Judges 9:31

31 And he sent messengers to Abimelech secretly, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Jobel and his brethren are come to Sychem; and behold, they have besieged the city against thee.

Judges 9:31 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 9:31

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" ^F9 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.

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FOOTNOTES:

F9 (Myru) "obsident", Pagninus, Munster, Drusius; "obsidere cogitant", Piscator.

Judges 9:31 In-Context

29 And would that this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech, and I would say to him, Multiply thy host, and come out.

30 And Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Jobel, and he was very angry.

31 And he sent messengers to Abimelech secretly, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Jobel and his brethren are come to Sychem; and behold, they have besieged the city against thee.

32 And now rise up by night, thou and the people with thee, and lay wait in the field.

33 And it shall come to pass in the morning at sunrising, thou shalt rise up early and draw toward the city; and behold, he and the people with him will come forth against thee, and thou shalt do to him according to thy power.