Howbeit the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burned incense still in the high places. He built the higher gate of the house of the LORD.

Howbeit the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burned incense in the high places. He built the upper gate of the house of Jehovah.

But the high places he took not away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places: he built the highest gate of the house of the Lord.

Only, the high places were not removed: the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. It was he who built the upper gate of the house of Jehovah.

Yet, the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burned incense still in the high places. He built the higher gate of the house of the LORD.

Only, the high places have not turned aside, yet are the people sacrificing and making perfume in high places; he hath built the high gate of the house of Jehovah.

But he did not take away the high places, and the people still went on making offerings and burning them in the high places. He was the builder of the higher doorway of the house of the Lord.

Howbeit the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and offered in the high places. He built the upper gate of the house of the LORD.

Yet truly, he did not take away the high places. And still the people were immolating, and burning incense, in the high places. But he edified the gate of the house of the Lord to be very sublime.

He built the higher gate - Jotham followed the example of his father in military, no less than in religious, matters (compare the marginal reference with 2-Chronicles 26:9). The "higher" or "upper gate" of the temple is thought to have been that toward the north; and its fortification would seem to indicate fear of an attack from that quarter.

Howbeit the high places were not removed,.... As they were not by his father, and the same is observed of the best of kings before:
the people sacrificed and burnt incense still in the high places; from which they could not be brought off by prophets or kings:
he built the higher gate of the house of the Lord; which was between the temple and the king's palace, which led to it; this he repaired and beautified, or added something to it; or otherwise it was built by Solomon, and therefore called the new gate, Jeremiah 26:10 it is the same that was afterwards called the gate of Nicanor; the east gate, as say the Jewish writers (k).
(k) T. Bab. Sotah, fol. 7. 1. Gloss. in ib. Maimon. Cele Hamikdash, c. 7. sect. 6.

the higher gate of the house of the Lord--not the temple itself, but one of its courts; probably that which led into the palace (2-Chronicles 23:20).

Gate - Not of the temple, but of one of the courts of the temple, probably that which led to the king's palace.