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Judges Chapter
Nine
Judges 9
Outlines
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 9
This
chapter contains an account of the craft and cruelty of Abimelech, by which he
got himself made king of the Shechemites, Judges 9:1 of the
parable of Jotham, the youngest son of Gideon, concerning the trees, in which
he exposes their folly in making Abimelech king, and foretells the ruin of them
both, Judges 9:7 of the
contentions which arose between Abimelech, and the men of Shechem, increased by
Gaal the son of Ebed, Judges 9:22 who was
drawn into a battle with Abimelech, and beaten and forced to fly, Judges 9:30 but the
quarrel between Abimelech and the men of Shechem ceased not, but still continued,
which issued in the entire ruin of the city and the inhabitants of it, Judges 9:42 and in
the death of Abimelech himself, according to Jotham's curse, Judges 9:50.
Judges 9:1 Then
Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem, to his mother’s brothers, and
spoke with them and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father,
saying,
YLT
1and Abimelech son of
Jerubbaal goeth to Shechem, unto his mother's brethren, and speaketh unto them,
and unto all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying,
And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem, unto his
mother's brethren,.... It seems that though the mother of Abimelech lived at
Shechem, he was taken and brought up in his father's house at Ophrah, where he
was when he died; and from hence he came to Shechem, to pay a visit to his
uncles there; whether his mother was now living, is not certain:
and communed with them; about the death of his
father, the state of his family, and the government of Israel:
and with all the family of the house of his mother's father; that
descended from his grandfather, the several branches of them, and of the
family, the heads of them at least:
saying, as follows.
Judges 9:2 2 “Please speak in the
hearing of all the men of Shechem: ‘Which is better for you, that all seventy
of the sons of Jerubbaal reign over you, or that one reign over you?’ Remember
that I am your own flesh and bone.”
YLT
2`Speak, I pray you, in the
ears of all the masters of Shechem, Which [is] good for you -- the ruling over
you of seventy men (all the sons of Jerubbaal), or the ruling over you of one
man? -- and ye have remembered that I [am] your bone and your flesh.'
Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem,.... Which,
though the Targum calls the inhabitants of the place, Ben Melech better
interprets it the lords of Shechem, as the phrase will bear to be rendered; for
it is more likely he would have this first whispered and suggested to the
principal men of the city, before the common people were acquainted with it,
and indeed in order to use their influence with them:
whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which
are seventy persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? intimating
thereby, that though Gideon his father had refused the regal government when
offered him, it was but reasonable that his sons, or some one of them, should
be tried, whether it would be acceptable to them; nay, he would insinuate, that
the sons of Gideon, who were seventy in number, were either contending with one
another about it, or contriving to divide the government among them, and
therefore desired it might be moved to consideration, whether it would not be
more eligible to fix upon some one person to be their ruler, than to be under
the government of seventy; or, in other words, whether it was not better to
have one king than seventy kings; but in reality there was no necessity for any
consultation about this matter, the sons of judges never succeeded their
fathers in government; nor does it appear that any of Gideon's sons had any
thought about it, nor any desire to be made kings, as appears from Jotham's
parable; and this was only a wicked insinuation of this man's, with an
ambitious view of getting the kingdom to himself, as follows:
remember also that I am your bone and your flesh; was of the
same tribe and city with them, born among them, his mother always living with
them, and he having now many near relations by his mother's side that dwelt
there; and therefore while they had this affair of government under
consideration, he would have them think of him to be their king, which would be
to their honour, and to their advantage, to have one so nearly related to them
on the throne, from whom they might expect many favours.
Judges 9:3 3 And his mother’s brothers
spoke all these words concerning him in the hearing of all the men of Shechem;
and their heart was inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our
brother.”
YLT
3And his mother's brethren
speak concerning him, in the ears of all the masters of Shechem, all these
words, and their heart inclineth after Abimelech, for they said, `He [is] our
brother;'
And his mother's brethren spake of him in the ears of the men of
Shechem all these words,.... Got them together in some certain place, and laid before
them all that Abimelech had suggested to them, and spake in his favour to them:
and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, he
is our brother; being fond of kingly government, as the Israelites generally
were, it seemed most agreeable to them to have one king over them, and none
more acceptable than one so nearly related to them, who they doubted not, from
his alliance to them, would be ready to oblige them on all occasions.
Judges 9:4 4 So they gave him seventy shekels
of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, with which Abimelech hired worthless
and reckless men; and they followed him.
YLT
4and they give to him
seventy silverings out of the house of Baal-Berith, and Abimelech hireth with
them men, vain and unstable, and they go after him;
And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of
Baalbirith,.... The temple of their idol; of this name See Gill on Judges 8:33, out of
the money which had been dedicated to his service by freewill offering, or out
of a bank which they deposited there for greater safety, and perhaps out of a
superstitious notion of its being more prosperous and successful: of what value
these pieces were is not certain; by pieces of silver, commonly shekels are
meant; but these are thought to be of too little value to be given to a man to
raise an army with, or carry on a scheme to advance himself to the throne; and
talents are judged to be too large a sum for such a city to contribute out of a
temple of theirs, and that but lately built, as it must be since the death of
Gideon; they are therefore thought to be pounds, as the Vulgate Latin version
renders it; however, in the number of them there seems to be some reference to
the number of Gideon's sons, who were to be destroyed by bribing men with this
sum, which was the scheme concerted between Abimelech and the men of Shechem:
wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed
him; perhaps seventy of them, giving to each a piece or pound of
silver; these were a base scoundrel sort of people, that lived in an idle
scandalous manner, a sort of freebooters, that lived upon what they could lay
hold on in a way of force and rapine; men of light heads and empty brains, and
whose pockets were as light and empty as their heads, and fit to engage in any
enterprise, though ever so barbarous, for the sake of a little money.
Judges 9:5 5 Then he went to his
father’s house at Ophrah and killed his brothers, the seventy sons of
Jerubbaal, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left,
because he hid himself.
YLT
5and he goeth into the house
of his father at Ophrah, and slayeth his brethren, sons of Jerubbaal, seventy
men, on one stone; and Jotham, youngest son of Jerubbaal, is left, for he was
hidden.
And he went to his father's house at Ophrah,.... Which,
according to BuntingF1Travels of the Patriarchs, &c. p. 111. ,
was ten miles from Shechem:
and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy
persons, upon one stone: in which he was assisted by the ruffians he had hired with
seventy pieces of silver; these were laid one after another upon one and the
same stone, as being convenient for the execution of them; or as serving as an
altar on which they were sacrificed to Baal, out of whose temple the money was
taken to hire the executioners with. They are said to be seventy that were
slain, though one escaped, the round number being given, as in many other
instances, as in Genesis 46:27,
notwithstanding, yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; or remained
alive, not out of compassion to his youth, but because he could not be found:
for he hid himself; for no doubt Abimelech, and his crew, were
most forward to lay hold of the eldest, and sacrifice them first, as being most
in his way; this gave Jotham the youngest not only notice of their design, but
an opportunity of providing for his safety, or however his friends; for it may
be rendered, as in some versions, "he was hidden"F2נחבא εκρυβη
Sept. "absconditus est", V. L. "qui absconditus fuit",
Tigurine version; so the Targum. , that is, by others.
Judges 9:6 6 And all the men of Shechem
gathered together, all of Beth Millo, and they went and made Abimelech king
beside the terebinth tree at the pillar that was in Shechem.
YLT
6And all the masters of
Shechem are gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and come and cause
Abimelech to reign for king at the oak of the camp which [is] in Shechem;
And all the men of Shechem gathered together,.... Upon the
return of Abimelech, after he with his banditti had committed the execrable
murder of his brethren:
and all the house of Millo; which was either the men
of a place near to Shechem, or of his brother's family, or of some grand
leading family in Shechem; or it may mean the town hall, where the principal
inhabitants met in full house, as Millo signifies, on this occasion:
and went and made Abimelech king; which was a most bold
and daring action; being done without asking counsel of God, without which no
king was to be set over Israel, and by a single city, without the knowledge,
advice, and consent of the body of the people of Israel: by the plain of the
pillar that was in Shechem; the place where they met together, and did this
business in voting Abimelech to be king, was near a place where a pillar was
set in Shechem; or by the oak of the pillar in Shechem, and so may mean the
stone under an oak, which Joshua placed there as a testimony between God and
the people, Joshua 24:25 and
here, in the same place where Joshua convened the people of Israel, and made
his last speech to them, was this business done.
Judges 9:7 7 Now when they told Jotham,
he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted his voice and cried out.
And he said to them: “Listen to me, you men of Shechem, That God may listen to
you!
YLT
7and they declare [it] to
Jotham, and he goeth and standeth on the top of mount Gerizim, and lifteth up
his voice, and calleth, and saith to them, `Hearken unto me, O masters of
Shechem, and God doth hearken unto you:
And when they told it to Jotham,.... Or when it was told
him that Abimelech was made king in Shechem by some of his friends:
he went and stood in the top of Mount Gerizim; a mount near
Shechem; it hung over the city, as Josephus saysF3Antiqu. l. 5. c.
7. sect. 2. , and so a very proper place to stand on and deliver a speech from
it to the inhabitants of it; who, as the same writer says, were now keeping a
festival, on what account he says not, perhaps to Baalberith their idol: over
against this mountain was another, called Ebal, and between them a valley; and
very likely they were assembled in this valley, where the children of Israel
stood when the blessings were delivered from Gerizim, and the curses from Ebal;
and if so, Jotham might be heard very well by the Shechemites:
and he lifted up his voice, and cried; that he might
be heard by them:
and said unto them, hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God
may hearken unto you; which was a very solemn manner of address to them, tending to
excite attention, as having somewhat of importance to say to them, and
suggesting, that if they did not hearken to him, God would not hearken to them
when they cried to him, and therefore it behoved them to attend: it is an
adjuration of them to hearken to him, or a wish that God would not hearken to
them if they were inattentive to him.
Judges 9:8 8 “The trees once went forth
to anoint a king over them. And
they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign
over us!’
YLT
8`The trees have diligently
gone to anoint over them a king, and they say to the olive, Reign thou over us.
The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them,.... This is
an apologue or fable, and a very fine and beautiful one; it is fitly expressed
to answer the design, and the most ancient of the kind, being made seven
hundred years before the times of Aesop, so famous for his fables, and exceeds
anything written by him. By the trees are meant the people of Israel in
general, and the Shechemites in particular, who had been for some time very
desirous of a king, but could not persuade any of their great and good men to
accept of that office:
and they said unto the olive tree, reign thou over us; a fit emblem
of a good man, endowed with excellent virtues and qualifications for good, as
David king of Israel, who is compared to such a tree, Psalm 52:8, Jarchi
applies this to Othniel the first judge; but it may be better applied to
Gideon, an excellent good man, full of fruits of righteousness, and eminently
useful, and to whom kingly government was offered, and was refused by him; and
the men of Shechem could scarcely fail of thinking of him, and applying it to
him, as Jotham was delivering his fable.
Judges 9:9 9 But the olive tree said to
them, ‘Should I cease
giving my oil, With
which they honor God and men, And
go to sway over trees?’
YLT
9And the olive saith to
them, Have I ceased from my fatness, by which they honour gods and men, that I
have gone to stagger over the trees?
But the olive tree said unto them,.... In reply to the
request of the trees:
should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man; by
"fatness" oil is meant, pressed out of the fruit of the olive tree,
and which was much made use of both in the burning of the lamps in the
tabernacle, and in many sacrifices, as the meat offerings and others, whereby
God was honoured; and it was also made use of in the investiture of the
greatest personages with the highest offices among men, as kings, priests, and
prophets, as well as eaten with pleasure and delight by all sorts of men, and
even by the greatest, and so men are honoured by it:
and go to be promoted over the trees; desert so
useful a station, in which it was planted and fixed, to move to and fro, as the
word signifies, and reign over trees; suggesting that it was unreasonable, at
least not eligible to a good man to desert a private station in life, to which
he was called of God, and in which he acted with honour and usefulness to
others, and take upon him a public office, attended with much care and trouble,
and with neglect of private affairs, and with the loss of much personal peace
and comfort.
Judges 9:10 10 “Then the trees said to
the fig tree, ‘You
come and reign over us!’
YLT
10And the trees say to the
fig, Come thou, reign over us.
And the trees said to the fig tree,.... Another useful and
fruit bearing tree, and to which also good men are sometimes compared, see Song of Solomon 2:13,
come thou, and reign over us: which Jarchi applies to
Deborah, but may be better applied to one of Gideon's sons, who, though they
had not a personal offer of kingly government themselves, yet it was made to
them through their father, and refused, as for himself, so for them; and had it
been offered to them, they would have rejected it, as Jotham seems to intimate
by this parable.
Judges 9:11 11 But the fig tree said to
them, ‘Should I cease
my sweetness and my good fruit, And
go to sway over trees?’
YLT
11And the fig saith to them,
Have I ceased from my sweetness, and my good increase, that I have gone to
stagger over the trees?
And the fig tree said unto them,.... Rejecting the offer
made:
should I forsake my sweetness and my good fruit; for such the
fruit of the fig tree is, sweet and good: so JulianF4Opera, par. 2.
ep. 24. Sarapioni, p. 142. the emperor shows from various authors,
Aristophanes, Herodotus, and Homer, that nothing is sweeter than figs,
excepting honey, and that no kind of fruit is better, and, where they are, no
good is wanting:
and go to be promoted over the trees? the same is
designed by this as the former.
Judges 9:12 12 “Then the trees said to
the vine, ‘You
come and reign over us!’
YLT
12`And the trees say to the
vine, Come thou, reign over us.
Then said the trees unto the vine,.... Another emblem of
good and useful men; and it may be observed, that Jotham takes no notice of any
trees but fruitful ones till he comes to the bramble, and them only such as
were well known, and of the greatest use, in the land of Judea, as olives,
figs, and vines, see Deuteronomy 8:8.
come thou, and reign over us; this Jarchi applies to
Gideon; but since there are three sorts of trees brought into the fable, and
when the kingdom was offered to Gideon, it was proposed to him, and to his son,
and his son's son, and refused, some reference may be had unto it in this
apologue. Abarbinel thinks three sorts of men are intended as proper persons for
rule and government, as honourable ones, such as are wealthy and rich, and also
of good behaviour to God and man, as Gideon's sons were; but Abimelech was all
the reverse.
