Judges 6:30 kjv
Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it.
Judges 6:30 nkjv
Then the men of the city said to Joash, "Bring out your son, that he may die, because he has torn down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the wooden image that was beside it."
Judges 6:30 niv
The people of the town demanded of Joash, "Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal's altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it."
Judges 6:30 esv
Then the men of the town said to Joash, "Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has broken down the altar of Baal and cut down the Asherah beside it."
Judges 6:30 nlt
"Bring out your son," the men of the town demanded of Joash. "He must die for destroying the altar of Baal and for cutting down the Asherah pole."
Judges 6 30 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 7:5 | "you shall tear down their altars... cut down their Asherim" | Command to destroy idols. |
| Deut 12:2-3 | "You shall utterly destroy all the places... tear down their altars..." | Command to demolish pagan worship sites. |
| Exod 34:13 | "you shall break down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and cut down their Asherim" | Instructions for zeal against idolatry. |
| 2 Kgs 10:25-28 | "Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel." | Example of extensive anti-Baal campaign. |
| 2 Chr 34:3-7 | "Josiah... purged Judah and Jerusalem... broke down the altars of the Baals..." | Example of righteous king destroying idolatry. |
| Psa 97:7 | "All worshipers of images are put to shame, who boast of idols." | Shame on those who serve idols. |
| Judg 6:31 | "Then Joash said to all who stood against him, 'Will you contend for Baal?'" | Immediate defense by Gideon's father. |
| Prov 23:24 | "The father of a righteous child will greatly rejoice..." | A father's pride and potential defense. |
| 1 Sam 2:9 | "He will guard the feet of his faithful ones..." | God's protection of the faithful. |
| Psa 118:6 | "The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" | Assurance of divine protection. |
| Rom 8:31 | "If God is for us, who can be against us?" | God's sovereign backing for believers. |
| Acts 5:29 | "We must obey God rather than men." | Principle of obedience to divine authority. |
| Isa 41:10 | "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God..." | God's reassurance in danger. |
| Psa 37:32-33 | "The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him... The LORD will not abandon him..." | God protects His own from evil plots. |
| Matt 10:22 | "you will be hated by all for my name's sake." | Expectation of persecution for righteousness. |
| John 15:18 | "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before you." | Worldly opposition to God's people. |
| 1 Pet 4:12-16 | "do not be surprised at the fiery trial... but rejoice that you share Christ's sufferings..." | Suffering for righteousness. |
| Matt 5:10 | "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake..." | Blessing on the persecuted. |
| Judg 2:11-13 | "the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth." | Background of Israel's pervasive idolatry. |
| 1 Kgs 16:31-33 | "Ahab... went and served Baal and worshiped him." | Ahab's severe promotion of Baal worship. |
| Jer 10:3-5 | "The customs of the peoples are worthless. A tree from the forest is cut..." | Futility and impotence of idols. |
| Zech 13:2 | "I will cut off the names of the idols from the land..." | Prophetic cleansing of idolatry. |
| 1 Cor 10:20 | "what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God." | Spiritual reality behind idol worship. |
Judges 6 verses
Judges 6 30 Meaning
The citizens of Ophrah demand Gideon's execution from his father, Joash, as punishment for destroying the community's altar to Baal and cutting down the sacred Asherah pole. This immediate and fierce reaction highlights the pervasive idolatry within Israel and the deep societal entrenchment of pagan worship, showing the severe spiritual threat Gideon faced right after his act of obedience to the LORD.
Judges 6 30 Context
Judges 6 describes Israel's deep spiritual decline, evidenced by their oppressive servitude to the Midianites, a punishment for their persistent idolatry. The narrative introduces Gideon, a man called by the angel of the LORD to deliver Israel, despite his own doubts and the prevailing syncretism. Gideon's first act of obedience, recounted in verses 25-27, is a personal and public confrontation with this idolatry: he destroys his father Joash's altar to Baal and cuts down the Asherah pole in his own town, constructing an altar to the LORD in their place. Verse 30 directly details the immediate, angry, and violent backlash from the local community. Historically, the period of the Judges was marked by a cyclical pattern of apostasy, divine judgment, repentance, and deliverance, with Canaanite fertility cults (like Baal and Asherah worship) deeply ingrained in daily life and societal structures, often interwoven with worship of Yahweh. The citizens' demand for Gideon's death reflects the cultural normalization and intense devotion to these pagan deities within Israelite communities.
