Judges 9:29

29 If only this people were under my command! I would push Abimelech aside! I would tell Abimelech, ‘Build up your army and march out for battle.'"

Judges 9:29 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 9:29

And would to God this people were under my hand
Or government, that I were but the ruler of their city, and general of their forces:

then would I remove Abimelech;
from his kingly office, and rid Shechem of him, and all the country round about, and indeed remove him out of the world:

and he said to Abimelech;
as if he was present, in a hectoring and blustering manner; or he said what follows to his officer under him, that represented him; or he sent a messenger to him, saying,

increase thine army, and come out;
bidding him defiance, challenging him to come into the open field and fight him, and bring as many forces along with him as he could or would, not doubting but he should be a match for him; and the men of Shechem would see they had nothing to fear from him, having such a man as Gaal at the head of them; this he said to engage the Shechemites to make him their ruler.

Judges 9:29 In-Context

27 They went out into the field, cut off clusters from their vineyards, trampled them out, and had a celebration. They entered their god's temple and ate, drank, and made fun of Abimelech.

28 Gaal, Ebed's son, said, "Who is Abimelech, and who are we of Shechem that we ought to serve him? Didn't this son of Jerubbaal and his deputy Zebul once serve the men of Hamor, Shechem's father? Why should we of all people serve him?

29 If only this people were under my command! I would push Abimelech aside! I would tell Abimelech, ‘Build up your army and march out for battle.'"

30 When Zebul the city's ruler heard the words of Gaal, Ebed's son, he became angry.

31 He sent messengers to Abimelech at Arumah to say, "Watch out! Gaal, Ebed's son, and his relatives have come to Shechem and are stirring up the city against you.

Footnotes

• [a]. LXX; MT he