They abandoned the <sc>Lordsc> and worshiped Baal and the Ashtars.<n id="1" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">The Israelites did evil before<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc> by worshiping<n id="2" /> the Baals.

<t /><p class="bodytext">The Israelites did evil in the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s sight.<n id="1" /> They forgot the <sc>Lordsc> their God and worshiped the Baals and the Asherahs.<n id="2" />

That very day Gideon&#8217;s father named him Jerub-Baal,<n id="1" /> because he had said, &#8220;Let Baal fight with him, for it was his altar that was pulled down.&#8221;p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">After Gideon died, the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They made Baal-Berith<n id="1" /> their god.

<p class="bodytext">The Israelites cried out for help to the <sc>Lordsc>: &#8220;We have sinned against you. We abandoned our God and worshiped<n id="1" /> the Baals.&#8221;

<t /><p class="bodytext">That night the <sc>Lordsc> said to him, &#8220;Take the bull from your father&#8217;s herd, as well as a second bull, one that is seven years old.<n id="1" /> Pull down your father&#8217;s Baal altar and cut down the nearby Asherah pole.

<p class="bodytext">When the men of the city got up the next morning, they saw<n id="1" /> the Baal altar pulled down, the nearby Asherah pole cut down, and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar.

The men of the city said to Joash, &#8220;Bring out your son, so we can execute him!<n id="1" /> He pulled down the Baal altar and cut down the nearby Asherah pole.&#8221;

But Joash said to all those who confronted him,<n id="1" /> &#8220;Must you fight Baal&#8217;s battles?<n id="2" /> Must you rescue him? Whoever takes up his cause<n id="3" /> will die by morning!<n id="4" /> If he really is a god, let him fight his own battles!<n id="5" /> After all, it was his altar that was pulled down.&#8221;<n id="6" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">The Israelites again did evil in the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s sight.<n id="1" /> They worshiped<n id="2" /> the Baals and the Ashtars,<n id="3" /> as well as the gods of Syria, Sidon,<n id="4" /> Moab, the Ammonites, and the Philistines.<n id="5" /> They abandoned the <sc>Lordsc> and did not worship<n id="6" /> him.