בָּמָה

1. high place, mountain: בָּמוֺת יָעַר forest mountains Mik 3,12 = Jer 26,18 במות עולם ancient mountains Ezk 36,2 במות ארנן 4 Mos 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) 2 Sam 1,19; 2 Sam 1,25 (in v2 Sam 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 5 Mos 32,13 & Es 58,14 compare 5 Mos 33,29; Sl 18,34 = 2 Sam 22,34; Hab 3,19.
\ \ b. of God: דרך על במתי ארץ tread upon the high places of the earth Amos 4,13 compare Mik 1,3 במתי ים Job 9,8 עלה על במתי עב (aspiration of the king of Babylon) Es 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) Ezk 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, 1 Sam 9,12–25; 1 Sam 10,5; 1 Sam 10,13 (הבמה for הביתה We Dr). The custom continued in the reign of Solomon, but Gibeon was הבמה הגדולה 1 Kong 3,2–4 compare 1 Kron 16,39; 1 Kron 21,29; 2 Kron 1,3; 2 Kron 1,13. High places of Baal were also used 4 Mos 22,41 (E) Jer 19,5; Jer 32,35 of Moab Es 15,2; Es 16,12; Jer 48,35 (compare MI²⁷); these must be demolished 4 Mos 33,52 (J). Solomon built במות (platforms or chapels) to Chemosh and Milkom on the Mt. of Evil Counsel opposite Jerusalem 1 Kong 11,7: Jeroboam made temples on the ancient high places of Dan and Bethel 1 Kong 12,31; 1 Kong 12,32; 2 Kron 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 2 Kong 17,9, and the people worshipped there 2 Kong 17,11 these were also used by the mixed population after the exile of Israel 2 Kong 17,29; 2 Kong 17,32 (twice in verse): these various idolatrous high places were first destroyed by Josiah 1 Kong 13,2; 1 Kong 13,32; 1 Kong 13,38; 2 Kong 23,5–20; 2 Kron 34,3. The worship of Yahweh on high places continued in Judah until the exile 1 Kong 22,44; 2 Kong 15,35 the sanctity code predicts that Yahweh will destroy them 3 Mos 26,30 they were regarded as the reason for the rejection of Shiloh Sl 78,58. The compiler of Kings, writing from the point of view of the Deuteronomic code, complains רַק הַבָּמוֺת לֹא סָרוּ 2 Kong 12,4; 2 Kong 14,4; 2 Kong 15,4; 2 Kong 15,35 compare 2 Kron 15,17; 2 Kron 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 1 Kong 14,23.
\ \ b. Asa did not remove the high places 1 Kong 15,14 (2 Kron 14,2; 2 Kron 14,4 is incorrect unless במות בעל).
\ \ c. Jehoshaphat in his reform on the basis of the covenant code did not remove them 1 Kong 22,44 (עוֺד הֵסִיר אֶתהַֿבָּמוֺת 2 Kron 17,16 is doubtless incorrect, possibly read מצבות); Jehoram, his son, made high places in the cities of Judah 2 Kron 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 2 Kong 16,4; 2 Kron 28,4; 2 Kron 28,25 compare Mik 1,5 (read חטאת? so ᵐ5 ᵑ6 ᵑ7 Che and others; yet compare JBL^{1890, 73 f.})
\ \ d. Hezekiah removed them 2 Kong 18,4; 2 Kong 18,22; 2 Kron 31,1; 2 Kron 32,12; Es 36,7 but Manasseh rebuilt them 2 Kong 21,3; 2 Kron 33,3; 2 Kron 33,19, and the people continued to sacrifice thereon to Yahweh 2 Kron 33,17.
\ \ e. Josiah, in his reform, based on the Deuteronomic code, defiled them and brake them down from Geba to Beersheba 2 Kong 23,5; 2 Kong 23,8; 2 Kong 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 Ezk 6,3; Ezk 6,6; Ezk 20,29 (questioned by Ew & Co).

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