His heart was lifted up in the ways of Yahweh. Furthermore, he took away the high places and the Asherah poles out of Judah.
Parallel Translations
-
His heart was lifted up in the ways of Yahweh. Furthermore, he took away the high places and the Asherah poles out of Judah.
-
And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah.
-
And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD; and furthermore he took away the high places and the Asherim out of Judah.
Examined in Scripture Analysis
Contradictions (1)
Questions where the Bible appears to say two different things, with the passages on each side set together.
Cross-references (14)
Passages linked to 2 Chronicles 17:6 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Hosea 14:9 Who is wise, that he may understand these things? Who is prudent, that he may know them? For the ways of Yahweh are right, and the righteous walk in them; But the rebellious stumble in them.
- 2 Chronicles 15:17 But the high places were not taken away out of Israel; nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.
- 2 Chronicles 20:33 However the high places were not taken away, and the people had still not set their hearts on the God of their fathers.
- Psalms 119:1 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to Yahweh’s law.
- 1 Kings 22:43 He walked in all the way of Asa his father. He didn’t turn away from it, doing that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes. However the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.
- 2 Chronicles 19:3 Nevertheless there are good things found in you, in that you have put away the Asheroth out of the land, and have set your heart to seek God.”
- 2 Chronicles 34:3-7 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, the Asherah poles, the engraved images, and the molten images. They broke down the altars of the Baals in his presence; and he cut down the incense altars that were on high above them. He broke the Asherah poles, the engraved images, and the molten images in pieces, made dust of them, and scattered it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. He burned the bones of the priests on their altars, and purged Judah and Jerusalem. He did this in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, even to Naphtali, around in their ruins. He broke down the altars, and beat the Asherah poles and the engraved images into powder, and cut down all the incense altars throughout all the land of Israel, then returned to Jerusalem.
- Psalms 18:21-22 For I have kept the ways of Yahweh, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all his ordinances were before me. I didn’t put away his statutes from me.
- Psalms 138:5 Yes, they will sing of the ways of Yahweh, for Yahweh’s glory is great!
- Deuteronomy 28:47 Because you didn’t serve Yahweh your God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart, by reason of the abundance of all things;
- 2 Chronicles 14:3 for he took away the foreign altars and the high places, broke down the pillars, cut down the Asherah poles,
- 2 Chronicles 31:1 Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah, and broke the pillars in pieces, cut down the Asherah poles, and broke down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, also in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.
- Job 22:26 For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and will lift up your face to God.
- Acts 13:10 and said, “You son of the devil, full of all deceit and all cunning, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (14 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Private notes
Saved on this device only — never synced or sent anywhere.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain He gave himself wholly to serve the Lord.
He gave himself wholly to serve the Lord.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 2Ch 17:6 And his heart was lifted up in…
2Ch 17:6 And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah.
Ver. 6. And his heart was lifted up.] Not with pride, as 2Ch 32:25, but with undaunted courage and disengaged zeal, such as made him come off roundly and readily in the ensuing reformation: he was more forward and forth putting than his father Asa, "not slothful in business, but fervent in spirit, serving the Lord."
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain His heart was lifted up above all discouragements, and…
His heart was lifted up above all discouragements, and difficulties, and fears, by which men’s hearts use to be cast down: he was valiant and resolute for God and his ways.
He took away the high places and groves, to wit, such only wherein idols were worshipped, as appears by comparing this with 2Ch 20:33. And though Asa had done this before, yet either he did not do it thoroughly, or the Jews (who were many of them mad upon their idols) had secretly made new ones, in the latter part of his reign, when he grew more infirm in body, and more remiss in God’s cause.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And his heart was lifted up in the ways…
And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord,.... It was engaged in them, was bent and set upon them; he walked in them with great pleasure and cheerfulness, being inspired with zeal and courage; he was fearless and intrepid, and regarded not any opposition he might have, or expect to have, in the work of reformation in which he was concerned:
moreover, he took away the high places; such as were dedicated to idols, but not those in which the true God was worshipped, Ch2 20:33
Read full note →
and groves out of Judah; where idols were placed; for though these had been removed by Asa, yet had been renewed in the latter part of his days, when more negligent of religion.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Lifted up - Above all discouragements, and fears. He…
Lifted up - Above all discouragements, and fears. He was valiant and resolute for God and his ways. Groves - Those wherein idols were worshipped, and though Asa had done this before, yet either he did not do it thoroughly; or the Jews (who were many of them mad upon their idols) had secretly made new ones, in the latter part of his reign, when he grew more infirm in body, and more remiss in God's cause.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain His heart was lifted up - This expression generally…
His heart was lifted up - This expression generally occurs in a bad sense Deu 8:14; 2Ch 26:16; Psa 131:1; Pro 18:12; but here it must be taken differently. The margin “was encouraged” expresses fairly the true meaning. He first began by setting an example of faithfulness to Yahweh. He then proceeded to use his best endeavors to extirpate idolatry.
