Judges 6:25 · Bible study
Judges 6:25 Commentary: The Second Bull
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why a seven-year-old bull? This verse ties the end of Midianite oppression to Gideon's call to purge Baal worship from his own family.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God commands Gideon to take a bull likely dedicated to Baal, destroy the family altar of Baal and Asherah pole, and prepare to build a new altar to Yahweh, using the bull as a sacrifice.
- Key words: 'Second bull' (par H6499) and 'seven years' (sheva shanim) likely link the bull’s age to the seven-year Midianite oppression (Judges 6:1). 'Asherah' (asherah H0842) refers to a sacred pole or tree for the goddess.
- Main debate: Is the 'second bull' a separate animal from the 'father’s young bull,' or are they the same? Options: (1) two bulls for pulling down the altar (Barnes), (2) one bull, with 'second' meaning another in value/use (Gill), (3) the text is corrupt (Cambridge).
- Theological theme: Repentance begins at home. God uses the very symbol of idolatry (the bull set apart for Baal) to turn Israel back to covenant worship.
- Best use: Sermon on confronting hidden idols, or a study on how God’s deliverance involves both physical rescue and spiritual renewal.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
On 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.
WEB World English Bible 2000
That same night, Yahweh said to him, “Take your father’s bull, even the second bull seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the Asherah that is by it.
KJV King James Version 1769
And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Take thy father’s young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And it came to pass the same night, that Jehovah said unto him, Take thy father’s bullock, even the second bullock seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the Asherah that is by it;
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And it cometh to pass, on that night, that Jehovah saith to him, `Take the young ox which is to thy father, and the second bullock of seven years, and thou hast thrown down the altar of Baal which is to thy father, and the shrine which is by it thou dost cut down,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And it came to pass the same night, that Jehovah said to him, Take the young bullock, which thy father hath, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the Asherah that is by it;
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
That night the Lord said to him: Take a bullock of thy father's, and another bullock of seven years, and thou shalt destroy the altar of Baal, which is thy father's: and cut down the grove that is about the altar:
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y aconteció que la misma noche le dijo Jehová: Toma un toro del hato de tu padre, y otro toro de siete años, y derriba el altar de Baal que tu padre tiene, y corta también el bosque que está junto á él:
E aconteceu que a mesma noite lhe disse o SENHOR: Toma um touro do rebanho de teu pai, e outro touro de sete anos, e derruba o altar de Baal que teu pai tem, e corta também o bosque que está junto a ele:
Dans la même nuit, l’ Éternel dit à Gédéon: Prends le jeune taureau de ton père, et un second taureau de sept ans. Renverse l’ autel de Baal qui est à ton père, et abats le pieu sacré qui est dessus.
Und in derselben Nacht sprach der HERR zu ihm: Nimm einen Farren unter den Ochsen, die deines Vaters sind, und einen andern Farren, der siebenjährig ist, und zerbrich den Altar Baals, der deines Vaters ist, und haue um das Ascherabild, das dabei steht,
En het geschiedde in dienzelven nacht, dat de HEERE tot hem zeide: Neem een var van de ossen, die van uw vader zijn, te weten, den tweeden var, van zeven jaren; en breek af het altaar van Baal, dat van uw vader is, en houw af het bos, dat daarbij is.
In quella stessa notte, l’Eterno gli disse: “Prendi il giovenco di tuo padre e il secondo toro di sette anni, demolisci l’altare di Baal che è di tuo padre, abbatti l’idolo che gli sta vicino,
I stało się onej nocy, że mu rzekł Pan: Weźmij cielca dorosłego, który jest ojca twego, tego cielca drugiego siedmioletniego, a rozwal ołtarz Baalów, który jest ojca twego, i gaj, który jest około niego, wysiecz;
В ту ночь сказал ему Господь: возьми тельца из стада отца твоего и другого тельца семилетнего, и разрушь жертвенник Ваала, который у отца твоего, и сруби священное дерево, которое при нем,
當那 夜，耶和華 吩咐基甸 說：「你取 你父親 的 牛來，就是（或譯：和）那七 歲 的第二 隻牛，並拆毀 你父親 為巴力 所 築的壇，砍下 壇 旁 的木偶，
The same night the Lord said to him, Take ten men of your servants and an ox seven years old, and after pulling down the altar of Baal which is your father's, and cutting down the holy tree by its side,
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Judges 6:25
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the command to tear down the altar of Baal and cut down the Asherah pole marks a decisive turn in Gideon’s call. The 'second bull, seven years old' is widely understood to have been set apart for Baal, likely being fattened for sacrifice to that god. Clarke, Gill, and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown all connect the bull’s age with the seven years of Midianite oppression (Judges 6:1). The bull’s sacrifice on a newly built altar to Yahweh thus becomes a symbolic undoing of the very idolatry that brought the oppression. There is also broad agreement that the altar 'your father has' means it stood on Joash’s property, even if the town used it, making this a deeply personal act of obedience. The exact meaning of 'second bull' is debated, but the core point is clear: God calls Gideon to begin reformation at home, using the instruments of false worship to honor the true God.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Textual corruption: Cambridge Bible: 'the text is unintelligible and corrupt,' suggesting the two bullocks are a doublet, and the original likely only mentioned one animal.
