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.

KJV (with Strong's)

Howbeit the high places {H1116} were not taken away {H5493}: for as yet the people {H5971} had not prepared {H3559} their hearts {H3824} unto the God {H430} of their fathers {H1}.

Complete Jewish Bible

although the high places were not taken away, and the people had not yet set their hearts toward the God of their ancestors.

Berean Standard Bible

The high places, however, were not removed; the people had not yet set their hearts on the God of their fathers.

American Standard Version

Howbeit the high places were not taken away; neither as yet had the people set their hearts unto the God of their fathers.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Second Chronicles 20:33 provides a poignant summary of the spiritual state of Judah during the otherwise largely righteous reign of King Jehoshaphat. Despite significant reforms and a miraculous divine deliverance, the verse reveals a persistent spiritual compromise: the high places, centers of unauthorized worship, remained because the people's hearts were not fully committed to the God of their ancestors. This highlights the critical distinction between outward religious conformity and genuine, internal devotion, underscoring that true spiritual transformation requires a prepared and undivided heart.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse concludes the account of Jehoshaphat's reign, immediately following the miraculous victory over the Ammonite, Moabite, and Meunite armies, a triumph achieved through prayer, praise, and divine intervention rather than military might ([2 Chronicles 20:1-30](/2_chronicles/20-1 "2 Chronicles 20:1-30 - Jehoshaphat's Prayer and God's Deliverance")). The preceding verses laud Jehoshaphat's general righteousness and his commitment to seeking the Lord ([2 Chronicles 17:3-6](/2_chronicles/17-3 "2 Chronicles 17:3-6 - Jehoshaphat's Early Reign and Reforms")), including his efforts to remove some high places and send Levites to teach the Law throughout Judah ([2 Chronicles 17:6-9](/2_chronicles/17-6 "2 Chronicles 17:6-9 - Jehoshaphat's Religious Reforms and Teaching Initiatives")). However, the concluding assessment of verse 33 serves as a crucial caveat, revealing that despite the king's piety and God's manifest power, a deeper, systemic spiritual issue persisted within the populace, tempering the overall positive portrayal of his reign.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The "high places" (Hebrew: *bamot*) were ancient, often elevated, sites of worship that predated the establishment of the Jerusalem Temple. While some may have initially been dedicated to Yahweh, they often became centers for syncretistic worship, blending the worship of the true God with pagan practices or offering sacrifices in ways not sanctioned by Mosaic Law ([Deuteronomy 12:2-5](/deuteronomy/12-2 "Deuteronomy 12:2-5 - Prohibition of High Places")). Kings like Asa ([1 Kings 15:14](/1_kings/15-14 "1 Kings 15:14 - Asa's Incomplete Reforms")) and Jehoshaphat attempted to suppress them, but their deep roots in popular piety made complete eradication difficult. Their persistence indicates a widespread cultural attachment to local shrines and a reluctance to fully centralize worship at the Temple in Jerusalem, as commanded by God. This resistance highlights the challenge of enacting comprehensive religious reform when popular sentiment and ingrained traditions run counter to divine commands.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in Chronicles. First, it underscores the theme of **incomplete reform**, demonstrating that even under devout leadership, the spiritual health of a nation is contingent on the genuine heart-commitment of its people, not merely external decrees. Second, it emphasizes the **centrality of the heart** in biblical theology; true worship and obedience stem from an internal disposition, not just outward acts. The phrase "prepared their hearts" points to a volitional act of aligning one's will and affections with God, a concept deeply rooted in the Deuteronomic call to love God with all one's heart ([Deuteronomy 6:5](/deuteronomy/6-5 "Deuteronomy 6:5 - The Great Commandment")). Finally, the verse highlights the **tension between royal piety and popular apostasy**, a recurring motif in the history of the divided kingdom, where the spiritual failures of the people often undermined the best efforts of even righteous kings, leading to cycles of judgment and restoration.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **High places (Hebrew, _bamot'_):** These refer to elevated sites, often on hills or mounds, used for religious worship. In the Old Testament, *bamot* could be legitimate altars before the Temple's construction, but after the centralization of worship in Jerusalem, they became associated with unauthorized, and often syncretistic or pagan, worship. Their continued existence signified a deviation from pure Yahwistic worship and a lingering attachment to practices God had forbidden.
* **Prepared (Hebrew, _kun'_):** This verb, in its reflexive or causative forms, means "to establish," "to make firm," "to direct," or "to set one's heart firmly." When applied to the heart, it denotes a deliberate, intentional, and resolute decision to fix one's devotion and will towards a specific purpose or deity. It implies a readiness, a steadfastness, and an unwavering commitment.
* **Hearts (Hebrew, _lev'_):** In biblical anthropology, the "heart" is not merely the seat of emotion but the totality of the inner person—the center of intellect, will, conscience, and moral character. To "prepare one's heart" means to align one's entire inner being, including thoughts, intentions, and desires, with God. The lack of such preparation signifies a divided will, a lack of full resolve, and an inner resistance to complete obedience.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Howbeit the high places were not taken away":** This clause serves as a significant qualification to the otherwise positive assessment of Jehoshaphat's reign. Despite his personal piety and initial efforts to remove some high places ([2 Chronicles 17:6](/2_chronicles/17-6 "2 Chronicles 17:6 - Jehoshaphat's Reforms")), and even God's recent miraculous deliverance, the widespread, unauthorized worship sites remained. This indicates the deep-seated nature of this spiritual problem within the nation, suggesting that the king's reforms, while commendable, did not achieve a complete purge of these idolatrous or syncretistic practices.
* **"for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts":** This is the crucial explanatory clause, providing the core reason for the persistence of the high places. The failure was not primarily due to the king's lack of effort, but to the spiritual condition of the people. Their "hearts" – their inner will, devotion, and commitment – were not fully aligned with God. This implies a lack of genuine, internal transformation and an unwillingness to fully abandon traditional, albeit unapproved, forms of worship for exclusive devotion to Yahweh.
* **"unto the God of their fathers":** This phrase emphasizes the covenantal relationship God had established with Israel through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It highlights that the people's spiritual deficiency was a failure to uphold their ancestral covenant, to fully embrace the God who had faithfully delivered and sustained their forefathers. It underscores the historical and theological weight of their spiritual lukewarmness, as they were turning away from the very God who had defined their identity and destiny.

