Judges 9
9
Abimelech’s Conspiracy
1Abimelech # 9:1 Abimelech means “my father is king.” son of Baal-Fighter (or Gideon) went to his mother’s brothers and to the rest of her clan in Shechem and said to them, 2“Ask all the leaders # 9:2 Or “baals [lords].” In Judges, the word “baal” is found only in this chapter and is used thirteen times in reference to leaders. of Shechem, ‘Which do you prefer: to have just one man as your ruler or have seventy of Baal-Fighter’s sons rule over you?’ And don’t forget, I’m your own flesh and blood.”
3When the brothers repeated these words to the leaders of Shechem, their hearts were drawn to Abimelech, for they said, “He is from our hometown and from our own clan.” 4They gave him seventy shekels of silver # 9:4 That is, they gave one shekel for each of Abimelech’s seventy brothers, essentially saying each one was worth only a shekel to them. from the temple of Baal-Berith, # 9:4 Or “Baal [lord]-of-the-covenant.” and Abimelech used it to hire reckless scoundrels to follow him. 5He went to his father’s home in Ophrah and on one stone executed his seventy brothers, # 9:5 The majority of the seventy brothers whom Abimelech killed were his half brothers. the sons of Baal-Fighter. Jotham, Baal-Fighter’s youngest son, escaped and went into hiding. 6All the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo # 9:6 Beth Millo means “house of fullness.” Beth Millo may have been the tower of Shechem (see v. 46). gathered beside the sacred tree at the pillar in Shechem and crowned Abimelech king.
Jotham’s Fable: The Thornbush King
7When Jotham learned about this, he climbed up on the top of Mount Gerizim # 9:7 This was the mountain where half of the tribes of Israel proclaimed the blessings over the people if they kept the covenant (see Deut. 27:12). It stood opposite Ebal where the other half of the tribes proclaimed curses on the disobedient. Further, Joshua renewed the covenant at Shechem where he wrote the words of the law on a plastered stone that stood between Ebal and Gerizim (see Josh. 24:1–28). and shouted: “Listen to me, citizens of Shechem, so that God may listen to you. 8All the trees one day determined to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’
9“But the olive tree answered, ‘What? Give up my rich oil that is used to honor both gods and men, to hold sway over the trees?’
10“Next, the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and be our king.’
11“But the fig tree replied, ‘What? Give up my good, sweet fruit to hold sway over the trees?’
12“Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and be our king.’
13“But the vine answered, ‘What? Give up my wine, which cheers both gods and men, to hold sway over the trees?’ # 9:13 The three trees represent what believers enjoy in following Christ: (1) Olive tree—the oil of anointing of the Holy Spirit. (2) Fig tree—the goodness and sweetness of Christ’s love. (3) Vine—the joy and cheer that Jesus brings to our lives.
14“Finally, all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be our king.’
15“The thornbush replied, ‘If you really want to anoint me your king, then come and put your trust in my shade. # 9:15 A thornbush offers no shade, and Abimelech (the thornbush) offered neither shelter nor care to Israel. If you don’t, then let fire blaze out of my thorny branches and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’
16“Now then let me ask you this: Do you really think you did a right and honorable thing when you made Abimelech king? Do you think you treated Baal-Fighter and his family fairly? 17And to think that my father fought for you, and risked his life # 9:17 Or “cast away his soul to a distance.” to save you from the power of the Midianites! 18Today, you have revolted against my father’s family, murdered his seventy sons on a single stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his slave girl, king over the citizens of Shechem because he’s your close relative. 19What were you thinking? If you have acted honorably and done what is right by Baal-Fighter and his family today, then may you enjoy Abimelech, this thornbush king of yours, and may he enjoy you too! 20But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and consume you, citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and let fire come out from you, citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and consume Abimelech!”
21After shouting these words, Jotham ran away and went to live at the Well # 9:21 Or “Beer.” Some scholars have identified this place as Beeroth. because he was afraid of his brother Abimelech.
King Abimelech
22After Abimelech had ruled Israel for three years, # 9:22 God did not hand over Israel to a foreign power but to an unscrupulous ruler, Abimelech. 23God sent a spirit to stir up hostility # 9:23 Or “a hostile spirit” or “a spirit of dissension.” between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem, and they rebelled against him. 24God sent this judgment in order to avenge the brutal murder of Baal-Fighter’s seventy sons and the shedding of their blood. Righteous retribution caught up with both Abimelech, who had instigated the murder of his half brothers, and the citizens of Shechem, who had aided and abetted him. 25In their uprising against Abimelech, the citizens of Shechem placed bandits on the hilltops to ambush and rob everyone who passed by, and Abimelech heard of their treachery.
