1 Kings 14:23

1 Kings 14:23

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

a. ASV: For they also built them high places, and pillars, and Asherim, on every high hill, and under every green tree;

b. YLT: And they build -- also they -- for themselves high places, and standing-pillars, and shrines, on every high height, and under every green tree;

c. Amplified Bible Classic: For they also built themselves [idolatrous] high places, pillars, and Asherim [idolatrous symbols of the goddess Asherah] on every high hill and under every green tree.

d. Septuagint: And they built for themselves high places, and pillars, and [planted] groves on every high hill, and under every shady tree.

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: They, too, built for themselves high places and pillars and Asherah-trees on every lofty hill and under every leafy tree.

1. “For they also built them high places, and images, and groves…”

a. [For] they [Strong: 1992 hem haym or (prolonged) hemmah {haym'-maw}; masculine plural from 1981; they (only used when emphatic):--it, like, X (how, so) many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, X so, X such, their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye.]

b. also [Strong: 1571  gam gam by contraction from an unused root meaning to gather; properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and:--again, alike, also, (so much) as (soon), both (so)...and , but, either...or, even, for all, (in) likewise (manner), moreover, nay...neither, one, then(-refore), though, what, with, yea.]

c. built [Strong: 1129 bânâh, baw-naw'; a primitive root; to build (literally and figuratively):—(begin to) build(-er), obtain children, make, repair, set (up), × surely.]

d. them [Strong: 1992 hem haym or (prolonged) hemmah {haym'-maw}; masculine plural from 1981; they (only used when emphatic):--it, like, X (how, so) many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, X so, X such, their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye.]

e. high places [Strong: 1116 bâmâh, bam-maw'; from an unused root (meaning to be high); an elevation:—height, high place, wave.]

f. [and] images [Strong: 4676 matstsêbâh, mats-tsay-baw'; feminine (causatively) participle of H5324; something stationed, i.e. a column or (memorial stone); by analogy, an idol:—garrison, (standing) image, pillar.]

g. [and] groves [Strong: 842 ʼăshêrâh, ash-ay-raw'; or אֲשֵׁירָה ʼăshêyrâh; from H833; happy; Asherah (or Astarte) a Phoenician goddess; also an image of the same:—grove.]

2. “...on every high hill, and under every green tree.”

a. on [Strong: 5921 `al al properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications (as follow):--above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, X with.]

b. every [Strong: 3605 kol kole or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).]

c. high [Strong: 1364 gaboahh gaw-bo'-ah or (fully) gabowahh {gaw-bo'-ah}; from 1361; elevated (or elated), powerful, arrogant:--haughty, height, high(-er), lofty, proud, X exceeding proudly.

d. hill [Strong: 1389 gibʻâh, ghib-aw'; feminine from the same as H1387; a hillock:—hill, little hill.]

e. [and] under [Strong: 8478 tachath takh'-ath from the same as 8430; the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc.:--as, beneath, X flat, in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead of, under, X unto, X when...was mine, whereas, (where-)fore, with.]

f. every [Strong: 3605 kol kole or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).]

g. green [Strong: 7488 raʻănân, rah-an-awn'; from an unused root meaning to be green; verdant; by analogy, new; figuratively, prosperous:—green, flourishing.]

h. tree [Strong: 6086 ʻêts, ates; from H6095; a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood (plural sticks):— carpenter, gallows, helve, pine, plank, staff, stalk, stick, stock, timber, tree, wood.]

1). There is no doubt that the primary influence on Rehoboam was probably his father Solomon and his idolatrous mother and her corrupt cultural influence, not only on Rehoboam but also all of Judah. Solomon introduced into Israel corrupt spiritual cultures. Specifically the Zidonian, Moabite, Hittite, Edomite and Ammonite.

a). 1 Kings 11:1, 2  But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites:

11:2 Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.

b). 1 Kings 11:5-8 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

11:6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father.

11:7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.

11:8 And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.

2). What must be noted is that at least one of these ethnic groups, and probably others were among the nations that Israel was supposed to remove out of the land.

a). Exodus 23:28  And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee.

3). When looking at the context it is clear that the reappearance of high places, images and groves and the practice of homosexuality is a direct result of the influence of the corruptive spiritual cultures that were introduced into Israel through Solomon and his idolatrous wives.

a). 1 Kings 14:21-24 And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess.

14:22 And Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done.

14:23 For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.

14:24 And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.