2 Chronicles 17:6His heart was lifted up in the ways of Yahweh: and furthermore he took away the high places and the Asherim out of Judah.
The setting
Throughout Judah, ~868 BC. King Jehoshaphat orders the destruction of unauthorized worship sites and Asherah poles — wooden symbols of Canaanite fertility goddess worship that had corrupted Israel's faith.
The emotion here: admiring courage to make unpopular but necessary changes
The original word
gābah (גָּבַהּ) — heart lifted up, but here in a positive sense of courage and confidence
Why it matters
Asherah poles were wooden posts representing a Canaanite fertility goddess, often placed next to altars
Read with care
What most readers miss in 2 Chronicles 17:6
His heart being 'lifted up' was GOOD here — it means emboldened to do right, not proud
Common misconceptionPeople think 'heart lifted up' always means pride, but here it means Jehoshaphat was emboldened and confident to do what was right, even when it was difficult.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 2 Chronicles 17:6
Bible Genome reading
2 Chronicles 17:6 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
2 Chronicles 17:6 comes from the book of 2 Chronicles, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is worship, with a comfort power of 40% and a tone that is reverent. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include religious reform, courage. Notable phrases: heart was lifted up; took away the high places.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same worship
“Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one:”
— Deuteronomy 6:4
“and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”
— Deuteronomy 6:5
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:”
— Ecclesiastes 3:1
“Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.”
— John 14:6
“Jesus said to them, "Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM."”
— John 8:58
Your reflection
What does 2 Chronicles 17:6 mean to you, today?
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