Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



"And now you are saying you can assert yourselves against the Lord's kingdom in the hand of [one of] David's sons. You are a vast multitude and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods. Didn't you banish the priests of the Lord, the descendants of Aaron and the Levites, and make your own priests like the peoples of [other] lands do? Whoever comes to ordain himself with a young bull and seven rams may become a priest of what are not gods. "But as for us, the Lord is our God. We have not abandoned Him; the priests ministering to the Lord are descendants of Aaron, and the Levites [serve] at their tasks. read more.
They offer a burnt offering and fragrant incense to the Lord every morning and every evening, and [they set] the rows of the bread [of the Presence] on the ceremonially clean table. They light the lamps of the gold lampstand every evening. We are carrying out the requirements of the Lord our God, while you have abandoned Him. Look, God and His priests are with us at our head. The trumpets are ready to sound the charge against you. Israelites, don't fight against the Lord God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed." Now Jeroboam had sent an ambush around to advance from behind them. So they were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them. Judah turned and discovered that the battle was in front of them and behind them, so they cried out to the Lord. Then the priests blew the trumpets, and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. When the men of Judah raised the battle cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. So the Israelites fled before Judah, and God handed them over to them. Then Abijah and his people struck them with a mighty blow, and 500,000 choice men of Israel were killed. The Israelites were subdued at that time. The Judahites succeeded because they depended on the Lord, the God of their ancestors.


Oh sinful nation,
people weighed down with iniquity,
brood of evildoers,
depraved children!
They have abandoned the Lord;
they have despised the Holy One of Israel;
they have turned their backs on Him.

You have left Me.
This is the Lord’s declaration.
You have turned your back,
so I have stretched out My hand against you
and destroyed you.
I am tired of showing compassion.

When Rehoboam had established his sovereignty and royal power, he abandoned the law of the Lord—he and all Israel with him.

And now Edom is still in rebellion against Judah’s domination today. Libnah also rebelled at that time against his domination because he had abandoned Yahweh, the God of his ancestors.

They offer a burnt offering and fragrant incense to the Lord every morning and every evening, and they set the rows of the bread of the Presence on the ceremonially clean table. They light the lamps of the gold lampstand every evening. We are carrying out the requirements of Yahweh our God, while you have abandoned Him.

[This disaster] happened because the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God who had brought them out of the land of Egypt from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt and because they had worshiped other gods. They had lived according to the customs of the nations that the Lord had dispossessed before the Israelites and the customs the kings of Israel had introduced. The Israelites secretly did what was not right against the Lord their God. They built high places in all their towns from watchtower to fortified city. read more.
They set up for themselves sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. They burned incense on all the high places just like those nations that the Lord had driven out before them. They did evil things, provoking the Lord. They served idols, although the Lord had told them, "You must not do this." Still, the Lord warned Israel and Judah through every prophet and every seer, saying, "Turn from your evil ways and keep My commandments and statutes according to all the law I commanded your ancestors and sent to you through My servants the prophets." But they would not listen. Instead, they became obstinate like their ancestors who did not believe the Lord their God. They rejected His statutes and His covenant He had made with their ancestors and the warnings He had given them. They pursued worthless idols and became worthless themselves, following the surrounding nations the Lord had commanded them not to imitate. They abandoned all the commandments of the Lord their God. They made for themselves molded images-even two calves-and an Asherah pole. They worshiped the whole heavenly host and served Baal. They made their sons and daughters pass through the fire and practiced divination and interpreted omens. They devoted themselves to do what was evil in the Lord's sight and provoked Him. Therefore, the Lord was very angry with Israel, and He removed them from His presence. Only the tribe of Judah remained.


Aaron must burn fragrant incense on it; he must burn it every morning when he tends the lamps. When Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he must burn incense. There is to be an incense [offering] before the Lord throughout your generations.

