1819 verses about Idols

And in their temples the priests sit on seats, having their clothes tore, and their heads and beards shaven, and nothing upon their heads.

They roar and cry before their gods, as men do at the feast when one is dead.

Whether it be evil that one does to them, or good, they are not able to recompense it: they can neither set up a king, nor put him down.

In like manner, they can neither give riches nor money: though a man make a vow to them, and keep it not, they will never exact it.

They can’t restore a blind man to his sight, nor deliver any that is in distress.

They are like the stones that be hewn out of the mountain, these gods of wood, and that are overlaid with gold and with silver: those who minister to them shall be confounded.

How should a man then think or say that they are gods, when even the Chaldeans themselves dishonor them?

Who if they shall see one dumb that can’t speak, they bring him, and entreat him to call upon Bel, as though he were able to understand.

The women also with cords about them sit in the ways, burning bran for incense: but if any of them, drawn by some that passes by, lie with him, she reproaches her fellow, that she was not thought as worthy as herself, nor her cord broken.

Whatsoever is done among them is false: how should a man then think or say that they are gods?

They are fashioned by carpenters and goldsmiths: they can be nothing else than the workmen will have them to be.

And they themselves that fashioned them can never continue long; how then should the things that are fashioned by them?

For when there comes any war or plague upon them, the priests consult with themselves, where they may be hidden with them.

How then can’t men understand that they be no gods, which can neither save themselves from war, nor from plague?

For seeing they be but of wood, and overlaid with gold and with silver, it shall be known hereafter that they are false:

and it shall be manifest to all nations and kings that they are no gods, but the works of men’s hands, and that there is no work of God in them.

Who then may not know that they are no gods?

For neither can they set up a king in a land, nor give rain to men.

For even when fire falls upon the house of gods of wood, or overlaid with gold or with silver, their priests will flee away, and escape, but they themselves shall be burned asunder like beams.

Moreover they can’t withstand any king or enemies: how should a man then allow or think that they be gods?

Neither are those gods of wood, and overlaid with silver or with gold, able to escape either from thieves or robbers.

Therefore it is better to be a king that shows his manhood, or else a vessel in a house profitable for that whereof the owner shall have need, than such false gods; or even a door in a house, to keep the things safe that be therein, than such false gods; or a pillar of wood in a palace, than such false gods.

And the fire sent from above to consume mountains and woods does as it is commanded: but these are to be likened to them neither in show nor power.

Wherefore a man should neither think nor say that they are gods, seeing they are able neither to judge causes, nor to do good to men.

Knowing therefore that they are no gods, fear them not.

neither can they show signs in the heavens among the nations, nor shine as the sun, nor give light as the moon.

In no wise then is it manifest to us that they are gods: therefore fear them not.

For as a scarecrow in a garden of cucumbers that keeps nothing, so are their gods of wood, and overlaid with gold and with silver.

Likewise also their gods of wood, and overlaid with gold and with silver, are like to a white thorn in an orchard, that every bird sits upon; as also to a dead body, that is cast forth into the dark.

And you⌃ shall know them to be no gods by the bright purple that rots upon them: And they themselves afterward shall be consumed, and shall be a reproach in the country.

Better therefore is the just man that has none idols: for he shall be far from reproach.

Now the Babylonians had an idol, called Bel, and there were spent upon him every day twelve great measures of fine flour, and forty sheep, and six firkins of wine.

And the king did honor to it, and went daily to worship it: but Daniel worshipped his own God. And the king said to him, Why do you not worship Bel?

And he said, Because I may not do honor to idols made with hands, but to the living God, who has created the heaven and the earth, and has sovereignty over all flesh.

Then said the king to him, Thinkest you not that Bel is a living god? or see you not how much he eats and drinks every day?

Then Daniel laughed, and said, O king, be not deceived: for this is but clay within, and brass without, and did never eat or drink anything.

So the king was angry, and called for his priests, and said to them, If you⌃ tell me not who this is that devours these expenses, you⌃ shall die.

