Judges 6:25-30

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 6:25-32

Here, I. Orders are given to Gideon to begin his government with the reformation of his father's house, Jdg. 5:25, 26. A correspondence being settled between God and Gideon, by the appearance of the angel to him, it was kept up in another way; the same night after he had seen God, when he was full of thoughts concerning what had passed, which probably he had not yet communicated to any, The Lord said unto him in a dream, Do so and so. Note, God's visits, if gratefully received, shall be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 6:25

And it came to pass the same night ,.... The night which followed the day in which the angel appeared to Gideon as he was threshing: that the Lord said unto him ; perhaps in a dream, since it was in the night: take thy father's young bullock: or "the bullock, the ox" F16 פר חשור "juvencum bovem", Drusius; "juvencum adultiorem", Junius & Tremellius. ; a bullock which was a large grown ox, and was not only his father's property, but what his father designed and set apart for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 6:26

And build an altar to the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock ,.... Where the provisions were laid, and out of which came forth fire that consumed them; and where the altar, called by the name of Jehovahshalom, had been built by him, near it very probably; and there might be room enough for both upon the top of the rock; for this seems to be a distinct altar from that that was erected as a monumental altar, in memory of the miracle there wrought, and in gratitude by Gideon for the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 6:27

Then Gideon took ten men of his servants ,.... Not only whom he could command, but could confide in, and whom he knew would cheerfully engage in this work, being like himself, who had not bowed the knee to Baal; and as there was much work to do, and it required dispatch, such a number was necessary; since he had not only the altar of Baal to throw down, and his grove or idol to cut down, but an altar to build, and a sacrifice to be taken and offered: and did as the Lord had said unto him ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 6:28

And when the men of the city arose early in the morning ,.... And came to the place where the altar of Baal, his grove and image, were, to pay their morning devotions to him: behold: the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built ; upon the new altar that Gideon built, and which very probably was burning when they came: and it is very likely that the place, where the altar of Baal had stood, was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 6:29

And they said one to another, who hath done this thing ?.... They were struck with amazement, and could not devise who could be so daring and wicked as to do such an action: and when they inquired and asked ; one and another, everyone present, or they could think of as proper to inquire of; they were very diligent and industrious to find it out; and perhaps they inquired of the family and servants of Joash and Gideon, in whose ground the altar stood: they said, Gideon the son of Joash... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 6:30

Then the men of the city said unto Joash ,.... The principal inhabitants of the place met together, and in a body went to Joash their chief magistrate, to have justice done in this case: bring out thy son, that he may die ; they do not ask to have the cause tried by him, to hear what proof they had of the fact, or what Gideon had to say in his own defence; nor do they wait for the sentence of Joash, but determine it themselves, and require the delinquent to be given up to them, that they... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 6:25

Take thy father ' s young bullock , even the second bullock - There is some difficulty in this verse, for, according to the Hebrew text, two bullocks are mentioned here; but there is only one mentioned in Judges 6:26 , Judges 6:28 . But what was this second bullock? Some think that it was a bullock that was fattened in order to be offered in sacrifice to Baal. This is very probable, as the second bullock is so particularly distinguished from another which belonged to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 6:26

With the wood of the grove - It is probable that אשרה Asherah here signifies Astarte; and that there was a wooden image of this goddess on the altar of Baal. Baal-peor was the same as Priapus, Astarte as Venus; these two impure idols were proper enough for the same altar. In early times, and among rude people, the images of the gods were made of wood. This is the case still with the inhabitants of the South Sea Islands, with the Indians of America, and with the inhabitants of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 6:27

He feared his father ' s household - So it appears that his father was an idolater: but as Gideon had ten men of his own servants whom he could trust in this matter, it is probable that he had preserved the true faith, and had not bowed his knee to the image of Baal. read more

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