They offer a burnt offering and fragrant incense to the Lord every morning and every evening, and they set the rows of the bread of the Presence on the ceremonially clean table. They light the lamps of the gold lampstand every evening. We are carrying out the requirements of Yahweh our God, while you have abandoned Him.


The priests and Levites from all their regions throughout Israel took their stand with Rehoboam, for the Levites left their pasturelands and their possessions and went to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons refused to let them serve as priests of the Lord. Jeroboam appointed his own priests for the high places, the goat-demons, and the [gold] calves he had made. read more.
Those from every tribe of Israel who had determined in their hearts to seek the Lord their God followed the Levites to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord God of their ancestors. So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years, because they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.

Didn't you banish the priests of the Lord, the descendants of Aaron and the Levites, and make your own priests like the peoples of [other] lands do? Whoever comes to ordain himself with a young bull and seven rams may become a priest of what are not gods. "But as for us, the Lord is our God. We have not abandoned Him; the priests ministering to the Lord are descendants of Aaron, and the Levites [serve] at their tasks. They offer a burnt offering and fragrant incense to the Lord every morning and every evening, and [they set] the rows of the bread [of the Presence] on the ceremonially clean table. They light the lamps of the gold lampstand every evening. We are carrying out the requirements of the Lord our God, while you have abandoned Him.


"This is what you are to offer regularly on the altar every day: two year-old lambs. In the morning offer one lamb, and at twilight offer the other lamb. With the first lamb offer two quarts of fine flour mixed with one quart of crushed olive oil, and a drink offering of one quart of wine. read more.
You are to offer the second lamb at twilight. Offer a grain offering and a drink offering with it, like the one in the morning, as a pleasing aroma, a fire offering to the Lord. This will be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance to the tent of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet you to speak with you.

“This is the offering that Aaron and his sons must present to the Lord on the day that he is anointed: two quarts of fine flour as a regular grain offering, half of it in the morning and half in the evening.

They set up the altar on its foundation and offered burnt offerings for the morning and evening on it to the Lord even though they feared the surrounding peoples.

When the sun had set and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch appeared and passed between the divided animals.

Now I am building a temple for the name of Yahweh my God in order to dedicate it to Him for burning fragrant incense before Him, for displaying the rows of the bread of the Presence continuously, and for sacrificing burnt offerings for the morning and the evening, the Sabbaths and the New Moons, and the appointed festivals of the Lord our God. This is ordained for Israel forever.

They offer a burnt offering and fragrant incense to the Lord every morning and every evening, and they set the rows of the bread of the Presence on the ceremonially clean table. They light the lamps of the gold lampstand every evening. We are carrying out the requirements of Yahweh our God, while you have abandoned Him.

These are in addition to the monthly and regular burnt offerings with their prescribed grain offerings and drink offerings. They are a pleasing aroma, a fire offering to the Lord.

to offer burnt offerings regularly, morning and evening, to the Lord on the altar of burnt offerings and to do everything that was written in the law of the Lord, which He had commanded Israel to keep.

"You must offer an unblemished year-old male lamb as a daily burnt offering to the Lord; you will offer it every morning. You must also prepare a grain offering every morning along with it: three quarts, with one-third of a gallon of oil to moisten the fine flour-a grain offering to the Lord. [This is] a permanent statute [to be observed] regularly. They will offer the lamb, the grain offering, and the oil every morning as a regular burnt offering.


He must lay his hand on its head and slaughter it before the tent of meeting. Aaron’s sons will sprinkle its blood on all sides of the altar.

The priest is to dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the Lord in front of the veil.

Aaron’s sons will burn it on the altar along with the burnt offering that is on the burning wood, a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

Then the priest will burn the food on the altar, as a fire offering for a pleasing aroma.

“All fat belongs to the Lord.

However, since there were not enough priests, they weren’t able to skin all the burnt offerings, so their Levite brothers helped them until the work was finished and until the priests consecrated themselves. For the Levites were more conscientious to consecrate themselves than the priests were.

