“ I will punish Israel for their sins. When I do, I will destroy their altars at Bethel. The horns that stick out from the upper corners of their main altar will be cut off. They will fall to the ground.

我讨以色列罪的日子，也要讨伯特利祭坛的罪；坛角必被砍下，坠落于地。

我惩罚以色列罪孽的日子，也要惩罚伯特利的祭坛；祭坛的角必被砍下，坠落于地。

我惩罚以色列罪孽的日子，也要惩罚伯特利的祭坛；祭坛的角必被砍下，坠落于地。

我追讨以色列人的罪时，要摧毁伯特利的祭坛，将祭坛的角砍落在地。

我追讨以色列的悖逆时，必要惩罚伯特利的祭坛；坛角必砍下，跌落在地。

我討以色列罪的日子，也要討伯特利祭壇的罪；壇角必被砍下，墜落於地。

我懲罰以色列罪孽的日子，也要懲罰伯特利的祭壇；祭壇的角必被砍下，墜落於地。

我懲罰以色列罪孽的日子，也要懲罰伯特利的祭壇；祭壇的角必被砍下，墜落於地。

我追討以色列人的罪時，要摧毀伯特利的祭壇，將祭壇的角砍落在地。

我追討以色列的悖逆時，必要懲罰伯特利的祭壇；壇角必砍下，跌落在地。

我察罰以色列的悖逆那日子，我也必察罰伯特利的祭壇；其壇角必被砍下，墜落於地。

我罰以色列罪愆之日、亦必罰伯特利之壇、斫其壇角、俾墜於地、

我罰以色列族時、亦必降災於伯特利祭壇、斷其四角、毀之於地、

我罰以色列罪愆之日、亦必降災於伯特利祭壇、使壇之角斷折墮於地、

“ On the day I punish Israel for her sins, I will destroy the altars of Bethel; the horns of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground.

“ that on the day I punish Israel for his transgressions, I will punish the altars of Bethel, and the horns of the altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground.

“ On the very day I punish Israel for its sins, I will destroy the pagan altars at Bethel. The horns of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground.

I will punish the altars of Bethel on the day I punish Israel for its crimes; the horns of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground.

“ For on the day that I punish Israel’s offenses, I will also punish the altars of Bethel; The horns of the altar will be cut off, And will fall to the ground.

“ That in the day I punish Israel for their transgressions, I will also visit destruction on the altars of Bethel; And the horns of the altar shall be cut off And fall to the ground.

For in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, I will also visit the altars of Beth- el; and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground.

I will punish the altars of Bethel on the day I punish Israel for its crimes; the horns of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground.

That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground.

“ Certainly when I punish Israel for their covenant transgressions, I will destroy Bethel’s altars. The horns of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground.

“ For in the day that I visit the transgressions of Israel on him, I will also visit the altars of Bethel; and the horns of the altar will be cut off, and fall to the ground.

There was an altar at Bethel. It was at the high place made by Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit sin. Even that altar and high place were destroyed by Josiah. He burned the high place. He ground it into powder. He also burned the Asherah pole.

The people who live in Samaria are filled with fear. They are afraid for their god that looks like a calf. They’re afraid it will be carried off from Beth Aven, that evil town. They will mourn over it. So will the priests who led them to worship it. The priests were full of joy because their statue was so glorious. But it will be captured and taken far away from them.It will be carried off to Assyria. The people of Ephraim will be forced to give it to the great king. They will be dishonored. Israel will be ashamed of its agreements with other nations.Samaria’s king will be destroyed. He will be like a twig swept away by a river.The high places where Israel worshiped other gods will be destroyed. That’s where they sinned against the Lord. Thorns and weeds will grow up there. They will cover the altars. Then the people will say to the mountains,“ Cover us!” They’ll say to the hills,“ Fall on us!”

But the roar of battle will come against you. All your forts will be completely destroyed. It will happen just as Shalman destroyed Beth Arbel in a battle. Mothers and their children were smashed on the ground.People of Bethel, that will happen to you. You have committed far too many sins. When the time comes for me to punish you, the king of Israel will be completely destroyed.”

Josiah went to the towns of Manasseh, Ephraim and Simeon. He went all the way to Naphtali. He also went to the destroyed places around all those towns.Everywhere Josiah went he tore down the altars and the Asherah poles. He crushed the statues of gods to powder. He cut to pieces all the altars for burning incense. He destroyed all those things everywhere in Israel. Then he went back to Jerusalem.

Do not look to Bethel. Do not go to Gilgal. Do not travel to Beersheba. The people of Gilgal will be taken away as prisoners. Nothing will be left of Bethel.”Israel, look to the Lord and live. If you don’t, he will sweep through the tribes of Joseph like a fire. It will burn everything up. And Bethel won’t have anyone to put it out.

Now go. Lead the people to the place I spoke about. My angel will go ahead of you. But when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.”

The Passover Feast came to an end. The people of Israel who were in Jerusalem went out to the towns of Judah. They smashed the sacred stones. They cut down the poles used to worship the female god named Asherah. They destroyed the high places and the altars. They did those things all through Judah and Benjamin. They also did them in Ephraim and Manasseh. They destroyed all the objects used to worship other gods. Then the Israelites returned to their own towns and property.

So the Lord says,“ I will turn Samaria into a pile of trash. It will become a place for planting vineyards. I will dump its stones down into the valley. And I will destroy it down to its very foundations.All the statues of Samaria’s gods will be broken to pieces. All the gifts its people gave to temple prostitutes will be burned with fire. I will destroy all the statues of its gods. Samaria collected gifts that were paid to temple prostitutes. So the Assyrians will use the gifts to pay their own temple prostitutes.”

The man cried out. He shouted a message from the Lord against the altar. He said,“ Altar! Altar! The Lord says,‘ A son named Josiah will be born into the royal family of David. Altar, listen to me! Josiah will sacrifice the priests of the high places on you. They will be the children of the priests who are offering sacrifices here. So human bones will be burned on you.’ ”That same day the man of God spoke about a miraculous sign. He said,“ Here is the sign the Lord has announced. This altar will be broken to pieces. The ashes on it will be spilled out.”The man of God announced that message against the altar at Bethel. When King Jeroboam heard it, he reached out his hand from the altar. He said,“ Grab him!” But as he reached out his hand toward the man, it dried up. He couldn’t even pull it back.Also, the altar broke into pieces. Its ashes spilled out. That happened in keeping with the miraculous sign the man of God had announced. He had received a message from the Lord.

I saw the Lord standing next to the altar in the temple. He said to me,“ Strike the tops of the temple pillars. Then the heavy stones at the base of the entrance will shake. Bring everything down on the heads of everyone there. I will kill with my swords those who are left alive. None of the Israelites will escape. None will get away.