Judges 6:24 · Bible study
Judges 6:24 Commentary: Study: Yahweh Shalom, The Lord Is Peace
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Understand why Gideon named the altar 'Yahweh is Peace' and what it reveals about God's character and our calling.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Gideon builds an altar and names it “Yahweh is Peace,” memorializing God’s assurance of peace after a terrifying divine encounter.
- Key words: Shalom (completeness, welfare, peace); built (Hebrew banah, to establish, also used for building a house/family); called (Hebrew qara, to proclaim, name, invoke).
- Main debate: Whether this altar is the same as the one in v.26 (build on the stronghold) or a distinct altar of memorial; Clarke suggests anticipation, others leave the question open.
- Theological theme: God’s identity as the source of peace replaces fear with confidence, enabling obedience even in dangerous circumstances.
- Best use: A powerful example of responding to God’s personal revelation with worship, witness, and the courage to act.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD Is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Then Gideon built an altar there to Yahweh, and called it “Yahweh is Peace.” To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
KJV King James Version 1769
Then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord, and called it Jehovah–shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abi–ezrites.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Then Gideon built an altar there unto Jehovah, and called it Jehovah-shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And Gideon buildeth there an altar to Jehovah, and calleth it Jehovah-Shalom, unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abi-Ezrites.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And Gideon built there an altar to Jehovah, and called it Jehovah-shalom. To this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And Gedeon built there an altar to the Lord, and called it the Lord's peace, until this present day. And when he was yet in Ephra, which is of the family of Ezri,
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y edificó allí Gedeón altar á Jehová, al que llamó Jehová-salom|strong="H3068, H7965, H3073": está hasta hoy en Ophra de los Abiezeritas.
E edificou ali Gideão altar ao SENHOR, ao que chamou O SENHOR é paz: está até hoje em Ofra dos abiezritas.
Gédéon bâtit là un autel à l’ Éternel, et lui donna pour nom l’ Éternel paix: il existe encore aujourd’ hui à Ophra, qui appartenait à la famille d’ Abiézer.
Da baute Gideon daselbst dem HERRN einen Altar und hieß ihn: Der HERR ist der Friede. Der steht noch bis auf diesen heutigen Tag zu Ophra, der Stadt der Abiesriter.
Toen bouwde Gideon aldaar den HEERE een altaar, en noemde het: De HEERE is vrede! het is nog tot op dezen dag in Ofra der Abi-ezrieten.
Allora Gedeone edificò quivi un altare all’Eterno, e lo chiamò “l’Eterno pace”. Esso esiste anche al dì d’oggi a Ofra degli Abiezeriti.
Przetoż zbudował tam Giedeon ołtarz Panu, i nazwał go: Pan pokoju; aż do dnia tego ten jeszcze jest w Efracie, ojca Esrowego.
И устроил там Гедеон жертвенник Господу и назвал его: Иегова Шалом. Он еще до сего дня в Офре Авиезеровой.
於是基甸 在那裡 為耶和華 築了 一座壇，起名 叫「耶和華沙龍」（就是耶和華賜平安的意思）。（這壇在 亞比以謝族 的俄弗拉 直到 如 今。）
Then Gideon made an altar there to the Lord, and gave it the name Yahweh-shalom; to this day it is in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Judges 6:24
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Gideon's naming of the altar 'Yahweh is Peace' directly responds to God's declaration of peace in Judges 6:23. Adam Clarke notes that the name 'Jehovah-shalom' reflects the words 'Peace be unto thee,' carrying both a wish and a prediction of the prosperous outcome of Gideon's mission. Barnes connects this naming to the patriarchal tradition of memorial altars, citing Abraham (Genesis 22:14) and Moses (Exodus 17:15). The Cambridge Bible observes that the altar commemorates a revelation that shifted religious understanding: the angelic messenger does not inhabit a sacred tree or stone but comes freely. Gill emphasizes that 'the Lord is peace' identifies God as the author of all peace, temporal, spiritual, and eternal. The shared conclusion is that Gideon's act is a theological confession: the God who calls him is a God of peace, not terror, and this peace grounds his mission to deliver Israel.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Gideon’s altar name 'Yahweh is Peace' is a direct reflection of God’s assurance of peace in verse 23 and serves as a lasting testimony to God’s character and his promise to be with Gideon.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'peace' (shalom) | Shalom denotes comprehensive well-being, wholeness, and covenant blessing, not merely absence of conflict. | Some emphasize it as God’s faithfulness to his covenant promises; others stress the concrete deliverance from enemies. Both are affirmed in the text. |