They offer a burnt offering and fragrant incense to the Lord every morning and every evening, and they set the rows of the bread of the Presence on the ceremonially clean table. They light the lamps of the gold lampstand every evening. We are carrying out the requirements of Yahweh our God, while you have abandoned Him.

and bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest will take a handful of fine flour and oil from it, along with all its frankincense, and will burn this memorial portion of it on the altar, a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

to offer burnt offerings regularly, morning and evening, to the Lord on the altar of burnt offerings and to do everything that was written in the law of the Lord, which He had commanded Israel to keep.

All of the priests and Levites were ceremonially clean, because they had purified themselves. They killed the Passover lamb for themselves, their priestly brothers, and all the exiles.

He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering so it can be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him. He is to slaughter the bull before the Lord; Aaron's sons the priests are to present the blood and sprinkle it on all sides of the altar that is at the entrance to the tent of meeting. Then he must skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces. read more.
The sons of Aaron the priest will prepare a fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. Aaron's sons the priests are to arrange the pieces, the head, and the suet on top of the burning wood on the altar. The offerer must wash its entrails and shanks with water. Then the priest will burn all of it on the altar as a burnt offering, a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the Lord. "But if his gift for a burnt offering is from the flock, from sheep or goats, he is to present an unblemished male. He will slaughter it on the north side of the altar before the Lord. Aaron's sons the priests will sprinkle its blood against the altar on all sides. He will cut it into pieces with its head and its suet, and the priest will arrange them on top of the burning wood on the altar. But he is to wash the entrails and shanks with water. The priest will then present all of it and burn [it] on the altar; it is a burnt offering, a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the Lord. "If his gift to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, he is to present his offering from the turtledoves or young pigeons. Then the priest must bring it to the altar, and must twist off its head and burn [it] on the altar; its blood should be drained at the side of the altar. He will remove its digestive tract, cutting off the tail feathers, and throw it on the east side of the altar at the place for ashes. He will tear it open by its wings without dividing [the bird]. Then the priest is to burn it on the altar on top of the burning wood. It is a burnt offering, a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

The priest will then burn some of its crushed kernels and oil with all its frankincense as a fire offering to the Lord.

Then the priest will burn the food on the altar, as a fire offering to the Lord.

The anointed priest must then take some of the bull's blood and bring it into the tent of meeting. The priest is to dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle some of it seven times before the Lord in front of the veil of the sanctuary. The priest must apply some of the blood to the horns of the altar of fragrant incense that is before the Lord in the tent of meeting. He must pour out the rest of the bull's blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering that is at the entrance to the tent of meeting. read more.
He is to remove all the fat from the bull of the sin offering: the fat surrounding the entrails; all the fat that is on the entrails; and the two kidneys with the fat on them at the loins. He will also remove the fatty lobe of the liver with the kidneys, just as the fat is removed from the ox of the fellowship sacrifice. The priest is to burn them on the altar of burnt offering. But the hide of the bull and all its flesh, with its head and shanks, and its entrails and dung- all [the rest] of the bull-he must bring to a ceremonially clean place outside the camp to the ash heap, and must burn it on a wood fire. It is to be burned at the ash heap.

Then the priest must take some of the blood from the sin offering with his finger and apply it to the horns of the altar of burnt offering. The rest of its blood he must pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering. He must burn all its fat on the altar, like the fat of the fellowship sacrifice. In this way the priest will make atonement on his behalf for that person's sin, and he will be forgiven.

Then the priest must take some of its blood with his finger and apply it to the horns of the altar of burnt offering. He must pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar. He is to remove all its fat just as the fat is removed from the fellowship sacrifice. The priest is to burn [it] on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the Lord. In this way the priest will make atonement on his behalf, and he will be forgiven. "Or if the offering that he brings as a sin offering is a lamb, he is to bring an unblemished female. read more.
He is to lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it as a sin offering at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered. Then the priest must take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and apply it to the horns of the altar of burnt offering. He must pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar. He is to remove all its fat just as the fat of the lamb is removed from the fellowship sacrifice. The priest will burn it on the altar along with the fire offerings to the Lord. In this way the priest will make atonement on his behalf for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven.