Judges 9:13 13 But the vine said to them, ‘Should I cease my new
wine, Which cheers both
God and men, And
go to sway over trees?’
YLT
13And the vine saith to them,
Have I ceased from my new wine, which is rejoicing gods and men, that I have
gone to stagger over the trees?
And the vine said unto them,.... By way of denial and
refusal, as the other two:
shall I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man; which being
used in the drink offerings was acceptable to God, and of a sweet savour to
him, Numbers 15:7 and
being drank by than, revives, refreshes, and makes glad, when before sorrowful,
drooping, faint, and weary, Psalm 104:15 though
some by Elohim, rendered God, understand great personages, as men of quality,
magistrates, &c. and by man the common people, and so in Judges 9:9.
and go to be promoted over the trees? all speak the
same language, being of the same sentiment.
Judges 9:14 14 “Then all the trees said
to the bramble, ‘You
come and reign over us!’
YLT
14And all the trees say unto
the bramble, Come thou, reign over us.
Then said all the trees unto the bramble,....
Perceiving they could not prevail upon any of the useful and fruitful trees to
take the government of them, they unite in a request to a bramble, scarce to be
called a tree, and however a very barren and fruitless one, yea, hurtful and
distressing:
come thou, and reign over us; this respects Abimelech,
and describes him as a mean person, the son of a concubine, as having no
goodness in him, not any good qualifications to recommend him to government,
but all the reverse, cruel, tyrannical, and oppressive; and this exposes the
folly of the Shechemites, and their eagerness to have a king at any rate,
though ever so mean and despicable, useless and pernicious.
Judges 9:15 15 And the bramble said to
the trees, ‘If
in truth you anoint me as king over you, Then
come and take shelter in my shade; But if not, let fire come out of the bramble And devour the cedars of
Lebanon!’
YLT
15And the bramble saith unto
the trees, If in truth ye are anointing me for king over you, come, take refuge
in my shadow; and if not -- fire cometh out from the bramble, and devoureth the
cedars of Lebanon.
And the bramble said unto the trees,.... Accepting of their
offer at once:
if ye in trust anoint me king over you; suspecting
they were not hearty and cordial in their choice and call to the kingly
authority over them:
then come and put your trust in my shadow; promising
protection to them as his subjects, requiring their confidence in him, and
boasting of the good they should receive from him, as is common with wicked
princes at their first entering on their office; but, alas! what shadow or
protection can there be in a bramble? if a man attempts: to put himself under
it for shelter, he will find it will be of no use to him, but harmful, since,
the nearer and closer he comes to it, the more he will be scratched and torn by
it:
and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the
cedars of Lebanon; signifying, that if they did not heartily submit to his
government, and put confidence in him, and prove faithful to him, they should
smart for it, and feel his wrath and vengeance, even the greatest men among
them, comparable to the cedars of Lebanon; for thorns and brambles catching
fire, as they easily do, or fire being put to them, as weak as they are, and placed
under the tallest and strongest cedars, will soon fetch them down to the
ground; and the words of the bramble, or Abimelech, proved true to the
Shechemites, he is made to speak in this parable.
Judges 9:16 16 “Now therefore, if you
have acted in truth and sincerity in making Abimelech king, and if you have
dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him as he deserves—
YLT
16`And, now, if in truth and
in sincerity ye have acted, when ye make Abimelech king; and if ye have done
good with Jerubbaal, and with his house; and if according to the deed of his
hands ye have done to him –
Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye
have made Abimelech king,.... If they had done this conscientiously, and in the
uprightness of their hearts, to take such a base man, and a murderer, and make
him their king, which Jotham doubted, and put it in this manner to them, that
they might consider of it themselves:
if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal, and his house; if they could
think so, which surely they could not, when they reflected upon the murder of
his family they had consented to:
and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands; to his
memory, and to his family, according to the merit of his works which he had performed
on their account, next mentioned.
Judges 9:17 17 for my father fought for
you, risked his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian;
YLT
17because my father hath
fought for you, and doth cast away his life from [him], and deliver you from
the hand of Midian;
For my father fought for you,.... In the valley of
Jezreel, and at Karkor, where with three hundred men he routed and destroyed an
army of 135,000:
and adventured his life far: which, according to our
version, may seem to have respect to his going over Jordan, and following the
Midianites, fleeing into their country, and fighting them at Karkor, at a great
distance from his native place; but the phrase in the original text is,
"he cast away his life afar"F5וישלך
את נפשו מנגד
"et projecit animam suam a louge", Pagninus; "vel eminus",
Montanus; so Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. , made no account of it,
exposed it to the greatest danger; or, as the Targum,"he delivered his
life as it were to destruction:"
and delivered you out of the hand of Midian; from the
oppression and bondage of the Midianites, under which they had laboured seven
years.
Judges 9:18 18 but you have risen up
against my father’s house this day, and killed his seventy sons on one stone,
and made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the men of
Shechem, because he is your brother—
YLT
18and ye have risen against
the house of my father to-day, and slay his sons, seventy men, on one stone,
and cause Abimelech son of his handmaid to reign over the masters of Shechem,
because he [is] your brother –
And ye are risen up against my father's house this day,.... Which was
an instance of great ingratitude in them, after such services done for them,
and favours received by them:
and have slain his sons, seventy persons on one stone; excepting
one, himself, and he was intentionally slain, their design was to cut off
everyone; and all being slain but one, the round number is given, and this
being so large, is the rather observed; and though Abimelech committed the
fact, the men of Shechem were accessory to it, they gave him money, with which
he hired men to assist him in it, see Judges 9:20 and it
is very probable they were privy to his intention, and encouraged him to it;
and certain it is they showed their approbation of it, by making Abimelech king
after it, and therefore they are justly charged with it:
and have made Abimelech, the son of his handmaid, king over the men
of Shechem; which was both to the disgrace of Gideon, and his family, and of
themselves too, that a base son of his should be made their king; when it would
have been more to the credit of Gideon, and his family, that he had lived in
obscurity, and had not been known as a son of his; and this was to the reproach
of the men of Shechem, and especially to the princes thereof; for, by the men
of Shechem are meant the lords, and great men thereof, as Kimchi observes; and
great contempt is cast on Abimelech himself, who is here represented as making
a very poor figure, being by extraction the son of an handmaid, and king only
over the men of Shechem; and who made him so for no other reason but this:
because he is your brother; not because he had any
right to the kingdom, or had any qualification for it, but because his mother
lived among them, and her family belonged to them, and so he was related to
many of them, and they hoped on that account to have preferment and favours
from him.
Judges 9:19 19 if then you have acted in
truth and sincerity with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then
rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you.