| The altar's relationship to the one in v.26 | Both altars are built by Gideon in Ophrah as responses to divine command and encounter. | The Cambridge Bible and Adam Clarke note the possibility that v.24 mentions the same altar as v.26 by anticipation, while others treat them as separate actions (memorial vs. sacrifice). |
| Significance of naming altars | Naming an altar was a patriarchal practice that fixed the meaning of a divine encounter for future generations. | Deuteronomic restrictions on multiple worship sites (Deut 12:5-14) are reconciled variously: some see Gideon's altar as a unique prophetic exception; others argue it predates the centralization of worship. |
| Gideon's understanding of God's character | Gideon recognizes that the God who appears is a God of peace, not of destruction, despite the risk of seeing a divine being. | Whether this represents a developed theological breakthrough or simply a response to immediate comfort is debated. Cambridge suggests it may have conveyed 'a new religious idea' to Gideon. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Gideon's altar stands at a moment of national crisis. For seven years Midianites had oppressed Israel, forcing farmers to hide their harvest in winepresses (Judges 6:2-4). Gideon himself was threshing wheat in a winepress when the angel of Yahweh appeared. After offering a sacrifice that was consumed by fire from a rock, Gideon feared he would die from seeing a divine being, a common Hebrew belief (Exodus 33:20). Yahweh's immediate response, 'Peace be to you! Do not be afraid,' directly countered that terror. Building an altar on that spot and naming it was a standard response to divine encounter in patriarchal times (Genesis 12:7; 26:25; 35:1). Abraham named altars at significant revelations, and Moses named one 'Yahweh is my Banner' after victory (Exodus 17:15). The location, Ophrah of the Abiezrites, a clan of Manasseh, made the altar a local landmark, the note 'to this day' suggests it stood long after Gideon's life. This altar also foreshadows the conflict to come: that same night, Gideon would tear down his father's altar to Baal and build a proper altar to Yahweh (Judges 6:25-28). The peace Yahweh gives is not an escape from the battle ahead; it is the assurance that the God of peace stands with Israel against oppression.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Judges 6:24. The Hebrew text is consistent across manuscripts, and the verse presents no major textual difficulties. The slight variation in the divine name (Yahweh / Jehovah) across translations reflects standard translation practices, not a manuscript difference.
Reception History
Throughout church history, the name 'Yahweh Shalom' has been treasured as a title of God, often cited in hymns and devotional writings about God’s peace in times of trouble. The location of the altar, Ophrah, appears again in Judges 8:32 as Gideon's burial place, linking the site to his legacy. In Jewish tradition, the name emphasizes God's covenantal peace, while Christian interpreters have seen it as a foreshadowing of Christ, who reconciles God and humanity (Ephesians 2:14). The naming pattern itself, using an altar to preserve a divine revelation, has been used by preachers to illustrate the importance of remembrance in faith.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God’s peace comes through presence, not relief from trouble. Gideon still faced the Midianites, but God’s word changed his fear into faith.
- Naming is a way of remembering and confessing God’s character. Gideon calls the altar “Yahweh is Peace”, a public statement of who God is.
- The peace of God equips us for difficult calling. After this altar, Gideon immediately goes to destroy Baal’s altar and lead the army.
Five-point outline
- Fear met by divine assurance. Gideon’s dread of death (v.22) is answered by God’s “Peace be to you.”
- A personal altar as a response of worship. Gideon builds not just any altar, but one that memorializes the encounter.
- The name becomes theology. “Yahweh is Peace” declares that God’s nature is shalom, completeness and well-being.
- This peace is not passive. It prepares Gideon for the night’s iconoclasm and the coming war.
- The altar remains a testimony. Its survival “to this day” invites future generations to ask what it means.
Illustration hooks
- A person who survived a serious illness plants a tree in the yard and calls it “God is Healing.” Years later, it stands as a conversation starter.
