Now when allthiswas finished,allIsraelwho were presentwentout to the citiesof Judah,brokethe pillarsin pieces,cutdownthe Asherimand pulleddownthe highplacesand the altarsthroughoutallJudahand Benjamin,as well as in Ephraimand Manasseh,untilthey had destroyedthem all.Then allthe sonsof Israelreturnedto their cities,eachto his possession.
Whenmorningdawned,the angelsurgedLot,saying,"Up, takeyour wifeand your twodaughterswho are here,oryou will be sweptawayin the punishmentof the city."
He didevilin the sightof the LORD,onlynot as the kingsof Israelwhowere beforehim.
"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 removedthe highplacesand brokedownthe [sacred] pillarsand cutdownthe Asherah.He also brokein piecesthe bronzeserpentthat Moseshad made,for untilthosedaysthe sonsof Israelburnedincenseto it; and it was calledNehushtan.
Asadidgoodand rightin the sightof the LORDhis God,
for he removedthe foreignaltarsand highplaces,toredownthe [sacred] pillars,cutdownthe Asherim,
And allthe peoplewentto the houseof Baaland toreit down,and they brokein pieceshis altarsand his images,and killedMattanthe priestof Baalbeforethe altars.
Has not the sameHezekiahtakenawayHis highplacesand His altars,and saidto Judahand Jerusalem,"You shall worshipbeforeonealtar,and on it you shall burnincense"?
For he rebuiltthe highplaceswhichHezekiahhis fatherhad brokendown;he also erectedaltarsfor the Baalsand madeAsherim,and worshipedallthe hostof heavenand servedthem.
"Go,assembleallthe Jewswho are foundin Susa,and fastfor me; do not eator drinkfor threedays,nightor day.I and my maidensalsowill fastin the sameway.And thusI will goin to the king,whichis not according to the law;and ifI perish,I perish."
"You shall not worshiptheir gods,norservethem, nordoaccording to their deeds;but you shall utterlyoverthrowthem and breaktheir [sacred] pillarsin pieces.
"But [rather], you are to teardowntheir altarsand smashtheir [sacred] pillarsand cutdowntheir Asherim--
He will not haveregardfor the altars,the workof his hands,Norwill he lookto that whichhis fingershave made,Even the Asherimand incensestands.
"But thusyou shall doto them: you shall teardowntheir altars,and smashtheir [sacred] pillars,and hewdowntheir Asherim,and burntheir gravenimageswith fire.
