Definition: Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.

Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this verse from 2 Chronicles 14:5. It’s a pretty significant passage about God's judgment and protection over his people. Here's a simple explanation: Basically, it means: God is sending a powerful punishment to Judah – the region that includes modern-day Israel and Palestine – because they were building up idols and places of worship that were focused on things other than Him. Let’s unpack it a little further: “Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places…” "High place" means a special, prominent place dedicated to something besides God – a temple or shrine. This verse refers to various locations where people were building things that weren't focused on worshiping Him. "...and the images:" This is key! “Images” in this context refers to statues, carvings, and other representations of people or animals. They were often used to idolize something – to make them more powerful than God himself. “And the kingdom was quiet before him.” This is the result of God's judgment. After removing these idols and places of worship, God’s presence became so strong that everything fell silent – there was no noise, no activity, just a sense of peace and stillness. It was like a holy space where God’s power was clearly seen. What does this tell us about the past? This verse is often interpreted as a warning about the dangers of focusing on things other than God. It suggests that Judah's idolatry (worshiping false idols) angered God and led to his judgment. It’s a reminder that true worship should always be centered on Him. In short, it’s a story of God’s righteous anger at Judah’s choices and the resulting peace and quiet that came as a consequence. --- Do you want me to: Explain any part of this verse in more detail? Connect it to a specific historical event or figure?