28. Early the next morning the townspeople found that the altar of Baal had been dismantled, the asherah beside it cut down, and the fattened bull offered on the altar that was built.
29. They asked one another, “Who did this?” They inquired and searched until they were told, “Gideon, son of Joash, did it.”
30. So the townspeople said to Joash, “Bring out your son that he may die, for he has dismantled the altar of Baal and cut down the asherah that was beside it.”
31. But Joash replied to all who were standing around him, “Is it for you to take action for Baal, or be his savior? Anyone who takes action for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him act for himself, since his altar has been dismantled!”
32. So on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, because of the words, “Let Baal take action against him, since he dismantled his altar.”
33. Then all Midian and Amalek and the Kedemites mustered and crossed over into the valley of Jezreel, where they encamped.
34. And Gideon was clothed with the spirit of the Lord, and he blew the horn summoning Abiezer to follow him.
35. He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, and they, too, were summoned to follow him; he also sent messengers throughout Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they advanced to meet the others.
36. Gideon said to God, “If indeed you are going to save Israel through me, as you have said,
37. I am putting this woolen fleece on the threshing floor, and if dew is on the fleece alone, while all the ground is dry, I shall know that you will save Israel through me, as you have said.”
38. That is what happened. Early the next morning when he wrung out the fleece, he squeezed enough dew from it to fill a bowl.
39. Gideon then said to God, “Do not be angry with me if I speak once more. Let me make just one more test with the fleece. Let the fleece alone be dry, but let there be dew on all the ground.”
40. That is what God did that night: the fleece alone was dry, but there was dew on all the ground.