בָּמָה

1. high place, mountain: בָּמוֺת יָעַר forest mountains Mic 3:12 = Jer 26:18 במות עולם ancient mountains Ezek 36:2 במות ארנן Num 21:28 (E poetry)

2. high places, battle-fields, the chief places of the land giving possession, victory, dominion: על במותיך on thy high places (Gilboa, the battle-field) 2Sam 1:19; 2Sam 1:25 (in v2Sam 1:19 ᵐ5 has a doublet מֵתֶיךָ thy dead, see We Dr).
  a. of Israel: רכב על במתי ארץ ride upon the high places of the land Deut 32:13 & Isa 58:14 compare Deut 33:29; Ps 18:34 = 2Sam 22:34; Hab 3:19.
  b. of God: דרך על במתי ארץ tread upon the high places of the earth Amos 4:13 compare Mic 1:3 במתי ים Job 9:8 עלה על במתי עב (aspiration of the king of Babylon) Isa 14:14.

3. high places, as places of worship, at first on hills and mountains, later on artificial mounds or platforms, under green trees, and in cities; still later for the chapels erected thereon, and once apparently for a portable sanctuary (decked with diverse colours) Ezek 16:16. The ancient worship of Israel was conducted on these high places. In the times of Samuel and David they ascended to them, descended from them, and offered sacrifices on them, 1Sam 9:12-25; 1Sam 10:5; 1Sam 10:13 (הבמה for הביתה We Dr). The custom continued in the reign of Solomon, but Gibeon was הבמה הגדולה 1Kgs 3:2-4 compare 1Chr 16:39; 1Chr 21:29; 2Chr 1:3; 2Chr 1:13. High places of Baal were also used Num 22:41 (E) Jer 19:5; Jer 32:35 of Moab Isa 15:2; Isa 16:12; Jer 48:35 (compare MI²⁷); these must be demolished Num 33:52 (J). Solomon built במות (platforms or chapels) to Chemosh and Milkom on the Mt. of Evil Counsel opposite Jerusalem 1Kgs 11:7: Jeroboam made temples on the ancient high places of Dan and Bethel 1Kgs 12:31; 1Kgs 12:32; 2Chr 11:15 they are called במות און Hos 10:8, במות ישׂחק Amos 7:9: the kings of Israel built במות and בתי הבמות in all their cities 2Kgs 17:9, and the people worshipped there 2Kgs 17:11 these were also used by the mixed population after the exile of Israel 2Kgs 17:29; 2Kgs 17:32 (twice in verse): these various idolatrous high places were first destroyed by Josiah 1Kgs 13:2; 1Kgs 13:32; 1Kgs 13:38; 2Kgs 23:5-20; 2Chr 34:3. The worship of Yahweh on high places continued in Judah until the exile 1Kgs 22:44; 2Kgs 15:35 the sanctity code predicts that Yahweh will destroy them Lev 26:30 they were regarded as the reason for the rejection of Shiloh Ps 78:58. The compiler of Kings, writing from the point of view of the Deuteronomic code, complains רַק הַבָּמוֺת לֹא סָרוּ 2Kgs 12:4; 2Kgs 14:4; 2Kgs 15:4; 2Kgs 15:35 compare 2Chr 15:17; 2Chr 20:33, and praises the few pious kings who destroyed them.
  a. Rehoboam built במות with מצבות & אשׁרים on every high hill and under every green tree 1Kgs 14:23.
  b. Asa did not remove the high places 1Kgs 15:14 (2Chr 14:2; 2Chr 14:4 is incorrect unless במות בעל).
  c. Jehoshaphat in his reform on the basis of the covenant code did not remove them 1Kgs 22:44 (עוֺד הֵסִיר אֶתהַֿבָּמוֺת 2Chr 17:16 is doubtless incorrect, possibly read מצבות); Jehoram, his son, made high places in the cities of Judah 2Chr 21:11 (ᵐ5 ᵑ9; not mountains HCT); and Ahaz sacrificed on high places on the hills and under every green tree and in every city of Judah 2Kgs 16:4; 2Chr 28:4; 2Chr 28:25 compare Mic 1:5 (read חטאת? so ᵐ5 ᵑ6 ᵑ7 Che and others; yet compare JBL^{1890, 73 f.})
  d. Hezekiah removed them 2Kgs 18:4; 2Kgs 18:22; 2Chr 31:1; 2Chr 32:12; Isa 36:7 but Manasseh rebuilt them 2Kgs 21:3; 2Chr 33:3; 2Chr 33:19, and the people continued to sacrifice thereon to Yahweh 2Chr 33:17.
  e. Josiah, in his reform, based on the Deuteronomic code, defiled them and brake them down from Geba to Beersheba 2Kgs 23:5; 2Kgs 23:8; 2Kgs 23:9 but subsequently there were במות התפת in the valley of Ben Hinnom Jer 7:31, and במות throughout Judah Jer 17:3 compare Ezek 6:3; Ezek 6:6; Ezek 20:29 (questioned by Ew & Co).

4. funereal mound (?) Ezek 43:7 (Thes, but in their high places AV RV; in their death ᵑ7 Theod Ew Hi RVm), Isa 53:9 (Lowth Ew Bö Rodwell Orelli; but in his death AV RV, or martyr death De Che Br).