1 Kings 3 · Verse 2

1 Kings 3:2

Only the people sacrificed in high places, because there was no house built unto the name of the Lord, until those days.
1 Kings 3:2, King James Version

1 Kings 3:2 in other translations

BSBThe people, however, were still sacrificing on the high places because a house for the Name of the LORD had not yet been built.
WEBHowever, the people sacrificed in the high places, because there was not yet a house built for the LORD’s name.
ASVOnly the people sacrificed in the high places, because there was no house built for the name of Jehovah until those days.
YLTOnly, the people are sacrificing in high places, for there hath not been built a house for the name of Jehovah till those days.
DARBYOnly, the people sacrificed on the high places; for there was no house built to the name of Jehovah, until those days.
BBEBut all this time the people were making their offerings in the high places, because no house had been put up to the name of the Lord till those days.
WebsterOnly the people sacrificed in high places, because there was no house built to the name of the LORD, until those days.

What does 1 Kings 3:2 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 The people sacrificed in high places - Could there be any sin in this, or was it unlawful till after the temple was built? for prophets, judges, the kings which preceded Solomon, and Solomon himself, sacrificed on high places, such as Gibeon, Gilgal, Shiloh, Hebron, Kirjath-jearim, etc. But after the temple was erected, it was sinful to offer sacrifices in any other place; yet here it is introduced as being morally wrong, and it is introduced, 1Kgs 3:3, as being an exceptionable trait in the character of Solomon. The explanation appears to be this: as the ark and tabernacle were still in being, it was not right to offer sacrifices but where they were; and wherever they were, whether on a high place or a plain, there sacrifices might be lawfully offered, previously to the building of the temple. And the tabernacle was now at Gibeon, 2Chr 1:3. Possibly the high places may be like those among the Hindoos, large raised-up terraces, on which they place their gods when they bathe, anoint, and worship them. Juggernaut and Krishnu have large terraces or high places, on which they are annually exhibited. But there was no idol in the above case.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Kings 3:1-4

He that loved the Lord, should, for his sake, have fixed his love upon one of the Lord's people. Solomon was a wise man, a rich man, a great man; yet the brightest praise of him, is that which is the character of all the saints, even the poorest, "He loved the Lord." Where God sows plentifully, he expects to reap accordingly; and those that truly love God and his worship, will not grudge the expenses of their…

Read the full comment on 1 Kings 3:1-4 →

1 Kings 3:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

רַ֣קrakonlyH7535
הָעָ֔םha.'Amthe peopleH5971
מְזַבְּחִ֖יםme.za.be.Chim[were] sacrificingH2076
בַּבָּמ֑וֹתba.ba.Motat the high placesH1116
כִּ֠יkiforH3588
לֹא\־lo'-notH3808
נִבְנָ֥הniv.Nahit had been builtH1129
בַ֙יִת֙va.yita houseH1004
לְשֵׁ֣םle.Shemfor [the] name ofH8034
יְהוָ֔הYah.wehYahwehH3068
עַ֖ד'aduntilH5704
הַיָּמִ֥יםhai.ya.Mimthe daysH3117
הָהֵֽם\׃\ \פha.Hem<the> thoseH1992

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Kings 3:2

  • 1 Kings 22:43

    And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the Lord: nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places.

  • 2 Chronicles 33:17

    Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the Lord their God only.

  • Deuteronomy 12:2-5

    Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree: And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place. Ye shall not do so unto the Lord your God. But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:

  • Leviticus 26:30

    And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you.

  • Acts 7:47-49

    But Solomon built him an house. Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?

  • 1 Kings 5:3

    Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the Lord his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.

  • 1 Chronicles 28:3-6

    But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood. Howbeit the Lord God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel: And of all my sons, (for the Lord hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.

  • 1 Chronicles 17:4-6

    Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in: For I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another. Wheresoever I have walked with all Israel, spake I a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people, saying, Why have ye not built me an house of cedars?

  • Leviticus 17:3-6

    What man soever there be of the house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp, And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the Lord before the tabernacle of the Lord; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people: To the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they offer in the open field, even that they may bring them unto the Lord, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest, and offer them for peace offerings unto the Lord. And the priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar of the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and burn the fat for a sweet savour unto the Lord.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the people.It was not right to offer sacrifices in any place but where the tabernacle and ark were; and wherever they were, whether on a high place or a plain, sacrifices might be lawfully offered, previously to building of the temple. The tabernacle was now at Gibeon, (2 Ch 1:3,) which was therefore called the great high place; whither we find Solomon, without censure, repaired to sacrifice.
22:43; Le 17:3-6; 26:30; De 12:2-5; 2Ch 33:17
was no.
5:3; 1Ch 17:4-6; 28:3-6; Ac 7:47-49

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Kings 3:1

    And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh’s daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the Lord, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.

  • 1 Kings 3:2

    Only the people sacrificed in high places, because there was no house built unto the name of the Lord, until those days.

  • 1 Kings 3:3

    And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.

Read all of 1 Kings 3

1 Kings 3:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Hasta entonces el pueblo sacrificaba en los altos; porque no había casa edificada al nombre de Jehová hasta aquellos tiempos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Seulement le peuple sacrifiait sur les hauts lieux; car aucune maison ne fut bâtie pour le nom de l’ Éternel jusqu’à ces jours-là.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Nur opferte das Volk auf den Höhen; denn bis zu jenen Tagen war dem Namen Jehovas kein Haus gebaut worden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Attamen populus immolabat in excelsis: non enim ædificatum erat templum nomini Domini usque in diem illum.