And {so did he} in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about. {mattocks: or, mauls}

And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.

For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people. {For the...: or, For he doth much keep the, etc} {desolation: or, astonishment}

So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria. {from: Heb. from the hand}

Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen {this}, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose. {Is it...: or, Is there any thing lighter than to commit}

The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead {their} dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. {queen...: or, frame, or, workmanship of heaven}

Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities. {present: Heb. found} {images: Heb. statues} {until...: Heb. until to make an end}

And the children of Israel did secretly {those} things that {were} not right against the LORD their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.

For the saying which he cried by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places which {are} in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come to pass.

And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.

For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.

And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke {him} to anger.

And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, {even} two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.

So they feared the LORD, and made unto themselves of the lowest of them priests of the high places, which sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places.

For from Israel {was} it also: the workman made it; therefore it {is} not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.