“I had brought them
Into the land
That I swore
To give them.
Then wherever they saw
Any high hill
Or any leafy tree,
There they offered
Their sacrifices.
They presented
The provocation
Of their offering.
There they sent up
Their pleasing odors.
There they poured out
Their drink offerings.
I said to them.
What is the high place
To which you go?
It is called Bamah
To this day.”
Now Yahweh reminded them, via Ezekiel, that when he brought them into the land that he swore to give to their ancestors, they ran to every high hill or leafy tree. There they set up altars of sacrifice. They provoked Yahweh with their sacrifices. They presented their offerings with sweet smelling incense and drink offerings. This may have been some sort of Canaanite or Egyptian fertility rite, since they had not given up their old ways. There is a play on words as Yahweh wanted to know what this high place was called. Bamah meant a high place of worship that had been used by the Canaanites, but still existed at the time of Ezekiel.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 