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25 Now it happened on the same night that Yahweh said to him, “Take your father’s bull [a]and a second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal which belongs to your father, and cut down the [b](A)Asherah that is beside it, 26 and build an altar to Yahweh your God on the top of this stronghold in an orderly manner, and take the second bull and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.” 27 So Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as Yahweh had spoken to him; and now it happened that because he was too afraid of his father’s household and the men of the city to do it by day, he did it by night.

Gideon Tears Down the Altar of Baal

28 Then the men of the city arose early in the morning, and behold, the altar of Baal was torn down, and the Asherah which was beside it was cut down, and the second bull was offered on the altar which had been built. 29 And they said to one another, “Who did this thing?” And when they searched about and inquired, they said, “Gideon the son of Joash did this thing.” 30 Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has torn down the altar of Baal, and indeed, he has cut down the Asherah which was beside it.” 31 But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal, or will you save him? Whoever will contend for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because someone has torn down his altar.” 32 Therefore on that day he named him (B)Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend against him,” because he had torn down his altar.

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Footnotes

  1. Judges 6:25 Or even
  2. Judges 6:25 A wooden symbol of a female deity, also vv 26, 28, 30

25 And it came to pass the same night, that Jehovah said unto him, Take thy father’s bullock, [a]even the second bullock seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the Asherah that is [b]by it; 26 and build an altar unto Jehovah thy God upon the top of this stronghold, [c]in the orderly manner, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt-offering with the wood of the Asherah which thou shalt cut down. 27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as Jehovah had spoken unto him: and it came to pass, because he feared his father’s household and the men of the city, so that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.

28 And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah was cut down that was [d]by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built. 29 And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing. 30 Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die, because he hath broken down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the Asherah that was [e]by it. 31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye contend for Baal? or will ye save him? he that will contend for him, [f]let him be put to death [g]whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him contend for himself, because one hath broken down his altar. 32 Therefore on that day he called him [h]Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal contend against him, because he hath broken down his altar.

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Footnotes

  1. Judges 6:25 Or, and
  2. Judges 6:25 Or, upon
  3. Judges 6:26 Or, with that pertaining to it
  4. Judges 6:28 Or, upon
  5. Judges 6:30 Or, upon
  6. Judges 6:31 Or, shall be put to death: let be till morning; if etc.
  7. Judges 6:31 Or, before morning
  8. Judges 6:32 That is, Let Baal contend.

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. 26 Then build a proper kind of[c] altar to the Lord your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second[d] bull as a burnt offering.(B)

27 So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the townspeople, he did it at night rather than in the daytime.

28 In the morning when the people of the town got up, there was Baal’s altar,(C) demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar!

29 They asked each other, “Who did this?”

When they carefully investigated, they were told, “Gideon son of Joash(D) did it.”

30 The people of the town demanded of Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal’s altar(E) and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.”

31 But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, “Are you going to plead Baal’s cause?(F) Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.” 32 So because Gideon broke down Baal’s altar, they gave him the name Jerub-Baal[e](G) that day, saying, “Let Baal contend with him.”

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Footnotes

  1. Judges 6:25 Or Take a full-grown, mature bull from your father’s herd
  2. Judges 6:25 That is, a wooden symbol of the goddess Asherah; also in verses 26, 28 and 30
  3. Judges 6:26 Or build with layers of stone an
  4. Judges 6:26 Or full-grown; also in verse 28
  5. Judges 6:32 Jerub-Baal probably means let Baal contend.