It is proper to observe, that in order the more effectually to
guard the Israelites from idolatry, the blessed God, in instituting the
rites of his own worship, went directly counter to the practice of the
idolatrous nations. Thus, because they worshipped in groves, he
expressly forbade “the planting a grove of trees near his altar,” Deut.
xvi, 21. Nor would he suffer his people to offer their sacrifices on the
tops of hills and mountains, as the Heathens did, but ordered that they
should be brought to one altar in the place which he appointed, Deut.
xii, 13, 14. And as for the groves, which the Canaanites had planted,
and the idols and altars which they had erected on the tops of high
mountains and hills for the worship of their gods, the Israelites are
commanded utterly to destroy them, Deut. xii, 2, 3. The groves and high
places do not seem to have been different, but the same places, or
groves planted on the tops of hills, probably round an open area, in
which the idolatrous worship was performed, as may be inferred from the
following words of the Prophet Hosea: “They sacrifice upon the tops of
mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks, and poplars, and
elms,” Hosea iv, 13. The use of groves for religious worship is
generally supposed to have been as ancient as the patriarchal ages; for
we are informed, that “Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called
there on the name of the Lord,” Gen. xxi, 33. However, it is not
expressly said, nor can it by this passage be proved, that he planted
the grove for any religious purpose; it might only be designed to shade
his tent. And this circumstance perhaps is recorded to intimate his
rural way of living, as well as his religious character; that he dwelt
in a tent, under the shade of a grove, or tree, as the word אשל,
_eshel_, may more properly be translated; and in this humble habitation
led a very pious and devout life. The reason and origin of planting
sacred groves is variously conjectured; some imagining it was only
hereby intended to render the service more agreeable to the worshippers,
by the pleasantness of the shade; whereas others suppose it was to
invite the presence of the gods. The one or the other of these reasons
seems to be intimated in the fore-cited passage of Hosea: “They burn
incense under oaks, and poplars, and elms, because the shade thereof is
good,” Hosea iv, 13. Others conceive their worship was performed in the
midst of groves, because the gloom of such a place is apt to strike a
religious awe upon the mind; or else, because such dark concealments
suited the lewd mysteries of their idolatrous worship. Another
conjecture, which seems as probable as any, is, that this practice began
with the worship of demons, or departed souls. It was an ancient custom
to bury the dead under trees, or in woods. “Deborah was buried under an
oak, near Bethel,” Genesis xxxv, 8; and the bones of Saul and Jonathan
under a tree at Jabesh, 1 Samuel xxxi, 13. Now an imagination prevailing
among the Heathen, that the souls of the deceased hover about their
graves, or at least delight to visit their dead bodies, the idolaters,
who paid divine honours to the souls of their departed heroes, erected
images and altars for their worship in the same groves where they were
buried; and from thence it grew into a custom afterward to plant groves,
and build temples, near the tombs of departed heroes, 2 Kings xxiii, 15,
16, and to surround their temples and altars with groves and trees; and
these sacred groves being constantly furnished with the images of the
heroes or gods that were worshipped in them, a grove and an idol came to
be used as convertible terms, 2 Kings xxiii, 6.
guard the Israelites from idolatry, the blessed God, in instituting the
rites of his own worship, went directly counter to the practice of the
idolatrous nations. Thus, because they worshipped in groves, he
expressly forbade “the planting a grove of trees near his altar,” Deut.
xvi, 21. Nor would he suffer his people to offer their sacrifices on the
tops of hills and mountains, as the Heathens did, but ordered that they
should be brought to one altar in the place which he appointed, Deut.
xii, 13, 14. And as for the groves, which the Canaanites had planted,
and the idols and altars which they had erected on the tops of high
mountains and hills for the worship of their gods, the Israelites are
commanded utterly to destroy them, Deut. xii, 2, 3. The groves and high
places do not seem to have been different, but the same places, or
groves planted on the tops of hills, probably round an open area, in
which the idolatrous worship was performed, as may be inferred from the
following words of the Prophet Hosea: “They sacrifice upon the tops of
mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks, and poplars, and
elms,” Hosea iv, 13. The use of groves for religious worship is
generally supposed to have been as ancient as the patriarchal ages; for
we are informed, that “Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called
there on the name of the Lord,” Gen. xxi, 33. However, it is not
expressly said, nor can it by this passage be proved, that he planted
the grove for any religious purpose; it might only be designed to shade
his tent. And this circumstance perhaps is recorded to intimate his
rural way of living, as well as his religious character; that he dwelt
in a tent, under the shade of a grove, or tree, as the word אשל,
_eshel_, may more properly be translated; and in this humble habitation
led a very pious and devout life. The reason and origin of planting
sacred groves is variously conjectured; some imagining it was only
hereby intended to render the service more agreeable to the worshippers,
by the pleasantness of the shade; whereas others suppose it was to
invite the presence of the gods. The one or the other of these reasons
seems to be intimated in the fore-cited passage of Hosea: “They burn
incense under oaks, and poplars, and elms, because the shade thereof is
good,” Hosea iv, 13. Others conceive their worship was performed in the
midst of groves, because the gloom of such a place is apt to strike a
religious awe upon the mind; or else, because such dark concealments
suited the lewd mysteries of their idolatrous worship. Another
conjecture, which seems as probable as any, is, that this practice began
with the worship of demons, or departed souls. It was an ancient custom
to bury the dead under trees, or in woods. “Deborah was buried under an
oak, near Bethel,” Genesis xxxv, 8; and the bones of Saul and Jonathan
under a tree at Jabesh, 1 Samuel xxxi, 13. Now an imagination prevailing
among the Heathen, that the souls of the deceased hover about their
graves, or at least delight to visit their dead bodies, the idolaters,
who paid divine honours to the souls of their departed heroes, erected
images and altars for their worship in the same groves where they were
buried; and from thence it grew into a custom afterward to plant groves,
and build temples, near the tombs of departed heroes, 2 Kings xxiii, 15,
16, and to surround their temples and altars with groves and trees; and
these sacred groves being constantly furnished with the images of the
heroes or gods that were worshipped in them, a grove and an idol came to
be used as convertible terms, 2 Kings xxiii, 6.