46
to defile the sanctuary and the priests,
47
to build altars and sacred precincts and shrines for idols, to sacrifice swine and unclean animals,
48
and to leave their sons uncircumcised. They were to make themselves abominable by everything unclean and profane,
49
so that they should forget the law and change all the ordinances.
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"And whoever does not obey the command of the king shall die."
51
In such words he wrote to his whole kingdom. And he appointed inspectors over all the people and commanded the cities of Judah to offer sacrifice, city by city.
52
Many of the people, every one 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.
54
Now on the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one hundred and forty-fifth year, they erected a desolating sacrilege upon the altar of burnt offering. They also built altars in the surrounding cities of Judah,
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and burned incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets.
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The books of the law which they found they tore to pieces and burned with fire.