2 Kings 10:18-28

New Century Version

Baal Worshipers Killed

¹⁸ Then Jehu gathered all the people together and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve Baal much. ¹⁹ Now call for me all Baal’s prophets and priests and all the people who worship Baal. Don’t let anyone miss this meeting, because I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Anyone who is not there will not live.” But Jehu was tricking them so he could destroy the worshipers of Baal. ²⁰ He said, “Prepare a holy meeting for Baal.” So they announced the meeting. ²¹ Then Jehu sent word through all Israel, and all the worshipers of Baal came; not one stayed home. They came into the temple of Baal, and the temple was filled from one side to the other.

²² Jehu said to the man who kept the robes, “Bring out robes for all the worshipers of Baal.” After he brought out robes for them, ²³ Jehu and Jehonadab son of Recab went into the temple of Baal. Jehu said to the worshipers of Baal, “Look around, and make sure there are no servants of the Lord with you. Be sure there are only worshipers of Baal.” ²⁴ Then the worshipers of Baal went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings.

Jehu had eighty men waiting outside. He had told them, “Don’t let anyone escape. If you do, you must pay with your own life.”

²⁵ As soon as Jehu finished offering the burnt offering, he ordered the guards and the captains, “Go in and kill the worshipers of Baal. Don’t let anyone come out.” So the guards and captains killed the worshipers of Baal with the sword and threw their bodies out. Then they went to the inner rooms of the temple ²⁶ and brought out the pillars of the temple of Baal and burned them. ²⁷ They tore down the stone pillar of Baal, as well as the temple of Baal. And they made it into a sewage pit, as it is today.

²⁸ So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel,