2 Kings 10:18-27

Revised Standard Version

Slaughter of Worshipers of Baal

¹⁸ Then Jehu assembled all the people, and said to them, “Ahab served Ba′al a little; but Jehu will serve him much. ¹⁹ Now therefore call to me all the prophets of Ba′al, all his worshipers and all his priests; let none be missing, for I have a great sacrifice to offer to Ba′al; whoever is missing shall not live.” But Jehu did it with cunning in order to destroy the worshipers of Ba′al. ²⁰ And Jehu ordered, “Sanctify a solemn assembly for Ba′al.” So they proclaimed it. ²¹ And Jehu sent throughout all Israel; and all the worshipers of Ba′al came, so that there was not a man left who did not come. And they entered the house of Ba′al, and the house of Ba′al was filled from one end to the other. ²² He said to him who was in charge of the wardrobe, “Bring out the vestments for all the worshipers of Ba′al.” So he brought out the vestments for them. ²³ Then Jehu went into the house of Ba′al with Jehon′adab the son of Rechab; and he said to the worshipers of Ba′al, “Search, and see that there is no servant of the Lord here among you, but only the worshipers of Ba′al.” ²⁴ Then he^[a] went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings.

Now Jehu had stationed eighty men outside, and said, “The man who allows any of those whom I give into your hands to escape shall forfeit his life.” ²⁵ So as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guard and to the officers, “Go in and slay them; let not a man escape.” So when they put them to the sword, the guard and the officers cast them out and went into the inner room^[b] of the house of Ba′al ²⁶ and they brought out the pillar that was in the house of Ba′al, and burned it. ²⁷ And they demolished the pillar of Ba′al, and demolished the house of Ba′al, and made it a latrine to this day.