" is a phrase that conveys the ubiquity and accessibility of idol worship in Israel. The Hebrew word for "green" is "רַעֲנָן" (ra'anan), meaning flourishing or luxuriant, suggesting that these trees were chosen for their beauty and vitality. In ancient Near Eastern religions, green trees were often associated with fertility and life, making them ideal sites for worship. This practice reflects the Israelites' departure from the prescribed worship of God, as they sought spiritual experiences in natural settings rather than in the temple, which was the ordained place for encountering Yahweh.

(23) High places, and images, and groves.--On the "high places," see 1Kings 3:2, and Note there. The "images" of this passage seem undoubtedly to have been stone pillars, as the "groves" (i.e., the asherahs) were wooden stumps of trees (possibly in both cases surmounted by some rude representation of the deity worshipped). The first mention of such a pillar is in Genesis 28:18; Genesis 31:13; Genesis 35:14, there applied to the stone which Jacob raises and anoints, in order to mark the scene of the vision at Bethel; next, we find repeated commands to destroy them (with the asherahs also) as erected by the Canaanites (Exodus 23:24; Exodus 34:13; Leviticus 26:1; Deuteronomy 7:5; Deuteronomy 12:3), and to suffer neither near the altar of the Lord (Deuteronomy 16:21). Like the high places, it seems plain that both might be either unauthorised emblems of God's presence or images of false gods; and, indeed, the stone pillar appears in some cases to be associated with the worship of Baal, as the Asherah with that of Ashtoreth. In this passage, from the strength of the language used, and from the notice in 1Kings 14:24, it seems that the grosser idolatry is referred to. It was practised "on every high hill, and every shady tree"--such trees as were notable for size and shade in the bareness of the hills of Palestine. . . . Verse 23. - For they also [i.e., they as well as the ten tribes] built them high places [i.e., houses of high places. See on 1 Kings 3:2 and 1 Kings 13:32] and images [Heb. pillars or statues (מַצֵּבות; LXX., στήλας). These were, no doubt, originally memorial pillars or stones, erected to commemorate some Divine manifestation, and with no thought of idolatry (see Genesis 31:13; Genesis 35:14, 20; Genesis 28:18). But the Canaanites erected pillars, which were also statues or images, to their god, Baal. Hence we read of the "image" (מַצֵּבָה) of Baal (2 Kings 3:2; 2 Kings 10:26, 27; cf. 18:4; 23. 14); and hence also we find such images frequently mentioned side by side with the so-called "groves," i.e., the "Asherahs" (ver. 15; Exodus 34:13; Deuteronomy 7:5; Deuteronomy 12:3; Deuteronomy 16:21, etc.) Both the Mazzebah and the Asherah, consequently, was an upright pillar or post, but the former was of stone, the latter of wood; the former dedicated to Baal, the god of nature, of generation; the latter to Ashtoreth, the goddess of nature and productive power. The gradual transition of the memorial pillar into the Baal statue is hinted at in Leviticus 26:1. It is observable that these idolatrous and immoral rites seem to have found a home in Judah before they were introduced into Israel] and groves [Asherahs, idols; see on ver. 15. This verse proves conclusively that the translation "grove" is a mistaken one] on every high hill, and under every green tree. [The phrase is from the Pentateuch, Deuteronomy 12:2; cf. Jeremiah 2:20; Jeremiah 3:6; Hosea 4:13. "Probably the evil example of Maachah, his favourite wife (2 Chronicles 11:20-22), whose idolatrous tastes were displayed under Asa (2 Chronicles 15:16), was not without a pernicious effect on Rehoboam" (Wordsworth).]

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
They
הֵ֧מָּה (hêm·māh)
Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1992: They

also
גַם־ (ḡam-)
Conjunction
Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

built
וַיִּבְנ֨וּ (way·yiḇ·nū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1129: To build

for themselves
לָהֶ֛ם (lā·hem)
Preposition-l | Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1992: They

high places,
בָּמ֥וֹת (bā·mō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 1116: An elevation

sacred pillars,
וּמַצֵּב֖וֹת (ū·maṣ·ṣê·ḇō·wṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 4676: Something stationed, a column, an idol

and Asherah poles
וַאֲשֵׁרִ֑ים (wa·’ă·šê·rîm)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 842: A Phoenician goddess, also an image of the same

on
עַ֚ל (‘al)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

every
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

high
גְבֹהָ֔ה (ḡə·ḇō·hāh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 1364: Elevated, powerful, arrogant

hill
גִּבְעָ֣ה (giḇ·‘āh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1389: A hillock

and under
וְתַ֖חַת (wə·ṯa·ḥaṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 8478: The bottom, below, in lieu of

every
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

green
רַעֲנָֽן׃ (ra·‘ă·nān)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7488: Verdant, new, prosperous

tree.
עֵ֥ץ (‘êṣ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6086: Tree, trees, wood


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OT History: 1 Kings 14:23 For they also built them high places (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)
1 Kings 14:22
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