Matthew Henry on 2 Chronicles 20:31–end
We are now drawing towards the close of the history of Jehoshaphat's reign, for a further account of which those who lived when this book was published were referred to an authentic history of it, written by Jehu the prophet (Ch2 19:2), which was then extant, Ch2 20:34. This was the general character of his reign, that he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, kept close to the worship of God himself and did what he could to keep his people close to it. But two things are here to be lamented: - 1. The people still retained a partiality for the high places, Ch2 20:33. Those that were erected to the honour of strange gods were taken away (Ch2 17:6); but those where the true God was…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Chronicles 20:33
the high places were not taken away--Those on which idolatry was practised were entirely destroyed (Ch2 17:6); but those where the people, notwithstanding the erection of the temple, continued to worship the true God, prudence required to be slowly and gradually abolished, in deference to popular prejudice.
Adam Clarke on 2 Chronicles 20:33
The high places were not taken away - The idolatry, as we have seen, was universally suppressed; but some of the places where that worship had been performed were not destroyed. Some of them still remained; and these, to such a fickle people, became the means of idolatry in reigns less propitious to truth and religion.
John Gill on 2 Chronicles 20:33
Howbeit, the high places were not taken away,.... The high places, where idols were worshipped, were taken away, 2 Chronicles 17:6, but not those where sacrifices were offered to the true God:
for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers; to seek and serve him wholly, according to his will, to offer sacrifices to him only at Jerusalem, as the law required, Deuteronomy 12:5, they could not as yet be prevailed upon to relinquish the high places, built and made use of before the temple was; partly because they were nearer to some of them than that, and partly out of veneration for them, as being of a long time used.
