Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Then build a proper kind of altar to the LORD your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering.” New Living Translation Then build an altar to the LORD your God here on this hilltop sanctuary, laying the stones carefully. Sacrifice the bull as a burnt offering on the altar, using as fuel the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down.” English Standard Version and build an altar to the LORD your God on the top of the stronghold here, with stones laid in due order. Then take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah that you shall cut down.” Berean Standard Bible Then build a proper altar to the LORD your God on the top of this stronghold. And with the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down, take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering.” Berean Literal Bible And build an altar to YHWH your God on top of this rock by the arrangement, and take the second bull and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah pole that you shall cut down.” King James Bible 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. New King James Version and build an altar to the LORD your God on top of this rock in the proper arrangement, and take the second bull and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the image which you shall cut down.” New American Standard Bible and build an altar to the LORD your God on the top of this stronghold in an orderly way, and take a second bull and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.” NASB 1995 and build an altar to the LORD your God on the top of this stronghold in an orderly manner, and take a second bull and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.” NASB 1977 and build an altar to the LORD your God on the top of this stronghold in an orderly manner, and take a second bull and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.” Legacy Standard Bible and build an altar to Yahweh your God on the top of this stronghold in an orderly manner, and take the second bull and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.” Amplified Bible and build an altar to the LORD your God on top of this mountain stronghold [with stones laid down] in an orderly way. Then take the second bull and offer a burnt sacrifice using the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.” Berean Annotated Bible Then build a proper altar to the LORD your God {YHWH Eloheka} on the top of this stronghold. And with the wood of the Asherah pole (goddess) you cut down, take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering. Christian Standard Bible Build a well-constructed altar to the LORD your God on the top of this mound. Take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down.” Holman Christian Standard Bible Build a well-constructed altar to the LORD your God on the top of this rock. Take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down.” American Standard Version and build an altar unto Jehovah thy God upon the top of this stronghold, in the orderly manner, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt-offering with the wood of the Asherah which thou shalt cut down. Contemporary English Version Then build an altar for worshiping me on the highest part of the hill where your town is built. Use layers of stones for my altar, not just a pile of rocks. Cut up the wood from the pole, make a fire, kill the bull, and burn it as a sacrifice to me. English Revised Version and build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this strong hold, in the orderly manner, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which thou shalt cut down. GOD'S WORD® Translation Then, in the proper way, build an altar to the LORD your God on top of this fortified place. Take this second bull and sacrifice it as a burnt offering on the wood from the Asherah pole that you have cut down." Good News Translation Build a well-constructed altar to the LORD your God on top of this mound. Then take the second bull and burn it whole as an offering, using for firewood the symbol of Asherah you have cut down." International Standard Version and build an altar to the LORD your God on top of this stronghold in an orderly manner. Then take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering using the wood from the Asherah that you'll be cutting down." NET Bible Then build an altar for the LORD your God on the top of this stronghold according to the proper pattern. Take the second bull and offer it as a burnt sacrifice on the wood from the Asherah pole that you cut down." New Heart English Bible and build an altar to the LORD your God on the top of this stronghold, in the orderly manner, and take the second bull, and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down." Webster's Bible Translation And build an altar to 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. