Judges 6 26

Judges 6:26 kjv

And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.

Judges 6:26 nkjv

and build an altar to the LORD your God on top of this rock in the proper arrangement, and take the second bull and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the image which you shall cut down."

Judges 6:26 niv

Then build a proper kind of 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 bull as a burnt offering."

Judges 6:26 esv

and build an altar to the LORD your God on the top of the stronghold here, with stones laid in due order. Then take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah that you shall cut down."

Judges 6:26 nlt

Then build an altar to the LORD your God here on this hilltop sanctuary, laying the stones carefully. Sacrifice the bull as a burnt offering on the altar, using as fuel the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down."

Judges 6 verses

Judges 6 26 Meaning

Judges 6:26 commands Gideon to construct an altar dedicated solely to the LORD his God. This altar is to be built on the crest of a specific rock or stronghold, established in a structured, appropriate manner. He is further instructed to take the second bullock – likely one designated for Baal or simply the best available – and sacrifice it as a burnt offering. Critically, the fire for this offering is to be kindled with the wood of the Asherah pole, which Gideon is simultaneously ordered to cut down, thereby turning implements of idolatry into instruments of pure worship.

Judges 6 26 Context

Judges 6 opens with Israel suffering severe oppression from the Midianites, Ammonites, and Amalekites, a direct result of their idolatry and abandonment of the LORD (Judg 6:1, 6:6). Amidst this hardship, God raises Gideon from a humble family in Manasseh (Judg 6:11-15). The Angel of the LORD appears to Gideon, commissioning him as a deliverer (Judg 6:12). Gideon expresses doubt, seeking signs to confirm the divine call (Judg 6:17-21). Following a miraculous sign confirming the Messenger's divine identity, Gideon builds an altar to YHWH called "The LORD is Peace" (Judg 6:24). Immediately thereafter, the LORD issues the precise, two-part command of verse 25 and 26. Gideon is first told to destroy the Baal altar belonging to his own father and cut down the adjacent Asherah pole. Verse 26 then builds on this, instructing him to use the remnants of this defeated idolatry (the "second bullock" and the Asherah wood) to consecrate a new altar for pure worship of the LORD. This foundational act of spiritual reformation within his own household and community is a necessary prerequisite to his larger role as a military deliverer.

Judges 6 26 Word analysis

• And build (וּבָנִיתָ, u-va-ni-ta): A divine command, signaling the constructive act of restoring proper worship.
• an altar (מִזְבֵּחַ, mizbeakh): A sacred structure for offering sacrifices, explicitly differentiating it from pagan shrines. Root zabah means "to slaughter for sacrifice."
• to the LORD (לַיהוָה, la-YHWH): The preposition "to" indicates the exclusive dedication to YHWH, the covenant God of Israel.
• your God (אֱלֹהֶיךָ, Eloheikha): Emphasizes the personal and covenantal relationship with YHWH, highlighting Israel's unique status among nations.
• upon the top of (עַל רֹאשׁ, al rosh): Specifies a high, prominent location for the new altar, symbolically asserting YHWH's supremacy.
• this rock (הַמָּעוֹז הַזֶּה, ha-ma'oz ha-zeh): Ma'oz means "stronghold" or "fortress." It refers to the specific rocky outcrop or fortification likely associated with the earlier angelic appearance or Gideon's family's property, now to be rededicated.
• in the ordered place (בַּמַּעֲרָכָה, ba-ma'arakhah): Ma'arakhah refers to a proper arrangement or orderly formation. This implies the altar must be built correctly, not in a chaotic or ritually impure way, emphasizing sacred order.
• and take (וְלָקַחְתָּ, ve-lakakhta): A direct instruction to actively select the designated animal.
• the second bullock (אֶת הַפָּר הַשֵּׁנִי, et ha-par ha-sheni): This is highly significant. Often interpreted as the "second" or superior bull, perhaps the very one consecrated for Baal, or a bull specifically reserved for cultic use, indicating a transfer of allegiance from Baal to YHWH.
• and offer a burnt sacrifice (וְהַעֲלִיתָ עֹלָה, ve-ha'alita 'olah): Ha'alita means "cause to ascend," referring to the rising smoke. Olah is a burnt offering, completely consumed by fire, symbolizing total dedication and atonement, indicating complete devotion.
• with the wood of the grove (בַּעֲצֵי הָאֲשֵׁרָה, ba-atzei ha-asherah): Asherah refers to the pagan goddess or the wooden cult pole/image representing her. This is a powerful polemical act, using the material symbol of false worship as fuel for YHWH's sacrifice.
• which you shall cut down (אֲשֶׁר תִּכְרֹת, asher tikhrot): A reinforcement of the previous command in Judg 6:25, emphasizing the complete dismantling of the idolatrous object before its repurposed use.

• Words-group Analysis
• "build an altar to the LORD your God upon the top of this rock": This entire phrase initiates a spiritual reclaiming. Building a proper altar for YHWH at a potentially defiled site demonstrates His absolute authority and calls for public recognition of His sole divinity, dismantling the strongholds of false gods both literally and symbolically.
• "in the ordered place": This emphasizes the sanctity and proper conduct of worship required by YHWH, contrasting it with the likely arbitrary nature of pagan shrines. It's about legitimate, divinely ordained worship.
• "take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which you shall cut down": This sequence of commands forms the most potent part of the verse. It's a calculated act of desacralization and re-sacralization. The second bullock (perhaps Baal's own sacrifice) and especially the Asherah pole's wood being used for YHWH's burnt offering turns instruments of idolatry into implements of pure worship, powerfully asserting YHWH's absolute victory over pagan deities and demonstrating His ability to redeem and purify.

Judges 6 26 Bonus section

The immediate personal risk Gideon takes by obeying this command at night, against his own father's cult, underscores the depth of his initial obedience and faith despite his prior hesitation and fears. This act is not just a personal religious cleansing, but a public demonstration of a shift in power dynamics, effectively challenging the local authority of both pagan religion and social norms. The detail that this new altar is "upon the top of this rock" (perhaps the same where the angel had revealed himself) consecrates the site where divine revelation occurred with an act of radical purification. This shows God integrating His revelation with a direct command for active covenant renewal and exclusive worship.

Judges 6 26 Commentary

Judges 6:26 represents a critical turning point for Gideon and for Israel. Before Gideon is commanded to deliver Israel from external oppressors, he is first commissioned to purify Israel from its internal spiritual apostasy. This divine instruction to build a proper altar for the LORD, utilizing elements directly associated with idolatry (the 'second bullock' and Asherah wood), signifies a radical transformation. It's not merely the erection of a new worship place, but the public, polemical act of Yahweh’s supreme authority overturning Baal and Asherah worship. The olah, or burnt offering, represents complete surrender and dedication to God, illustrating that true deliverance is contingent upon exclusive loyalty and covenant fidelity to the LORD. This verse serves as a potent reminder that obedience and spiritual purification must precede and enable effective service and divine intervention.