Focused Passage

Judges 6:28-32

Gideon's Call: Covenant Rebuke, Household Idols, and the LORD's Patient Presence

Judges 6 moves from relapse and Midianite devastation, to prophetic covenant rebuke, to the LORD's call of fearful Gideon, to altar-building and household idol-destruction, to Spirit-enabled mobilization, and finally to fleece signs that reveal both Gideon's hesitancy and the LORD's patient confirmation.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

28When the men of the city got up in the morning, there was Baal’s altar torn down, with the Asherah pole cut down beside it and the second bull offered up on the newly built altar.

29“Who did this?” they said to one another. And after they had investigated thoroughly, they were told, “Gideon son of Joash did it.”

30Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he has torn down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.”

31But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Are you contending for Baal? Are you trying to save him? Whoever pleads his case will be put to death by morning! If Baal is a god, let him contend for himself with the one who has torn down his altar.”

32So on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend with him,” because he had torn down Baal’s altar.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 28

Original words

When the menאַנְשֵׁ֤יH582Noun - masculine plural constructof the cityהָעִיר֙H5892Article | Noun - feminine singulargot upוַיַּשְׁכִּ֜ימוּH7925Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralin the morningבַּבֹּ֔קֶרH1242Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularthere wasוְהִנֵּ֤הH2009Conjunctive waw | InterjectionBaal’sהַבַּ֔עַלH1168Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularaltarמִזְבַּ֣חH4196Noun - masculine singular constructtorn downנֻתַּץ֙H5422Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person masculine singularwith the Asherah poleוְהָאֲשֵׁרָ֥הH842Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singular-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativecut downכֹּרָ֑תָהH3772Verb - QalPass - Perfect - third person feminine singularbeside itעָלָ֖יוH5921Preposition | third person masculine singular-וְאֵת֙H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerand the secondהַשֵּׁנִ֔יH8145Article | Number - ordinal masculine singularbullהַפָּ֣רH6499Article | Noun - masculine singularoffered upהֹֽעֲלָ֔הH5927Verb - Hofal - Perfect - third person masculine singularonעַל־H5921Prepositionthe newly builtהַבָּנֽוּי׃H1129Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singularaltarהַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַH4196Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 29

Original words

Whoמִ֥יH4310Interrogativedidעָשָׂ֖הH6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular. . .הַדָּבָ֣רH1697Article | Noun - masculine singularthisהַזֶּ֑הH2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singularthey saidוַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluraltoאֶל־H413Prepositiononeאִ֣ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularanotherרֵעֵ֔הוּH7453Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularAnd after they had investigated thoroughlyוַֽיִּדְרְשׁוּ֙H1875Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural. . .וַיְבַקְשׁ֔וּH1245Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralthey were toldוַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralGideonגִּדְעוֹן֙H1439Noun - proper - masculine singularsonבֶּן־H1121Noun - masculine singular constructof Joashיוֹאָ֔שׁH3101Noun - proper - masculine singulardidעָשָׂ֖הH6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular. . .הַדָּבָ֥רH1697Article | Noun - masculine singularitהַזֶּֽה׃H2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singular
Verse 30

Original words

Then the menאַנְשֵׁ֤יH582Noun - masculine plural constructof the cityהָעִיר֙H5892Article | Noun - feminine singularsaidוַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluraltoאֶל־H413PrepositionJoashיוֹאָ֔שׁH3101Noun - proper - masculine singularBring outהוֹצֵ֥אH3318Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markeryour sonבִּנְךָ֖H1121Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularHe must dieוְיָמֹ֑תH4191Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singularbecauseכִּ֤יH3588Conjunctionhe has torn downנָתַץ֙H5422Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerBaal’sהַבַּ֔עַלH1168Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .וְכִ֥יH3588Conjunctionaltarמִזְבַּ֣חH4196Noun - masculine singular constructand cut downכָרַ֖תH3772Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularthe Asherah poleהָאֲשֵׁרָ֥הH842Article | Noun - feminine singular-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativebeside itעָלָֽיו׃H5921Preposition | third person masculine singular
Verse 31

Original words

But Joashיוֹאָ֡שׁH3101Noun - proper - masculine singularsaidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto allלְכֹל֩H3605Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularwhoאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativestoodעָמְד֨וּH5975Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralagainst himעָלָ֜יוH5921Preposition | third person masculine singularAre youהַאַתֶּ֣ם׀H859Article | Pronoun - second person masculine pluralcontendingתְּרִיב֣וּןH7378Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nunfor Baalלַבַּ֗עַלH1168Preposition-l, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularאִם־אִם־H518ConjunctionAre youאַתֶּם֙H859Pronoun - second person masculine pluraltrying to save himתּוֹשִׁיע֣וּןH3467Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun-אוֹת֔וֹH853Direct object marker | third person masculine singularWhoeverאֲשֶׁ֨רH834Pronoun - relativepleads his caseיָרִ֥יבH7378Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .ל֛וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularwill be put to deathיוּמַ֖תH4191Verb - Hofal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularbyעַד־H5704Prepositionmorningהַבֹּ֑קֶרH1242Article | Noun - masculine singularIfאִם־H518Conjunction[Baal]הוּא֙H1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularis a godאֱלֹהִ֥יםH430Noun - masculine plurallet him contendיָ֣רֶבH7378Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singularfor himselfל֔וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularwithכִּ֥יH3588Conjunctionthe one who has torn downנָתַ֖ץH5422Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular-אֶֽת־H853Direct object markerhis altarמִזְבְּחֽוֹ׃H4196Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 32

Original words

So on that dayבַיּוֹם־H3117Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular. . .הַה֖וּאH1931Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singularGideon was calledוַיִּקְרָא־H7121Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .ל֥וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularJerubbaalיְרֻבַּ֣עַלH3378Noun - proper - masculine singularthat is to sayלֵאמֹ֑רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructLet Baalהַבַּ֔עַלH1168Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularcontendיָ֤רֶבH7378Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singularwith himבּוֹ֙Preposition | third person masculine singularbecauseכִּ֥יH3588Conjunctionhe had torn downנָתַ֖ץH5422Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular-אֶֽת־H853Direct object marker[Baal’s] altarמִזְבְּחֽוֹ׃פH4196Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Jerubbaal probably means let Baal contend.

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.