Judges 9:38

38 Then Zebul said to him, "Where is your boast now, you who said, "Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?' Are not these the troops you made light of? Go out now and fight with them."

Judges 9:38 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 9:38

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 9:38 In-Context

36 And when Gaal saw them, he said to Zebul, "Look, people are coming down from the mountain tops!" And Zebul said to him, "The shadows on the mountains look like people to you."

37 Gaal spoke again and said, "Look, people are coming down from Tabbur-erez, and one company is coming from the direction of Elon-meonenim."

38 Then Zebul said to him, "Where is your boast now, you who said, "Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?' Are not these the troops you made light of? Go out now and fight with them."

39 So Gaal went out at the head of the lords of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.

40 Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him. Many fell wounded, up to the entrance of the gate.

Footnotes

• [a]. Heb [mouth]