Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  7000 God's people  »  7300 Institutions and culture of OT  »  7374 high places

Natural heights were sometimes the sites of shrines devoted to the LORD. However, the term usually refers to the places where shrines were set up to foreign gods, especially shrines where the worship of the LORD was in rivalry with Jerusalem.

High places referring to mountainous areas

Habakkuk 3:19 See also Deuteronomy 32:13; Psalm 18:33 pp 2 Samuel 22:34

High places express divine lordship

Amos 4:13 See also Micah 1:3

High places referring to shrines to the LORD

High places were the focus of worship before the building of Solomon's temple

1 Kings 3:2-3

High places associated with Samuel

1 Samuel 9:12 See also 1 Samuel 9:13-14,19

Associated with other prophets

1 Samuel 10:5

High places referring to foreign shrines

In Canaan before the conquest

Deuteronomy 33:29

Among Israel's neighbours

Isaiah 15:2 See also Isaiah 16:12

Israelite use of high places condemned

The building of shrines on high places

1 Kings 12:31

High places condemned by God

Leviticus 26:30 See also Numbers 33:52; Deuteronomy 12:2

High places condemned by the prophets

Ezekiel 20:28-29 See also Jeremiah 17:3

High places associated with foreign gods

Jeremiah 32:35 Baal; 1 Kings 11:7 Chemosh and Molech

Worship at the high places

High places regarded as unsatisfactory places to worship the LORD

2 Chronicles 32:12 See also 2 Kings 18:4 The presence of Asherah poles is evidence of a consort for the LORD, typical of Baal worship, but alien to the Biblical concept of God; 2 Chronicles 31:1

Characteristics of worship at the high places

2 Kings 17:11 burning incense; 2 Kings 23:20 the presence of priests; 2 Chronicles 28:25 sacrifices; Ezekiel 43:7 a site for the tombs of kings

Removal of the high places

Leviticus 26:30; Numbers 33:52; 2 Chronicles 14:3; 2 C 6

Commended for the zeal shown

2 Kings 23:5 See also 2 Kings 23:8,15

Used as a test

1 Kings 15:14; Kings 22:43; 2 Kings 12:2-3; Kings 14:3-4; Kings 15:3-4,34-35; 2 Chronicles 20:32-33

See also

6209  pagans
7442  shrine
8622  worship
8747  false gods
8748  false religion
8768  idolatry