Arcana Coelestia # 796
796. As the Most Ancient Church held holy worship upon mountains, the Ancient Church did the same. And hence in all the representative churches of that time, and in all the nations too, the custom prevailed of sacrificing upon mountains and of building high places, as is evident from what is related of Abram (Genesis 12:1; 22:2); and of the Jews before the building of the temple (Deuteronomy 27:4-7; Joshua 8:30; 1 Samuel 9:12-14, 19; 10:5; 1 Kings 3:2-4); of the nations (Deuteronomy 12:2; 2 Kings 17:9-11); and of the idolatrous Jews (Isaiah 57:7; 1 Kings 11:7; 14:23; 22:43; 2 Kings 12:3; 14:4; 15:3-4, 34-35; 16:4; 17:9-11; 21:5; 23:5, 8-9, 13, 15).
2 Kings 17:9-11
9
The children of Israel did secretly things that were not right against Yahweh their God: and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city;
10
and they set them up pillars and Asherim on every high hill, and under every green tree;
11
and there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the nations whom Yahweh carried away before them; and they worked wicked things to provoke Yahweh to anger;