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs several literary devices to convey its profound spiritual message. **Contrast** is prominent, setting the positive general assessment of Jehoshaphat's reign against the persistent problem of the high places. This creates a tension that highlights the complexity of spiritual reform. The "high places" themselves function as **Symbolism**, representing not just physical locations but the deep-seated spiritual compromise and divided loyalties within the nation. Their continued presence is a tangible manifestation of an internal spiritual issue. Furthermore, the phrase "prepared their hearts" is a powerful **Idiom**, common in Hebrew scripture, which metaphorically describes the internal disposition of one's will and affections. This idiom underscores that true worship is not merely external ritual but an internal, volitional commitment. The verse's concise nature, acting as a concluding summary, also gives it a **Didactic** quality, serving as a cautionary lesson about the necessity of genuine heart-transformation for lasting spiritual purity.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse offers a profound theological insight into the nature of true worship and obedience, emphasizing that external conformity without internal transformation is insufficient. It highlights that God desires not just outward acts of piety but a heart fully devoted to Him, echoing the prophetic call for internal righteousness over mere ritual ([Isaiah 1:11-17](/isaiah/1-11 "Isaiah 1:11-17 - God's Displeasure with Empty Rituals")). The persistence of the high places, despite Jehoshaphat's efforts and God's recent deliverance, underscores the human propensity for spiritual compromise and the difficulty of eradicating deeply ingrained patterns of idolatry or syncretism without a fundamental change of heart. This truth resonates throughout biblical history, demonstrating that true reform must begin from within, individually and collectively, as God seeks those who worship Him in spirit and truth.

* [1 Samuel 7:3](/1_samuel/7-3 "1 Samuel 7:3 - Samuel's Call to Repentance")
* [Psalm 78:37](/psalms/78-37 "Psalm 78:37 - Israel's Wavering Heart")
* [Jeremiah 24:7](/jeremiah/24-7 "Jeremiah 24:7 - A Heart to Know God")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The enduring presence of the high places in Judah, despite the king's righteousness and God's powerful intervention, serves as a timeless spiritual mirror for believers today. It compels us to look beyond outward appearances and religious activities to the true condition of our hearts. Are there "high places" in our lives—areas of compromise, divided loyalties, or cherished habits that compete with our full devotion to God? These may not be physical altars, but could manifest as an unbridled pursuit of wealth, comfort, approval, or even self-righteousness, subtly diverting our hearts from exclusive worship of the Lord. The verse reminds us that genuine spiritual growth and lasting transformation are not merely about removing external idols or adhering to religious rules, but about a deep, intentional "preparation of the heart"—a continuous process of aligning our will, desires, and affections with God's. It calls for an honest self-examination, a willingness to surrender every competing allegiance, and a fervent prayer for an undivided heart, fully committed to the God who has revealed Himself to us.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "high places" might exist in my life today that subtly compete for my ultimate devotion to God?**
* **In what ways might my heart be "unprepared" or divided in its commitment to the Lord?**
* **What practical steps can I take to more intentionally "prepare my heart" for deeper worship and obedience to God?**
* **How does this verse challenge my understanding of true spiritual reform, both personally and corporately?**

