They aroseand removedthe altarswhich[were] in Jerusalem;they also removedallthe incensealtarsand cast[them] into the brookKidron.
While allthe countrywas weepingwith a loudvoice,allthe peoplepassedover.The kingalso passedoverthe brookKidron,and allthe peoplepassedovertowardthe wayof the wilderness.
"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'?
He alsoremovedMaacah,the motherof KingAsa,from the [position of] queenmother,becauseshe had madea horridimageas an Asherah,and Asacutdownher horridimage,crushed[it] and burned[it] at the brookKidron.
Moreover, when Ahazgatheredtogether the utensilsof the houseof God,he cutthe utensilsof the houseof Godin pieces;and he closedthe doorsof the houseof the LORDand madealtarsfor himself in everycornerof Jerusalem.
So the priestswentin to the innerpartof the houseof the LORDto cleanse[it], and everyuncleanthingwhichthey foundin the templeof the LORDthey broughtout to the courtof the houseof the LORD.Then the Levitesreceived[it] to carryout to the Kidronvalley.
Has not the sameHezekiahtakenawayHis highplacesand His altars,and saidto Judahand Jerusalem,"You shall worshipbeforeonealtar,and on it you shall burnincense"?
For in the eighthyearof his reignwhile he was stilla youth,he beganto seekthe Godof his fatherDavid;and in the twelfthyearhe beganto purgeJudahand Jerusalemof the highplaces,the Asherim,the carvedimagesand the moltenimages.
They toredownthe altarsof the Baalsin his presence,and the incensealtarsthat were highabovethem he choppeddown;also the Asherim,the carvedimagesand the moltenimageshe brokein piecesand groundto powderand scattered[it] on the gravesof those who had sacrificedto them.
he also toredownthe altarsand beatthe Asherimand the carvedimagesinto powder,and choppeddownallthe incensealtarsthroughoutthe landof Israel.Then he returnedto Jerusalem.
"But ifyou sayto me, 'We trustin the LORDour God,'is it not He whosehighplacesand whose altarsHezekiahhas takenawayand has saidto Judahand to Jerusalem,'You shall worshipbeforethisaltar'?
When Jesushad spokenthesewords, He went forthwith His disciplesoverthe ravineof the Kidron,wherethere was a garden,in whichHe enteredwith His disciples.
