Judges 6:30
New International Version
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.”

New Living Translation
“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.”

English Standard Version
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.”

Berean Standard Bible
Then 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.”

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
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.”

New American Standard Bible
Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has torn down the altar of Baal, and indeed, he has cut down the Asherah which was beside it.”

NASB 1995
Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has torn down the altar of Baal, and indeed, he has cut down the Asherah which was beside it.”

NASB 1977
Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has torn down the altar of Baal, and indeed, he has cut down the Asherah which was beside it.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has torn down the altar of Baal, and indeed, he has cut down the Asherah which was beside it.”

Amplified Bible
Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, so that he may be executed, because he has torn down the altar of Baal and cut down the Asherah which was beside it.”

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

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

American Standard Version
Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die, because he hath broken down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the Asherah that was by it.

Contemporary English Version
The men of the town went to Joash and said, "Your son Gideon knocked over Baal's altar and cut down the sacred pole next to it. Hand him over, so we can kill him!"

English Revised Version
Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath broken down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the Asherah that was by it.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then the men of the city told Joash, "Bring your son out. He must die. He has torn down the Baal altar and cut down the Asherah pole that was beside it."

Good News Translation
Then they said to Joash, "Bring your son out here, so that we can kill him! He tore down the altar to Baal and cut down the symbol of Asherah beside it."

International Standard Version
So the leading men of the city ordered Joash, "Bring us that son of yours. He's going to die, because he tore down the altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah that stood beside it!"

Majority Standard Bible
Then 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.?

NET Bible
The men of the city said to Joash, "Bring out your son, so we can execute him! He pulled down the Baal altar and cut down the nearby Asherah pole."

New Heart English Bible
Then the men of the city said to Joash, "Bring out your son, that he may die, because he has broken down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the Asherah that was by it."

Webster's Bible Translation
Then the men of the city said to 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.

World English Bible
Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, because he has broken down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the Asherah that was by it.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the men of the city say to Joash, “Bring out your son, and he dies, because he has broken down the altar of Ba‘al, and because he has cut down the Asherah which [is] by it.”

Young's Literal Translation
And the men of the city say unto Joash, 'Bring out thy son, and he dieth, because he hath broken down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the shrine which is by it.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And the men of the city will say to Joash, Bring forth thy son and he shall die: for he threw down the altar of Baal, and because he cut down the wooden pillar which is upon it.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they said to Joas: Bring out thy son hither, that he may die: because he hath destroyed the altar of Baal, and hath cut down his grove.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they said to Joash: “Bring forward your son here, so that he may die. For he has destroyed the altar of Baal, and he has cut down the sacred grove.”

New American Bible
So the townspeople said to Joash, “Bring out your son that he may die, for he has dismantled the altar of Baal and cut down the asherah that was beside it.”

New Revised Standard Version
Then the townspeople said to Joash, “Bring out your son, so that he may die, for he has pulled down the altar of Baal and cut down the sacred pole beside it.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then the men of the town said to Joash, Bring out your son, that he may die; because he has pulled down the altar of Baal and has cut down the grove that was by it.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the men of the city said to Yoash: “Bring out your son! He shall die because he pulled down the altar of Baal and he has cut down the shelter about it!”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Then the men of the city said unto Joash: 'Bring out thy son, that he may die; because he hath broken down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the Asherah that was by it.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the men of the city said to Joas, Bring out thy son, and let him die, because he has destroyed the altar of Baal, and because he has destroyed the grove that is by it.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Gideon Destroys Baal's 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.”…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 13:6-10
If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you embrace, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (which neither you nor your fathers have known, / the gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, whether from one end of the earth or the other), / you must not yield to him or listen to him. Show him no pity, and do not spare him or shield him. ...

Exodus 22:20
If anyone sacrifices to any god other than the LORD alone, he must be set apart for destruction.

Deuteronomy 17:2-5
If a man or woman among you in one of the towns that the LORD your God gives you is found doing evil in the sight of the LORD your God by transgressing His covenant / and going to worship other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven—which I have forbidden— / and if it is reported and you hear about it, you must investigate it thoroughly. If the report is true and such an abomination has happened in Israel, ...

1 Kings 18:40
Then Elijah ordered them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let a single one escape.” So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered them there.

Deuteronomy 13:1-5
If a prophet or dreamer of dreams arises among you and proclaims a sign or wonder to you, / and if the sign or wonder he has spoken to you comes about, but he says, “Let us follow other gods (which you have not known) and let us worship them,” / you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. For the LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love Him with all your heart and with all your soul. ...

1 Samuel 12:10
Then they cried out to the LORD and said, ‘We have sinned, for we have forsaken the LORD and served the Baals and Ashtoreths. Now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, that we may serve You.’

2 Kings 23:5
Josiah also did away with the idolatrous priests ordained by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the cities of Judah and in the places all around Jerusalem—those who had burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven.

2 Chronicles 34:4
Then in his presence the altars of the Baals were torn down, and he cut to pieces the incense altars that were above them. He shattered the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the cast images, crushed them to dust, and scattered them over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.

