2 Chronicles 20 33

2 Chronicles 20:33 kjv

Howbeit the high places were not taken away: for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers.

2 Chronicles 20:33 nkjv

Nevertheless the high places were not taken away, for as yet the people had not directed their hearts to the God of their fathers.

2 Chronicles 20:33 niv

The high places, however, were not removed, and the people still had not set their hearts on the God of their ancestors.

2 Chronicles 20:33 esv

The high places, however, were not taken away; the people had not yet set their hearts upon the God of their fathers.

2 Chronicles 20:33 nlt

During his reign, however, he failed to remove all the pagan shrines, and the people never fully committed themselves to follow the God of their ancestors.

2 Chronicles 20 verses

2 Chronicles 20 33 Meaning

2 Chronicles 20:33 describes a significant caveat to the otherwise commendable reign of King Jehoshaphat. Despite his efforts towards religious reform, the centers of illicit worship known as "high places" were not fully eliminated throughout the land. This critical limitation is directly attributed not to the king's negligence, but to the pervasive spiritual apathy of the people, whose hearts were not genuinely committed to seeking the Lord God, the God of their ancestors. It highlights a recurring theme in Israelite history: outward compliance or top-down reforms often fell short when not accompanied by a profound, personal, and widespread turning of the people's hearts to God.

2 Chronicles 20 33 Context

2 Chronicles 20 recounts one of Jehoshaphat's most significant acts of faith and Judah's most dramatic deliverances. Facing an overwhelming coalition of armies, Jehoshaphat proclaims a fast, leads the nation in fervent prayer, and receives a prophetic word promising victory without battle. God miraculously defeats the enemy, bringing immense spoils and establishing peace for Judah. Chapter 17 had earlier noted Jehoshaphat's earlier removal of pagan high places (2 Chr 17:6). However, verse 33 of chapter 20 acts as a crucial postscript to his otherwise faithful and prosperous reign, highlighting an underlying spiritual deficiency that persisted in the general population. While Jehoshaphat himself was devoted, the people's hearts were not consistently "set to seek the God of their fathers," meaning reforms often didn't translate into deep, personal commitment across the entire populace, thus allowing traditional or Yahwistic high places—though illicit by Deuteronomic law—to remain. This reflects the recurring challenge throughout Judah's history, where kingly piety did not always result in widespread spiritual revival among the people.

2 Chronicles 20 33 Word analysis

• Nevertheless (Hebrew: אֶפֶס, ‘ephęs): This adverb introduces a stark contrast or qualification. It signifies "however," "only," or "yet," drawing attention to a crucial limitation or exception to the otherwise positive preceding account. In this context, it flags a major drawback amidst Jehoshaphat's good reign and God's powerful deliverance.
• the high places (Hebrew: הַבָּמוֹת, ha-bamot): These were local places of worship, often on elevated ground. Originally, some might have been legitimate Yahwistic altars, but they increasingly became associated with syncretistic practices or pure idolatry, violating the Deuteronomic command for centralized worship at the Jerusalem Temple (Deut 12:5-14). Their persistence signaled a popular resistance to exclusive worship of Yahweh in the prescribed manner and a tolerance for spiritual compromise, rooted in ancient Canaanite traditions.
• were not removed (Hebrew: לֹא סָרוּ, lo' saru): The verb implies cessation or departure. It means they were not taken away or did not cease to exist. This phrasing indicates either the practical difficulty or lack of full national resolve to utterly eradicate these deeply entrenched local worship sites, especially those seen as Yahwistic, even if illicit.
• for (Hebrew: כִּי, ki): This causal conjunction explains the reason for the preceding statement. It introduces the fundamental spiritual problem that prevented the complete removal of the high places.
• the hearts (Hebrew: לְבָבָם, l'vavam): In Hebrew thought, the "heart" signifies the whole inner person—the mind, will, emotions, and conscience. It's the core of one's being where decisions are made and convictions reside. This emphasizes that the issue wasn't just external action, but an internal spiritual disposition.
• of the people (Hebrew: הָעָם, ha-am): Refers to the general populace, the common Israelites, as distinct from the king or specific religious leaders. This indicates a widespread, deeply rooted spiritual problem among the majority.
• had not yet set themselves (Hebrew: לֹא הֵכִינוּ, lo' hekhinu): From the root כוּן (kun), meaning to establish, prepare, direct firmly, or make ready. The Hiphil perfect with lo' (not) conveys that their hearts were not firm, established, or determined. The phrase "not yet" (עַד-כֵּן, 'ad-ken) suggests a prolonged state of unpreparedness or unwillingness, implying that while reform might have been underway, a deep, pervasive change had not taken hold among the people.
• to seek (Hebrew: לִדְרוֹשׁ, lidrosh): This verb means to inquire, consult, earnestly desire, or require. It denotes an active and intentional pursuit, a diligent inquiry, and dependence on God. It implies more than superficial religiosity, but a deep spiritual yearning and active commitment to Yahweh.
• the God of their fathers (Hebrew: אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם, Elohei avoteihem): This foundational theological title emphasizes God's covenant relationship with Israel through generations, dating back to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It contrasts with pagan deities and highlights the legacy of monotheism and faithfulness to the true God passed down through their lineage. The people's failure was a neglect of their ancestral covenant faith.

