Judges 9:38-48

38 Then said Zebul to him, Where [is] now thy mouth, with which thou saidst, Who [is] Abimelech, that we should serve him? [are] not these the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them.
39 And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown [and] wounded, [even] to the entrance of the gate.
41 And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
42 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.
43 And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field, and looked, and behold, the people [had] come out of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote them.
44 And Abimelech, and the company that [was] with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city: and the two [other] companies ran upon all [the people] that [were] in the fields, and slew them.
45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that [were] in it, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.
46 And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard [that], they entered into a hold of the house of the god Berith.
47 And it was told to Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were assembled.
48 And Abimelech ascended mount Zalmon, he and all the people that [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, and said to the people that [were] with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, [and] do as I [have done].

Judges 9:38-48 Meaning and Commentary

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, Jud 9:1-6 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, Jud 9:7-21 of the contentions which arose between Abimelech, and the men of Shechem, increased by Gaal the son of Ebed, Jud 9:22-29 who was drawn into a battle with Abimelech, and beaten and forced to fly, Jud 9:30-41 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, Jud 9:42-49 and in the death of Abimelech himself, according to Jotham's curse, Jud 9:50-57.

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