TSK · Zephaniah 1:5

When you look up to the sky and see the sun, moon, and stars– the whole heavenly creation– you must not be seduced to worship and serve them, for the LORD your God has assigned them to all the people of the world.

or associate with these nations that remain near you. You must not invoke or make solemn declarations by the names of their gods! You must not worship or bow down to them!

I am taking the kingdom from him because they have abandoned me and worshiped the Sidonian goddess Astarte, the Moabite god Chemosh, and the Ammonite god Milcom. They have not followed my instructions by doing what I approve and obeying my rules and regulations, like Solomon’s father David did.

They were worshiping the LORD and at the same time serving their own gods in accordance with the practices of the nations from which they had been deported.

The king tore down the altars the kings of Judah had set up on the roof of Ahaz’s upper room, as well as the altars Manasseh had set up in the two courtyards of the LORD’s temple. He crushed them up and threw the dust in the Kidron Valley.

One will say,‘I belong to the LORD,’ and another will use the name‘Jacob.’ One will write on his hand,‘The LORD’s,’ and use the name‘Israel.’”

The Lord Appeals to the Exiles Listen to this, O family of Jacob, you who are called by the name‘Israel,’ and are descended from Judah, who take oaths in the name of the LORD, and invoke the God of Israel– but not in an honest and just manner.

The LORD asked,“How can I leave you unpunished, Jerusalem? Your people have rejected me and have worshiped gods that are not gods at all. Even though I supplied all their needs, they were like an unfaithful wife to me. They went flocking to the houses of prostitutes.

The Babylonian soldiers that are attacking this city will break into it and set it on fire. They will burn it down along with the houses where people have made me angry by offering sacrifices to the god Baal and by pouring out drink offerings to other gods on their rooftops.

You will pick up your images of Sikkuth, your king, and Kiyyun, your star god, which you made for yourselves,

For it is written,“As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God.”