The villagers pressured Joash, pressing him with a majority. He wanted to protect his son, whose life was in serious danger. On the other hand, he did not want to defend Gideon’s religious act, challenging the village’s public worship of Baal, even on his own land.
31 But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? Whoever contends for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been broken down.”