But if you⌃ can show me that Bel devours them, then Daniel shall die: for he has spoken blasphemy against Bel. And Daniel said to the king, Let it be according to your word.

Now the priests of Bel were threescore and ten, beside their wives and children. And the king went with Daniel into the temple of Bel.

So Bel’s priests said, Behold, we will get us out: but you, O king, set on the meat, and mingle the wine and set it forth, and shut the door fast, and seal it with your own signet;

and when you come in the morning, if you find not that Bel has eaten up all, we will suffer death: or else Daniel, that speaks falsely against us.

And they little regarded it: for under the table they had made a privy entrance, whereby they entered in continually, and consumed those things.

And it came to pass, when they were gone forth, the king set the meat before Bel. Now Daniel had commanded his servants to bring ashes, and they strewed all the temple with them in the presence of the king alone: then they went out, and shut the door, and sealed it with the king’s signet, and so departed.

Now in the night came the priests with their wives and children, as they were wont to do, and did eat and drink up all.

And as soon as he had opened the door, the king looked upon the table, and cried with a loud voice, Great are you, O Bel, and with you is no deceit at all.

Then laughed Daniel, and held the king that he should not go in, and said, Behold now the pavement, and mark well whose footsteps are these.

and took the priests with their wives and children, who showed him the privy doors, where they came in, and consumed such things as were upon the table.

Therefore the king killed them, and delivered Bel into Daniel’s power, who overthrew him and his temple.

And in that same place there was a great dragon, which they of Babylon worshipped.

And the king said to Daniel, Wilt you also say that this is of brass? behold, he lives, and eats and drinks; you can not say that he is no living god: therefore worship him.

Then said Daniel, I will worship the Lord my God: for he is a living God.

Then Daniel took pitch, and fat, and hair, and did seethe them together, and made lumps thereof: this he put in the dragon’s mouth, so the dragon did eat and burst in sunder: and Daniel said, Behold, these are the gods you⌃ worship.

When they of Babylon heard that, they took great indignation, and conspired against the king, saying, The king is become a Jew, and he has pulled down Bel, and slain the dragon, and put the priests to the sword.

So they came to the king, and said, Deliver us Daniel, or else we will destroy you and your house.

Then cried the king with a loud voice, saying, Great are you, O Lord, you God of Daniel, and there is none other beside you.

And he drew him out, and cast those that were the cause of his destruction into the den: and they were devoured in a moment before his face.

And there came forth out of them a sinful root, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the king, who had been a hostage at Rome, and he reigned in the hundred and thirty and seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.

And certain of the people were forward herein and went to the king, and he gave them licence to do after the ordinances of the Gentiles.

And they built a place of exercise in Jerusalem according to the laws of the Gentiles;

and entered presumptuously into the sanctuary, and took the golden altar, and the candlestick of the light, and all that pertained thereto,

and the table of the show bread, and the cups to pour withal, and the bowls, and the golden censers, and the veil, and the crowns, and the adorning of gold which was on the face of the temple, and he scaled it all off.

And king Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one people,

and that each should forsake his own laws. And all the nations agreed according to the word of the king;

and many of Israel consented to his worship, and sacrificed to the idols, and profaned the Sabbath.

and should forbid whole burnt offerings and sacrifice and drink offerings in the sanctuary; and should profane the Sabbaths and feasts,

and pollute the sanctuary and those who were holy;

that they should build altars, and temples, and shrines for idols, and should sacrifice swine’s flesh and unclean beasts:

and that they should leave their sons uncircumcised, that they should make their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation;

According to all these words wrote he to his whole kingdom; and he appointed overseers over all the people, and he commanded the cities of Judah to sacrifice, city by city.

And on the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the hundred and forty and fifth year, they built an abomination of desolation upon the altar, and in the cities of Judah on every side they built idol altars.

And at the doors of the houses and in the streets they burned incense.