YLT
19yea, if in truth and in
sincerity ye have acted with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, rejoice ye
in Abimelech, and he doth rejoice -- even he -- in you;
If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and his
house this day,.... If they could in their consciences think and believe they
had done well, and acted the faithful and upright part by him and his family,
which he left with them to consider of:
then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you; may you be
happy in him as a king, and he be happy in you as his subjects, and live
peaceably and comfortably together; and this he suggests as a test of their
former conduct, that should this alliance between Abimelech and them be
attended with happiness, which he could not believe would be the case, then it
would seem that they had done a right part by Gideon and his family; but if they
should be unhappy together, as he supposed they would, then it would be clear
that they had acted a base and disingenuous part by his father's family.
Judges 9:20 20 “But if not, let fire come
from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem and Beth Millo; and let fire come
from the men of Shechem and from Beth Millo and devour Abimelech!”
YLT
20and if not -- fire cometh
out from Abimelech and devoureth the masters of Shechem and the house of Millo,
and fire cometh out from the masters of Shechem and from the house of Millo,
and devoureth Abimelech.'
But if not,.... If it appeared that they had not acted uprightly and
sincerely in this matter:
let fire come out of Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and
the house of Millo; let wrath, rage, and fury, break out from Abimelech like fire,
and issue in the destruction of those that made him king, both those of Shechem
and of Millo:
and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house
of Millo, and devour Abimelech; let them be incensed against Abimelech, and
seek his ruin, and procure it: the sense is, that he wishes that strife,
contention, and quarrels, might arise among them, and they mutually destroy
each other; the words are imprecative of evil upon them both, and which had its
exact fulfilment.
Judges 9:21 21 And Jotham ran away and
fled; and he went to Beer and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
YLT
21And Jotham hasteth, and
fleeth, and goeth to Beer, and dwelleth there, from the face of Abimelech his
brother.
And Jotham ran away, and fled,.... Having delivered his
fable, and the application of it, he made his escape, having the advantage of
being on the top of a mountain, at some distance from the people, and perhaps
they might not be inclined to do him any harm:
and went to Beer; which some take to be the same with
Baalathbeer in the tribe of Simeon, Joshua 19:8 JeromF6De
loc. Heb. fol. 89. I says, the village Bera, whither Jotham fled, is eight
miles from Eleutheropolis to the north; but Mr. MaundrellF7Journey
from Aleppo, &c. p. 64, 66. , who was in those parts in 1697, gives us a
better account of it; and, according to him, it is about two hours and a half's
travel from Bethel to it, and three hours and one third from it to Jerusalem;
Beer, he says, enjoys a very pleasant situation, on an easy declivity, fronting
southward; at the bottom of the hill it has a plentiful fountain of excellent
water, from which it had its name:
and dwelt there for fear of Abimelech his brother; how long he
dwelt there is not certain, and we hear no more of him after this, Josephus
saysF8Antiqu. l. 5. c. 7. sect. 2. he lay hid in the mountains three
years for fear of Abimelech, which perhaps he concluded from Abimelech's
reigning three years, as follows.
Judges 9:22 22 After Abimelech had
reigned over Israel three years,
YLT
22And Abimelech is prince
over Israel three years,
When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel. The people in
general consenting to what the men of Shechem had done, at least not opposing
it, all being desirous of a king, and therefore put up with a mean person,
rather than have none; though it is amazing they should, and that they had not
rose up as one man against Abimelech, and avenged the blood of the sons of
Gideon, who had been so useful and serviceable to them; it is indeed said that
he reigned over all Israel, and his reign, such as it was, was very short, as
is often the case with wicked princes.
Judges 9:23 23 God sent a spirit of ill
will between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt
treacherously with Abimelech,
YLT
23and God sendeth an evil
spirit between Abimelech and the masters of Shechem, and the masters of Shechem
deal treacherously with Abimelech,
Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of
Shechem,.... Permitted, yea, gave a commission to Satan, the evil spirit,
to go among them, who stirred up suspicions, jealousies, hatred, and ill will
to one another, and sowed the seeds of discord and contention among them; or
God gave them up to their own hearts' lusts, to think ill of one another, grow
jealous, and meditate revenge:
and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech; did not
openly declare their minds, but secretly conspired against him, and privately
consulted ways to find means to get rid of him, and shake off his government.
Judges 9:24 24 that the crime done
to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might be settled and their blood be laid on
Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who aided
him in the killing of his brothers.
YLT
24for the coming in of the
violence [to] the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, and of their blood to place [it]
on Abimelech their brother, who slew them, and on the masters of Shechem, who
strengthened his hands to slay his brethren.
That the cruelty done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come,.... That
vengeance might come on the authors of it; so things were ordered in Providence
that this might come to pass:
and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew
them; be charged to his account, and he suffer for shedding it:
and upon the men of Shechem which aided him in killing of his
brethren; by giving him money to hire men to go with him to do it, and
perhaps by words encouraging the assassins, and who might be of the city of
Shechem.
Judges 9:25 25 And the men of Shechem set
men in ambush against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who
passed by them along that way; and it was told Abimelech.
YLT
25And the masters of Shechem
set for him ambushes on the top of the hills, and rob every one who passeth
over by them in the way, and it is declared to Abimelech.
And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the
mountains,.... Of Ebal and Gerizim, which were near Shechem, by the way of
which he passed when he came to that city, and these they set there, either to
slay him, or to seize his person, and bring him to them:
and they robbed all that came along that way by them; that belonged
to Abimelech and others also; and this they did to show their contempt of his
government, and that they were no longer under it, and every man did what was
right in his own eyes, as if they had no governor over them; though some think
this was done to draw him thither to secure his subjects from such rapine and
violence, that they might have an opportunity to lay hold upon him, or this
they did on purpose to begin a civil war:
and it was told Abimelech; that they lay in wait
for him, and so he kept himself from them.
Judges 9:26 26 Now Gaal the son of Ebed
came with his brothers and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put
their confidence in him.
YLT
26And Gaal son of Ebed cometh
-- also his brethren -- and they pass over into Shechem, and the masters of
Shechem trust in him,
And Gaal the son or Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to
Shechem,.... Who this Gaal was, and who his brethren, and from whence he
came, and the place he went over, are all uncertain. Jarchi thinks he was a
Gentile, and it looks, by some speeches of his afterwards, as if he was a
descendant of Hamor, prince of Shechem, in the times of Jacob, who, since the
expulsion of the Canaanites, his family had retired to some distant parts; but
hearing of a difference between Abimelech and the Shechemites, Gaal, with some
of the family, came over, perhaps over Jordan, to make what advantage he could
of it:
and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him; freely told him
their mind, the ill opinion they had of Abimelech, and what was their design
against him; and he assuring them he would take their part, and defend them to
the uttermost, they depended on him, and therefore very securely went about
their business in the fields, as follows.
Judges 9:27 27 So they went out into the
fields, and gathered grapes from their vineyards and trod them,
and made merry. And they went into the house of their god, and ate and drank,
and cursed Abimelech.
YLT
27and go out into the field,
and gather their vineyards, and tread, and make praises, and go into the house
of their god, and eat and drink, and revile Abimelech.
