The inhabitants ¹  of Samaria will lament ²  over the calf idol ³  of Beth Aven. ⁴  Its people will mourn over it; its idolatrous priests will wail ⁵  over it, ⁶  because its splendor will be taken from them ⁷  into exile.

“I will attack ¹  Judah and all who live in Jerusalem. ²  I will remove ³  from this place every trace of Baal worship, ⁴  as well as the very memory ⁵  of the pagan priests. ⁶ 

He eliminated ¹  the pagan priests whom the kings of Judah had appointed to offer sacrifices ²  on the high places in the cities of Judah and in the area right around Jerusalem. (They offered sacrifices ³  to Baal, the sun god, the moon god, the constellations, and all the stars in the sky.)

They even built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree.

Indeed, they ¹  will be ashamed of the sacred trees you ²  find so desirable; you will be embarrassed because of the sacred orchards ³  where you choose to worship.

I do not associate ¹  with deceitful men, or consort ²  with those who are dishonest. ³ 

They mixed in with the nations and learned their ways. ¹ 

They were defiled by their deeds, and unfaithful in their actions. ¹ 

“Son of man, confront Jerusalem ¹  with her abominable practices

You must bear your punishment for your obscene conduct and your abominable practices, declares the Lord.

You must not erect a sacred pillar, ¹  a thing the Lord your God detests.

He burned the bones of the pagan priests ¹  on their altars; he purified Judah and Jerusalem.

See if there is any idolatrous tendency ¹  in me, and lead me in the reliable ancient path! ² 

On every high, elevated hill you prepare your bed; you go up there to offer sacrifices.

A whirlwind has wrapped them in its wings; they will be brought to shame because of their idolatrous worship. ¹ 

He did evil in the sight of ¹  the Lord and committed the same horrible sins practiced by the nations ²  whom the Lord drove out from before the Israelites.

He removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah. The kingdom had rest under his rule. ¹ 

However, the high places were not eliminated; the people were still not devoted to the God of their ancestors. ¹ 

He also built high places on the hills of Judah; he encouraged the residents of Jerusalem to be unfaithful to the Lord ¹  and led Judah away from the Lord. ² 

How tragic that the once-faithful city has become a prostitute! ¹  She was once a center of ²  justice, fairness resided in her, but now only murderers. ³