Judges 6:31
New International Version
But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, “Are you going to plead Baal’s cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.”

New Living Translation
But Joash shouted to the mob that confronted him, “Why are you defending Baal? Will you argue his case? Whoever pleads his case will be put to death by morning! If Baal truly is a god, let him defend himself and destroy the one who broke down his altar!”

English Standard Version
But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? Whoever contends for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been broken down.”

Berean Standard Bible
But 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.”

King James Bible
And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.

New King James Version
But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Would you plead for Baal? Would you save him? Let the one who would plead for him be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him plead for himself, because his altar has been torn down!”

New American Standard Bible
But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal, or will you save him? Whoever will contend for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, since someone has torn down his altar!”

NASB 1995
But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal, or will you deliver him? Whoever will plead for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because someone has torn down his altar.”

NASB 1977
But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal, or will you deliver him? Whoever will plead for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because someone has torn down his altar.”

Legacy Standard Bible
But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal, or will you save him? Whoever will contend for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because someone has torn down his altar.”

Amplified Bible
But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you plead for Baal? Will you save him? Whoever pleads for Baal shall be put to death while it is still morning. If Baal is a god, let him defend himself, because someone has torn down his altar.”

Christian Standard Bible
But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Would you plead Baal’s case for him? Would you save him? Whoever pleads his case will be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him plead his own case because someone tore down his altar.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Would you plead Baal’s case for him? Would you save him? Whoever pleads his case will be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him plead his own case because someone tore down his altar.”

American Standard Version
And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye contend for Baal? or will ye save him? he that will contend for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him contend for himself, because one hath broken down his altar.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Yoash said to all who had risen up against him: “Do you judge against the presence of Baala, or are you saving him? He who judges against his presence this morning should die! If he is God, he will judge for his own sake against him who tore down the altar!”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Gedeon the son of Joas said to all the men who rose up against him, Do ye now plead for Baal, or will ye save him? whoever will plead for him, let him be slain this morning: if he be a god let him plead for himself, because one has thrown down his altar.

Contemporary English Version
The crowd pushed closer and closer, but Joash replied, "Are you trying to take revenge for Baal? Are you trying to rescue Baal? If you are, you will be the ones who are put to death, and it will happen before another day dawns. If Baal really is a god, let him take his own revenge on someone who tears down his altar."

Douay-Rheims Bible
He answered them: Are you the avengers of Baal, that you fight for him? he that is his adversary, let him die before to morrow light appear: if he be a god, let him revenge himself on him that hath cast down his altar.

English Revised Version
And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? or will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath broken down his altar.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But Joash said to everyone standing around him, "You're not going to defend Baal, are you? Do you think you should save him? Whoever defends him will be put to death in the morning. If he's a god, let him defend himself when someone tears down his altar."

Good News Translation
But Joash said to all those who confronted him, "Are you arguing for Baal? Are you defending him? Anyone who argues for him will be killed before morning. If Baal is a god, let him defend himself. It is his altar that was torn down."

International Standard Version
But Joash responded to everyone who was opposing him, "Do you really intend to fight on Baal's behalf? Do you really intend to rescue him by ordering that whoever fights him will be executed by morning? If Baal is a god, let him fight for himself. After all, it was his altar that was torn down."

JPS Tanakh 1917
And Joash said unto all that stood against him: 'Will ye contend for Baal? or will ye save him? he that will contend for him, shall be put to death before morning; if he be a god, let him contend for himself, because one hath broken down his altar.'

Literal Standard Version
And Joash says to all who have stood against him, “You, do you plead for Ba‘al? You—do you save him? He who pleads for him is put to death during the morning; if he [is] a god he pleads against him himself, because he has broken down his altar.”

Majority Standard Bible
But 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.”

New American Bible
But Joash replied to all who were standing around him, “Is it for you to take action for Baal, or be his savior? Anyone who takes action for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him act for himself, since his altar has been dismantled!”

NET Bible
But Joash said to all those who confronted him, "Must you fight Baal's battles? Must you rescue him? Whoever takes up his cause will die by morning! If he really is a god, let him fight his own battles! After all, it was his altar that was pulled down."

New Revised Standard Version
But Joash said to all who were arrayed against him, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you defend his cause? Whoever contends for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been pulled down.”

New Heart English Bible
Joash said to all who stood against him, "Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? He who will contend for him, let him be put to death while it is yet morning: if he is a god, let him contend for himself, because someone has broken down his altar."

Webster's Bible Translation
And Joash said to all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he is a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.

World English Bible
Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? He who will contend for him, let him be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because someone has broken down his altar!”

Young's Literal Translation
And Joash saith to all who have stood against him, 'Ye, do ye plead for Baal? ye -- do ye save him? he who pleadeth for him is put to death during the morning; if he is a god he himself doth plead against him, because he hath broken down his altar.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Gideon Destroys Baal's Altar
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.” 32So on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend with him,” because he had torn down Baal’s altar.…

Cross References
Judges 6:30
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."

Judges 6:32
So on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, "Let Baal contend with him," because he had torn down Baal's altar.

