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The altar that was at Beth-el.
Question. How could he rightly do this, seeing Beth-el was a part of the kingdom of Israel, not of Judah?
Answer. Either, first, This city was now under the kingdom of Judah, to which it was added by Abijah long since, 2Ch_13:19. Or, secondly, He did this by virtue of that ancient right which David and his posterity had to the kingdom of Israel, which though suspended for a time by God’s grant of the ten tribes to Jeroboam, and the succeeding kings of Israel; yet these being all extinct, it might seem to return to him, at least so far as to pluck up idolatry out of the land of Israel, as he had opportunity, and especially out of those parts of it which bordered upon Judah. Or, thirdly, The king of Babylon having engaged in a war with the Assyrian, Hezekiah’s great enemy, and having thereupon occasion for Hezekiah’s friendship, did (as some suppose) enlarge his dominion, and give him some power over the kingdom of Israel, at least as to matters of religion; which may seem not improbable from 2Ch_30:1-6. And the same power seems to have been continued, and some kind of league made, between the king of Babylon and Manasseh, (who thereupon was restored to his kingdom, 2Ch_33:13) and after him Josiah, who therefore was so zealous in his quarrel against the king of Egypt, 2Ch_35:20, &c. Or, fourthly, He did it in pursuance of God’s prediction concerning this action, 1Ki_13:2, which (in a matter so good, and so agreeable to God’s will and word, as the extirpation of idolatry unquestionably was) had the force of a warrant or command upon him to do it, as God’s prediction of the conversion of the Gentiles by the Messias was a command to his apostles to preach to them, Act_13:47.
The high place; which seems to have been some little temple or house erected for that worship, or for the priests attending upon it.