2 Chronicles 15 Footnotes

15:16 Removing Maacah from being “queen mother” shows that the position was not automatic and hereditary. Apparently, by removing her, Asa prevented her from leading Judah into further idolatry.

15:17 This apparently contradicts 14:2, which says Asa did remove the high places. But as the books of Kings make clear, the cult of Asherah and the country shrines built on the “high places” were popular and nearly impossible to stamp out, springing back into existence after every suppression. It also explains why the kings were reluctant to destroy them and incur the people’s wrath.