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleThen build a proper altar to the LORD your God on the top of this stronghold. And with the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down, take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering.” World English Bible Then build an altar to Yahweh your God on the top of this stronghold, in an orderly way, and take the second bull, and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.” Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionand you have built an altar to your God YHWH on the top of this stronghold, by the arrangement, and have taken the second bullock, and caused a burnt-offering to ascend with the wood of the Asherah which you cut down.” Berean Literal Bible And build an altar to YHWH your God on top of this rock by the arrangement, and take the second bull and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah pole that you shall cut down.” Young's Literal Translation and thou hast built an altar to Jehovah thy God on the top of this stronghold, by the arrangement, and hast taken the second bullock, and caused to ascend a burnt-offering with the wood of the shrine which thou cuttest down.' Smith's Literal Translation And build an altar to Jehovah thy God upon the head of this strong place, in order, and take the second bullock and bring up a burnt-offering upon the wood of the wooden pillar which thou shalt cut down. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd thou shalt build an altar to the Lord thy God in the top of this rock, whereupon thou didst lay the sacrifice before: and thou shalt take the second bullock, and shalt offer a holocaust upon a pile of the wood, which thou shalt cut down out of the grove. Catholic Public Domain Version And you shall build an altar to the Lord your God, at the summit of this rock, on which you placed the sacrifice before. And you shall take the second bull, and you shall offer a holocaust upon a pile of the wood, which you shall cut down from the grove.” New American Bible and build an altar to the LORD, your God, on top of this stronghold with the pile of wood. Then take the fattened bull and offer it as a whole-burnt sacrifice on the wood from the asherah you have cut down. New Revised Standard Version and build an altar to the LORD your God on the top of the stronghold here, in proper order; then take the second bull, and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the sacred pole that you shall cut down.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd build an altar to the LORD your God upon the top of this rock, in an orderly manner, and take the second bullock, and offer it upon it as a burnt offering with the wood of the grove which you shall cut down. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And build an altar to LORD JEHOVAH your God on the top of this base in order, and take another bull and offer it up upon it as a burnt offering, and the wood among the wood of the shelter that you cut down OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917and build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this stronghold, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt-offering with the wood of the Asherah which thou shalt cut down.' Brenton Septuagint Translation And thou shalt build an altar to the Lord thy God on the top of this Maozi in the ordering it, and thou shalt take the second bullock, and shalt offer up whole-burnt-offerings with the wood of the grove, which thou shalt destroy. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Gideon Destroys Baal's Altar25On that very night the LORD said to Gideon, “Take your father’s young bull and a second bull seven years old, tear down your father’s altar to Baal, and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. 26Then build a proper altar to the LORD your God on the top of this stronghold. And with the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down, take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering.” 27So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD had told him. But because he was too afraid of his father’s household and the men of the city, he did it by night rather than in the daytime.… Cross References Then build a proper altar to the LORD your God Exodus 20:24-25 You are to make for Me an altar of earth, and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and peace offerings, your sheep and goats and cattle. In every place where I cause My name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you. / Now if you make an altar of stones for Me, you must not build it with stones shaped by tools; for if you use a chisel on it, you will defile it. Deuteronomy 12:5-6 Instead, you must seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to establish as a dwelling for His Name, and there you must go. / To that place you are to bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and heave offerings, your vow offerings and freewill offerings, as well as the firstborn of your herds and flocks. 1 Kings 18:30-32 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people approached him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down. / And Elijah took twelve stones, one for each tribe of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come and said, “Israel shall be your name.” / And with the stones, Elijah built an altar in the name of the LORD. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed. on the top of this stronghold. Deuteronomy 27:4-6 And when you have crossed the Jordan, you are to set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I am commanding you today, and you are to coat them with plaster. / Moreover, you are to build there an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones. You must not use any iron tool on them. / You shall build the altar of the LORD your God with uncut stones and offer upon it burnt offerings to the LORD your God. Joshua 8:30-31 At that time Joshua built an altar on Mount Ebal to the LORD, the God of Israel, / just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses: “an altar of uncut stones on which no iron tool has been used.” And on it they offered burnt offerings to the LORD, and they sacrificed peace offerings. 1 Kings 18:33-35 Next, he arranged the wood, cut up the bull, placed it on the wood, / and said, “Fill four waterpots and pour the water on the offering and on the wood.” “Do it a second time,” he said, and they did it a second time. “Do it a third time,” he said, and they did it a third time. / So the water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench. And with the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down, 2 Kings 23:14 He smashed the sacred pillars to pieces, cut down the Asherah poles, and covered the sites with human bones. Exodus 34:13 Rather, you must tear down their altars, smash their sacred stones, and chop down their Asherah poles. Deuteronomy 12:3 Tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, burn up their Asherah poles, cut down the idols of their gods, and wipe out their names from every place. take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering.” 1 Kings 18:23-24 Get two bulls for us. Let the prophets of Baal choose one bull for themselves, cut it into pieces, and place it on the wood but not light the fire. And I will prepare the other bull and place it on the wood but not light the fire. / Then you may call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The God who answers by fire, He is God.” And all the people answered, “What you say is good.” 1 Kings 18:36-38 At the time of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet approached the altar and said, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and have done all these things at Your command. / Answer me, O LORD! Answer me, so that this people will know that You, the LORD, are God, and that You have turned their hearts back again.” / Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water in the trench. Leviticus 1:3-9 If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to present an unblemished male. He must bring it to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting for its acceptance before the LORD. / He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, so it can be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him. / And he shall slaughter the young bull before the LORD, and Aaron’s sons the priests are to present the blood and splatter it on all sides of the altar at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. … Genesis 12:7-8 Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” So Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him. / From there Abram moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to the LORD, and he called on the name of the LORD. 1 Samuel 7:9-10 Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on behalf of Israel, and the LORD answered him. / As the Philistines drew near to fight against Israel, Samuel was offering up the burnt offering. But that day the LORD thundered loudly against the Philistines and threw them into such confusion that they fled before Israel. 2 Samuel 24:18-25 And that day Gad came to David and said to him, “Go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” / So David went up at the word of Gad, just as the LORD had commanded. / When Araunah looked out and saw the king and his servants coming toward him, he went out and bowed facedown before the king. … 1 Chronicles 21:26 And there he built an altar to the LORD and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. He called upon the LORD, who answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering. Treasury of Scripture And build an altar to the LORD your God on 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 you shall cut down. build 2 Samuel 24:18 And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite. rock. 1 Corinthians 14:33,40 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints… Jump to Previous Altar Asherah Build Bull Bullock Burnt Burnt-Offering Burnt-Sacrifice Cut Due Laid Manner Offer Offering Order Ordered Orderly Rock Sacrifice Second Stones Stronghold Top WoodJump to Next Altar Asherah Build Bull Bullock Burnt Burnt-Offering Burnt-Sacrifice Cut Due Laid Manner Offer Offering Order Ordered Orderly Rock Sacrifice Second Stones Stronghold Top WoodJudges 6 1. The Israelites for their sin are oppressed by Midian8. 