He didevilbecausehe did not sethis heartto seekthe LORD.
Judahdidevilin the sightof the LORD,and they provokedHim to jealousymorethanallthat their fathershad done,with the sinswhichthey committed.
"O LORD,the Godof Abraham,Isaacand Israel,our fathers,preservethisforeverin the intentionsof the heartof Your people,and directtheir heartto You;
Those from allthe tribesof Israelwho settheir heartson seekingthe LORDGodof Israelfollowedthem to Jerusalem,to sacrificeto the LORDGodof their fathers.
"But thereis [some] goodin you, for you have removedthe Asherothfrom the landand you have setyour heartto seekGod."
everyonewho prepareshis heartto seekGod,the LORDGodof his fathers,though not according to the purification[rules] of the sanctuary."
My heartis steadfast,O God,my heartis steadfast;I will sing,yes, I will singpraises!
For their heartwas not steadfasttowardHim, Norwere they faithfulin His covenant.
And not be like their fathers,A stubbornand rebelliousgeneration,A generationthat did not prepareits heartAnd whose spiritwas not faithfulto God.
"I have not spokenin secret,In somedarkland;I did not sayto the offspringof Jacob,SeekMe in a wasteplace;I, the LORD,speakrighteousness,Declaringthingsthat are upright.
"They cometo you as peoplecome,and sitbeforeyou [as] My peopleand hearyour words,but they do not dothem, for they dothe lustfuldesires[expressed] by their mouth,[and] their heartgoesaftertheir gain.
"Ask,and it will be givento you; seek,and you will find;knock,and it will be openedto you.
Therefore,my belovedbrethren,be steadfast,immovable,alwaysaboundingin the workof the Lord,knowingthat your toilis not [in] vainin the Lord.
Be on the alert,stand firmin the faith,act like men,be strong.
Ohthat they hadsucha heartin them, that they would fearMe and keepallMy commandmentsalways,that it may be wellwith them and with their sonsforever!
Then Samuelspoketo allthe houseof Israel,saying,"Ifyou returnto the LORDwith allyour heart,removethe foreigngodsand the Ashtarothfrom amongyou and directyour heartsto the LORDand serveHim alone;and He will deliveryou from the handof the Philistines."
