44. And the king sent letters by the hand of messengers to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, that they should follow laws strange to the land,
45. and should forbid whole burnt offerings and sacrifice and drink offerings in the sanctuary; and should profane the Sabbaths and feasts,
46. and pollute the sanctuary and them that were holy;
47. that they should build altars, and temples, and shrines for idols, and should sacrifice swine’s flesh and unclean beasts:
48. and that they should leave their sons uncircumcised, that they should make their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation;
49. so that they might forget the law, and change all the ordinances.
50. And whoever shall not do according to the word of the king, he shall die.
51. 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.
52. And from the people were gathered together to them many, every one that had forsaken the law; and they did evil things in the land;
53. and they made israel to hide themselves in every place of refuge which they had.
54. And on the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the hundred and forty and fifth year, they builded an abomination of desolation upon the altar, and in the cities of Judah on every side they builded idol altars.
55. And at the doors of the houses and in the streets they burned incense.