Journey to the Holy Land 2014: High Places

The high places were common sites of worship in the ancient Near East. In the Bible, the high places were sites of worship. They were often unsanctioned for worshiping Yahweh, and typically located at the summits of hills. High places were often open, natural areas. Israel’s high places were likely predominantly Canaanite in origin, at a time before religion power was centralized. As the Israelites settled into the land and established permanent structures, temples replaced high places as the central place of worship.The Bible records both acceptance and rejection of the high places within Israel. The acceptance of high places is found in the early stages of Israel’s history before the construction of the temple. This suggests that the high places were acceptable places of worship prior to the establishment of the temple that fulfilled Deut 12:5. (1)

בָּמָה (bā·mā(h)): —1. hill, height, i.e., an elevated place (Dt 32:13; 2Sa 1:19, 25; 22:34; Ps 18:34; Isa 58:14; Hab 3:19), note: in some contexts there are associative meanings of safety or nobility; 2. high place, worship center, i.e., a place usually in an elevated land formation, usually associated as a pagan worship center with an altar for presenting gifts and sacrifices (Lev 26:30; Nu 33:52; 1Sa 9:12); 3. shrine, i.e., a pagan worship site, suggesting a small sacred mound at the gate area (2Ki 23:8), ; 4. wave crest, i.e., top part of a wave or open-water swell (Job 9:8); 5. unit: (Isa 14:14); 6. back, i.e., a part of the body (Dt 33:29), note: oth as “high place” religious shrine; 7. funeral mound, i.e., a burial place, possibly a monument construction of some kind (Eze 43:7), note: oth as “high place” religious shrine (2)

The high places were marked by a matzeva, which is a stone pillar erected on elevated ground beside a sacrificial altar. It was considered sacred to the god it symbolized and had a wooden pole (ashera) nearby to signify a goddess. After conquering the Canaanites, early Israelites used these symbols as their own until their use was outlawed as idolatrous (e.g., Deuteronomy 16:21). In the Old Testament (Genesis 28:18–22; 2 Samuel 18:18; Joshua 4:20–23) matzeva is used to designate a stone memorial, or monument, or, more specifically, as in the case of Rachel, a tombstone resting upright on a grave (Genesis 35:20). This latter meaning is retained in modern Hebrew. (3)

Cultic High Place in Bethsaida

Iron Age High Place with four matsevot (standing stones) at each corner, marking it off as holy space. Reproduction found in Tel Beer Sheba while the original below is found in the Israel Museum.