Then they slaughtered the Passover [lambs], and while the Levites were skinning the [animals], the priests sprinkled the blood they had been given. They removed the burnt offerings so that they might be given to the divisions of the ancestral houses of the lay people to offer to the Lord, according to what is written in the book of Moses; [they did] the same with the bulls. They roasted the Passover [lambs] with fire according to regulation. They boiled the holy [sacrifices] in pots, in kettles, and in bowls; and they quickly brought [them] to the lay people. read more.
Afterwards, they made preparations for themselves and for the priests, since the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were busy offering up burnt offerings and fat until night. So the Levites made preparations for themselves and for the priests, the descendants of Aaron.

Every priest stands day after day ministering and offering the same sacrifices time after time, which can never take away sins.


Put the bread of the Presence on the table before Me at all times.

the bread displayed before the Lord, the daily grain offering, the regular burnt offering, the Sabbath and New Moon offerings, the appointed festivals, the holy things, the sin offerings to atone for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.

how he entered the house of God, and they ate the sacred bread, which is not lawful for him or for those with him to eat, but only for the priests?

For a tabernacle was set up, and in the first room, which is called the holy place, were the lampstand, the table, and the presentation loaves.

Now I am building a temple for the name of Yahweh my God in order to dedicate it to Him for burning fragrant incense before Him, for displaying the rows of the bread of the Presence continuously, and for sacrificing burnt offerings for the morning and the evening, the Sabbaths and the New Moons, and the appointed festivals of the Lord our God. This is ordained for Israel forever.

They offer a burnt offering and fragrant incense to the Lord every morning and every evening, and they set the rows of the bread of the Presence on the ceremonially clean table. They light the lamps of the gold lampstand every evening. We are carrying out the requirements of Yahweh our God, while you have abandoned Him.

"Take fine flour and bake it into 12 loaves; each loaf is to be made with four quarts. Arrange them in two rows, six to a row, on the pure [gold] table before the Lord. Place pure frankincense near each row, so that it may serve as a memorial portion for the bread and a fire offering to the Lord. read more.
The bread is to be set out before the Lord every Sabbath day as a perpetual covenant obligation on the part of the Israelites. It belongs to Aaron and his sons, who are to eat it in a holy place, for it is the holiest portion for him from the fire offerings to the Lord; this is a permanent rule."


Aaron is to tend it regularly from evening until morning before the Lord outside the veil of the testimony in the tent of meeting. This is a permanent statute throughout your generations. He must regularly tend the lamps on the pure [gold] lampstand in the Lord's presence.

"You are to command the Israelites to bring you pure oil from crushed olives for the light, in order to keep the lamp burning continually. In the tent of meeting outside the veil that is in front of the testimony, Aaron and his sons are to tend the lamp from evening until morning before the Lord. This is to be a permanent statute for the Israelites throughout their generations.

They offer a burnt offering and fragrant incense to the Lord every morning and every evening, and they set the rows of the bread of the Presence on the ceremonially clean table. They light the lamps of the gold lampstand every evening. We are carrying out the requirements of Yahweh our God, while you have abandoned Him.


When all Israel saw that the king had not listened to them, the people answered him: What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Israel, return to your tents; David, now look after your own house! So Israel went to their tents, but Rehoboam reigned over the Israelites living in the cities of Judah. Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was in charge of forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam managed to get into the chariot and flee to Jerusalem. read more.
Israel is in rebellion against the house of David until today. When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had come back, they summoned him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. No one followed the house of David except the tribe of Judah alone.

