And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, 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.

JUDGES 6:28KJV
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Judges 6:28 (KJV)

What does Judges 6:28 mean?

Judges 6:28 describes how the people of the city woke up early and discovered that the altar dedicated to Baal had been torn down, the nearby sacred grove had been cut down, and a second bull had been offered on a newly built altar. This verse shows the aftermath of Gideon's secret actions during the night, which challenged the city's worship of Baal.

The verse is set in the time of the judges, when Israel often turned to worship other gods. Gideon, following God's command, had destroyed the altar to Baal and the "grove" (a wooden symbol or pole for the goddess Asherah) and replaced them with an altar to the God of Israel. The men of the city are not named here, but their shock sets up the conflict that follows in the story.

The Hebrew behind Judges 6:28

  • "altar" (מִזְבֵּחַ, mizbeach): This word refers to a structure for sacrifices. The verse uses it twice—first for Baal's altar, then for the new altar built for the offering to God, highlighting the replacement of one form of worship with another.
  • "grove" (אֲשֵׁרָה, asherah): This term often means a wooden pole or tree used in worship of the Canaanite goddess Asherah. Its removal signals a direct challenge to the local religious practices.
  • "offered" (עָלָה, `alah): This verb means "to go up" or "to offer up" and is used for making sacrifices. The use here emphasizes that a sacrifice was made on the new altar, not just that the old one was destroyed.

Why Judges 6:28 matters

  • This verse clarifies that Gideon's actions were not just private obedience but a public challenge to the city's dominant religion, setting up the tension for the next part of the story.
  • The details about the "second bullock" and the new altar show that Gideon was careful to follow God's instructions exactly, not just destroy but also replace with proper worship.
  • Understanding the meaning of "grove" as a symbol of Asherah helps modern readers see how deeply rooted these practices were, and why their removal was so significant to the people of the city.

Where else these words appear

“grove” Hebrew H842 · used in 40 verses

  • Exodus 34:13 But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:
  • 2 Kings 13:6 Nevertheless they departed not from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who made Israel sin, but walked therein: and there remained the grove also in Samaria.)
  • 2 Chronicles 17:6 And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah.

“down” Hebrew H5422 · used in 41 verses

  • Exodus 34:13 But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:
  • 2 Kings 11:18 And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the LORD.
  • Psalms 52:5 God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.

“early” Hebrew H7925 · used in 64 verses

  • Genesis 19:2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.
  • Judges 7:1 Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.
  • 2 Chronicles 36:15 And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:

“Baal” Hebrew H1168 · used in 68 verses

  • Judges 2:11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:
  • 1 Kings 22:53 For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.
  • 2 Chronicles 23:17 Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and brake it down, and brake his altars and his images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.