2 Kings 10:23

23 After that, Jehu himself went into the temple with Jonadab son of Rechab and said to the people there, "Make sure that only worshipers of Baal are present and that no worshiper of the Lord has come in."

2 Kings 10:23 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 10:23

And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house
of Baal
Who no doubt was led into the secret, and knew the design of Jehu, or he would not have gone into such an idolatrous place:

and said unto the worshippers of Baal, search and look, that there be
here with you none of the servants of the Lord, but the worshippers of
Baal only;
pretending a great regard to the purity of their worship and sacrifices, that they might not be profaned ^F20 by the company of such who were not worshippers of Baal, but of Jehovah; whereas his view was to prevent any of the worshippers of God perishing with them, who might out of curiosity go in among them, to behold the manner of their service.

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 "----procul, o procul este profani". Virgil. Aeneid. 6. ver. 258.

2 Kings 10:23 In-Context

21 and Jehu sent word throughout all the land of Israel. All who worshiped Baal came; not one of them failed to come. They all went into the temple of Baal, filling it from one end to the other.

22 Then Jehu ordered the priest in charge of the sacred robes to bring the robes out and give them to the worshipers.

23 After that, Jehu himself went into the temple with Jonadab son of Rechab and said to the people there, "Make sure that only worshipers of Baal are present and that no worshiper of the Lord has come in."

24 Then he and Jonadab went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings to Baal. He had stationed eighty men outside the temple and had instructed them: "You are to kill all these people; anyone who lets one of them escape will pay for it with his life!"

25 As soon as Jehu had presented the offerings, he said to the guards and officers, "Go in and kill them all; don't let anyone escape!" They went in with drawn swords, killed them all, and dragged the bodies outside. Then they went on into the inner sanctuary of the temple,