6:3 high places. The Canaanites normally worshiped their gods on hilltops. God commanded the Israelites to eradicate the high places when they came into the land (Num. 33:52; Deut. 12:1–3; 33:29). However, the high places continued to flourish long after the temple was built (16:16; Jer. 7:31; 19:5; 32:35; 48:35). The people worshiped Canaanite gods there or converted the pagan shrines for use in a combination of Canaanite practices and their own. The continued existence of the high places was a particular offense to the writer of the Book of Kings (1 Kin. 11:7; 12:31, 32; 13:2, 32; 14:23; 2 Kin. 12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 17:29; 23:5, 8, 13, 15, 19, 20).