The Meaning of 2 Kings 12:3 Explained

2 Kings 12:3

KJV: But the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.

YLT: only, the high places have not turned aside, still are the people sacrificing and making perfume in high places.

Darby: Only, the high places were not removed: the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

ASV: Howbeit the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But the high places  were not taken away:  the people  still sacrificed  and burnt incense  in the high places. 

What does 2 Kings 12:3 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 12:1-16 - Money For The Lord's House
So long as the good priest lived, the young king did well. How much we owe to the presence of wise, strong men to advise and assist us! But neither king nor priest dared to go to the furthest limit of reform, 2 Kings 12:3. This failure bore disastrous fruit in after-years. It is a mistake to cut off weeds on the surface; they will sprout again and give trouble. If thy right hand cause thee to offend, cut it off.
The Temple had suffered terribly under Athaliah, 2 Chronicles 24:7. The king might well take an interest in its reconstruction, because of the shelter it had afforded him from his enemies. The first attempt to raise a renovation fund was a failure. It was in the wrong hands. The priests appear to have appropriated for their own use offerings intended for Temple repair. A change was therefore required, and their receipts were limited to the sin-offerings. As soon as a clear chance was given to the people, their free-will gifts totaled a large amount, which justified the resumption of the work. Certainly the promptness and integrity of the men who did the work put to shame the lethargy and peculation of the priests. Trust the people! This is not the last time that the heart of the masses was more to be trusted than the priestly caste. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Kings 12

1  Jehoash reigns well all the days of Jehoiada
4  He gives order for the repair of the temple
17  Hazael is diverted from Jerusalem by a present of the hallowed treasures
19  Jehoash being slain, Amaziah succeeds him

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 12:3 mean?

But the high places not were taken away still the people sacrificed and burned incense on the high places
רַ֥ק הַבָּמ֖וֹת לֹא־ סָ֑רוּ ע֥וֹד הָעָ֛ם מְזַבְּחִ֥ים וּֽמְקַטְּרִ֖ים בַּבָּמֽוֹת

הַבָּמ֖וֹת  the  high  places 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: בָּמָה  
Sense: high place, ridge, height, bamah (technical name for cultic platform).
סָ֑רוּ  were  taken  away 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: סוּר 
Sense: to turn aside, depart.
ע֥וֹד  still 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
הָעָ֛ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
מְזַבְּחִ֥ים  sacrificed 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine plural
Root: זָבַח  
Sense: to slaughter, kill, sacrifice, slaughter for sacrifice.
וּֽמְקַטְּרִ֖ים  and  burned  incense 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine plural
Root: מֻקְטָר 
Sense: .
בַּבָּמֽוֹת  on  the  high  places 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: בָּמָה  
Sense: high place, ridge, height, bamah (technical name for cultic platform).