Before
they kept within the city, and durst not stir out to gather in the vintage, the
time being come, for fear of the troops of Abimelech; for their lying in wait
for him, and the robberies committed being made known to him, he had prepared
to raise some forces, and attack them, of which they had had information; but
now being encouraged with the protection of Gaal, they ventured out to gather
their grapes in their vineyards without fear:
and trode the grapes, and made merry: sung songs
and danced, as was usual at the ingathering of the fruits of the earth, and
treading the winepress, Isaiah 16:10 though
Abendana thinks this joy and merriment were made to their idol, to whom they
gave the praise of their vintage, they should have done to the true God, and
what follows may seem to confirm it:
and they went into the house of their god; the temple of
Baalberith, Judges 9:5.
and did eat and drink; in their idol temple, as
was the manner of idolaters to do, bringing their firstfruits to rejoice, and
make glad with:
and cursed Abimelech; wished they had never
seen him and known him, hoped they should be rid of him in a little time, and
that he would meet with his deserved disgrace and punishment; and this they did
in that very temple from whence they had taken money to assist him in making
way for his government of them; so fickle and changeable were they.
Judges 9:28 28 Then Gaal the son of Ebed
said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve
him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his
officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve
him?
YLT
28And Gaal son of Ebed saith,
`Who [is] Abimelech, and who [is] Shechem, that we serve him? is [he] not son
of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his commander? Serve ye the men of Hamor father of
Shechem, and wherefore do we serve him -- we?
And Gaal the son of Ebed said,.... As they were then
making merry, drinking and carousing:
who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? who is this
Abimelech the Shechemite? or who is he more than Shechem, the old prince of
this place, long ago dispossessed of it? the one is no better than the other,
nor has a better title to rule and government than the other, that we should
serve him; nay, of the two, the descendants of the old Shechem have the best
title:
is not he the son of Jerubbaal? that pleaded against
Baal, and threw down his altar, the god you now serve:
and Zebul his officer? has he not set him over
you? not content to rule you himself, he has set up another as an officer over
you under him, and thus you are like to be governed in a tyrannical manner, and
oppressed:
serve the men of Hamor--for why should we serve him? that is, rather
serve them than him; which was speaking very contemptuously of his government,
preferring the descendants of Hamor, the old Canaanitish prince, that ruled in
this place, to Abimelech; and if Gaal was a descendant of his, he spoke in good
earnest, and thought this a proper opportunity to get the government of the
city restored to him and his family, since their old religion and idolatry were
established among them; and if they had received the one, why not the other?
Judges 9:29 29 If only this people were
under my authority![a] Then I
would remove Abimelech.” So he[b] said to
Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out!”
YLT
29and oh that this people
were in my hand -- then I turn Abimelech aside;' and he saith to Abimelech,
`Increase thy host, and come out.'
And would to God this people were under my hand,.... Or
government, that I were but the ruler of their city, and general of their
forces:
then would I remove Abimelech; from his kingly office,
and rid Shechem of him, and all the country round about, and indeed remove him
out of the world:
and he said to Abimelech; as if he was present, in
a hectoring and blustering manner; or he said what follows to his officer under
him, that represented him; or he sent a messenger to him, saying:
increase thine army, and come out; bidding him defiance,
challenging him to come into the open field and fight him, and bring as many
forces along with him as he could or would, not doubting but he should be a
match for him; and the men of Shechem would see they had nothing to fear from
him, having such a man as Gaal at the head of them; this he said to engage the
Shechemites to make him their ruler.
Judges 9:30 30 When Zebul, the ruler of
the city, heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was aroused.
YLT
30And Zebul, prince of the
city, heareth the words of Gaal son of Ebed, and his anger burneth,
And when Zebul the ruler of the city,.... Whom
Abimelech had placed there under him: heard
the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled; because he
spoke slightly of him, and wished to have his place; perhaps before Zebul was
inclined to be on the side of the Shechemites against Abimelech, or at least
dissembled that he was; but now, being incensed at the words of Gaal,
determined to take the side of Abimelech, and let him know how things were
carrying on against him.
Judges 9:31 31 And he sent messengers to
Abimelech secretly, saying, “Take note! Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers
have come to Shechem; and here they are, fortifying the city against you.
YLT
31and he sendeth messengers
unto Abimelech deceitfully, saying, `Lo, Gaal son of Ebed and his brethren are
coming into Shechem, and lo, they are fortifying the city against thee;
And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily,.... In a
secret manner, unknown to Gaal and the men of Shechem; or "craftily",
as Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it, still dissembling, notwithstanding his
anger, to be in the interest of Gaal, and the men of Shechem, as appears indeed
afterwards by a show of friendliness with Gaal, Judges 9:36 though,
according to Joseph Kimchi and Ben Gersom, Thormah is the name of the place
where Abimelech was, the same with Arumah, Judges 9:41 and the
sense is, that he sent messengers to Abimelech at Thormah or Arumah:
saying, Gaal the son of Ebal, and his brethren, be come to Shechem; a family that
Abimelech well knew, and if they were of the race of the old Canaanites, he
would easily perceive their design:
and, behold, they fortify the city against thee; by repairing
its fortifications, or adding new works; or "besiege"F9צרים "obsident", Pagninus, Munster, Drusius;
"obsidere cogitant", Piscator. it, which, as that is done by placing
an army around it without, that none can come out of it, so by setting a watch
within, and upon the walls, and at the gates of it, that none can come in,
which is here meant; though some interpret it of their design to besiege the
city Thormah, where Abimelech was, of which he gives him notice; or rather they
set the city against thee, make the inhabitants thine enemies.
Judges 9:32 32 Now therefore, get up by
night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the
field.
YLT
32and, now, rise by night,
thou and the people who [are] with thee, and lay wait in the field,
Now therefore up by night,.... The night following,
that no time might be lost:
and the people that is with thee; the troops he had with
him; not only such he had for his own guards, but what he had been raising,
having intelligence before this of the revolt of the Shechemites from him:
and lie in wait in the fields; he thought it most
advisable for him to march with the forces he had, from the place where he was
in the night, and less liable to be discovered, and remain in the fields of
Shechem till morning, and then come upon Shechemites before they were aware,
and surprise them.
Judges 9:33 33 And it shall be, as soon
as the sun is up in the morning, that you shall rise early and rush upon
the city; and when he and the people who are with him come out against
you, you may then do to them as you find opportunity.”
YLT
33and it hath been, in the
morning, about the rising of the sun, thou dost rise early, and hast pushed
against the city; and lo, he and the people who [are] with him are going out
unto thee -- and thou hast done to him as thy hand doth find.'
And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up,
thou shalt rise early, and set upon the city,.... For being with his
forces advanced near to it by a march in the night, he would be able by
sunrising to attack the city before the inhabitants were up to defend it, and
so surprise them:
and, behold, when he and the people that is with him come out
against thee; that is, Gaul, and the men with him, as many as he upon a
surprise can get together:
thou mayest do to them as thou shalt find occasion; as the
situation of things would direct him, and he, in his wisdom, and according to
his ability, and as opportunity offered, would see plainly what was fit and
right to be done; Zebul did not pretend to advise him further, but left the
rest to his discretion, as things should appear to him.
