¹⁹ When you look to the heavens and see the sun, moon, and stars—all the array of heaven—do not be led astray to bow down and worship them. The Lord your God has provided them for all people everywhere under heaven.

¹⁶ They abandoned all the commands of the Lord their God. They made cast images^(A) for themselves, two calves, and an Asherah pole.^(B) They worshiped the whole heavenly host^(C) and served Baal.^(D)

Josiah’s Reforms

⁴ Then the king commanded Hilkiah^(A) the high priest and the priests of the second rank^(B) and the doorkeepers to bring out of the Lord’s temple all the articles made for Baal, Asherah, and the whole heavenly host.^(C) He burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron and carried their ashes to Bethel.^{(D) 5} Then he did away with the idolatrous priests the kings of Judah had appointed to burn incense at the high places^(E) in the cities of Judah and in the areas surrounding Jerusalem. They had burned incense to Baal, and to the sun, moon, constellations, and the whole heavenly host.^(F)