1 Samuel 12:11
So the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel, and He delivered you from the hands of your enemies on every side, and you dwelt securely.


Treasury of Scripture

And Joash said to all that stood against him, Will you plead for Baal? will you save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one has cast down his altar.

will ye plead.

Exodus 23:2
Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:

Numbers 14:6
And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:

Ephesians 5:11
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

let him be

Deuteronomy 13:5
And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.

Deuteronomy 17:2-7
If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the LORD thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD thy God, in transgressing his covenant, …

1 Kings 18:40
And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

if he be

1 Kings 18:27,29
And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked…

Psalm 115:4-7
Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands…

Isaiah 41:23
Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together.

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Altar Baal Broken Cast Contend Death Joash Morning Plead Save Stood Whilst
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Altar Baal Broken Cast Contend Death Joash Morning Plead Save Stood Whilst
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














(31) Unto all that stood against him.--The meaning of these words is very uncertain. They may mean, "to all that stood around."

Will ye plead for Baal?--The pronoun ye is very emphatic, being twice expressed in the Hebrew.

He that will plead for him, let him be put to death.--These words of Joash were extraordinarily bold and cunning. Possibly the brave act of his son may have roused his conscience, and Gideon may have told him that he had acted under Divine guidance. But he saves his son's life, not by excusing his act, but by feigning such a zeal for Baal as to denounce it as a blasphemous impiety to suppose that Baal will not avenge his own insult--an impiety so monstrous, that the man who was guilty of it should be at once put to death. Thus he made Baal-worship a plea for not avenging the insult offered to Baal. He was well aware that if he thus gained time, the fact that Baal did not interfere to protect himself from such fearful outrage would weigh powerfully with all his worshippers. Among idolaters the sight of an act of open contempt for their idol often shakes their superstitious reverence. Aristophanes, Persius, and Lucian sneer at the inability of Jupiter to defend his own temple, golden locks, and golden beard. When Olaf had the huge image of Odin destroyed, and when the high priest Coifi at Saxmundham, clad in armour and mounted on horseback (two things which were forbidden to a priest), rode up to the Saxon idols and hurled them down, the people, seeing that no thunder followed, but that all went on as well as usual, were quite ready to embrace Christianity.

Whilst it is yet morning.--The Hebrew is ad habb?ker ("until morning"); LXX., he?s pr?i, which may mean, "before to-morrow's sun has dawned." (Antequan lux crastina veniat, Vulg.; as also the Syriac, Arabic, and Chaldee.) It is a much more likely rendering than that of the E.V., for it implies, "Let us wait till to-morrow, to see whether Baal will avenge himself." Joash knew that in popular outbreaks procrastination means security.

If he be a god.--Compare the language of Elijah to the Baal and Asherah priests (1Kings 18:21; 1Kings 18:27).

Verse 31. - Stood against him. The words describe their hostile, menacing, attitude, clamouring to have Gideon brought out that they might kill him. Will ye plead, etc. The emphasis is on the ye. Joash met and silenced their pleading by threatening death to any that should plead for Baal. Baal shall plead for himself. Joash's courage was rising under the influence of his son s brave deed.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But Joash
יוֹאָ֡שׁ (yō·w·’āš)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3101: Joash

said
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to all
לְכֹל֩ (lə·ḵōl)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

who
אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

stood
עָמְד֨וּ (‘ā·mə·ḏū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5975: To stand, in various relations

against him,
עָלָ֜יו (‘ā·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

“Are you
הַאַתֶּ֣ם ׀ (ha·’at·tem)
Article | Pronoun - second person masculine plural
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

contending
תְּרִיב֣וּן (tə·rî·ḇūn)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun
Strong's 7378: To toss, grapple, to wrangle, controversy, to defend

for Baal?
לַבַּ֗עַל (lab·ba·‘al)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1168: Baal -- a heathen god

Are you
אַתֶּם֙ (’at·tem)
Pronoun - second person masculine plural
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

trying to save him?
תּוֹשִׁיע֣וּן (tō·wō·šî·‘ūn)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun
Strong's 3467: To be open, wide, free, to be safe, to free, succor

Whoever
אֲשֶׁ֨ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

pleads his case
יָרִ֥יב (yā·rîḇ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7378: To toss, grapple, to wrangle, controversy, to defend

will be put to death
יוּמַ֖ת (yū·maṯ)
Verb - Hofal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

by
עַד־ (‘aḏ-)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

morning!
הַבֹּ֑קֶר (hab·bō·qer)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1242: Dawn, morning

If
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

[Baal]
הוּא֙ (hū)
Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

is a god,
אֱלֹהִ֥ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

let him contend
יָ֣רֶב (yā·reḇ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7378: To toss, grapple, to wrangle, controversy, to defend

for himself
ל֔וֹ (lōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 0: 0

if
כִּ֥י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

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

his altar.�
מִזְבְּחֽוֹ׃ (miz·bə·ḥōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4196: An altar


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OT History: Judges 6:31 Joash said to all who stood against (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 6:30
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