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.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(43) The high places were not taken away.—This agrees with 2Chronicles 20:33, and stands in apparent contradiction with 2Chronicles 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.

Benson Commentary

1 Kings 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 2 Chronicles 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.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

22:41-50 Jehoshaphat's reign appears to have been one of the best, both as to piety and prosperity. He pleased God, and God blessed him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

On the general piety of Asa, see above, 1 Kings 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 2 Chronicles 16:2-12.

The high places were not taken away - This seems to contradict 2 Chronicles 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.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

29-38. went up to Ramoth-gilead—The king of Israel, bent on this expedition, marched, accompanied by his ally, with all his forces to the siege; but on approaching the scene of action, his courage failed, and, hoping to evade the force of Micaiah's prophecy by a secret stratagem, he assumed the uniform of a subaltern, while he advised Jehoshaphat to fight in his royal attire. The Syrian king, with a view either to put the speediest end to the war, or perhaps to wipe out the stain of his own humiliation (1Ki 20:31), had given special instructions to his generals to single out Ahab, and to take or kill him, as the author of the war. The officers at first directed their assault on Jehoshaphat, but, becoming aware of their mistake, desisted. Ahab was wounded by a random arrow, which, being probably poisoned, and the state of the weather increasing the virulence of the poison, he died at sunset. The corpse was conveyed to Samaria; and, as the chariot which brought it was being washed, in a pool near the city, from the blood that had profusely oozed from the wound, the dogs, in conformity with Elijah's prophecy, came and licked it [1Ki 21:19]. Ahab was succeeded by his son Ahaziah [1Ki 22:40].

Matthew Poole's Commentary

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 1 Kings 15:11.

The high places were not taken away.

Object. It is said he did take them away, 2 Chronicles 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 1 Kings 15:14, where See Poole "1 Kings 15:14". Or he took them away, but not fully; or not in the very beginning of his reign.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

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, 2 Chronicles 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.

Geneva Study Bible

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.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

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 2 Chronicles 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 (2 Chronicles 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.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 43. - And he walked in an 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. departed not, as in 1 Kings 15:14; 2 Chronicles 15:17; 2 Kings 12:4, Hebrew; 2 Kings 14:4, Hebrew But see 2 Chronicles 18:6. The discrepancy is the exact parallel of that between 1 Kings 15:14 and 2 Chronicles 14:3; or between this latter passage and 2 Chronicles 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. 1 Kings 3:2]. 1 Kings 22:43

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

"He walked entirely in the way of his father Asa and departed not from it, to do what was well-pleasing to the Lord," whereas Asa's heart had become more estranged from the Lord in the last years of his reign (see 1 Kings 15:18.). - On the worship of the high places (1 Kings 22:43), see at 1 Kings 15:14.