- After a community endured a flood, they built a small memorial with a plaque reading “Peace, at last.” Visitors stop and ask what happened.
- Someone facing a new challenge writes “Yahweh Shalom” on a card and tacks it over their desk as a daily reminder that God’s peace goes before them.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “How can I trust God’s peace when my circumstances are still hard?”
- “What does it mean for God to be Peace, not just give peace?”
- “How do I build an ‘altar’ in my own life to remember God’s work?”
Leading a Discussion
Gideon’s naming of the altar is more than a memorial, it is a confession. In a time of fear and national crisis, he declares that God himself is peace. This session explores how that naming shapes our understanding of who God is and what he calls us to do.
Discussion questions
- Read Judges 6:22-24. What was Gideon’s immediate reaction after seeing the angel? How did God respond?
- Why do you think Gideon built a physical altar and gave it a name? What did naming achieve that a silent altar could not?
- The Hebrew word shalom means far more than the absence of conflict. Look up its range of meanings. How does that deepen the name “Yahweh is Peace”?
- Compare this altar with altars built by Abraham (Genesis 22:14) and Moses (Exodus 17:15). What is similar, and what is different about Gideon’s?
- How does the peace God offers Gideon relate to the violent task he is about to undertake (Judges 6:25-27)? Can peace and conflict coexist?
- In what ways might we “name an altar” in our own lives or church community? What would correspond to building a lasting witness to God’s peace?
- Gideon’s altar was still standing long after his death (v.24 “to this day”). What legacy of peace do you hope to leave behind?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 22:14 | Abraham called the name of that place “Yahweh Will Provide”. As it is said to this day, “On Yahweh’s mountain, it will be provided.” |
| Genesis 33:20 | He erected an altar there, and called it El Elohe Israel. |
| Exodus 17:15 | Moses built an altar, and called its name “Yahweh our Banner”. |
| Joshua 22:10 | When they came to the region near the Jordan, that is in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an altar there by the Jordan, a great altar to look at. |
| Joshua 22:26 | “Therefore we said, ‘Let’s now prepare to build ourselves an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice; |
| Joshua 22:28 | “Therefore we said, ‘It shall be, when they tell us or our generations this in time to come, that we shall say, “Behold the pattern of Yahweh’s altar, which our fathers made, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you.”’ |
| Judges 8:32 | Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. |
| Judges 21:4 | On the next day, the people rose early and built an altar there, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke explains that the
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that Gideon names his altar to commemorate the Angel's message of peace, a practice he traces to the same pattern seen earlier with Abraham and Moses. Each patriarch marked a specific divine encounter by giving the altar a name.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentary highlights how Gideon's altar naming challenges primitive beliefs that God dwells in a sacred tree or stone. The Messenger of Jehovah comes as a traveller from an unknown region, not tied to any local shrine. The writer also notes textual difficulties about when Gideon recognized the angel's divine nature.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights that Gideon named his altar Jehovah-shalom, meaning the Lord is peace, as a lasting memorial of God's reassurance. The note also records the altar's site, Ophrah, which still stood at the time these words were written.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights that Gideon named the altar Jehovahshalom, meaning the Lord is peace, because the angel who appeared was Christ, the author of peace between God and man. The name responded to the angel's words "peace be to thee" and foreshadowed peace God would bring to Israel. The altar still stood in Ophrah in Samuel's day.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB clarifies a timing detail: the events recorded after the Lord's command did not take place the same night as the vision. Gideon actually began his work the following night, a distinction the commentator draws from the text's sequence.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes that Gideon asks for a sign not from unbelief but from humility and a sense of his own insufficiency. He distinguishes this Angel of Jehovah as a divine being, not a human messenger, and notes that Gideon's fear of dying reflects the Old Testament truth that no one can see God
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry observes that the angel calls Gideon a mighty man of valour while he is threshing wheat in a winepress to hide from the enemy, showing that God addresses Gideon not by his present fear but by the strength He intends to give him. Gideon's complaint about God's absence is answered with a direct commission: the Lord's presence itself is the only strength he needs.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley rejects Matthew Henry's claim that the goodness of God's promised land will intensify the punishment of those who perish. He argues that this reasoning fails under predestination: if some are not elected, they never had a genuine offer, and if all the elect are saved, the grant was never free to the others.