Now when Asaheardthesewordsand the prophecywhich Azariahthe son of Odedthe prophetspoke, he tookcourageand removedthe abominableidolsfrom allthe landof Judahand Benjaminand from the citieswhichhe had capturedin the hillcountryof Ephraim.He then restoredthe altarof the LORDwhichwas in frontof the porchof the LORD.
For SolomonwentafterAshtoreththe goddessof the Sidoniansand afterMilcomthe detestableidolof the Ammonites.
ThenSolomonbuilta highplacefor Chemoshthe detestableidolof Moab,on the mountainwhichis eastof Jerusalem,and for Molechthe detestableidolof the sonsof Ammon.
So in the twentiethyearof Jeroboamthe kingof Israel,Asabegan to reignas kingof Judah.
The bronzealtar,which[was] beforethe LORD,he broughtfrom the frontof the house,from between[his] altarand the houseof the LORD,and he putit on the northsideof [his] altar.
"But ifyou sayto me, 'We trustin the LORDour God,'is it not He whosehighplacesand whose altarsHezekiahhas takenaway,and has saidto Judahand to Jerusalem,'You shall worshipbeforethisaltarin Jerusalem'?
The highplaceswhich[were] beforeJerusalem,which[were] on the rightof the mountof destructionwhichSolomonthe kingof Israelhad builtfor Ashtoreththe abominationof the Sidonians,and for Chemoshthe abominationof Moab,and for Milcomthe abominationof the sonsof Ammon,the kingdefiled.
AbijahpursuedJeroboamand capturedfrom him [several] cities,Bethelwith its villages,Jeshanahwith its villagesand Ephronwith its villages.
He placedtroopsin allthe fortifiedcitiesof Judah,and setgarrisonsin the landof Judahand in the citiesof EphraimwhichAsahis fatherhad captured.
"Behold,Amariahthe chiefpriestwill be overyou in allthat pertainsto the LORD,and Zebadiahthe sonof Ishmael,the rulerof the houseof Judah,in allthat pertainsto the king.Also the Levitesshall be officersbeforeyou. Actresolutely,and the LORDbe with the upright."
So Jehoshaphatlivedin Jerusalemand wentout againamong the peoplefrom Beershebato the hillcountryof Ephraimand broughtthem backto the LORD,the Godof their fathers.
Then they wentin to KingHezekiahand said,"We have cleansedthe wholehouseof the LORD,the altarof burntofferingwith allof its utensils,and the tableof showbreadwith allof its utensils.
Then he madea bronzealtar,twentycubitsin lengthand twentycubitsin widthand tencubitsin height.
ThenSolomonofferedburntofferingsto the LORDon the altarof the LORDwhichhe had builtbeforethe porch;
Surely he cutscedarsfor himself, and takesa cypressor an oakand raises[it] for himself among the treesof the forest.He plantsa fir,and the rainmakesit grow.
Who sitamong gravesand spendthe nightin secretplaces;Who eatswine'sflesh,And the brothof uncleanmeatis [in] their pots.
"I will firstdoublyrepaytheir iniquityand their sin,becausethey have pollutedMy land;they have filledMy inheritancewith the carcassesof their detestableidolsand with their abominations."
So I enteredand looked,and behold,everyformof creepingthingsand beasts[and] detestablethings,with allthe idolsof the houseof Israel,were carvedon the wallallaround.
Thus you are to keepMy charge,that you do not practiceanyof the abominablecustomswhichhave been practicedbeforeyou, so as not to defileyourselves with them; I am the LORDyour God.'"
"Immediatelythe one who had receivedthe fivetalentswentand tradedwith them, and gainedfivemoretalents.
And the brethren,when they heardaboutus, camefrom thereas faras the Marketof Appiusand ThreeInnsto meetus; and when Paulsawthem, he thankedGodand tookcourage.
Cursedis the manwhomakesan idolor a moltenimage,an abominationto the LORD,the workof the handsof the craftsman,and sets[it] up in secret.'And allthe peopleshall answerand say,'Amen.'
For the timealready pastis sufficient[for] [you] to have carriedout the desireof the Gentiles,having pursued a courseof sensuality,lusts,drunkenness,carousing,drinking partiesand abominableidolatries.
So they putawaythe foreigngodsfrom amongthem and servedthe LORD;and He couldbearthe miseryof Israelnolonger.