- Symbolic/typological: Clarke, Gill, and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown read the seven-year-old bull as a direct symbol of the seven years of oppression, and the command as a sign that deliverance is at hand.
- Literal two bulls: Barnes, Lange, and Geneva Notes argue for two separate bulls: one from Joash’s herd and a second from the community, both used for the demolition and sacrifice.
What is clear: God commands Gideon to tear down his father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole, using a bull (likely one set apart for idolatry) to build a new altar and offer sacrifice to Yahweh.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The identity of the 'second bull' | It is a bull set apart for some purpose, likely for Baal worship or temple service, or simply the second in the herd. | Some (Barnes, Lange) read it as a second animal needed for the demolition work. Others (Clarke, Gill) see it as the same bull described further, possibly fattened for Baal. The Cambridge Bible argues the text is corrupt and the original may have only mentioned one bull. |
| Significance of the bull's age (seven years) | It connects symbolically to the seven years of Midianite oppression. | Some interpreters (Clarke, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) treat this as a direct sign that the period of judgment is ending. Others focus more on the bull’s prime strength for sacrifice (Gill). There is no disagreement that the number is symbolic, but the degree of emphasis varies. |
| Ownership of the Baal altar ('your father has') | The altar was on Joash’s property, making Gideon’s act deeply personal and risky. | Is it strictly Joash’s private altar, or was it built for communal use? Cambridge suggests 'thy father's' may be a textual duplication, since the townspeople react as if it were public property. Most commentators see it as a family altar used by the community. |
| Why Gideon acts at night | He acted at night because he feared his father’s household and the townsmen (v.27). | Some see this as a weakness (fear overriding faith), others as practical wisdom. The text does not condemn Gideon for his fear; it simply records the fact. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The Midianites had ravaged Israel for seven years (Judges 6:1). Their raids forced Israelites into hiding and destroyed agriculture. Gideon himself was threshing wheat in a winepress when called (v.11). Baal worship, imported from Canaanite neighbors, had become a family and community practice, even Gideon’s father Joash had set up an altar. The Asherah pole (or sacred tree) stood beside it, representing the goddess Asherah, consort of Baal. Such poles were common at high places and altars (Judges 3:7; Exodus 34:13). By commanding Gideon to take his father’s bull, especially one set apart for idolatrous use, God deliberately repurposes the very symbol of false devotion. The night setting (the same night after the angel’s visit) shows urgency and also explains Gideon’s fear (v.27). He takes ten servants and acts under cover of darkness. This is private obedience before public confrontation. The act of tearing down the altar and cutting down the Asherah was not just destructive; it was a ritual reversal. Building a new altar on the same site and sacrificing the bull there (v.26, 28) sanctifies the ground. The people’s anger the next day (v.28, 30) confirms how deeply Baal worship had penetrated the community. Yet Joash’s later defense, 'If Baal is a god, let him contend for himself' (v.31), shows that the act also exposed the impotence of idols.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no major textual variants affecting the meaning of this verse, though some difficulties are flagged. The Cambridge Bible states that the phrasing 'thy father’s bullock and the second bullock' is 'unintelligible and corrupt,' suggesting a possible doublet in the Hebrew. It notes that Codex Alexandrinus of the Septuagint reads 'the fatted calf' instead of 'the steer of the ox,' but no widely accepted emendation exists. The presence of two bulls in the text is defended by several translators (Lange, Geneva), while others treat 'second' as appositional (so Web: 'even the second bull'). The main critical issue is whether the original text referred to one or two animals, but this does not alter the command to tear down the altar and cut down the Asherah.
Reception History
Christian interpreters have long read this verse as a model for personal and domestic reformation. Early church fathers saw in Gideon’s nocturnal obedience a pattern of confronting sin quietly before it is dealt with openly. Medieval exegetes often spiritualized the seven-year-old bull as Christ, offered at the fullness of time to destroy idolatry. Reformers like Matthew Henry emphasized that reform must begin in one’s own house: 'Those that expect God’s presence must put away the idols from their families.' Wesley’s notes connect the verse to the need for decisive action against sinful practices. Across traditions, the passage has been a call to examine family loyalties and to use even the objects of false devotion as fuel for true worship. Modern commentary continues to wrestle with the textual difficulty of the 'second bull,' but the dominant pastoral application remains the priority of rooting out hidden idolatry.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Lord’s timing is precise. The seven-year-old bull matches the seven years of oppression. God’s deliverance comes at the moment of full judgment on idolatry.
- Reformation starts at home. Gideon’s first assignment is to tear down his own father’s altar. Obedience to God may require confronting deeply rooted family sin.
- Idols are overthrown, not just avoided. God doesn’t say 'ignore the Baal altar' or 'worship elsewhere.' He commands its destruction and replacement with worship of Himself.
Five-point outline
- Night obedience: Gideon acts under cover of darkness because of fear, yet he acts. God honors partial faith if it moves in the right direction.