Don't you know that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingship over Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt? But Jeroboam son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his lord. Then worthless and wicked men gathered around him to resist Rehoboam son of Solomon when Rehoboam was young, inexperienced, and unable to assert himself against them. read more.
"And now you are saying you can assert yourselves against the Lord's kingdom in the hand of [one of] David's sons. You are a vast multitude and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods. Didn't you banish the priests of the Lord, the descendants of Aaron and the Levites, and make your own priests like the peoples of [other] lands do? Whoever comes to ordain himself with a young bull and seven rams may become a priest of what are not gods. "But as for us, the Lord is our God. We have not abandoned Him; the priests ministering to the Lord are descendants of Aaron, and the Levites [serve] at their tasks. They offer a burnt offering and fragrant incense to the Lord every morning and every evening, and [they set] the rows of the bread [of the Presence] on the ceremonially clean table. They light the lamps of the gold lampstand every evening. We are carrying out the requirements of the Lord our God, while you have abandoned Him. Look, God and His priests are with us at our head. The trumpets are ready to sound the charge against you. Israelites, don't fight against the Lord God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed."


A man of God came from Judah to Bethel by a revelation from the Lord while Jeroboam was standing beside the altar to burn incense. The man of God cried out against the altar by a revelation from the Lord: "Altar, altar, this is what the Lord says, 'A son will be born to the house of David, named Josiah, and he will sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who are burning incense on you. Human bones will be burned on you.' " He gave a sign that day. He said, "This is the sign that the Lord has spoken: 'The altar will now be ripped apart, and the ashes that are on it will be spilled out.' " read more.
When the king heard the word that the man of God had cried out against the altar at Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the altar and said, "Arrest him!" But the hand he stretched out against him withered, and he could not pull it back to himself. The altar was ripped apart, and the ashes spilled off the altar, according to the sign that the man of God had given by the word of the Lord. Then the king responded to the man of God, "Please plead for the favor of the Lord your God and pray for me so that my hand may be restored to me." So the man of God pleaded for the favor of the Lord, and the king's hand was restored to him and became as it had been at first. Then the king declared to the man of God, "Come home with me, refresh yourself, and I'll give you a reward." But the man of God replied, "If you were to give me half your house, I still wouldn't go with you, and I wouldn't eat bread or drink water in this place, for this is what I was commanded by the word of the Lord: 'You must not eat bread or drink water or go back the way you came.' " So he went another way; he did not go back by the way he had come to Bethel.

"And now you are saying you can assert yourselves against the Lord's kingdom in the hand of [one of] David's sons. You are a vast multitude and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods. Didn't you banish the priests of the Lord, the descendants of Aaron and the Levites, and make your own priests like the peoples of [other] lands do? Whoever comes to ordain himself with a young bull and seven rams may become a priest of what are not gods. "But as for us, the Lord is our God. We have not abandoned Him; the priests ministering to the Lord are descendants of Aaron, and the Levites [serve] at their tasks. read more.
They offer a burnt offering and fragrant incense to the Lord every morning and every evening, and [they set] the rows of the bread [of the Presence] on the ceremonially clean table. They light the lamps of the gold lampstand every evening. We are carrying out the requirements of the Lord our God, while you have abandoned Him.


For a tabernacle was set up, and in the first room, which is called the holy place, were the lampstand, the table, and the presentation loaves.

They offer a burnt offering and fragrant incense to the Lord every morning and every evening, and they set the rows of the bread of the Presence on the ceremonially clean table. They light the lamps of the gold lampstand every evening. We are carrying out the requirements of Yahweh our God, while you have abandoned Him.

“You are to construct a table of acacia wood, 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 27 inches high.

the table with its utensils, the pure gold lampstand with all its utensils, the altar of incense,

He constructed the table of acacia wood, 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 27 inches high.

Moses placed the table in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil.

Their duties involved the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the sanctuary utensils that were used with these, and the screen—and all the work relating to them.