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 build a proper altar to the LORD your God This command emphasizes the importance of worshiping God according to His instructions. In the context of Judges, Israel often fell into idolatry, worshiping Baal and Asherah. A "proper altar" signifies returning to true worship, aligning with God's covenantal requirements. The altar's construction symbolizes repentance and a renewed commitment to God, reminiscent of the altars built by patriarchs like Abraham (Genesis 12:7) and Jacob (Genesis 35:7). on the top of this stronghold. And with the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down, take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering. Persons / Places / Events 1. GideonA judge of Israel chosen by God to deliver the Israelites from the oppression of the Midianites. He is called to destroy the altar of Baal and build an altar to the LORD. 2. The LORD (Yahweh) The God of Israel, who commands Gideon to build an altar and offer a sacrifice, signifying the restoration of true worship. 3. The Asherah Pole A wooden symbol associated with the Canaanite goddess Asherah, which Gideon is instructed to cut down and use as fuel for the burnt offering. 4. The Stronghold The location where Gideon is to build the altar, symbolizing a place of strength and security, now dedicated to the worship of the true God. 5. The Second Bull The animal specified for the burnt offering, representing a significant sacrifice and act of obedience to God. Teaching Points Obedience to God's CommandsGideon's actions demonstrate the importance of obeying God's instructions, even when they challenge cultural norms or personal fears. Destroying Idols Believers are called to identify and remove any idols in their lives, whether physical or metaphorical, to fully devote themselves to God. Restoration of True Worship Building an altar to the LORD signifies a return to genuine worship, reminding us to prioritize our relationship with God above all else. Courage in Faith Gideon's task required courage and trust in God, encouraging us to step out in faith when God calls us to act. Sacrificial Living The offering of the second bull illustrates the cost of true worship, urging us to live sacrificially for God's glory. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Judges 6:26?2. How does building an altar to God reflect our commitment to Him today? 3. What does "offer a burnt offering" teach about worship and sacrifice in our lives? 4. How can we "build an altar" in our hearts to honor God daily? 5. What parallels exist between Judges 6:26 and Romans 12:1 regarding living sacrifices? 6. How can Gideon's obedience in Judges 6:26 inspire our faith and actions now? 7. What is the significance of building an altar to the LORD in Judges 6:26? 8. How does Judges 6:26 reflect God's instructions for worship and sacrifice? 9. Why does God command Gideon to use a second bull in Judges 6:26? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Judges 6? 11. What does an Asherah pole represent? 12. Who was Gideon, also known as Jerubbaal, in the Bible? 13. Judges 6:25-27: Is there any archaeological evidence supporting the destruction of Baal's altar in Gideon's hometown? 14. What is the summary of Gideon's story in the Bible? What Does Judges 6:26 Mean Then build a proper altar to the LORD your GodGideon is commanded to replace the town’s pagan worship structure with a true altar dedicated to Yahweh alone (Exodus 20:24; Joshua 8:30–31). The word “proper” stresses that worship must follow God’s pattern, not human preference. This call still reminds believers that genuine devotion requires rejecting syncretism and honoring God exclusively (1 Corinthians 10:21). on the top of this stronghold The altar is built “on the top” of the same hilltop fortress where Baal’s shrine had stood, turning a former center of idolatry into a beacon of true worship (2 Chronicles 14:3–5). Public placement declares God’s supremacy and confronts the community’s misplaced trust in false gods (Deuteronomy 33:29; Psalm 18:2). And with the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down God instructs Gideon to repurpose the very symbol of Canaanite fertility worship (Deuteronomy 12:3). Destroying the pole and using its wood for sacrifice dramatizes the triumph of the LORD over idols (Jeremiah 10:3–5; 1 Kings 18:40). Faithful obedience often means dismantling anything that competes with God for allegiance. take the second bull The second, not the prized first, bull likely belongs to Gideon’s father and had been kept for Baal worship (Judges 6:25). By selecting it, God claims what was reserved for an idol, showing His right to every possession (Psalm 24:1; Haggai 2:8). Gideon learns that offerings must cost something and acknowledge God’s ownership (2 Samuel 24:24). and offer it as a burnt offering A burnt offering is totally consumed, symbolizing complete surrender and atonement (Leviticus 1:3–9). The fiery sacrifice atop the former pagan site prefigures Christ’s once-for-all offering that conquers sin and idolatry (Hebrews 10:10–12; Romans 12:1). Gideon’s act foreshadows the believer’s call to wholehearted, public commitment. summary Judges 6:26 shows God reclaiming ground held by idolatry, demanding exclusive worship, and turning what once served false gods into instruments of true devotion. Gideon’s obedience—tearing down, building up, and offering fully—illustrates how believers today must remove rival loyalties, exalt the LORD openly, and surrender completely to Him. (26) Of this rock.