- The second bull as a sign: The bull set apart for Baal becomes the sacrifice to Yahweh, a public claim that the true God, not Baal, provides deliverance.
- Cutting down the Asherah: The sacred pole of the goddess is not just removed but used as firewood (v.26). False worship is fully dismantled, not just relocated.
- Joash’s surprising defense: Gideon’s father becomes an unwitting witness for God: 'If Baal is a god, let him plead for himself' (v.31). The act exposes the emptiness of idols.
- Corporate consequences: The next day the whole town knows. One man’s private obedience becomes a public testimony that leads to a name change: Jerubbaal (v.32).
Illustration hooks
- The family heirloom that must go: A family Bible that sits on a shelf untouched, or a figurine from a vacation that carries spiritual compromise. What is the 'second bull' in your home, something tolerated that belongs to another loyalty?
- Night work: Think of a time you took a first step you were afraid to admit to others, like removing a password or an app from your phone. God can use small, hidden acts of obedience to start big changes.
- Recycling the symbols of failure: A business owner uses the very sign from a failed venture to point to God’s provision. The thing once dedicated to wrong priorities becomes fuel for worship.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I know God wants me to confront sin in my own family and not just in the culture?
- Isn’t it enough to worship God in private? Why does He sometimes demand a public break with the past?
- What counts as an 'Asherah pole' in my life today?
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits at a hinge in Gideon’s story. He has just received assurance that God is with him. Now he must act faith out at his own doorstep. The 'second bull' ties the physical object of idolatry to the timeline of oppression. As you discuss, focus on how God’s deliverance involves not just rescue from enemies but removal of hidden idols.
Discussion questions
- What do you observe about the timing of this command, why 'that same night'?
- The bull is described as 'second' and 'seven years old.' What do various commentators suggest this detail means? (Clarke: fattened for Baal; Gill: second in age/value; Cambridge: possibly a textual doublet.)
- How does the requirement to start at his father’s altar shape your view of how God calls us to deal with sin?
- Why do you think God had Gideon build a new altar on the same site rather than somewhere else? What does this say about reclaiming space for worship?
- Gideon obeys but at night and with fear. How does the Bible present this mixed faithfulness? (See v.27: 'he could not do it by day.')
- How does Joash’s response in v.31 change the situation? What does it reveal about the power of confronting idols openly?
- What 'altars' or 'Asherah poles' in our own lives might God be asking us to tear down, even if they are comfortable or family traditions?
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 35:2 | Then Jacob said to his household, and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments. |
| Exodus 34:13 | but you shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and you shall cut down their Asherah poles; |
| Deuteronomy 7:5 | But you shall deal with them like this: you shall break down their altars, dash their pillars in pieces, cut down their Asherah poles, and burn their engraved images with fire. |
| Judges 3:7 | The children of Israel did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and forgot Yahweh their God, and served the Baals and the Asheroth. |
| I Kings 18:21 | Elijah came near to all the people, and said, “How long will you waver between the two sides? If Yahweh is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” The people didn’t say a word. |
| Job 22:23 | If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up, if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents. |
| Psalms 101:2 | I will be careful to live a blameless life. When will you come to me? I will walk within my house with a blameless heart. |
| Matthew 6:24 | “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t serve both God and Mammon. |
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 suggests that the “second bullock” was not from Gideon’s father but a fattened animal set aside for sacrifice to Baal and likely owned by the whole village. This explains why the townspeople were so furious when Gideon offered it to the Lord instead.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that "grove" is better translated as "the idol upon it," referring to the Asherah, the wooden image of the goddess Astarte. He also observes that two bullocks are mentioned because the labor of both was required: one for tearing down Baal's altar and the other for carrying materials to build the altar of the Lord.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible commentary notes significant textual corruption here. The instructions about the bullocks are likely doublets from a scribal error, and the phrase "thy father's" may be a repeated mistake rather than indicating Joash's ownership of the altar. The original connection of this story to the preceding narrative appears lost.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
And the same night the Lord sayd vnto him, Take thy fathers yong bullocke, and an other bullocke of seuen yeeres olde, and destroy the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut downe the groue that is by it,
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill draws attention to the seven-year-old bullock, connecting its age directly to the seven years of Midianite oppression and the national idolatry that caused it. The command to sacrifice this specific animal signalled that the judgment would end with this offering. Gideon acted on divine warrant, needing no human permission to take what was set apart for Baal.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that the finest bullock had likely been fattened for Baal worship, making the second the only one fit for sacrifice to God. He also compares Joash's response to the mob to the town clerk of Ephesus: Joash appealed to the idol's own power rather than to a human magistrate.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that Gideon’s liberation of Israel must begin by tearing down the altar to Baal in his own father’s house. True freedom starts at home, and the battle against oppressors begins with the gods they serve. Gideon’s new name Jerubbaal becomes a living proof that Baal cannot avenge himself.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes that God’s first command to Gideon was to tear down the altar of Baal in his own father’s house, not to lead an army. The point is deliberate: true reformation must begin at home, with those closest to us. Gideon could not deliver Israel while his own family still worshipped idols.
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.