1 Kings 15 14

1 Kings 15:14 kjv

But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa's heart was perfect with the LORD all his days.

1 Kings 15:14 nkjv

But the high places were not removed. Nevertheless Asa's heart was loyal to the LORD all his days.

1 Kings 15:14 niv

Although he did not remove the high places, Asa's heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life.

1 Kings 15:14 esv

But the high places were not taken away. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was wholly true to the LORD all his days.

1 Kings 15:14 nlt

Although the pagan shrines were not removed, Asa's heart remained completely faithful to the LORD throughout his life.

1 Kings 15 verses

1 Kings 15 14 Meaning

This verse states that although King Asa did not completely remove the "high places"—sites often associated with illicit worship or corrupted forms of true worship—his fundamental devotion and commitment to the Lord remained sincere and complete throughout his life. It highlights a tension between outward obedience, which was imperfect, and internal sincerity of heart before God, which was unwavering.

1 Kings 15 14 Context

King Asa's reign began with a strong commitment to God, highlighted by significant reforms detailed in 2 Chronicles 14. He diligently removed foreign altars, pagan high places, and sacred pillars from Judah, demonstrating a zeal for true worship. This initial cleansing led to peace and military victories. However, 1 Kings 15:14, written from a historical perspective spanning his entire reign, observes a notable failure: despite his overall devotion and initial reform efforts, certain high places persisted. This indicates the entrenched nature of syncretistic worship in Judah, and perhaps a boundary to Asa's political or spiritual authority, or a persistent compromise he could not, or chose not to, fully eradicate. This verse stands as an assessment of his reign, praising his inner commitment while noting an outward flaw.

1 Kings 15 14 Word analysis

• But (אךְ 'akh): An adversative particle. It introduces a contrasting statement or an exception, highlighting the tension between what one might expect or desire (complete removal of all pagan sites) and what actually occurred.
• the high places (הַבָּמוֹת ha'bamot):
  • Transliteration: Ha'bamot (plural of bamah).
  • Meaning: "High places," typically elevated sites for worship. Originally, some may have been legitimate altars to God (e.g., Sam 7:17, 10:8), but they increasingly became corrupted by Canaanite practices (child sacrifice, ritual prostitution) or syncretistic worship of Yahweh alongside other deities. They were explicitly condemned in the Deuteronomic law as alternative, unauthorized worship sites.
  • Significance: Their continued presence symbolized a lingering spiritual compromise, a blend of Yahwism with paganism, challenging the singular and centralized worship commanded for Jerusalem's temple. This constitutes a polemic against idolatry and syncretism.
• were not removed (לֹא־סָרוּ lo'-saru):
  • Transliteration: Lo'-saru.
  • Meaning: "Not removed" or "did not depart." This indicates a failure or a limitation in Asa's reform. Despite his strong initial efforts, this persistent problem remained. This contrasts sharply with later kings like Hezekiah and Josiah who managed to dismantle these entirely.
• Nevertheless (אךְ 'akh): This is the same adversative particle as the first 'akh. Its repetition here strongly emphasizes the sharp contrast: despite the failure concerning high places, there's a vital, positive counter-point. It points to God's assessment which goes beyond outward performance.
• Asa's heart (לֵב אָסָא lev 'Asa):
  • Transliteration: Lev 'Asa.
  • Meaning: "Heart of Asa." In Hebrew thought, the "heart" (לֵב lev) is not just the seat of emotions, but the center of one's intellect, will, and moral character. It represents the inner being, motivations, and core allegiance.
  • Significance: This points to God's primary focus being on the inward disposition, not merely outward actions.
• was wholly true (הָיָה שָׁלֵם hayah shalem):
  • Transliteration: Hayah shalem (from the root שָׁלֵם shalem).
  • Meaning: "Was complete," "sound," "perfect," "undivided," "devoted." It signifies integrity, sincerity, and unwavering allegiance. It doesn't mean Asa was sinless, but that his fundamental orientation and loyalty were entirely towards the Lord.
  • Significance: This assessment by the narrator underscores that while Asa had specific failures, his core loyalty to YHWH was never compromised. This implies divine grace looking past complete perfection in action to the sincere intention of the heart.
• to the Lord (עִם־יְהוָה im-YHWH):
  • Transliteration: Im-YHWH (the Tetragrammaton for the covenant God of Israel).
  • Meaning: "With the Lord," indicating direction of allegiance and relationship.
• all his days (כָּל־יָמָיו kol-yamav):
  • Transliteration: Kol-yamav.
  • Meaning: "All his days," implying a sustained, lifelong commitment. This phrase reinforces the enduring nature of his core faithfulness, despite the documented instances of imperfection or deviation (e.g., later relying on the king of Aram rather than God in 1 Kgs 15:16-22).