Words-group analysis:

• Nevertheless, the high places were not removed: This phrase creates a literary and theological tension. Despite Jehoshaphat's significant reforms and piety, and God's dramatic intervention on behalf of Judah, this problem persisted. It serves as a stark reminder that even divine help and righteous leadership cannot overcome a people's deeply ingrained spiritual apathy.
• for the hearts of the people had not yet set themselves: This segment provides the underlying reason for the incomplete reform. It attributes the failure not to an external obstacle, but to an internal spiritual deficit. The phrase "had not yet set themselves" speaks to a lack of deep conviction, firm resolution, and preparedness for exclusive devotion, illustrating a recurring problem in Judah where superficial observance overshadowed genuine transformation.
• to seek the God of their fathers: This defines the exact nature of their spiritual lack. It wasn't simply a failure to abolish idolatry, but a fundamental failure to actively and sincerely pursue Yahweh, the covenant God. This lack of active "seeking" suggests a lukewarm or indifferent attitude towards their inherited faith, implying that popular religious practice remained syncretistic or nominal.

2 Chronicles 20 33 Bonus section

• Discrepancy and Interpretation: While 2 Chronicles 17:6 states that Jehoshaphat "even removed the high places and Asherim from Judah," 2 Chronicles 20:33 (and 1 Kings 22:43) contradicts this by stating they were not removed. Commentators often reconcile this by suggesting 2 Chronicles 17:6 refers to the removal of pagan high places (like those with Asherim poles) that promoted polytheism, whereas 2 Chronicles 20:33 refers to the continued existence of Yahwistic high places. These were sites where people worshiped Yahweh but outside the Jerusalem Temple, a practice prohibited by Deuteronomic law (Deut 12). The deep entrenchment of these local altars, despite Jehoshaphat's efforts, highlights the difficulty in truly reforming popular religion that was deeply woven into daily life and local tradition. Alternatively, it may reflect the cyclical nature of reform, where such sites were temporarily removed only to resurface due to the persistent "heart problem" of the people, or that Jehoshaphat’s earlier reform in chapter 17 might not have been comprehensive or completely successful across the entire kingdom and duration of his reign.
• Lessons on Revival: This verse serves as a crucial reminder that true revival and spiritual change must stem from the individual heart and extend collectively through a population. It's not enough for leaders to be righteous or for miracles to occur; the people must themselves earnestly pursue God. This also sets the stage for later reforms under Hezekiah and Josiah, who faced similar challenges and achieved more extensive, though still often temporary, eradications of high places.

2 Chronicles 20 33 Commentary

2 Chronicles 20:33 offers a profound commentary on the limitations of external reforms when the internal spiritual state of the populace remains unchanged. Jehoshaphat was a devout king, leading Judah to remarkable spiritual and national victories, culminating in the miraculous deliverance described in this very chapter. Yet, the persistent issue of "high places" reveals the gap between royal decree and popular piety. These "high places," even if dedicated to Yahweh, represented a compromise with Mosaic law and an opportunity for syncretistic practices. The core reason for their persistence was the people's half-heartedness; their "hearts had not yet set themselves to seek the God of their fathers." This means their devotion was not steadfast, exclusive, or deep enough to fully abandon the more convenient or traditionally acceptable forms of worship. It underscores that true spiritual revival must emanate from a sincere and collective turning of hearts to God, not just from the enforcement of religious edicts from above. This verse teaches that enduring transformation requires genuine personal commitment, not just adherence to outward regulations, and illustrates that deep-seated cultural and spiritual patterns are hard to break without sincere inner renewal.