For a tabernacle was set up, and in the first room, which is called the holy place, were the lampstand, the table, and the presentation loaves.

They offer a burnt offering and fragrant incense to the Lord every morning and every evening, and they set the rows of the bread of the Presence on the ceremonially clean table. They light the lamps of the gold lampstand every evening. We are carrying out the requirements of Yahweh our God, while you have abandoned Him.

“You are to construct a table of acacia wood, 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 27 inches high.

the table with its utensils, the pure gold lampstand with all its utensils, the altar of incense,

He constructed the table of acacia wood, 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 27 inches high.

Moses placed the table in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil.

Their duties involved the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the sanctuary utensils that were used with these, and the screen—and all the work relating to them.


Then the Rabshakeh said to them, "Tell Hezekiah this is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: 'What are you relying on? You think mere words are strategy and strength for war. What are you now relying on so that you have rebelled against me? Look, you now trust in Egypt, the stalk of this splintered reed, which if a man leans on it will go into his palm and pierce it. This is how Pharaoh king of Egypt is to all who trust in him. read more.
Suppose you say to me: We trust in the Lord our God. Isn't He the One whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem: You must worship at this altar in Jerusalem?' "So now make a bargain with my master the king of Assyria. I'll give you 2,000 horses if you're able to supply riders for them! How then can you drive back a single officer among the least of my master's servants and trust in Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? Have I attacked this place to destroy it without the Lord's [approval]? The Lord said to me, 'Attack this land and destroy it.' " Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, Shebnah, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, "Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, since we understand [it] . Don't speak with us in Hebrew within earshot of the people on the wall." But the Rabshakeh said to them, "Has my master sent me only to your master and to you to speak these words? Hasn't [he] also [sent me] to the men who sit on the wall, [destined] with you to eat their own excrement and drink their own urine?" The Rabshakeh stood and called out loudly in Hebrew. Then he spoke: "Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria. This is what the king says: 'Don't let Hezekiah deceive you; he can't deliver you from my hand. Don't let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the Lord by saying: Certainly the Lord will deliver us! This city will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.' "Don't listen to Hezekiah, for this is what the king of Assyria says: 'Make peace with me and surrender to me. Then every one of you may eat from his own vine and his own fig tree, and every one may drink water from his own cistern until I come and take you away to a land like your own land-a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and honey-so that you may live and not die. But don't listen to Hezekiah when he misleads you, saying: The Lord will deliver us. Has any of the gods of the nations ever delivered his land from the power of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Have they delivered Samaria from my hand? Who among all the gods of the lands has delivered his land from my power? So how is the Lord to deliver Jerusalem?' " But the people kept silent; they answered him not a word, for the king's command was, "Don't answer him."

Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, "Jeroboam and all Israel, hear me. Don't you know that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingship over Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt? But Jeroboam son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his lord. read more.
Then worthless and wicked men gathered around him to resist Rehoboam son of Solomon when Rehoboam was young, inexperienced, and unable to assert himself against them. "And now you are saying you can assert yourselves against the Lord's kingdom in the hand of [one of] David's sons. You are a vast multitude and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods. Didn't you banish the priests of the Lord, the descendants of Aaron and the Levites, and make your own priests like the peoples of [other] lands do? Whoever comes to ordain himself with a young bull and seven rams may become a priest of what are not gods. "But as for us, the Lord is our God. We have not abandoned Him; the priests ministering to the Lord are descendants of Aaron, and the Levites [serve] at their tasks. They offer a burnt offering and fragrant incense to the Lord every morning and every evening, and [they set] the rows of the bread [of the Presence] on the ceremonially clean table. They light the lamps of the gold lampstand every evening. We are carrying out the requirements of the Lord our God, while you have abandoned Him. Look, God and His priests are with us at our head. The trumpets are ready to sound the charge against you. Israelites, don't fight against the Lord God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed."


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