--The word is not selah, as in Judges 6:20, or tsor, as in Judges 6:21, but malioz, "stronghold," probably the citadel of Ophrah. The LXX. render it as a proper name (maoz), or in some MSS., "on the top of this mountain." The word only occurs elsewhere in Hebrew poetry.In the ordered place.--The margin reads, "in an orderly manner;" but probably neither version is quite correct. The Hebrew word is bammaarachah (comp. Leviticus 24:6; 2Chronicles 2:4); and as the particle be is used of the materials with which a thing is built in 1Kings 15:22; some here render it, "with the materials." That the Jews themselves were not quite certain of the meaning appears from the various versions. The LXX. render it, "in the arrangement," and the Vulg., "on which you have before placed the sacrifice." It means "with the Asherah pillar hewed down, and split up into firewood." The Jews point out the peculiar features of this burnt offering: (1) It was not at Shiloh; (2) it was not offered by a priest; (3) it was offered at night; and (4) the fire was kindled with the unhallowed materials of an idol. The Divine command was, of course, more than sufficient to justify these merely ritual irregularities; and, indeed, it is clear that in these rude times, when the country was in the hands of the heathen, the Levitic order of worship became, for the time, impossible in many particulars. Prophets and those directly commissioned by heaven were tacitly regarded as exempt from the strict rules of outward ritual which were necessary for the mass of the nation. . . . Verse 26. - This rock. Rather, the keep or stronghold of Ophrah, where also the high place was; just as the temple was in the stronghold of Zion, and the hold of the house of Baal-Berith at Shechem was in the citadel of the place (Judges 9:46). In the ordered place. The meaning of this phrase is uncertain. It may either be rendered as in the A.V., meaning on the levelled ground ordered and prepared for the building of the altar; or it may more probably be rendered with the arranged material, i.e. the stones which were laid in order at the bottom, and the wood which was laid in order upon the top of the altar (cf. Genesis 22:9). The material may either refer to that taken from the altar of Baal, which had been thrown down, and which was then ordered to be used in building the altar of the Lord, or to its own arranged material or superstructure, the wood of the asherah.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Then buildוּבָנִ֨יתָ (ū·ḇā·nî·ṯā) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 1129: To build a proper בַּמַּֽעֲרָכָ֑ה (bam·ma·‘ă·rā·ḵāh) Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 4634: An arrangement, a pile, a military array altar מִזְבֵּ֜חַ (miz·bê·aḥ) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 4196: An altar to the LORD לַיהוָ֣ה (Yah·weh) Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel your God אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ (’ĕ·lō·he·ḵā) Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative on עַ֣ל (‘al) Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against the top רֹ֧אשׁ (rōš) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 7218: The head of this הַזֶּ֖ה (haz·zeh) Article | Pronoun - masculine singular Strong's 2088: This, that stronghold. הַמָּע֛וֹז (ham·mā·‘ō·wz) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 4581: A place or means of safety, protection And with the wood בַּעֲצֵ֥י (ba·‘ă·ṣê) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 6086: Tree, trees, wood of the Asherah pole הָאֲשֵׁרָ֖ה (hā·’ă·šê·rāh) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 842: A Phoenician goddess, also an image of the same you cut down, תִּכְרֹֽת׃ (tiḵ·rōṯ) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 3772: To cut, to destroy, consume, to covenant take וְלָֽקַחְתָּ֙ (wə·lā·qaḥ·tā) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 3947: To take the second הַשֵּׁנִ֔י (haš·šê·nî) Article | Number - ordinal masculine singular Strong's 8145: Second (an ordinal number) bull הַפָּ֣ר (hap·pār) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 6499: Young bull, steer and offer וְהַעֲלִ֣יתָ (wə·ha·‘ă·lî·ṯā) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively it as a burnt offering.” עוֹלָ֔ה (‘ō·w·lāh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 5930: Whole burnt offering Links Judges 6:26 NIVJudges 6:26 NLT Judges 6:26 ESV Judges 6:26 NASB Judges 6:26 KJV Judges 6:26 BibleApps.com Judges 6:26 Biblia Paralela Judges 6:26 Chinese Bible Judges 6:26 French Bible Judges 6:26 Catholic Bible OT History: Judges 6:26 And build an altar to Yahweh your (Jd Judg. 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