26One day, a man named Gaal son of Ebed # 9:26 Gaal means “to loathe” or “hateful.” It was possibly a nickname. A related Hebrew word means “dung beetle.” Ebed means “servant.” If Gaal is not his actual name, it could be translated “a loathsome [dung beetle],” “hateful man,” or “a servant’s son.” This derisive name hints at his low social status. He was a troublemaker. moved with his clan into Shechem, # 9:26 Or “went on the prowl into Shechem.” and Gaal won the confidence of the people. 27After the grape harvest, they trod the grapes and celebrated a festival # 9:27 Or “a praise-festival.” in the temple of Baal, their god. While they were drinking and feasting, they cursed Abimelech. 28Gaal son of Ebed rose and said, “Who is this Abimelech? We are the Shechemites now! Why should we serve him? Isn’t he Baal-Fighter’s son, and isn’t the governor of our city Zebul # 9:28 Zebul means “big shot” or “lofty one.” his deputy? Why should we take orders from him; we are descendants of Hamor, Shechem’s founder. # 9:28 See Gen. 33:19. Hamor means “an ass [donkey].” Why should we be slaves of Abimelech? 29If only the people of Shechem were under my command, then I would get rid of him. I would say to Abimelech, ‘Assemble your whole army! We’ll defeat them all!’ ”
30Zebul, the governor of the city, was infuriated when he heard of the taunts of Gaal son of Ebed. 31He secretly sent messengers to Abimelech, saying, “Gaal son of Ebed and his clan have come to Shechem. They’re inciting the entire city against you. 32Now then, under the cover of darkness, you and your men should come and take up concealed positions in the fields. 33At sunrise launch your surprise attack and advance against the city. When Gaal and his men come out to face you, fight them with all of your might.” # 9:33 Or “do whatever your hand finds to do.” See Eccl. 9:10.
34So Abimelech and all his men set out by night and took up concealed positions near Shechem in four groups. 35Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city just as Abimelech and his soldiers got up from their hiding places.
36When Gaal saw them, he said to Zebul, “Look, an army is marching down from the hilltops!”
Zebul replied, “That’s nothing but shadows in the hills; they only look like men.”
37Gaal spoke up again: “No, look! I see people coming down the center, and another group from the direction of Oracle Oak.”
38Then Zebul said to him, “Where is all your big talk now? Weren’t you the loudmouth who said, ‘Who is Abimelech that he could make us his slaves?’ The men you ridiculed are now coming to fight you! Go ahead—go and fight them!”
39So Gaal led the men of Shechem and went out to fight Abimelech. 40Abimelech chased him, and many Shechemites fell wounded and died before they could retreat to the city gate. 41Abimelech returned to his headquarters at Arumah, while Zebul drove Gaal and his clan out of Shechem.
42The next day Abimelech found out that the people of Shechem were planning to go out on a foray into the countryside. 43So he divided his men into three groups, and they set out to ambush the Shechemites in the fields. As soon as Abimelech saw the people leaving the city, he sprang up and attacked them. 44Abimelech and his men advanced rapidly and occupied the city gate. The other two companies chased them down out into the open fields and killed them. 45Abimelech fought hard all day at the gate of Shechem until he had captured the city. He massacred all its people, leveled the city to rubble, and scattered salt over it. # 9:45 Abimelech may have scattered salt over the city as a sign that retribution had been served over the gross injustice of the people of Shechem. See Deut. 29:23; Jer. 17:6. Shechem was rebuilt 150 years later in the reign of Jeroboam (see 1 Kings 12:25).
46When they heard the news, the leading citizens living in the Shechem Tower ran into the stronghold of the temple of Baal-Berith. 47When Abimelech heard that they had assembled there, 48he and all his forces went up Mount Zalmon. # 9:48 Zalmon means “dark one”; it possibly refers to Mount Ebal. Taking an axe in his hand, he cut off some branches and hoisted the bundle onto his shoulders. He ordered the men with him, “Quick! Do the same!” 49So each one cut a bundle of branches and followed Abimelech. They piled them against the walls of the temple and with the people inside they set it on fire. So everyone who fled into the tower of Shechem died; nearly a thousand men and women perished.
50Next, Abimelech attacked the city of Thebez # 9:50 Thebez means “brightness.” It possibly refers to Tirzah. and captured it. 51All the people had fled to the Tower of Strength in the middle of the city. They locked themselves in and climbed up onto the tower roof. 52Abimelech advanced as far as the tower, stormed it, and set it on fire. 53But a woman dropped a millstone on his head and fractured his skull.
54Abimelech cried out to his armor-bearer, “Kill me with your sword so no one can say I was killed by a woman.” # 9:54 See 2 Sam. 11:21. So his servant ran him through, and he died. 55When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, everyone went home.
56God avenged the evil that Abimelech had done to his father by murdering his seventy brothers. 57God also punished the Shechemites for all their wickedness. That day, the curse of Jotham son of Baal-Fighter was fulfilled.
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Judges 9: TPT
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