He took away the high places - Compare 2Ch 20:33, and see the 2Ch 15:17 note.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain When. Heb. "And his heart was elevated in the…
When. Heb. "And his heart was elevated in the ways of the Lord." He was endued with courage to undertake the great work of banishing all abuses out of his dominions, seeing that the people were well affected, and the Lord urged him forward. H. --- He trusted no so much to his great army or riches, as to a good conscience, (T.) which made him fear no difficulties; (1 John iii. 21,) doubting not but God would grant him success, as he endeavoured to keep his laws. C. --- Groves of idols, (M.) though he tolerated the high places, which had been consecrated to God, C. xx. 33., and 3 K. xxii. 43. H. --- Good works, rewarded by God, encouraged people to proceed in virtue. W.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain his heart was lifted up in the ways of…
his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord--Full of faith and piety, he possessed zeal and courage to undertake the reformation of manners, to suppress all the works and objects of idolatry (see on Ch2 20:33), and he held out public encouragement to the pure worship of God.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 6. His heart was lifted up — That is,…
6. His heart was lifted up — That is, exalted with holy faith and courage.
Took away the high places — Yet, in spite of all his efforts and successes in this matter, the people had become so addicted to these practices that their destruction was not thoroughly secured. See note on 2Ch_14:3, and compare 2Ch_20:33.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 6. moreover he took away] R.V. and furthermore he…
6. moreover he took away] R.V. and furthermore he took away. In 2Ch_20:33 = 1Ki_22:43 it is said that the high places were not taken away. Cp. what is said of Asa (2Ch_14:3 and 2Ch_15:17 = 1Ki_15:14). It seems that in both cases the Chronicler incorporates mutually contradictory traditions. If the removal took place, it must have met with only partial success.
and groves] R.V. and the Asherim. See note on 2Ch_14:3.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (6) And his heart was lifted up.—Gabhah lçbh, which…
(6) And his heart was lifted up.—Gabhah lçbh, which usually, like the phrase of Authorised version, has a bad meaning, as in 2Ch_26:16. The margin is right here: “his courage rose high,” or “he grew bold” in the ways of Jehovah, i.e., in the path of religious reform. Vulg., “cum sumpsisset cor ejus audaciam propter vias Domini.”
Moreover.—And again, further. Referring to 2Ch_17:3. Not only did he not seek the Baals, but more than this, he removed the high places, &c. [This is the common explanation. But the sense may rather be: “And he again removed,” referring back to Asa’s reforms, 2Ch_14:5.]
Read full note →
Groves.—’Ashêrim, “Asherahs.” (2Ch_14:3.)
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain And his heart was lifted up in the ways…
And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord. Although the verb Hbg; often carries a bad sense with it, it quite as often carries with it a good one in the Old Testament, and the typical instance of the former (Psa_131:1) is fully counterbalanced by Isa_52:13.The marginal "was enencouraged may be superseded with advantage by "took courage". (Isa_40:29-31) The groves. Supersede this incorrect rendering by the Asherim; and upon the seeming discrepancy, see again 2Ch_15:17, and "Introduction to Chronicles" there quoted.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain And his heart was lifted up in the ways…
2Ch_17:6
And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord.
Read full note →
Encouragement in the ways of the Lord
I. The ways of the Lord are divine. Are His ways cold and unpleasant? H we descend a deep coal-pit and look up the shaft into the bright sky, we see the stars, but the pit is cold and dark. So men think that when they commune with God, it is like being in a coal-pit beholding a star; it is a beautiful sight, but makes one cold and unpleasant. Is this the truth? No; the Bible describes Gods people as having melody in their hearts, and one of His sweetest names is The happy God. Some people are afraid of becoming religious, lest they should be miserable; but they mistake the God in whose breast there is an ever-flowing heaven. The man who the most loves God is the happiest in disposition and the most cheerful as well as the most graceful in life.
II. His ways are also humane; they constrain us to love our suffering fellow-man, when he can do us no good but when we can do him good. (W. Birch.)
Jehoshaphat
I. Some men when, like jehoshaphat, they have riches and honour in abundance, have their hearts lifted up, but not in the ways of the Lord. The natural tendency of such circumstances is to create and foster a spirit of pride, of self-sufficiency, and of independence. How necessary the warning (Deu_8:11-14). Nebuchadnezzar is a striking exemplification of this.
II. Some men whose hearts are not lifted up are in the ways of the Lord. They are real Christians, but doubting, desponding Christians.
III. Some men have their hearts lifted up, like Jehoshaphat, in the ways of the Lord. They rejoice in the Lord alway. (R. Harley.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain high places (See Scofield "1Ki 3:2").
high places (See Scofield "1Ki 3:2").
groves (See Scofield "Deu 16:21") See Scofield "Jdg 3:7".
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.