2 Kings 12:3

3 However, the shrines were not removed. People kept sacrificing and burning incense at them.

2 Kings 12:3 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 12:3

But the high places were not taken away
Used before the temple was built, or set up in Rehoboam's time, ( 1 Kings 14:23 ) contrary to the law of God, which required that sacrifices should only be offered in the place the Lord chose to dwell in, ( Deuteronomy 12:4 Deuteronomy 12:6 ) the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places; as they had done in the times of Athaliah, and though the pure worship of God was restored at Jerusalem; and indeed this they did in all preceding reigns; nor was it in the power of the best of kings, at least they did not think it safe to attempt to remove them till Hezekiah's time; so fond were the people of them because of their antiquity and supposed sanctity, and for the sake of ease.

2 Kings 12:3 In-Context

1 He became king in Jehu's seventh year, and he ruled for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah; she was from Beer-sheba.

2 Jehoash always did what was right in the LORD's eyes, because the priest Jehoiada was his teacher.

3 However, the shrines were not removed. People kept sacrificing and burning incense at them.

4 Jehoash said to the priests, "Collect all the currently available money relating to holy things that is brought to the temple—some is money people pay to redeem persons according to their assessed value. Collect all the money brought to the LORD's temple that people offer voluntarily.

5 The priests should take the money from their donors and use it to repair the temple wherever such a need for repair is discovered."