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 16:4)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Kings 16:4:

  • Kupsabiny: “Ahaz burned sacrifices and burned things that smell sweet there on the hills. He also burned those things under every green tree.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “He burned incense and offered sacrifices place to do puja, on the hilltops and under every green tree.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “He offered offerings and burned incense at the places-of-worship in the high places, on the top of the mountains and under every leafy tree.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Ahaz offered sacrifices and burned incense to honor Yahweh on the tops of many hills and under many big trees, instead of in Jerusalem as Yahweh had commanded.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Kings 16:4

He sacrificed and burned incense …: See the comments at 1 Kgs 3.3 and 2 Kgs 12.3. It is possible that this verse should be understood to mean that Ahaz promoted or encouraged people to offer sacrifices and burn incense at the places mentioned rather than meaning that he personally did so. But the text should probably be translated literally, stating that he himself offered sacrifices and burned incense.

On the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree: These were usual places of worship for non-Israelites. God’s people were to worship him only in Jerusalem. For a discussion of the Hebrew term rendered high places, see the comments on 1 Kgs 3.2. Regarding on the hills, and under every green tree, see the comments on 1 Kgs 14.23. The pure worshipers of Yahweh considered all the places mentioned here as unclean. This would have been clearly understood by the original readers of 1–2 Kings. But since modern readers do not share this same information, it may be wise to add something in translation like “where people were not supposed to worship God.”

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 16:4

16:4a And he sacrificed and burned incense

Ahaz made sacrifices and burned incense

-or-

Ahaz burned animals and sweet-smelling spices ⌊to please/honor their false gods⌋ .

16:4b on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.

at the pagan places of worship, on the hills, and under every shady tree. (Good News Translation)

-or-

⌊He worshiped like this⌋ at the local shrines ⌊to/of false gods⌋ , and on various hills, and in the shade of the tall trees.

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