"And those who bowdownon the housetopsto the hostof heaven,And those who bowdown[and] swearto the LORDand [yet] swearby Milcom,
"The housesof Jerusalemand the housesof the kingsof Judahwill be defiledlike the placeTopheth,because of allthe houseson whoserooftopsthey burnedsacrificesto allthe heavenlyhostand pouredout drinkofferingsto othergods."'"
They fearedthe LORDand servedtheir own godsaccording to the customof the nationsfrom among whomthey had been carriedawayinto exile.
becausethey have forsakenMe, and have worshipedAshtoreththe goddessof the Sidonians,Chemoshthe godof Moab,and Milcomthe godof the sonsof Ammon;and they have not walkedin My ways,doingwhatis rightin My sightand [observing] My statutesand My ordinances,as his fatherDavid[did].
"You also carriedalong Sikkuthyour kingand Kiyyun,your images,the starof your godswhichyou madefor yourselves.
The altarswhich[were] on the roof,the upperchamberof Ahaz,whichthe kingsof Judahhad made,and the altarswhichManassehhad madein the twocourtsof the houseof the LORD,the kingbrokedown;and he smashedthem thereand threwtheir dustinto the brookKidron.
So while thesenationsfearedthe LORD,they also servedtheir idols;their childrenlikewiseand their grandchildren,as their fathersdid,so they doto thisday.
Elijahcamenearto allthe peopleand said,"Howlong[will] you hesitatebetweentwoopinions?Ifthe LORDis God,followHim; but ifBaal,followhim." But the peopledid not answerhim a word.
For it is written,"AS I LIVE,SAYSTHE LORD,EVERYKNEESHALL BOWTO ME, AND EVERYTONGUESHALL GIVE PRAISETO GOD."
"No onecanservetwomasters;for eitherhe will hatethe oneand lovethe other,orhe will be devotedto oneand despisethe other.You cannotserveGodand wealth.
Thoughyou, Israel,playthe harlot,Do not let Judahbecomeguilty;Also do not goto Gilgal,Or goup to Beth-avenAnd takethe oath:"As the LORDlives!"
"The Chaldeanswho are fightingagainstthiscitywill enterand setthiscityon fireand burnit, with the houseswhere[people] have offeredincenseto Baalon their roofsand pouredout drinkofferingsto othergodsto provokeMe to anger.
"Whyshould I pardonyou? Your sonshave forsakenMe And swornby those who are not gods.When I had fedthem to the full,They committedadulteryAnd troopedto the harlot'shouse.
And you will swear,'As the LORDlives,'In truth,in justiceand in righteousness;Then the nationswill blessthemselves in Him, And in Him they will glory."
"Hearthis,O houseof Jacob,who are namedIsraelAnd who cameforthfrom the loinsof Judah,Who swearby the nameof the LORDAnd invokethe Godof Israel,[But] not in truthnorin righteousness.
"I have swornby Myself, The wordhas goneforthfrom My mouthin righteousnessAnd will not turnback,That to Me everykneewill bow,everytonguewill swear[allegiance].
"Thisonewill say,'I am the LORD'S;And that onewill callon the nameof Jacob;And anotherwill write[on] his hand,'Belonging to the LORD,'And will nameIsrael'snamewith honor.
For SolomonwentafterAshtoreththe goddessof the Sidoniansand afterMilcomthe detestableidolof the Ammonites.
sothat you will not associatewith thesenations,thesewhich remainamongyou, or mentionthe nameof their gods,or make [anyone] swear[by them], or servethem, or bowdownto them.
"You shall fearthe LORDyour God;you shall serveHim and clingto Him, and you shall swearby His name.
On the next day,as they were on their wayand approachingthe city,Peterwentup on the housetopaboutthe sixthhourto pray.
They also fearedthe LORDand appointedfrom amongthemselves priestsof the highplaces,who actedfor them in the housesof the highplaces.
"And althoughthey say,'As the LORDlives,'Surelythey swearfalsely."
"Will you steal,murder,and commitadulteryand swearfalsely,and offersacrificesto Baaland walkafterothergodsthat you have not known,
then comeand standbeforeMe in thishouse,whichis calledby My name,and say,'We are delivered!'--that you may doalltheseabominations?
"They will spreadthem out to the sun,the moonand to allthe hostof heaven,whichthey have lovedand whichthey have served,and whichthey have goneafterand whichthey have sought,and whichthey have worshiped.They will not be gatheredor buried;they will be as dungon the faceof the ground.
"Then ifthey will reallylearnthe waysof My people,to swearby My name,'As the LORDlives,'evenas they taughtMy peopleto swearby Baal,they will be builtup in the midstof My people.
Concerning the sonsof Ammon.Thussaysthe LORD:"Does Israelhavenosons?Orhashe noheirs?Whythen has Malcamtakenpossessionof GadAnd his peoplesettledin its cities?
Their heartis faithless;Nowthey must beartheir guilt.The LORD will breakdowntheir altars[And] destroytheir [sacred] pillars.
"And [beware] not to liftup your eyesto heavenand seethe sunand the moonand the stars,allthe hostof heaven,and be drawnawayand worshipthem and servethem, those whichthe LORDyour Godhas allottedto allthe peoplesunderthe wholeheaven.
The oracleconcerning the valleyof vision.Whatis the matter with you now,that you have allgoneup to the housetops?
