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:
And 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 until the night after the vision.
Take thy father's ... second bullock. The Midianites had probably reduced the family herd; or, as Gideon's father was addicted to idolatry, the best may have been fattened for the service of Baal; so that the second was the only remaining one fit for sacrifice to God.
Throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath - standing upon his ground, though kept for the common use of the townsmen. Cut down the grove that is by it - dedicated to Ashtaroth. With the aid of 10 confidential servants he demolished the one altar, and raised on the appointed spot the altar of the Lord; but, for fear of opposition, the work had to be done under cover of night. A violent commotion was excited next day, and vengeance vowed against Gideon as the perpetrator. 'Joash, his father, quieted the mob in a manner similar to that of the town-clerk of Ephesus. It was not for them to take the matter into their own hands. The one, however, made an appeal to the magistrate; the other to the idolatrous god himself' (Chalmers).