For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.
The verse belongs to the reign of Rehoboam, when the evil influences of his upbringing gained control after his Ammonite mother had trained him to regard sin as desirable and he at last yielded to them. It describes idol worship in which high places, images, and groves were set up on every high hill and under every green tree. Worship at high places and beneath trees was part of that idolatry, with idols and sacred groves placed under green trees and on high places.
Whole groves were set apart for idol gods because their branches gave shade and shelter, and they were made beautiful and attractive to draw people to come and worship idols there. Those involved made images with their own hands, regarded them as gods, and worshiped created things rather than giving thanks to the Creator. They taught their children to regard the images as gods and to worship them, denying and refusing to thank the Creator of heaven and earth who had given them gold, silver, precious stones, choice wood, and everything they possessed.
They corrupted good things placed on earth for human benefit by laying out beautiful walks overhung with fruit trees of every kind and setting idols beneath majestic, lovely trees with wide-spreading branches that remained green from the beginning of the year to its end. This evil of worshiping idols under green trees and in groves already existed before the Flood. The same pattern appears among Cain's descendants, who turned groves once linked with worship of the Creator into places of idol worship, misusing memories of Eden.
The verse belongs to the reign of Rehoboam, when the evil influences of his upbringing gained control after his Ammonite mother had trained him to regard sin as desirable and he at last yielded to them. It describes idol worship in which high places, images, and groves were set up on every high hill and under every green tree. Worship at high places and beneath trees was part of that idolatry, with idols and sacred groves placed under green trees and on high places.
Whole groves were set apart for idol gods because their branches gave shade and shelter, and they were made beautiful and attractive to draw people to come and worship idols there. Those involved made images with their own hands, regarded them as gods, and worshiped created things rather than giving thanks to the Creator. They taught their children to regard the images as gods and to worship them, denying and refusing to thank the Creator of heaven and earth who had given them gold, silver, precious stones, choice wood, and everything they possessed.
They corrupted good things placed on earth for human benefit by laying out beautiful walks overhung with fruit trees of every kind and setting idols beneath majestic, lovely trees with wide-spreading branches that remained green from the beginning of the year to its end. This evil of worshiping idols under green trees and in groves already existed before the Flood. The same pattern appears among Cain's descendants, who turned groves once linked with worship of the Creator into places of idol worship, misusing memories of Eden.