Now afterAmaziahcamefrom slaughteringthe Edomites,he broughtthe godsof the sonsof Seir,setthem up as his gods,boweddownbeforethem and burnedincenseto them.
They abandonedtheir idolsthere,so Davidand his mencarriedthem away.
ThenAmaziahsentmessengersto Jehoash,the sonof Jehoahazsonof Jehu,kingof Israel,saying,"Come,let us faceeach other."
But the troopswhomAmaziahsentbackfrom goingwith him to battle,raidedthe citiesof Judah,from Samariato Beth-horon,and struckdown3000of them and plunderedmuchspoil.
He didrightin the sightof the LORD,yetnot with a wholeheart.
For he sacrificedto the godsof Damascuswhich had defeatedhim, and said,"Becausethe godsof the kingsof Aramhelpedthem, I will sacrificeto them that they may helpme." But they becamethe downfallof him and allIsrael.
"You shall not worshiptheir gods,norservethem, nordoaccording to their deeds;but you shall utterlyoverthrowthem and breaktheir [sacred] pillarsin pieces.
Then it becomes[something] for a manto burn,so he takesone of them and warmshimself; he alsomakesa fireto bakebread.He alsomakesa godand worshipsit; he makesit a gravenimageand fallsdownbefore it.
Noone recalls,noris there knowledgeor understandingto say,"I have burnedhalfof it in the fireand alsohave bakedbreadoverits coals.I roastmeatand eat[it]. Then I makethe restof it into an abomination,I falldownbefore a blockof wood!"
Thussaysthe LORD,"For threetransgressionsof Judahand for fourI will not revokeits [punishment], Becausethey rejectedthe lawof the LORDAnd have not keptHis statutes;Their liesalso have ledthem astray,Those afterwhichtheir fatherswalked.
"The gravenimagesof their godsyou are to burnwith fire;you shall not covetthe silveror the goldthat is on them, nortakeit for yourselves, oryou will be snaredby it, for it is an abominationto the LORDyour God.
"But thusyou shall doto them: you shall teardowntheir altars,and smashtheir [sacred] pillars,and hewdowntheir Asherim,and burntheir gravenimageswith fire.
