Judges 6:26
ESV
and build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of the stronghold here, with stones laid in due order. Then take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah that you shall cut down."
NIV
Then build a proper kind of altar to the Lord your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering."
NASB
and build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of this stronghold in an orderly way, and take a second bull and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.'
CSB
Build a well-constructed altar to the Lord your God on the top of this mound. Take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down."
NLT
Then build an altar to the Lord your God here on this hilltop sanctuary, laying the stones carefully. Sacrifice the bull as a burnt offering on the altar, using as fuel the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down.'
KJV
And build an altar unto the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.
NKJV
and build an altar to the Lord your God on top of this rock in the proper arrangement, and take the second bull and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the image which you shall cut down.”
What does Judges 6:26 mean?
After Gideon's challenging and reassuring interaction with the Lord (Judges 6:11–23), he built an altar to God under the tree where they met (Judges 6:24). The Lord came to Gideon that very night and commanded him to destroy an altar to Baal and a "sacred" Asherah pole beside it. Both were used for the worship of false Canaanite gods (Judges 3:7). Both stand on the property of Gideon's father, Joash.In addition, Gideon is to build a replacement altar—a legitimate altar—to God. This is to be placed on top of the stronghold and built with stones laid in a specific order. This altar to the "Lord your God" will replace the altar to Baal. The Asherah pole Gideon cuts down is to be used as fuel for the fire on the new altar. God is not merely commanding Gideon to remove the pagan artifacts, but to destroy them and replace them with godly alternatives.
Finally, Gideon must sacrifice a seven-year-old bull from his father's herd on that altar to Yahweh. This is the second bull mentioned. Gideon was apparently meant to use the first one to pull down the Baal altar.
Gideon will comply, but with as much caution and secrecy as was possible for such a dramatic task (Judges 6:27).
