Judges 6:32

32 So because Gideon broke down Baal’s altar, they gave him the name Jerub-Baal^[a] that day, saying, “Let Baal contend with him.”

Judges 6:32 in Other Translations

32 Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.

32 Therefore on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, "Let Baal contend against him," because he broke down his altar.

32 From then on Gideon was called Jerub-baal, which means “Let Baal defend himself,” because he broke down Baal’s altar.

32 They nicknamed Gideon that day Jerub-Baal because after he had torn down the Baal altar, he had said, "Let Baal fight his own battles."

32 Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal contend against him, because he hath broken down his altar.

32 So that day they nicknamed Gideon "Jerubbaal" [Let Baal Defend Himself], because they said, "When someone tears down Baal's altar, let Baal defend himself."

32 That day, Gideon's father called him Jerubbaal, saying, "Let Baal plead his case with him," because he tore down his altar.

32 That's why Gideon was called Jerub-Baal that day. He said, "Let Baal take his stand against him." Gideon had torn down Baal's altar.

Judges 6:32 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 6:32

Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal
That is, Joash called his son Gideon by that name; who, some think, is the same with Jerombalus, the priest of the god Jevo, or Jehovah; from whom Sanchoniatho, an ancient Phoenician writer, as Philo Byblius says ^F23, received the principal things in his history respecting the Jews:

saying, let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his
altar;
giving this as the reason of the name of Jerubbaal he called him by, which signifies, "let Baal plead"; let Baal plead his own cause, and avenge himself on Gideon for what he has done to him, and put him to death if he can.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 Apud Euseb. Evangel Praepar. l. 1. p. 31.

Judges 6:32 In-Context

30 The people of the town demanded of Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.”

31 But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, “Are you going to plead Baal’s cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.”

32 So because Gideon broke down Baal’s altar, they gave him the name Jerub-Baal that day, saying, “Let Baal contend with him.”

33 Now all the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples joined forces and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.

34 Then the Spirit of the LORD came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him.

Cross References

• 1. Judges 7:1; Judges 8:29,35; Judges 9:1; 1 Samuel 12:11

Footnotes

• [a]. "Jerub-Baal" probably means "let Baal contend."