high places

The Hebrew, Greek, and Ge’ez that is translated as “high places” in English is translated in Chitonga as malende. Ernst Wendland (1987, p. 57) explains: “The preceding expression [‘place for worship/sacrifice on top of hills’], though intelligible linguistically, sounds rather strange to the Tonga who live on the relatively flat plains of southern Zambia. There are ‘hills’ in their country, but normally no one would ever worship regularly there. For this reason the new translation will try out a cultural substitute (see below), malende, the ‘local shrine’ of Tonga traditional religion, where the ‘priest’ (clan head, who may be a chief as well) makes sacrifices to the spirits in time of corporate calamity, especially drought. This would seem to approximate quite closely the main elements of both form and function of the term ‘high places’ in the Old Testament, which were not always or even usually set upon hills, especially in the latter days of the monarchy (cp. 2 Kings 17:9, 29).”

In the Chichewa interconfessional translation (publ. 1999), it is translated as “shrines for worshiping images there.” (Source: Ernst Wendland in The Bible Translator 2002, p. 319ff. )

complete verse (2 Kings 15:4)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Kings 15:4:

  • Kupsabiny: “Even though that was the case he did not destroy where idols were worshipped on the hills. People continued to offer sacrifices there and burn things that smell sweet.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Yet he did not remove the places to do puja. People continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But he did- not -cause-to-be-destroyed the places-of-worship in the high places, so the people there continued to offer offerings and burned incense.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “But, the places at the pagan shrines where they worshiped Yahweh were not destroyed, and the people continued to burn incense to honor Yahweh at those places instead of in Jerusalem, the place that Yahweh had appointed.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Kings 15:4

Nevertheless: The Hebrew text here has the same strong marker of contrast as in 2 Kgs 14.4. While the basic meaning of the Hebrew word is “only,” it may be translated in a variety of ways: “However” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New Jerusalem Bible), “Yet” (New American Bible), and “But” (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible).

The high places were not taken away: As in the case of his father, whose example Uzziah followed, the local shrines were not destroyed (see 2 Kgs 14.4). This is clearly in sharp contrast with the overall positive rating given in the previous verse.

For high places, see the comments at 1 Kgs 3.2 and 2 Kgs 12.3.

As in 2 Kgs 14.4, the passive expression were not removed may be made active by saying “he [King Uzziah] did not take away…” or, stated positively, “he allowed … to remain.”

Sacrificed and burned incense: See the comments at 1 Kgs 3.3 and 2 Kgs 12.3.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on 2 Kings 15:4

15:4a Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away;

The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as “Nevertheless” here introduces an example of an action that did not fully please Yahweh. It does not introduce an action that was unlike the actions of his father. See also 14:4a.

He did not destroy the hilltop shrines.

-or-

He failed to demolish the local worship places,

15:4b the people continued sacrificing and burning incense there.

The people still made sacrifices and burnt incense at those shrines.

-or-

so the people ⌊of Judah⌋ were still going to them to offer sacrifices and to burn sweet-smelling spices.

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