Now send out messengers<n id="1" /> and assemble all Israel before me at Mount Carmel, as well as the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah whom Jezebel supports.<n id="2" />p>

Elijah approached all the people and said, &#8220;How long are you going to be paralyzed by indecision?<n id="1" /> If the <sc>Lordsc> is the true God,<n id="2" /> then follow him, but if Baal is, follow him!&#8221; But the people did not say a word.

<p class="bodytext">Elijah told the prophets of Baal, &#8220;Choose one of the bulls for yourselves and go first, for you are the majority. Invoke the name of your god, but do not light a fire.&#8221;<n id="1" />

Elijah told them, &#8220;Seize the prophets of Baal! Don&#8217;t let even one of them escape!&#8221; So they seized them, and Elijah led them down to the Kishon Valley and executed<n id="1" /> them there.p>

<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.

They have built places here<n id="1" /> for worship of the god Baal so that they could sacrifice their children as burnt offerings to him in the fire. Such sacrifices<n id="2" /> are something I never commanded them to make! They are something I never told them to do! Indeed, such a thing never even entered my mind!

They built places of worship for the god Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom so that they could sacrifice their sons and daughters to the god Molech.<n id="1" /> Such a disgusting practice was not something I commanded them to do! It never even entered my mind to command them to do such a thing! So Judah is certainly liable for punishment.&#8217;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;I will attack<n id="1" /> Judahp> <p class="poetry">and all who live in Jerusalem.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I will remove<n id="3" /> from this place every trace of Baal worship,<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">as well as the very memory<n id="5" /> of the pagan priests.<n id="6" />p>