The people continued to worship in the old ways, showing that halfhearted reforms fall short of wholehearted obedience.
“Only the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.” (v.3)
In 2 Kings 12:3, King Jehoash (also known as Joash) is recorded as having done what was right in the sight of the LORD, but the nation’s worship practices were not yet fully reformed. The verse states that the high places were not taken away (v.3), meaning that these unauthorized worship sites—often built on elevated hills and associated with pagan or mixed religious rituals—remained active. Even though Jehoash took significant steps to restore proper worship in the temple at Jerusalem, the people continued to sacrifice and burn incense on the high places (v.3), splitting their loyalties between the true God and age-old traditions.
These high places had typically been used by the Israelites for centuries, from the days of the judges through the era of the kings. By the time of Jehoash’s reign (835 BC to 796 BC), the LORD had long instructed His covenant people to centralize all worship in the Jerusalem temple (Deuteronomy 12). Yet despite partial reforms, the people clung to their localized and culturally familiar altars. This illustrates that even a king committed to honoring God could still face the lingering effects of compromise and routine. Maintaining authentic devotion required the removal of every last vestige of pagan influence, a task not completed in Jehoash’s day.
The presence of these high places underscores the consistent human tendency to merge genuine worship with convenience or folk tradition. Although scripture commends Jehoash for many good things, this verse reminds us that incomplete obedience to God’s instructions leaves space for compromised devotion. Far-reaching spiritual change can be difficult, especially when popular customs and long-standing practices stand in the way, causing the nation to perpetuate partial obedience despite opportunities for revival.
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2 Kings 12:3 meaning
“Only the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.” (v.3)
In 2 Kings 12:3, King Jehoash (also known as Joash) is recorded as having done what was right in the sight of the LORD, but the nation’s worship practices were not yet fully reformed. The verse states that the high places were not taken away (v.3), meaning that these unauthorized worship sites—often built on elevated hills and associated with pagan or mixed religious rituals—remained active. Even though Jehoash took significant steps to restore proper worship in the temple at Jerusalem, the people continued to sacrifice and burn incense on the high places (v.3), splitting their loyalties between the true God and age-old traditions.
These high places had typically been used by the Israelites for centuries, from the days of the judges through the era of the kings. By the time of Jehoash’s reign (835 BC to 796 BC), the LORD had long instructed His covenant people to centralize all worship in the Jerusalem temple (Deuteronomy 12). Yet despite partial reforms, the people clung to their localized and culturally familiar altars. This illustrates that even a king committed to honoring God could still face the lingering effects of compromise and routine. Maintaining authentic devotion required the removal of every last vestige of pagan influence, a task not completed in Jehoash’s day.
The presence of these high places underscores the consistent human tendency to merge genuine worship with convenience or folk tradition. Although scripture commends Jehoash for many good things, this verse reminds us that incomplete obedience to God’s instructions leaves space for compromised devotion. Far-reaching spiritual change can be difficult, especially when popular customs and long-standing practices stand in the way, causing the nation to perpetuate partial obedience despite opportunities for revival.