Judges 9:34 34 So Abimelech and all the
people who were with him rose by night, and lay in wait against Shechem
in four companies.
YLT
34And Abimelech riseth, and
all the people who [are] with him, by night, and they lay wait against Shechem
-- four detachments;
And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by
night,.... According to the advice of Zebul:
and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies; he divided
his army into four parts, which he placed on the four sides of the city, at
some distance from it, to act as they should have opportunity, to find ways and
means of getting into it on either quarter.
Judges 9:35 35 When Gaal the son of Ebed
went out and stood in the entrance to the city gate, Abimelech and the people
who were with him rose from lying in wait.
YLT
35and Gaal son of Ebed goeth
out, and standeth at the opening of the gate of the city, and Abimelech riseth
-- also the people who [are] with him -- from the ambush,
And Gaul the son or Ebed went out,.... He rose up early
that morning, being a man of vigilance and activity, and perhaps had some
intelligence of the preparations of Abimelech, his design against the city,
though he did not expect he was so near at hand:
and stood in the entering of the gate of the city; to see
whether the guards were on their duty within, and whether he could observe any
thing without, any approaching danger:
and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from
lying in wait; came out of their ambush, and appeared just as Gaul was at the
gate.
Judges 9:36 36 And when Gaal saw the
people, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the tops of the
mountains!” But Zebul said to him, “You see the shadows of the mountains as if
they were men.”
YLT
36and Gaal seeth the people,
and saith unto Zebul, `Lo, people are coming down from the top of the hills;'
and Zebul saith unto him, `The shadow of the hills thou art seeing like men.'
And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul,.... Who was
up as early, and came to the gate of the city, to see how things went, and
whether there was any appearance of Abimelech and his forces, and whether any
opportunity offered to let him into the city; and it seems as if he came and
stood by Gaul, and appeared friendly with him:
behold, there come people down from the tops of the mountains; the mountains
of Ebal and Gerizim, which were near to Shechem:
and Zebul said unto him, thou seest the shadow of the mountains,
as if they were men; either deriding him, as being just out of
his bed, and his eyes scarce open, that he could not discern shadows from men;
or rather as being of such a timorous spirit, that he was afraid of shadows; or
else he said this, putting on an air of seriousness, as if he really believed
this to be the case, on purpose to deceive him, and keep him from talking about
them, while Abimelech and his men made further advances before Gaul could make
any preparation to meet them.
Judges 9:37 37 So Gaal spoke again and
said, “See, people are coming down from the center of the land, and another
company is coming from the Diviners’[c] Terebinth
Tree.”
YLT
37And Gaal addeth yet to
speak, and saith, `Lo, people are coming down from the high part of the land,
and another detachment is coming by the way of the oak of Meonenim.'
And Gaal spake again, and
said,.... Looking towards the mountains, and taking another view of
what he before saw, for further satisfaction:
see, there come people down by the middle of the land; either in the
valley between the two mountains; or rather those he first saw on the top of
the mountains were now come down about the middle of them, called in the Hebrew
text the navel, from the prominence of the mountains thereabout, or because the
navel is in the middle of the body, as this part of them was the middle on
which he saw them. R. Isaiah interprets it, between the two cities:
and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim; of which we
read nowhere else. Montanus renders it, "the oak of Meonenim"; or of
the soothsayers; oaks being had in great esteem with idolaters for their
oracles and divinations; and perhaps this was a place, whether an oak or, a
plain, where such persons used to meet to make their divinations.
Judges 9:38 38 Then Zebul said to him,
“Where indeed is your mouth now, with which you said, ‘Who is Abimelech,
that we should serve him?’ Are not these the people whom you despised?
Go out, if you will, and fight with them now.”
YLT
38And Zebul saith unto him,
`Where [is] now thy mouth, in that thou sayest, Who [is] Abimelech that we
serve him? is not this the people against which thou hast kicked? go out, I
pray thee now, and fight against it.'
Then said Zebul unto him,.... Not being
able to put him off any longer, and willing to take the opportunity to upbraid
him with what he had said:
where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, who is
Abimelech, that we should serve him? darest thou say the same
thou hast done, and utter the contemptuous language concerning Abimelech,
asking who he was, that he should be served? Here he is, speak to his face;
what are become of those boasts and brags, and great swelling words, what thou
wouldest do if thou hadst the command of this city?
is not this the people thou hast despised? as small and
insignificant, bidding Abimelech increase his army, and come out and fight:
go out, I pray thee, now, and fight with them; and show
thyself to be a man of courage, and not a mere blusterer, a man that can use
his sword as well as his tongue.
Judges 9:39 39 So Gaal went out, leading
the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
YLT
39And Gaal goeth out before
the masters of Shechem, and fighteth against Abimelech,
And Gaal went out before
the men of Shechem,.... At the head of them, to meet Abimelech, having gathered
together as many, and put them in as good order, as he could, and the time
would admit of:
and fought with Abimelech; without the city.
Judges 9:40 40 And Abimelech chased him,
and he fled from him; and many fell wounded, to the very entrance of the
gate.
YLT
40and Abimelech pursueth him,
and he fleeth from his presence, and many fall wounded -- unto the opening of
the gate.
And Abimelech chased him,
and he fled before him,.... Abimelech got the better of him in the battle, and obliged
him to give way, and he pursued him closely as he was fleeing:
and many were overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of
the gate; or, "they fell many wounded"F11נפלו חללים "et ceciderant
vulnerati multi", Pagninus, Montanus. , or slain, as the Targum; that is,
many were killed and wounded, as in the battle, so in the pursuit, and lay all
the way to the entrance into the gate of the city, to which Gaal, and the men
of Shechem, made for their safety, and got in.
Judges 9:41 41 Then Abimelech dwelt at
Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers, so that they would not dwell
in Shechem.
YLT
41And Abimelech abideth in
Arumah, and Zebul casteth out Gaal and his brethren from dwelling in Shechem.
And Abimelech dwelt at
Arumah,.... Called also Aarima as JeromF12De loc. Heb. fol.
94. B. says, and in his time called Remphtis; it seems to be not far off from
Shechem, he returned to the place where he was before, see Judges 9:31
contenting himself with the advantage he had got, and waiting when another
opportunity would offer, which quickly did, to be revenged on the Shechemites:
and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not
dwell in Shechem; there seems to have been two parties in Shechem before, one that
hated Abimelech, and another more friendly to his interest; by which means
Zebul his officer kept his post, and Gaal could not get the government into his
hand; and now by the loss in the late battle, who were Abimelech's sworn
enemies, and the disgrace Gaal fell into by being beaten, Zebul was able, so
far able to carry his point, as to drive Gaul and his brethren out of the city;
though he had not strength to put him to death, or to seize him and deliver him
into the hands of Abimelech.
Judges 9:42 42 And it came about on the
next day that the people went out into the field, and they told Abimelech.
