LOANS (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans Receivable, Excluding Purchased Loans	$ 3,785,480	$ 3,626,821
Loans Excluding Purchased Loan [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans Receivable, Excluding Purchased Loans	3,785,480	3,626,821
Commercial, financial & agricultural [Member] | Loans Excluding Purchased Loan [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans Receivable, Excluding Purchased Loans	1,061,599	967,138
Real Estate - construction & development [Member] | Loans Excluding Purchased Loan [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans Receivable, Excluding Purchased Loans	415,029	363,045
Real Estate - Commercial & Farmland [Member] | Loans Excluding Purchased Loan [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans Receivable, Excluding Purchased Loans	1,458,110	1,406,219
Real Estate - Residential [Member] | Loans Excluding Purchased Loan [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans Receivable, Excluding Purchased Loans	726,795	781,018
Consumer installment [Member] | Loans Excluding Purchased Loan [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans Receivable, Excluding Purchased Loans	115,919	96,915
Other [Member] | Loans Excluding Purchased Loan [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans Receivable, Excluding Purchased Loans	$ 8,028	$ 12,486