### FAQ
**What exactly were "high places" and why were they a problem?**

Answer: "High places" (Hebrew: *bamot*) were elevated sites, often on hilltops or mounds, that served as local centers for religious worship and sacrifice in ancient Israel. While some may have been used for legitimate worship of Yahweh before the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem, they became problematic because God commanded the centralization of worship at one designated place ([Deuteronomy 12:5-6](/deuteronomy/12-5 "Deuteronomy 12:5-6 - God's Chosen Place of Worship")). Over time, these high places frequently became associated with syncretistic practices, blending the worship of Yahweh with unauthorized rituals or even pagan deities, or they simply represented a disobedience to God's command for centralized, pure worship. Their continued existence symbolized a divided heart and a lack of full commitment to God's prescribed ways.

**Why couldn't King Jehoshaphat remove all the high places if he was a righteous king?**

Answer: While Jehoshaphat was indeed a righteous king who initiated significant reforms and personally removed some high places ([2 Chronicles 17:6](/2_chronicles/17-6 "2 Chronicles 17:6 - Jehoshaphat's Early Reforms")), 2 Chronicles 20:33 explains the underlying reason for their persistence: "the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers." This indicates that the problem was not merely an external one that could be solved by royal decree alone. The "high places" were deeply ingrained in popular religious practice and tradition. Without a genuine, internal transformation and a willing heart among the general populace, any external reform would be incomplete or temporary. It highlights the limitation of even the best human leadership when the hearts of the people are not fully yielded to God.

**What does it mean for the people to have "not prepared their hearts"?**

Answer: In biblical thought, the "heart" (*lev*) refers to the core of a person's being—their intellect, will, emotions, and conscience. To "prepare one's heart" means to set one's will, intentions, and affections firmly and resolutely towards God. It implies a conscious, deliberate choice to be fully committed, devoted, and obedient to Him. When the people had "not prepared their hearts," it signifies a lack of genuine inner resolve, a divided loyalty, and an unwillingness to fully abandon old ways for complete devotion to the God of their covenant. It was a failure of internal disposition, preventing true and lasting spiritual purity.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The persistence of the high places in 2 Chronicles 20:33, rooted in the people's unprepared hearts, powerfully foreshadows humanity's ongoing struggle with sin and divided allegiance, a struggle that only finds its ultimate resolution in Jesus Christ. The Old Testament kings, even the most righteous like Jehoshaphat, could only effect external, temporary reforms; they could not change the human heart. This verse underscores the deep-seated spiritual problem that necessitated a new covenant and a radical transformation from within. Jesus, the true and perfect King, does what no earthly monarch could: He offers a spiritual circumcision of the heart ([Colossians 2:11](/colossians/2-11 "Colossians 2:11 - Circumcision of the Heart")), providing a new heart and a new spirit through the indwelling Holy Spirit ([Ezekiel 36:26-27](/ezekiel/36-26 "Ezekiel 36:26-27 - A New Heart and Spirit")). Through His atoning sacrifice, Christ removes the ultimate "high place"—the idolatry of self and sin—and enables believers to truly prepare their hearts, not by human effort, but by grace through faith. He is the one who empowers His followers to worship God "in spirit and truth" ([John 4:23-24](/john/4-23 "John 4:23-24 - Worship in Spirit and Truth")), establishing a kingdom where devotion is not to physical altars or external rituals, but to the living God, with hearts made new and fully yielded to Him.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

2 Chronicles 17:6

And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah.

2 Chronicles 19:3

Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God.

2 Chronicles 12:14

And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.

1 Samuel 7:3

¶ And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, [then] put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

2 Chronicles 14:3

For he took away the altars of the strange [gods], and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves:

2 Chronicles 30:19

[That] prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though [he be] not [cleansed] according to the purification of the sanctuary.

Deuteronomy 29:4

Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.