Judges 9:21

21 And when Jotham had said these things, he fled, and went into Beer, and dwelled there, for dread of Abimelech, his brother (in fear of his brother Abimelech).

Judges 9:21 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 9:21

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 ) Jerom ^F6 says, the village Bera, whither Jotham fled, is eight miles from Eleutheropolis to the north; but Mr. Maundrell ^F7, 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 says ^F8 he lay hid in the mountains three years for fear of Abimelech, which perhaps he concluded from Abimelech's reigning three years, as follows.

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 De loc. Heb. fol. 89. I
F7 Journey from Aleppo p. 64, 66.
F8 Antiqu. l. 5. c. 7. sect. 2.

Judges 9:21 In-Context

19 therefore if ye have done rightfully, and without sin with Jerubbaal and his house, today be ye glad in Abimelech, and be he glad in you; (and so if ye have done rightfully, and without sin with Jerubbaal and with his household, or his family, today, then be ye happy with Abimelech, and let him be happy with you;)

20 but if ye have done waywardly, (may) fire go out from Abimelech, and waste the dwellers of Shechem, and the city of Millo; and (may) fire go out from the men of Shechem, and from the city of Millo, and devour Abimelech.

21 And when Jotham had said these things, he fled, and went into Beer, and dwelled there, for dread of Abimelech, his brother (in fear of his brother Abimelech).

22 And Abimelech reigned on Israel three years. (And Abimelech reigned over Israel for three years.)

23 And the Lord sent the worst spirit betwixt Abimelech and the dwellers of Shechem, which began to hold him abominable, (And the Lord sent the worst spirit between Abimelech and the inhabitants of Shechem, who began to hold him abominable,)