דברי הימים ב, פרק י״ג, פסוק ט׳

A severe critique is directed at the kingdom of Israel for abandoning the original holy service and replacing it with a foreign, unregulated system of worship. The criticism unfolds across three main areas: the rejection of the true priests, the disruption of the established order of service, and the worship of idols [מלבי״ם]. The Israelites are first accused of driving out the true priests of God. Consequently, the descendants of Aaron and the Levites were pushed from their rightful positions and forced to relocate to the kingdom of Judah, as they were no longer allowed to serve in the house of God [מצודת דוד].

To fill this void, the Israelites established a new priesthood modeled after the customs of the surrounding nations [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This new system was completely open and lacked any standards. Any person who simply wanted to be appointed and trained for the work was allowed to do so [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The process of taking on this role functioned as an official appointment and dedication to the service, mimicking the original dedication of the priests in the Tabernacle [רש״י, מצודת ציון].

However, acceptance into this new priesthood required no proper lineage or personal suitability. Instead, the position could easily be bought. Anyone who brought a sacrifice consisting of a young bull and seven rams was immediately accepted into the role, standing in total opposition to the order established by God [רש״י, מלבי״ם]. Ultimately, the result of this corrupted system was that the newly appointed individual became a priest to empty idols and golden calves, rather than serving God [רש״י, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].