"You shall utterlydestroyallthe placeswherethe nationswhomyou shall dispossessservetheir gods,on the highmountainsand on the hillsand undereverygreentree.
For they alsobuiltfor themselves highplacesand [sacred] pillarsand Asherimon everyhighhilland beneatheveryluxurianttree.
The peoplewere stillsacrificingon the highplaces,becausethere was nohousebuiltfor the nameof the LORDuntilthosedays.
Allthe peopleof the landwentto the houseof Baal,and toreit down;his altarsand his imagesthey brokein piecesthoroughly,and killedMattanthe priestof Baalbeforethe altars.And the priestappointedofficersoverthe houseof the LORD.
He sacrificedand burnedincenseon the highplacesand on the hillsand undereverygreentree.
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.
For they provokedHim with their highplacesAnd aroused His jealousywith their gravenimages.
"You shall not worshiptheir gods,norservethem, nordoaccording to their deeds;but you shall utterlyoverthrowthem and breaktheir [sacred] pillarsin pieces.
"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'?
As they remembertheir children,So they [remember] their altarsand their AsherimBy greentreeson the highhills.
"For longagoI brokeyour yoke[And] toreoffyour bonds;But you said,'I will not serve!'For on everyhighhillAnd undereverygreentreeYou have laindownas a harlot.
Onlyacknowledgeyour iniquity,That you have transgressedagainst the LORDyour GodAnd have scatteredyour favorsto the strangersundereverygreentree,And you have not obeyedMy voice,'declaresthe LORD.
"Liftup your eyesto the bareheightsand see;Wherehave you not been violated?By the roadsyou have satfor them Like an Arabin the desert,And you have polluteda landWith your harlotryand with your wickedness.
Then the LORDsaidto me in the daysof Josiahthe king,"Have you seenwhatfaithlessIsraeldid?She wentup on everyhighhilland undereverygreentree,and she was a harlotthere.
They offersacrificeson the topsof the mountainsAnd burnincenseon the hills,Underoak,poplarand terebinth,Becausetheir shadeis pleasant.Thereforeyour daughtersplaythe harlotAnd your bridescommitadultery.
Then it cameabout in the morningthat BalaktookBalaamand broughthim up to the highplacesof Baal,and he sawfrom therea portionof the people.
"But thusyou shall doto them: you shall teardowntheir altars,and smashtheir [sacred] pillars,and hewdowntheir Asherim,and burntheir gravenimageswith fire.
and as for you, you shall makenocovenantwith the inhabitantsof thisland;you shall teardowntheir altars.'But you have not obeyedMe; whatis thisyou have done?