YLT
42And it cometh to pass, on
the morrow, that the people go out to the field, and they declare [it] to
Abimelech,
And it came to pass on the
morrow,.... The day after the battle:
that the people went out into the field; some think to
fight, and try the event of another battle, in order to be freed from
Abimelech, but that seems not so likely: rather to finish their vintage, as
JosephusF12Antiqu. l. 5. c. 7. sect. 4. , or to till their ground,
to plough and sow, which quickly came on after the vintage was ended; find this
they might do the more securely, since Abimelech had withdrawn himself and his
forces to his place of habitation, and so concluded he would not soon at least
return to them; and the rather they might think he would be more easy, with
then, since Gaal was thrust out from among them:
and they told Abimelech; or it was told
Abimelech, that the people came out into the field, and so an opportunity
offered to him to come and cut them off, as they were at their business
unarmed.
Judges 9:43 43 So he took his people,
divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the field. And he looked,
and there were the people, coming out of the city; and he rose against them and
attacked them.
YLT
43and he taketh the people,
and divideth them into three detachments, and layeth wait in a field, and
looketh, and lo, the people are coming out from the city, and he riseth against
them, and smiteth them.
And he took the people,.... That is,
the forces he had with him at Arumah:
and divided them into three companies: each having a
separate leader, and the command of one of them he had himself:
and laid wait in the field; in the field of Shechem,
one company in one part, and one in another part of the field:
and looked, and, behold, the people were come forth out of the
city; he watched them when they did:
and he rose up against them, and smote them; the companies
rose up out of their ambush, in different parts, and killed them.
Judges 9:44 44 Then Abimelech and the
company that was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of
the gate of the city; and the other two companies rushed upon all who were
in the fields and killed them.
YLT
44And Abimelech and the
detachments who [are] with him have pushed on, and stand at the opening of the
gate of the city, and the two detachments have pushed against all who are in
the field, and smite them,
And Abimelech, and the
company that was with him,.... Which he had the particular command of;
or "the heads"F13והראשים
"et capita", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius; "et principes",
Vatablus. , for in the company with him, as Kimchi observes, were great men;
and so the Septuagint renders it, the princes that were with him:
rushed forward, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city; to prevent
the people that were in the field getting into it, and any from coming out of
it to their relief:
and the two other companies ran upon all the people that were in
the fields, and slew them; so that by this means none escaped.
Judges 9:45 45 So Abimelech fought
against the city all that day; he took the city and killed the people who were
in it; and he demolished the city and sowed it with salt.
YLT
45and Abimelech hath fought
against the city all that day, and captureth the city, and the people who [are]
in it he hath slain, and he breaketh down the city, and soweth it [with] salt.
And Abimelech fought
against the city all that day,.... By throwing stones or arrows into it:
and he took the city; it was surrendered to him,
not being able to stand out against his forces:
and slew the people that was therein; all but those
that were of his own family and his friends; all that had taken up arms against
him, or had shown their dislike of his government, and were his enemies:
and beat down the city; the houses in it, and
walls of it, though it was his native place:
and sowed it with salt; not to make it barren,
for he would rather then have sowed the field, though this would not have had
any effect of that kind, for any time at least; but to show his detestation of
it, because of the ill usage he had met with, and as a token of its perpetual
destruction, to which he devoted it, determining that if it was in his power it
should never be rebuilt; but it was hereafter, and became again a very
flourishing city in Jeroboam's time. Thus the Emperor Frederic Barbarossa, in
the year 1162, when he took Milan, not only ploughed it up, but sowed it with
salt; and in memory of it there is a street in it, now called "la contrada
della Sala"F14Sigonius de regn. Ital. l. 13, & 14. :
besides, Abimelech did this to deter other cities from rebelling against him;
for if he so used his own city, more severely, if possible, would he use
others.
Judges 9:46 46 Now when all the men of
the tower of Shechem had heard that, they entered the stronghold of the
temple of the god Berith.
YLT
46And all the masters of the
tower of Shechem hear, and go in unto the high place of the house of the god
Berith,
And when all the men of
the tower of Shechem heard that,.... That the city of Shechem was taken, the
inhabitants of it slain, the city beaten down, and sowed with salt; by which it
appears that this tower was not within the city, for then the men of it would
have seen what was done, and not be said only to hear it; though it was not far
from it, and possessed by Shechemites, and whither some of the principal
inhabitants had now fled for safety; perhaps it is the same with the house of
Millo, and so that part of Jotham's curse, which respected that, had now its
accomplishment, otherwise no account is given of it:
they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith; not thinking
themselves safe enough in the tower, they betook themselves to the temple of
Baalberith their god, see Judges 9:4 which
was a strong fortified place, as temples often were; or however had a strong
hold belonging to it, and hither they fled, either because of the greater
strength of the place, or because of the sanctity of it, and imagining
Abimelech would not destroy it on that account; and the rather, because of the
supply he had from it, which enabled him to raise himself to the government of
Israel.
Judges 9:47 47 And it was told Abimelech
that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.
YLT
47and it is declared to
Abimelech that all the masters of the tower of Shechem have gathered themselves
together,
And it was told Abimelech,.... Who had
his spies about, and particularly to observe the motions of the men in this
tower:
that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together; in the hold
of the temple of Baalberith.
Judges 9:48 48 Then Abimelech went up to
Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him. And Abimelech
took an ax in his hand and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it and
laid it on his shoulder; then he said to the people who were with him,
“What you have seen me do, make haste and do as I have done.”
YLT
48and Abimelech goeth up to
mount Zalmon, he and all the people who [are] with him, and Abimelech taketh
the great axe in his hand, and cutteth off a bough of the trees, and lifteth it
up, and setteth [it] on his shoulder, and saith unto the people who [are] with
him, `What ye have seen I have done -- haste, do ye like it.'
And Abimelech got him up
to Mount Zalmon,.... A mountain near Shechem, and thought to be the same with
Salmon in Psalm 68:14 which
seems to have had its name from the shade of the trees which grew upon it:
he and all the people that were with him; his whole
army:
and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from
the trees; which grew upon Mount Zalmon:
and took it, and laid it on his shoulders; and carried
it along with him:
and said unto the people that were with him, what ye have seen me
do, make haste, and do as I have done; take an axe, and every
man cut down a bough with all possible haste, and lay it on his shoulder.
Judges 9:49 49 So each of the people
likewise cut down his own bough and followed Abimelech, put them against
the stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire above them, so that all the
people of the tower of Shechem died, about a thousand men and women.
YLT
49And all the people also cut
down each one his bough, and go after Abimelech, and set [them] at the high
place, and burn by these the high place with fire, and also all the men of the
tower of Shechem die, about a thousand men and women.
And all the people
likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech,.... With
their boughs on their shoulders, so that they were men that seemed to be as
trees walking:
and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; upon the men
in it, or with them, the boughs of trees; it is probable the hold was made of
wood, and so could the more easily be set on fire. Jarchi says it was a wood or
forest, where they bent the trees, and divided them round about, and made a fence
of them; but they would scarcely have left the tower for such a shelter:
so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also; fire being
put to the hold, and they burnt in it; the Vulgate Latin version adds, with
fire and smoke; for they being boughs of trees just cut down, with which they
set fire to the hold, they would not burn easily and clearly, but make a
prodigious smoke, with which many might be suffocated, as others burnt with
fire; and it is unaccountable that JosephusF15Antiqu. l. 5. c. 7.
sect. 4. should say that faggots of dry wood were taken, and with them fire set
to the hold, when the text is so express for it that they were boughs of green
trees just cut off:
about a thousand men and women; but the above historian
makes them to be many more; he says the men were about 1500, and the rest a
great multitude; this literally fulfilled Jotham's curse.