And on the five and twentieth day of the month they sacrificed upon the idol altar of God.

And he saw the blasphemies that were committed in Judah and in Jerusalem,

and, behold, our holy things and our beauty and our glory are laid waste, and the Gentiles have profaned them.

And the king’s officers, that were enforcing the apostasy, came into the city Modin to sacrifice.

now therefore come you first and do the commandment of the king, as all the nations have done, and the men of Judah, and those who remain in Jerusalem: and you and your house shall be in the number of the king’s Friends, and you and your sons shall be honored with silver and gold and many gifts.

And Mattathias answered and said with a loud voice, If all the nations that are in the house of the king’s dominion hearken to him, to fall away each one from the worship of his fathers, and have made choice to follow his commandments,

We will not hearken to the king’s words, to go aside from our worship, on the right hand, or on the left.

And when he had left speaking these words, there came a Jew in the sight of all to sacrifice on the altar which was at Modin, according to the king’s commandment.

And Mattathias saw it, and his zeal was kindled, and his reins trembled, and he showed forth his wrath according to judgement, and ran, and killed him upon the altar.

And the king’s officer, who compelled men to sacrifice, he killed at that time, and pulled down the altar.

And Mattathias and his friends went round about, and pulled down the altars;

And Jerusalem was without inhabitant as a wilderness, there was none of her offspring that went in or went out; and the sanctuary was trodden down, and the sons of strangers were in the citadel, the Gentiles lodged therein; and joy was taken away from Jacob, and the pipe and the harp ceased.

and laid open the book of the law, concerning which the Gentiles were wont to inquire, seeking the likenesses of their idols.

And your holy place is trodden down and profaned, and your priests are in heaviness and brought low.

And they saw the sanctuary laid desolate, and the altar profaned, and the gates burned up, and shrubs growing in the courts as in a forest or as on one of the mountains, and the priests’ chambers pulled down;

and they cleansed the holy place, and bare out the stones of defilement into an unclean place.

And they took counsel concerning the altar of burnt offerings, which had been profaned, what they should do with it:

and there came into their mind a good counsel, that they should pull it down, lest it should be a reproach to them, because the Gentiles had defiled it: and they pulled down the altar,

and laid up the stones in the mountain of the house in a convenient place, until there should come a prophet to give an answer concerning them.

At what time and on what day the Gentiles had profaned it, even on that day was it dedicated afresh, with songs and harps and lutes, and with cymbals.

And Judas turned toward Azotus, to the land of the Philistines, and pulled down their altars, and burned the carved images of their gods with fire, and took the plunder of their cities, and returned into the land of Judah.

and that the temple which was in it was rich exceedingly, and that therein were golden shields, and breastplates, and arms, which Alexander, son of Philip, the Macedonian king, who reigned first among the Greeks, left behind there.

and that they had pulled down the abomination which he had built upon the altar that was in Jerusalem; and that they had compassed about the sanctuary with high walls, as before, and Bethsura, his city.

And in the hundred and fifty and third year, in the second month, Alcimus commanded to pull down the wall of the inner court of the sanctuary; he pulled down also the works of the prophets;

And the horsemen were scattered in the plain, and they fled to Azotus, and entered into Beth-dagon, their idol’s temple, to save themselves.

And Jonathan burned Azotus, and the cities round about it, and took their spoils; and the temple of Dagon, and those who fled into it, he burned with fire.

But when he came near to Azotus, they showed him the temple of Dagon burned with fire, and Azotus and the suburbs thereof pulled down, and the bodies cast abroad, and those who had been burned, whom he burned in the war, for they had made heaps of them in his way.

And Ptolemy entered into Antioch, and put on himself the diadem of Asia; and he put two diadems upon his head, the diadem of Egypt and that of Asia.

And king Demetrius saw that the land was quiet before him, and that no resistance was made to him, and he sent away all his forces, each man to his own place, except the foreign forces, which he had raised from the isles of the Gentiles: and all the forces of his fathers hated him.