Judges 6 30 Word analysis
- Then: Signifies immediate consequence or reaction following Gideon's actions in the preceding verses.
- the men of the city: ’Anshey ha-‘iyr (Heb. אנשי העיר). Refers to the male citizens of Ophrah, the place where Gideon resided and performed his act. This highlights that the idolatry was not just tolerated, but actively defended by the local community leaders and populace. Their collective action underscores the pervasive nature of Baal worship.
- said to Joash: Joash (יוֹאָשׁ) is Gideon's father (v. 11), a prominent figure implied to be the owner of the Baal altar (v. 25). The townsmen address him, suggesting he has authority or responsibility over Gideon, or perhaps they expected him to agree given his association with the altar.
- “Bring out your son": A stern, imperative command reflecting intense indignation and a desire for immediate action. It bypasses formal judicial processes, acting as a direct mob demand for justice/retribution according to their pagan loyalties.
- that he may die": Yahmūth (ימות), a strong jussive expressing the ultimate penalty demanded. This indicates the gravity of Gideon’s "crime" in their eyes – an act of religious blasphemy or sacrilege against their gods, worthy of capital punishment according to pagan norms.
- for he has torn down the altar of Baal": Ki haras (כי הרס) - "because he destroyed/pulled down." Emphasizes the complete demolition of the pagan altar, not mere damage. Baal (בַּעַל) was the chief Canaanite male deity, a storm and fertility god believed to control rain and agricultural prosperity, central to their agrarian society. Gideon's act was a direct assault on what they believed sustained them.
- and cut down the Asherah beside it": Vayikkrot (ויכרת) - "and cut down." Asherah (אֲשֵׁרָה) was a Canaanite mother goddess, often depicted by a sacred wooden pole or tree representing fertility and worshipped as a consort of Baal or El. The proximity "beside it" indicates this was a combined worship site, suggesting a deeper commitment to the pagan pantheon. This highlights Gideon's thoroughness in fulfilling God’s command against all forms of idolatry present.
- Word Group: "torn down the altar of Baal and cut down the Asherah": This phrase succinctly states the precise offense for which the city men demanded Gideon's death. It demonstrates Gideon's radical and bold obedience to the LORD's command in Judges 6:25-26. This act of breaking ties with false gods serves as a visible marker for the beginning of Yahweh's work of deliverance through Gideon and sets the stage for Gideon's divinely appointed nickname, Jerubbaal, meaning "let Baal contend." The twin acts signify a complete and unequivocal rejection of local syncretism and pagan worship.
Judges 6 30 Bonus section
- The First Test of Faith: Gideon’s call from God in Judges 6 included supernatural signs, yet this immediate societal backlash serves as his first practical and highly dangerous test of faith and courage. He could have been swayed by fear, but he acted, demonstrating a fledgling yet significant trust in the LORD.
- Polemics against Canaanite Religion: Gideon's actions, and the LORD's implicit support of them (culminating in Joash’s defense), served as a powerful polemic against Baal and Asherah worship. The fact that Baal did not "contend" for himself, as Joash argues in verse 31, demonstrated his impotence against the God of Israel.
- Setting the Stage for Jerubbaal: This verse directly leads to Gideon's prophetic new name, Jerubbaal (Judg 6:32), which means "Let Baal contend" or "Baal will strive." This name is a lasting testament to this very incident, encapsulating the divine challenge thrown down against the false deity by Yahweh's servant.
Judges 6 30 Commentary
This verse powerfully captures the dangerous opposition Gideon immediately faced after obeying God's initial command. The furious demand for his death by his own townspeople illustrates the deeply entrenched nature of idolatry within Israel during the period of the Judges. It was not merely a matter of occasional foreign gods, but a passionate loyalty to pagan deities that eclipsed devotion to Yahweh, even leading to a call for violence against one who would dismantle their false altars. This moment serves as a stark reminder that walking in obedience to God often leads to direct confrontation with the prevailing sinful norms of society. Gideon's willingness to act, and the swift, murderous reaction it provoked, sets the stage for the rest of his story, underscoring that divine deliverance would not come easily but through bold, costly obedience in the face of intense resistance.