Judges 9:50 50 Then Abimelech went to
Thebez, and he encamped against Thebez and took it.
YLT
50And Abimelech goeth unto
Thebez, and encampeth against Thebez, and captureth it,
Then went Abimelech to
Thebez,.... Which, according to Ben Gersom, had rebelled against him; it
was near to Shechem. Adrichomius saysF16Theatrum Terrae Sanct. p.
70. , the ruins, where he thinks stood the city of Thebez, were but one furlong
from Neapolis or Shechem, where, to the left of Jacob's well, were to be seen
ruins of a large town, marble stones, whole pillars, and other signs of large
palaces, and the soil wonderfully fruitful; and Jerome saysF17De
loc. Heb. 95. D. , that in his time there was a village called Thebes, on the
borders of Neapolis or Shechem, as you go to Scythopolis, thirteen miles from
it. It must be near Shechem, inhabited by Shechemites, to fulfil Jotham's
curse, Judges 9:20.
and encamped against Thebez, and took it: it seems not
to have held out long, being deserted by its inhabitants, who fled to the
tower, as follows.
Judges 9:51 51 But there was a strong
tower in the city, and all the men and women—all the people of the city—fled
there and shut themselves in; then they went up to the top of the tower.
YLT
51and a strong tower hath
been in the midst of the city, and thither flee do all the men and the women,
and all the masters of the city, and they shut [it] behind them, and go up on
the roof of the tower.
But there was a strong
tower within the city,.... The tower of Shechem was without the city, but this within,
as towers generally are:
and hither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city; men, women,
and children, man and maid servants, all the inhabitants of the city; the tower
being a large place, having not only many rooms in it, but perhaps a large area
in the midst of it, as well as it had battlements on the top of it:
and shut it to them; the gates of it, and
which no doubt they strongly barred and bolted, to keep out the enemy:
and gat them up to the top of the tower; to observe
the motions of Abimelech, and annoy him as much as they could with what they
carried with them, as stones, and the like.
Judges 9:52 52 So Abimelech came as far
as the tower and fought against it; and he drew near the door of the tower to
burn it with fire.
YLT
52And Abimelech cometh unto
the tower, and fighteth against it, and draweth nigh unto the opening of the
tower to burn it with fire,
And Abimelech came unto
the tower,.... With his army to besiege it:
and fought against it; using all the methods he
could to oblige those in it to surrender:
and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire; in order to
get entrance into it; and perhaps the tower was built of stone, so that no
other part could be set fire to; and to do this he drew near to the door
himself, for nothing more is meant by the phrase, "went hard", than
drawing near in his own person to the door; hazarding his life in the
enterprise, being so bent upon it, thinking to do by this tower what he had
done to the hold of the temple of Baalberith.
Judges 9:53 53 But a certain woman
dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull.
YLT
53and a certain woman doth
cast a piece of a rider on the head of Abimelech, and breaketh his skull,
And a certain woman cast a
piece of a millstone,.... Of the upper millstone, as the word signifies, which is
observed by Jarchi and other Jewish commentators; this with other stones being
carried up to the top of the tower, to do what execution they could with them:
and a woman observing Abimelech making up to the door of the tower, took up
this piece of millstone, and threw it down
upon Abimelech's head, and all to break his skull; she did it
with that view, though it may as well be rendered, or "she", or
"it broke his skull"F18ותרץ את גלגלתו "et confregit
cranium ejus", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; so Tigurine version. ;
it made a fracture in it, which was mortal. Abendana observes, and so others,
that that was measure for measure, a righteous retaliation, that as he had slain
seventy of his brethren on one stone, he should die by means of a stone.
Judges 9:54 54 Then he called quickly to
the young man, his armorbearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me,
lest men say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” So his young man thrust him through,
and he died.
YLT
54and he calleth hastily unto
the young man bearing his weapons, and saith to him, `Draw thy sword, and thou
hast put me to death, lest they say of me -- A woman slew him;' and his young
man pierced him through, and he dieth.
Then he called hastily to
the young man his armourbearer,.... Perceiving it was a mortal blow that
was given him, and he should soon expire; and that the cast of the stone was by
the hand of a woman, and therefore he was in haste to have the young man come
to him:
and said unto him, draw thy sword and slay me, that men say not of
me, a woman slew him; it being reckoned very ignominious and reproachful to die by the
hand of a woman, and especially any great personage, as a king or general of an
armyF19"O turpe fatum! foemina Herculeae, necis Auctor feretur
----" Seneca Oetaeo. ; to avoid this, he chose rather to be guilty of
suicide, or of what cannot well be excused from it, and so died by suicide;
which, added to all his other sins, he seemed to have no sense of, or
repentance for; and the method he took to conceal the shame of his death served
the more to spread it; for this circumstance of his death could not be given
without the reason of it, and which was remembered and related punctually near
two hundred years afterwards, 2 Samuel 11:21.
Judges 9:55 55 And when the men of Israel
saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed, every man to his place.
YLT
55And the men of Israel see
that Abimelech [is] dead, and go each one to his place;
And when the men of Israel
saw that Abimelech was dead,.... That is, those that were with him, the
men of his army, who were all Israelites:
they departed every man to his place; disbanded
themselves, and went everyone to their own home, and so the inhabitants of
Thebez escaped the vengeance of Abimelech.
Judges 9:56 56 Thus God repaid the
wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father by killing his seventy
brothers.
YLT
56and God turneth back the
evil of Abimelech which he did to his father to slay his seventy brethren;
Thus God rendered the
wickedness of Abimelech which he did unto his father,.... To the
disgrace of his father's character, and to the hurt of his father's family:
in slaying his seventy brethren; excepting one, which was
a piece of unheard of wickedness, attended with most sad aggravations; the
shedding such blood required blood to be shed again, and it was righteous
judgment God rendered to him; this, and the following verse contain the remarks
made upon this history by the writer of it, who, as we have seen, in all
probability, was the Prophet Samuel.
Judges 9:57 57 And all the evil of the
men of Shechem God returned on their own heads, and on them came the curse of
Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
YLT
57and all the evil of the men
of Shechem hath God turned back on their head, and come unto them doth the
cursing of Jotham son of Jerubbaal.
And all the evil of the
men of Shechem,.... In aiding Abimelech to slay his brethren, and in making him
king after so foul a fact committed:
did God render upon their heads; by suffering Abimelech
to beat down their city, and destroy the inhabitants of it, and by burning the
hold in which the men of the tower of Shechem were, and them in it:
and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal; both upon
Abimelech, and the men of Shechem, they being destroyed by one another, as
Jotham imprecated they might, and foretold they would, see Judges 9:20.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)