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;
53
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,
55
and burned incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets.
56
The books of the law which they found they tore to pieces and burned with fire.
57
Where the book of the covenant was found in the possession of any one, or if any one adhered to the law, the decree of the king condemned him to death.
58
They kept using violence against Israel, against those found month after month in the cities.
59
And on the twenty-fifth day of the month they offered sacrifice on the altar which was upon the altar of burnt offering.
60
According to the decree, they put to death the women who had their children circumcised,
61
and their families and those who circumcised them; and they hung the infants from their mothers' necks.