Judges 6:26
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Judges 6:26
26 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.
Chapter Context
Judges 6 is a cyclical narrative chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of holiness, sacrifice, obedience. Written during the pre-monarchic period (c. 1375-1050 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Without central leadership, Israel faced constant threats from surrounding peoples like the Philistines and Midianites.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-40: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it demonstrates God's faithfulness despite human unfaithfulness. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Judges and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Judges 6:26
26 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.
Analysis
God commands Gideon to take his father's bull ('thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old') and destroy the altar of Baal and the Asherah pole beside it, then build a proper altar to Yahweh on the stronghold's top and offer the bull as burnt offering using wood from the cut-down Asherah. This complex instruction addresses multiple issues:
- reforming family/clan worship
- removing idolatry at its source
- establishing proper Yahweh worship
- demonstrating covenant faithfulness publicly.
The 'second bullock of seven years old' likely refers to a specific bull or may indicate a seven-year-old bull suitable for sacrifice.
Historical Context
Baal worship had infiltrated even Gideon's family—his father Joash maintained a Baal altar and Asherah pole. Baal, the Canaanite storm/fertility god, and Asherah, the mother goddess represented by wooden poles or living trees, dominated Canaanite religion. That Gideon's family participated in this syncretism shows the depth of Israel's apostasy during the judges period. The command to use Asherah wood for the burnt offering symbolizes the complete destruction of idolatry and its appropriation for true worship.
Reflection
- How does God requiring Gideon to address family idolatry before national deliverance demonstrate the priority of personal/family reformation?
- What idols in your family or personal life require confrontation before God can use you for broader kingdom work?
- Why does God command using the Asherah wood for sacrifice rather than simply destroying it?
Word Studies
- Lord: יְהוָה / אֲדֹנָי (YHWH / Adonai) H3068 - The LORD / Lord
Cross-References
- References God: 1 Corinthians 14:33
- Sacrifice: 2 Samuel 24:18
- Parallel theme: 1 Corinthians 14:40