The babel of voices, the noises of animals, and the shouts of their drivers created such a confusion just without the sacred precincts that the worshipers within were disturbed, and the words addressed to the Most High were drowned in the uproar that invaded the temple erected to his glory. Yet the Jews were exceedingly proud of their piety, and tenacious of outward observances and forms. They rejoiced over their temple, and regarded a word spoken in its disfavor as blasphemy. They were rigorous in the performance of ceremonies connected with it, yet allowed the love of money and power to overrule their scruples, till they were scarcely aware of the distance they had wandered from the original purity of the sacrificial ceremony instituted by God himself. {2SP 116.1}

Dette Babel af stammer, dyrenes støjen og drivernes råb, frembragte en sådan forvirring lige uden for de hellige afdelinger af templet, at de, som tilbad indenfor, blev forstyrrede, og de ord, som man henvendte til dem højeste Gud, blev overvældet af al den støj, som fyldte det tempel, der var bygget til hans ære. Og dog var jøderne overordentlig stolte af deres fromhed og ihærdige med deres ydre former. De glædede sig over deres tempel og anså ethvert ord, der blev talt mod templet, som gudsbespottelige. De var meget strenge med hensyn til at udføre alle ceremonier i forbindelse dermed. Man de tillod alligevel deres lyst til penge og magt til at neddysse disse skrupler, indtil de ikke engang vidste, hvor langt de havde vandret bort fra offertjenestens oprindelige renhed, således som Gud selv havde fastsat for dom.