But the high places were not removed. Nevertheless Asa’s heart was loyal to the Lord all his days.
Parallel translations
- WEB But the high places were not taken away. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect with Yahweh all his days.
- KJV But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa’s heart was perfect with the LORD all his days.
- BSB The high places were not removed, but Asa’s heart was fully devoted to the LORD all his days.
- NASB But the high places were not eliminated; nevertheless Asa’s heart was wholly devoted to the Lord all his days.
- NLT Although the pagan shrines were not removed, Asa’s heart remained completely faithful to the Lord throughout his life.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Although the high places remain, Asa's heart is wholly true to God all his days. His incomplete reform does not negate his genuine faithfulness.
Overview
The lingering high places show that even good kings left some reforms unfinished. Yet Scripture commends Asa's heart as perfect, that is, undivided toward the LORD. The verse teaches that true devotion is measured by the heart's loyalty, even when external reform remains imperfect.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- 1 Kgs 22:43He walked in all the way of Asa his father. He didn’t turn aside from it, doing that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes. However the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.
- 1 Kgs 15:3He walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him; and his heart was not perfect with Yahweh his God, as the heart of David his father.
- 1 Kgs 8:61“Let your heart therefore be perfect with Yahweh our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as it is today.”
- 2 Kgs 12:3However the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burned incense in the high places.
- 2 Chr 14:5Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the sun images; and the kingdom was quiet before him.
- 2 Chr 15:17–18But the high places were not taken away out of Israel; nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.
- 2 Chr 14:3for he took away the foreign altars and the high places, broke down the pillars, cut down the Asherah poles,
- 2 Kgs 14:4However the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burned incense in the high places.
- 2 Kgs 15:4However the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burned incense in the high places.
- 1 Kgs 11:4When Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with Yahweh his God, as the heart of David his father was.
- 2 Chr 25:2He did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, but not with a perfect heart.
- 2 Chr 16:9For Yahweh’s eyes run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. You have done foolishly in this; for from now on you will have wars.”
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Christ at the center
Solomon's glory, wisdom, and temple where God's presence dwells are a shadow of the greater Son of David — 'one greater than Solomon is here' — and of the true Temple, Christ himself.
How 1 Kings 15:14 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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