They demolished<n id="1" /> the sacred pillar of Baal and<n id="2" /> the temple of Baal; it is used as<n id="3" /> a latrine<n id="4" /> to this very day.

Then Jehu ordered, &#8220;Make arrangements for<n id="1" /> a celebration for Baal.&#8221; So they announced it.

They hauled out the sacred pillar of the temple of Baal and burned it.

So Jehu eradicated Baal worship<n id="1" /> from Israel.p>

Jehu sent invitations throughout Israel, and all the servants of Baal came; not one was absent. They arrived at the temple of Baal and filled it up from end to end.<n id="1" />

Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rekab went to the temple of Baal. Jehu<n id="1" /> said to the servants of Baal, &#8220;Make sure there are no servants of the <sc>Lordsc> here with you; there must be only servants of Baal.&#8221;<n id="2" />

So now, bring to me all the prophets of Baal, as well as all his servants and priests.<n id="1" /> None of them must be absent, for I am offering a great sacrifice to Baal. Any of them who fail to appear will lose their lives.&#8221; But Jehu was tricking them<n id="2" /> so he could destroy the servants of Baal.

Jehu ordered the one who was in charge of the wardrobe,<n id="1" /> &#8220;Bring out robes for all the servants of Baal.&#8221; So he brought out robes for them.

All the people of the land went and demolished<n id="1" /> the temple of Baal. They smashed its altars and idols<n id="2" /> to bits.<n id="3" /> They killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altar. Jehoiada the priest<n id="4" /> then placed guards at the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple.

He did evil in the sight of<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc>, but not to the same degree as his father and mother. He did remove the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Jehu assembled all the people and said to them, &#8220;Ahab worshiped<n id="1" /> Baal a little; Jehu will worship<n id="2" /> him with great devotion.<n id="3" />

<p class="bodytext">When he finished offering the burnt sacrifice, Jehu ordered the royal guard<n id="1" /> and officers, &#8220;Come in and strike them down! Don&#8217;t let any escape!&#8221; So the royal guard and officers struck them down with the sword and left their bodies lying there.<n id="2" /> Then they entered the inner sanctuary of the temple of Baal.<n id="3" />

They abandoned all the commandments of the <sc>Lordsc> their God; they made two metal calves and an Asherah pole, bowed down to all the stars in the sky,<n id="1" /> and worshiped<n id="2" /> Baal.

He rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he set up altars for Baal and made an Asherah pole just like King Ahab of Israel had done. He bowed down to all the stars in the sky<n id="1" /> and worshiped<n id="2" /> them.

He eliminated<n id="1" /> the pagan priests whom the kings of Judah had appointed to offer sacrifices<n id="2" /> on the high places in the cities of Judah and in the area right around Jerusalem. (They offered sacrifices<n id="3" /> to Baal, the sun god, the moon god, the constellations, and all the stars in the sky.)

<p class="bodytext">The king ordered Hilkiah the high priest, the high-ranking priests,<n id="1" /> and the guards<n id="2" /> to bring out of the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple all the items that were used in the worship of<n id="3" /> Baal, Asherah, and all the stars of the sky.<n id="4" /> The king<n id="5" /> burned them outside of Jerusalem in the terraces<n id="6" /> of Kidron, and carried their ashes to Bethel.<n id="7" />