That night the Lord said to him,
"Take your father's bull and another bull seven years old.
Tear down your father's altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.And thou shalt build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon this hill.
Then take the second bull and burn it as a burnt offering and use it as fuel for the Asherah pole that you cut down. "
So Gideon took ten servants and did as the Lord commanded him. He was too scared of his family and the people of the town to do it during the day so he did it at night.
And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal and the Asherah was broken down. They also saw the second bull burned on the altar that had been replaced erected there.
And they said one to another, Who hath done this? They searched it and found out that Gideon son of Joash had done it.
Then they said to Joash,
"Bring your son, that we may kill him! He tore down the altar of Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. "
And Joash said unto all that stood by him, Will ye plead against Baal? Anyone who defends him will be put to death before morning.
If Baal was a god, he would protect himself. He tore down this altar. "
So Gideon became known as Jerub -Baal, for Joash had said, "Baal will defend himself. He tore down this altar. "
And all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the wilderness were gathered together, and went over Jordan, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.
Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon. He blew a ram's horn to call the members of Abiezer's family to follow him.
He sent messengers throughout all the territory of Manasseh, urging them to follow him. He sent messengers to the tribes of Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they came to gather him.
Then Gideon said to God,
"You said you would use me to save Israel.
If so, I will put a fleece of wool in the ground where we grind grain. If in the morning the dew falls on the fleece and the ground dries up, then I will know that you will surely save Israel by me. "
And this is exactly what happened. Gideon got up early the next morning, combed his hair and poured enough water to fill a bowl.
Then Gideon said to God,
"Don't be angry with me. Let me tell you one more time. Let me try this again. Blow the feathers and let the dew be on the ground. " That night God did it. Only the fur was dry but the ground was wet with dew.