Howbeit the high places were not taken away: for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers.

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

But yet he took not away the high places, and the people had not yet turned their heart to the Lord the God of their fathers.

Only, the high places were not removed; and as yet the people had not directed their hearts to the God of their fathers.

But the high places were not taken away: for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts to the God of their fathers.

Only, the high places have not turned aside, and still the people have not prepared their heart for the God of their fathers.

The high places, however, were not taken away, and the hearts of the people were still not true to the God of their fathers.

Yet truly, he did not take away the high places, and the people still had not directed their heart to the Lord, the God of their fathers.

The latter clause of this verse helps to reconcile the first clause with the statement that Jehoshaphat "took away the high places" (see 2-Chronicles 15:17 note).

The high places were not taken away - The idolatry, as we have seen, was universally suppressed; but some of the places where that worship had been performed were not destroyed. Some of them still remained; and these, to such a fickle people, became the means of idolatry in reigns less propitious to truth and religion.

Howbeit the high places were (t) not taken away: for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers.
(t) If the great care and diligence of this good king was not able to utterly abolish all the superstition of this people, but they still retained it, how much less are they able to reform evil, who either have little zeal, or not as he had: though here he was not to be excused?

Howbeit, the high places were not taken away,.... The high places, where idols were worshipped, were taken away, 2-Chronicles 17:6, but not those where sacrifices were offered to the true God:
for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers; to seek and serve him wholly, according to his will, to offer sacrifices to him only at Jerusalem, as the law required, Deuteronomy 12:5, they could not as yet be prevailed upon to relinquish the high places, built and made use of before the temple was; partly because they were nearer to some of them than that, and partly out of veneration for them, as being of a long time used.

the high places were not taken away--Those on which idolatry was practised were entirely destroyed (2-Chronicles 17:6); but those where the people, notwithstanding the erection of the temple, continued to worship the true God, prudence required to be slowly and gradually abolished, in deference to popular prejudice.

Not taken - Not universally; the fault was not in Jehoshaphat, but in the people, who, though they did worship the true God, yet would not be confined to the temple, but for their own conveniency, or from their affection to their ancient custom chose to worship him in the high - places.