Judges 6:32
in Judges 6So on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend with him,” because he had torn down Baal’s altar.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal contend against him, because he hath broken down his altar.
KJV
Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.
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This verse in Judges 6
Commentary
7 notes on this verseHe called him Jerubbaal - That is, Let Baal contend; changed, 2Sa 11:21, into Jerubbesheth, he shall contend against confusion or shame; thus changing baal, lord, into bosheth, confusion or ignominy. Some think that Jerubbaal was the same with Jerombalus, who, according to Sanchoniatho and Porphyry, was a priest of Jevo. But the history of Sanchoniatho is probably a forgery of Porphyry himself, and worthy of no credit.
This site's exposition
Are you contending for Baal
on Judges 6:31-32
Joash answers with a point of law, "If Baal is a god, let him contend for himself". Elijah presses the same argument at 1 Kings 18:27, and Isaiah 41:23 lays it as a challenge on the idols themselves. The name Jerubbaal, "Let Baal contend with him", outlasts Gideon: 2 Samuel 11:21 calls him Jerubbesheth, swapping Baal for the word for shame, as Ishbaal becomes Ishbosheth.
This site's exposition
Let Baal contend with him
John Wesley calls it a probable conjecture that Jerombalus, a priest of Jao named by the ancient writer Sanchoniathon, was this same Jerubbaal. Adam Clarke rejects the link and judges the Sanchoniatho history a probable forgery by Porphyry. The name was given on the day of the altar.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Jerub-baal - That is, Let Baal plead. It is a probable conjecture, that that Jerombalus, whom Sanchoniathon, (one of the most ancient of all the Heathen writers) speaks of as a priest of Jao, (a corruption of Jehovah) and to whom he was indebted for a great deal of knowledge, was this Jerub-baal.
Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him--The transaction in which Gideon is here described as engaged was not entered on till the night after the vision.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
He called him - i. e. “He was called” Jerubbaal, as being the person against whom it was popularly said that Baal might strive. See margin.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּקְרָא־ | vaiyikra'- | and someone called | H7121 → | 733 times |
| ל֥וֹ | lo | <to> <the> him | ||
| בַיּוֹם־ | vaiyom- | on the day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הַה֖וּא | hahu' | <the> that | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| יְרֻבַּ֣עַל | yerubaal | Jerub-Baal | H3378 → | 14 times |
| לֵאמֹ֑ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יָ֤רֶב | yarev | let him conduct a case | H7378 → | 67 times |
| בּוֹ֙ | bo | against <the> him | ||
| הַבַּ֔עַל | habaal | <the> Baal | H1168 → | 82 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| נָתַ֖ץ | natatz | he has torn down | H5422 → | 42 times |
| אֶֽת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| מִזְבְּחֽוֹ׃ פ | mizbecho | altar his | H4196 → | 401 times |
וַיִּקְרָא־and someone called
vaiyikra'-H7121 →733 times
ל֥וֹ<to> <the> him
lo
בַיּוֹם־on the day
vaiyom-H3117 →2304 times
הַה֖וּא<the> that
hahu'H1931 →1879 times
יְרֻבַּ֣עַלJerub-Baal
yerubaalH3378 →14 times
לֵאמֹ֑ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
יָ֤רֶבlet him conduct a case
yarevH7378 →67 times
בּוֹ֙against <the> him
bo
הַבַּ֔עַל<the> Baal
habaalH1168 →82 times
כִּ֥יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
נָתַ֖ץhe has torn down
natatzH5422 →42 times
אֶֽת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
מִזְבְּחֽוֹ׃ פaltar his
mizbechoH4196 →401 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hosea 9:10I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your fathers as the firstfruits of the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal-peor, and consecrated themselves to Shame; so…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 11:13
Your gods are indeed as numerous as your cities, O Judah; the altars of shame you have set up—the altars to burn incense to Baal—are as many as the streets of Jerusalem.’
- Hosea 4:14
I will not punish your daughters when they prostitute themselves, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery. For the men themselves go off with prostitutes and offer sacrifices with shrine prostitutes. So a people…
- Numbers 25:1–18
While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab,
- Jeremiah 11:13
Through
1 Samuel 12:11So 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.
it leads to
- Judges 4:6
She summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “Surely the LORD, the God of Israel, is commanding you: ‘Go and march to Mount Tabor, taking with you ten…
- Judges 4:6
Through
Judges 7:1Early in the morning Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the men with him camped beside the spring of Harod. And the camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the…
it leads to
- Genesis 12:6
Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the Oak of Moreh at Shechem. And at that time the Canaanites were in the land.
- Ecclesiastes 9:10
Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
- Genesis 12:6
Through
Jeremiah 11:13Your gods are indeed as numerous as your cities, O Judah; the altars of shame you have set up—the altars to burn incense to Baal—are as many as the streets of Jerusalem.’
it leads to
- Jeremiah 2:28
But where are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them rise up in your time of trouble and save you if they can; for your gods are as numerous as your cities, O…
- Jeremiah 2:28
Through
2 Samuel 11:21Who was the one to strike Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth? Was it not a woman who dropped an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you…
it leads to
- Judges 9:50–54
Then Abimelech went to Thebez, encamped against it, and captured it.
- Judges 9:50–54
Where this verse is studied
About Judges
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth.