²⁵ That same night the Lord said to him, “Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one seven years old.^[a] Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole^[b](A) beside it.

³² He instituted a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth^(A) month, like the festival held in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. This he did in Bethel,^(B) sacrificing to the calves he had made. And at Bethel he also installed priests at the high places he had made.

³² He set up an altar^(A) for Baal in the temple^(B) of Baal that he built in Samaria.

²⁶ So they took the bull given them and prepared it.

Then they called^(A) on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response;^(B) no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.

¹⁰ Then King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria. He saw an altar in Damascus and sent to Uriah^(A) the priest a sketch of the altar, with detailed plans for its construction.

¹⁰ Then King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria. He saw an altar in Damascus and sent to Uriah^(A) the priest a sketch of the altar, with detailed plans for its construction.