Words-group Analysis:

• "But the high places were not removed.": This phrase introduces a critical deficiency in Asa's otherwise commendable reign. It reveals the pervasive challenge of fully purging syncretistic worship from Israel/Judah, a challenge even righteous kings struggled to overcome entirely. This suggests societal resistance, deeply entrenched practices, or perhaps a political expediency.
• "Nevertheless, Asa's heart was wholly true to the Lord all his days.": This powerful declaration shifts the focus from the partial failure in outward actions to the unwavering commitment of the king's inner being. It emphasizes God's perspective on human devotion, which prioritizes the sincerity and wholeness of the heart, even when external manifestations of faith are imperfect. It's a testimony to Asa's enduring integrity and spiritual resolve, a divine assessment of his character. The tension between these two clauses illustrates that a king can have genuine, lifelong devotion to God, yet still fall short in certain areas, particularly concerning deeply ingrained cultural or religious practices.

1 Kings 15 14 Bonus section

The seemingly contradictory account of "high places" removal between 1 Kings 15:14 ("were not removed") and 2 Chronicles 14:3 ("removed the high places") can be reconciled in a few ways:

1. Initial vs. Throughout Reign: Asa did remove the foreign altars and some high places initially (as in 2 Chronicles 14), but other Israelite-oriented high places (perhaps those dedicated to YHWH but in unauthorized locations) may have persisted throughout his reign, or re-emerged later. Kings focused more on the truly idolatrous foreign high places than on those used for 'legitimate' but unsanctioned worship of YHWH.
2. Scope: 1 Kings 15:14 likely refers specifically to high places within Judah proper, or even broader Israelite territory that he governed, while the Chronicler might highlight Asa's significant successes in purging the most egregious pagan high places in specific regions, especially earlier in his reign.
3. Emphasis: Kings often focuses on the shortcomings and the continued challenge of full reform leading towards exile, while Chronicles often emphasizes the positive aspects and the kings' relationship with God, sometimes in a more optimistic light. Both accounts are truthful, reflecting different aspects or periods of his rule. The core truth remains: his heart was true, but the external problem of the high places remained unresolved to the full extent commanded by God. This indicates the depth of syncretism's hold on the people, even within the land of Judah under a righteous king.

1 Kings 15 14 Commentary

1 Kings 15:14 offers a concise theological summary of King Asa's reign. It presents a paradox: a good king who actively pursued religious reform and was genuinely devoted to the Lord throughout his life, yet failed to completely eradicate the "high places"—centers of problematic worship. This suggests that while Asa's initial zeal was impactful, the entrenched nature of these alternative worship sites presented a formidable challenge. The repeated use of the Hebrew word 'akh (אךְ), meaning "but" or "nevertheless," starkly contrasts the partial failure with the underlying purity of his intentions. The divine assessment, which focuses on "Asa's heart" being "wholly true" or "complete" (shalem), reveals that God prioritizes internal sincerity and allegiance over perfect external execution. It implies a grace-filled understanding that acknowledges human frailty and the persistent struggle against ingrained sin, while still commending true devotion. This verse reminds believers that absolute perfection in actions is unattainable for humanity, yet a wholehearted, continuous commitment to God is profoundly valued. It underscores the perpetual battle against spiritual compromise and highlights that a genuine heart for God remains paramount.