For they alsobuiltfor themselves highplacesand [sacred] pillarsand Asherimon everyhighhilland beneatheveryluxurianttree.
And he madehouseson highplaces,and madepriestsfrom among allthe peoplewhowere not of the sonsof Levi.
"For the LORDwill strikeIsrael,as a reedis shakenin the water;and He will uprootIsraelfrom thisgoodlandwhichHe gaveto their fathers,and will scatterthem beyondthe [Euphrates] River,becausethey have madetheir Asherim,provokingthe LORDto anger.
He also putawaythe malecultprostitutesfrom the landand removedallthe idolswhichhis fathershad made.
Now the servantsof the kingof Aramsaidto him, "Their godsare godsof the mountains,thereforethey were strongerthanwe; but ratherlet us fightagainstthem in the plain,[and] surelywe will be strongerthanthey.
The peoplewere stillsacrificingon the highplaces,becausethere was nohousebuiltfor the nameof the LORDuntilthosedays.
Now Solomonlovedthe LORD,walkingin the statutesof his fatherDavid,excepthe sacrificedand burnedincenseon the highplaces.
They broughtout the [sacred] pillarsof the houseof Baaland burnedthem.
He sacrificedand burnedincenseon the highplacesand on the hillsand undereverygreentree.
They forsookallthe commandmentsof the LORDtheir Godand madefor themselves moltenimages,[even] twocalves,and madean Asherahand worshipedallthe hostof heavenand servedBaal.
AlsoJudahdid not keepthe commandmentsof the LORDtheir God,but walkedin the customswhichIsraelhad introduced.
They abandonedthe houseof the LORD,the Godof their fathers,and servedthe Asherimand the idols;so wrathcameupon Judahand Jerusalemfor thistheir guilt.
He sacrificedand burnedincenseon the highplaces,on the hillsand undereverygreentree.
"But [rather], you are to teardowntheir altarsand smashtheir [sacred] pillarsand cutdowntheir Asherim--
[Who] inflameyourselves among the oaks,Undereveryluxurianttree,Who slaughterthe childrenin the ravines,Underthe cleftsof the crags?
As they remembertheir children,So they [remember] their altarsand their AsherimBy greentreeson the highhills.
"For longagoI brokeyour yoke[And] toreoffyour bonds;But you said,'I will not serve!'For on everyhighhillAnd undereverygreentreeYou have laindownas a harlot.
Onlyacknowledgeyour iniquity,That you have transgressedagainst the LORDyour GodAnd have scatteredyour favorsto the strangersundereverygreentree,And you have not obeyedMy voice,'declaresthe LORD.
"Then you will knowthat I am the LORD,when their slainare amongtheir idolsaroundtheir altars,on everyhighhill,on allthe topsof the mountains,undereverygreentreeand undereveryleafyoak--the placeswherethey offeredsoothingaromato alltheir idols.
and say,'Mountainsof Israel,listento the wordof the LordGOD!Thussaysthe LordGODto the mountains,the hills,the ravinesand the valleys:"Behold,I Myselfam going to bringa swordon you, and I will destroyyour highplaces.
"In allyour dwellings,citieswill becomewasteand the highplaceswill be desolate,that your altarsmay becomewasteand desolate,your idolsmay be brokenand broughtto an end,your incensealtarsmay be cutdown,and your worksmay be blottedout.
Israelis a luxuriantvine;He producesfruitfor himself. The morehis fruit,The morealtarshe made;The richerhis land,The betterhe madethe [sacred] pillars.
You shall not makefor yourselves idols,norshall you setup for yourselves an imageor a [sacred] pillar,norshall you placea figuredstonein your landto bowdownto it; for I am the LORDyour God.
"I will rootout your Asherimfrom amongyou And destroyyour cities.
"You shall utterlydestroyallthe placeswherethe nationswhomyou shall dispossessservetheir gods,on the highmountainsand on the hillsand undereverygreentree.
"You shall not setup for yourself a [sacred] pillarwhichthe LORDyour Godhates.