Jeremiah 11:12-13
Then the cities of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to which they have been burning incense, but these gods certainly will not save them in their time of disaster. / Your gods are indeed as numerous as your cities, O Judah; the altars of shame you have set up—the altars to burn incense to Baal—are as many as the streets of Jerusalem.’

Hosea 2:17
For I will remove from her lips the names of the Baals; no longer will their names be invoked.

Matthew 10:37
Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me;

Luke 14:26
“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be My disciple.

Acts 5:29
But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.

Romans 1:25
They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen.

1 Corinthians 8:4-6
So about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world, and that there is no God but one. / For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many so-called gods and lords), / yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist.


Treasury of Scripture

Then the men of the city said to Joash, Bring out your son, that he may die: because he has cast down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the grove that was by it.

bring

Jeremiah 26:11
Then spake the priests and the prophets unto the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy to die; for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears.

Jeremiah 50:38
A drought is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up: for it is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols.

John 16:2
They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

Jump to Previous
Altar Asherah Ashe'rah Baal Ba'al Baal's Broken Cast City Cut Cutting Death Die Holy Indeed Joash Jo'ash Pulled Torn Tree
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Altar Asherah Ashe'rah Baal Ba'al Baal's Broken Cast City Cut Cutting Death Die Holy Indeed Joash Jo'ash Pulled Torn Tree
Judges 6
1. The Israelites for their sin are oppressed by Midian
8. A prophet rebukes them
11. An angel sends Gideon for their deliverance
17. Gideon's present is consumed with fire
24. Gideon destroys Baal's altar; offers a sacrifice upon the altar Jehovah-shalom
28. Joash defends his son, and calls him Jerubbaal
33. Gideon's army
36. Gideon's signs














Then the men of the city
This phrase refers to the collective group of townspeople, likely leaders or elders, who represent the community's interests and religious practices. In ancient Israel, cities were often small, tight-knit communities where religious and social norms were strictly observed. The men of the city were responsible for maintaining these norms, and their reaction indicates the deep entrenchment of Baal worship in Israelite society at the time.

said to Joash
Joash is the father of Gideon, the central figure in this narrative. His name means "Yahweh has given," which is ironic given his initial support of Baal worship. Joash's position in the community is significant, as he owns the altar of Baal, suggesting he is a person of influence. This confrontation places him at a crossroads between the prevailing idolatry and the emerging call to return to Yahweh.

Bring out your son
This demand is a call for accountability and justice according to the community's standards. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, family heads were responsible for the actions of their household. The demand reflects the seriousness with which the community viewed the desecration of their religious symbols, highlighting the tension between familial loyalty and communal religious expectations.

He must die
The death sentence reflects the severity of Gideon's actions in the eyes of the townspeople. In the context of the Mosaic Law, idolatry was a capital offense, but here the irony is that the people are demanding death for the destruction of idols, not for idolatry itself. This highlights the spiritual confusion and apostasy prevalent in Israel during the time of the Judges.

because he has torn down the altar of Baal
Baal was a Canaanite deity associated with fertility and storms, and his worship was widespread among the Israelites despite Yahweh's commandments against idolatry. The altar's destruction is a direct challenge to the religious status quo and signifies a call to repentance and return to covenant faithfulness. Gideon's act is a prophetic gesture, symbolizing the need to dismantle false worship in Israel.

and cut down the Asherah pole beside it
The Asherah pole was a wooden symbol associated with the goddess Asherah, often placed beside altars to Baal. Its presence indicates syncretism, where Israel combined elements of Canaanite religion with their worship of Yahweh. Cutting down the Asherah pole is an act of purification, removing the physical and spiritual corruption that had infiltrated Israelite worship practices.

(30) The men of the city said unto Joash.--It is difficult to conceive that these could have been Israelites (see on Judges 6:27).

Bring out thy son, that he may die.--For the phrase, see Genesis 38:24; 1Kings 21:10; Luke 19:27.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then the men
אַנְשֵׁ֤י (’an·šê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

of the city
הָעִיר֙ (hā·‘îr)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

said
וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ (way·yō·mə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Joash,
יוֹאָ֔שׁ (yō·w·’āš)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3101: Joash

“Bring out
הוֹצֵ֥א (hō·w·ṣê)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

your son.
בִּנְךָ֖ (bin·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1121: A son

He must die,
וְיָמֹ֑ת (wə·yā·mōṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

because
כִּ֤י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

he has torn down
נָתַץ֙ (nā·ṯaṣ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5422: To pull down, break down

Baal’s
הַבַּ֔עַל (hab·ba·‘al)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1168: Baal -- a heathen god

altar
מִזְבַּ֣ח (miz·baḥ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4196: An altar

and cut down
כָרַ֖ת (ḵā·raṯ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3772: To cut, to destroy, consume, to covenant

the Asherah pole
הָאֲשֵׁרָ֥ה (hā·’ă·šê·rāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 842: A Phoenician goddess, also an image of the same

beside it.”
עָלָֽיו׃ (‘ā·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against


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OT History: Judges 6:30 Then the men of the city said (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 6:29
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