For the Leviteslefttheir pasturelandsand their propertyand cameto Judahand Jerusalem,for Jeroboamand his sonshad excludedthem from servingas prieststo the LORD.
AfterthiseventJeroboamdid not returnfrom his evilway,but againhe madepriestsof the highplacesfrom among allthe people;any who would,he ordained,to be priestsof the highplaces.
Moreover, the priestsand the Leviteswhowere in allIsraelstoodwith him from alltheir districts.
"Have you not drivenout the priestsof the LORD,the sonsof Aaronand the Levites,and madefor yourselves priestslike the peoplesof [other] lands?Whoevercomesto consecratehimselfwith a youngbulland sevenrams,even he may becomea priestof [what are] nogods.
"As for the citieswhichyou shall givefrom the possessionof the sonsof Israel,you shall takemorefrom the largerand you shall takelessfrom the smaller;eachshall givesomeof his citiesto the Levitesin proportionto his possessionwhichhe inherits."
