For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; And Judah has multiplied fortified cities; But I will send a fire on his cities, And it will devour its fortresses."
"And builded palaces ..." This may not be a reference merely to spacious and luxurious dwellings; for, "The word translated palaces may equally well mean temples."[28]  The Hebrew word literally means "great houses" or "great house," and was usually applied either to the residence of a king or to the temple of some god.  If the latter is meant, it would indicate that Israel had entrenched and fortified paganism in their land with an elaborate system of magnificent buildings dedicated to pagan deities.