Does Solomon’s sacrifice at high places (1 Kings 3:2–3) conflict with scriptural bans on worship outside the central sanctuary? Context and Historical Setting 1 Kings 3:2–3 states: “(2) The people, however, were still sacrificing on the high places, because a house for the Name of the LORD had not yet been built. (3) And Solomon loved the LORD by walking in the statutes of his father David—except that he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.” At first glance, this account may appear to contradict instructions like those in Deuteronomy 12:2–5, which outlaw worship at unauthorized high places. These instructions call for a single central sanctuary where God’s people should bring their sacrifices. However, the passages in Kings also highlight that the Temple—intended to be God’s authorized central sanctuary—did not yet exist. This entry examines whether Solomon’s sacrifices at high places violate the clear scriptural mandates against worshiping outside the central sanctuary. Definition of “High Places” “High places” (Hebrew: bāmôt) often refers to hilltop locations or raised platforms used for religious rites. In Canaan, these were originally pagan sites where idols and Asherah poles stood. Deuteronomy 12:2–3 commands the Israelites to destroy such idolatrous places of worship. Later texts, however, sometimes use the same term “high places” to describe locations where legitimate worship occurred temporarily (e.g., 1 Samuel 9:19 where Samuel the prophet offers sacrifices at a high place). Hence, context matters. Previous Examples of Legitimate High-Place Worship Prior to the building of the Temple, there are instances in Scripture of sacrifices offered at places not explicitly condemned. For example: • Samuel at Ramah (1 Samuel 9:12–14). • David worshiping at the threshing floor of Araunah (2 Samuel 24:18–25). The distinction lies in whether these acts occurred under God’s direction or whether they imitated local pagan practices. Transitional Period Before the Temple 1 Kings 3:2 highlights the reason why people still sacrificed at high places: “because a house for the Name of the LORD had not yet been built.” In other words, the full instructions in Deuteronomy 12 about coming to “the place the LORD your God will choose” (v. 5) awaited the permanent Temple in Jerusalem. Before the Temple’s construction, Israel’s central point of worship had shifted multiple times: • Shiloh (Joshua 18:1) for a long period, where the Tabernacle resided. • Nob (1 Samuel 21:1) after Shiloh’s destruction. • Gibeon (1 Chronicles 16:39–40; 21:29), where the Mosaic Tabernacle was pitched, even while the Ark rested in Jerusalem. Thus, Solomon’s actions take place within a transitional phase. Gibeon as a Recognized Worship Center In 1 Chronicles 16:39–40, it is recorded that Zadok the priest and fellow priests “were ministering before the tabernacle of the LORD at the high place in Gibeon, to offer burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of burnt offering continually.” This confirms that Gibeon served as an acknowledged location for sacrifices before the Temple existed. Archaeological findings at the ancient site identified with biblical Gibeon (led by James B. Pritchard in the 1950s) revealed significant remains consistent with a substantial settlement and wine cellars, adding historicity to the city’s prominence. Such findings, while not proving the religiosity of the site directly, bolster confidence in the reliability of the biblical narrative that Gibeon was indeed a major center, consistent with the scriptural description. Faithfulness Kept, Except the High Places The text in 1 Kings 3:3 explains that Solomon “loved the LORD… except that he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.” This can indicate two things simultaneously: 1. Solomon’s Love for the LORD: He adhered to God’s statutes and demonstrated genuine devotion, overshadowing blatant disobedience. 2. A Lingering Compromise: The central sanctuary (the Temple in Jerusalem) was not yet constructed and dedicated. Consequently, using certain “high places” for worship of Yahweh was still in practice. Yet the text suggests that such worship, while addressed by God in a gracious manner during Solomon’s early reign, could become a stumbling block if continued after the Temple’s completion. Thus, the narrative records an uneasy tension: Israel was still in an in-between state, no longer strictly following the Mosaic moveable Tabernacle protocols, but not yet fully conformed to the Temple-centered pattern eventually instituted. Divine Tolerance Versus the Ideal Command The ideal set forth in passages such as Deuteronomy 12 was a single place where God establishes His Name. This ideal was ultimately fulfilled in Solomon’s Temple. Scripture acknowledges that until the Temple was completed, worship occasionally continued at places like Gibeon without immediate condemnation. God’s choice, during this period, was to tolerate imperfect practices while progressively guiding Israel to proper worship under the forthcoming Temple system. Still, later condemnations of high/place worship (e.g., 2 Kings 17:9–12) highlight that once the Temple in Jerusalem stood in completion, sacrificing elsewhere was no longer permitted. Consistency with Bans on Unauthorized Worship Deuteronomy 12 primarily prohibits the worship of foreign gods and the adoption of pagan practices “on the high mountains and hills” (v. 2). God commands His people to “seek the place the LORD your God will choose… to put His Name there” (v. 5). Since the Temple was not yet built, Solomon’s early sacrifices at Gibeon do not constitute a direct violation of Deuteronomy’s instructions about pagan idolatry. Instead, they illustrate worship offered to the LORD at the recognized spot where the Tabernacle’s altar stood. After the Temple’s dedication (1 Kings 8), fewer allowances existed for worship outside Jerusalem. Solomon himself acknowledges in 1 Kings 8:29 that God’s “Name will be there,” signifying that worship is definitively centralized. Theological Reflection Biblical worship regulations must be read chronologically and in context. God’s instruction to unify worship under a single location found its ultimate expression in Solomon’s Temple. While sacrifices at high places were generally disapproved, Solomon’s earliest offerings in 1 Kings 3 occurred at the existing sanctuary at Gibeon and preceded the building of the Temple. Ultimately, God speaks to Solomon at Gibeon (1 Kings 3:5–15), demonstrating that, during that transitional period, the LORD recognized and met Solomon despite the less-than-ideal setting. This conversation further highlights that the location, while not yet overshadowed by the completed Temple, was still a recognized seat of worship to Yahweh. Conclusion Solomon’s sacrifices at high places do not fundamentally conflict with scriptural bans on worship outside the central sanctuary because the Temple in Jerusalem was not yet established. Deuteronomy 12’s command aimed to prevent syncretism and idolatry at pagan high places. However, Gibeon legitimately functioned as the site of the Tabernacle’s altar at that time, and Scripture records that God met Solomon there. Once the Temple was dedicated, God’s plan for a centralized place of worship took full effect, and the ongoing acceptance of high-place worship diminished. Solomon’s experience stands as a transitional instance of worship, not a contradiction of God’s commands. |
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