For they have forsaken me and have bowed down to Astarte, goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh, god of Moab, and Milcom, god of the Ammonites. They have not walked in my ways or done what is right in my eyes, according to my statutes and my ordinances, as David his father did.
Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you straddle the issue? If the Lord is God, follow him; if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him.
At the same time, they were venerating the Lord, appointing from their own number priests for the high places to officiate for them in the shrines on the high places.
But these nations were both venerating the Lord and serving their own idols. Their children and children’s children are still acting like their ancestors, to this very day.
He also demolished the altars made by the kings of Judah on the roof (the roof terrace of Ahaz), and the altars made by Manasseh in the two courts of the Lord’s house. He pulverized them and threw the dust into the Wadi Kidron.
Hear this, house of Jacob called by the name Israel, sprung from the stock of Judah, You who swear by the name of the Lord and invoke the God of Israel without sincerity, without justice,
And if they truly learn my people’s custom of swearing by my name, “As the Lord lives,” just as they taught my people to swear by Baal, then they shall be built up in the midst of my people.
And the houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah shall be defiled like the place of Topheth, all the houses upon whose roofs they burnt incense to the whole host of heaven and poured out libations to other gods.
The Chaldeans who are attacking this city shall go in and set the city on fire, burning it and the houses, on whose roofs incense was burned to Baal and libations were poured out to other gods in order to provoke me.
Concerning the Ammonites. Thus says the Lord: Has Israel no sons? none to inherit? Why has Milcom disinherited Gad, why are his people living in its cities?
Why should I pardon you? Your children have forsaken me, they swear by gods that are no gods. I fed them, but they commit adultery; to the prostitute’s house they throng.
and spread out before the sun, the moon, and the whole host of heaven, which they loved and served, which they followed, consulted, and worshiped. They will not be gathered up for burial, but will lie like dung upon the ground.
Though you prostitute yourself, Israel, do not let Judah become guilty! Do not come to Gilgal, do not go up to Beth-aven, do not swear, “As the Lord lives!”
“No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Dependence on God.
And when you look up to the heavens and behold the sun or the moon or the stars, the whole heavenly host, do not be led astray into bowing down to them and serving them. These the Lord, your God, has apportioned to all the other nations under the heavens;