שופטים, פרק ו׳, פסוק כ״ט

As dawn breaks, a shocking scene awaits the townspeople. Their sacred objects lie in ruins, sparking an immediate and intense search for the culprit. They find the altar of Baal smashed to pieces and the sacred Asherah tree chopped down. Amidst the destruction, they realize that a specific animal, the second bull, has been sacrificed on a newly constructed altar. They are able to identify the bull either because unburned fragments, such as its horns, remain in the ashes, or simply because they notice the animal is missing from its usual spot [רלב״ג].

Desperate for answers, the townspeople launch a thorough investigation. They systematically question individuals, ruling out various suspects one by one until they finally pinpoint the person responsible [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The exact identities of the informants who ultimately turn Gideon in remain a mystery [מצודת דוד].

Once the people discover that Gideon, the son of Joash, is behind the destruction, the full extent of their moral decay becomes obvious. They immediately plot to put him to death for his actions. The only thing that prevents this execution is the powerful standing of his father, Joash, who serves as the local leader and authority figure [רלב״ג].