46
to defile the sanctuary and the priests,
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to build altars and sacred precincts and shrines for idols, to sacrifice swine and other unclean animals,
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and to leave their sons uncircumcised. They were to make themselves abominable by everything unclean and profane,
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so that they would forget the law and change all the ordinances.
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He added, "And whoever does not obey the command of the king shall die."
51
In such words he wrote to his whole kingdom. He appointed inspectors over all the people and commanded the towns of Judah to offer sacrifice, town by town.
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Many of the people, everyone who forsook the law, joined them, and they did evil in the land;
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they drove Israel into hiding in every place of refuge they had.
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Now on the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one hundred forty-fifth year, they erected a desolating sacrilege on the altar of burnt offering. They also built altars in the surrounding towns of Judah,
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and offered incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets.
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The books of the law that they found they tore to pieces and burned with fire.