Nevertheless the high places were not removed; the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places. He built the upper gate of the house of the LORD — Jotham, like his predecessors, fails to eliminate the high places (*bamot*, במות), the persistent institutional compromise. Yet he distinguishes himself by building the upper gate (שַׁעַר־הַעֶלְיוֹן, *Sha'ar ha-elyon*) of the temple, a construction project that suggests temple expansion and maintenance. This distinction—maintaining the temple even while tolerating high places—characterizes Judean religiosity: commitment to the central sanctuary coupled with institutional tolerance of unauthorized worship sites. The upper gate's construction may relate to fortification against external threats (the looming Syro-Ephraimite crisis) or temple beautification.

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