Shìshījì 9

1 Yé lù bā lì de érzi Yàbǐmǐlè dào le Shìjiàn jiàn tāde zhòng mǔ jiù , duì tāmen hé tā waì zǔ quán jiā de rén shuō ,

2 Qǐng nǐmen wèn Shìjiàn de zhòngrén shuō , shì yé lù bā lì de zhòng zǐ qī shí rén dōu guǎnlǐ nǐmen hǎo ne . háishì yī rén guǎnlǐ nǐmen hǎo ne . nǐmen yòu yào jìniàn wǒ shì nǐmen de gǔròu .

3 Tāde zhòng mǔ jiù biàn jiāng zhè yīqiè huà wèi tā shuō gĕi Shìjiàn rén tīng , Shìjiàn rén de xīn jiù guī xiàng Yàbǐmǐlè . tāmen shuō , tā yuán shì wǒmen de dìxiōng .

4 Jiù cóng bā lì Bǐlì tǔ de miào zhōng qǔ le qī shí Shĕkèlè yínzi gĕi Yàbǐmǐlè . Yàbǐmǐlè yòng yǐ gù le xiē fĕi tú gēnsuí tā .

5 Tā wǎng é Fú là dào tā fùqin de jiā , jiāng tā dìxiōng , yé lù bā lì de zhòng zǐ qī shí rén dōu shā zaì yī kuaì pánshí shàng . zhǐ shèngxia yé lù bā lì de xiǎoér zǐ Yuētǎn , yīnwei tā duǒcáng le .

6 Shìjiàn rén hé mǐ luó rén dōu yītóng jùjí , wǎng Shìjiàn xiàngshù páng de zhùzi nàli , lì Yàbǐmǐlè wèi wáng .

7 Yǒu rén jiāng zhè shì gàosu Yuētǎn , tā jiù qù zhàn zaì jī lì xīn shāndǐng shàng , xiàng zhòngrén dàshēng hǎnjiào shuō , Shìjiàn rén nǎ , nǐmen yào tīng wǒde huà , shén yĕ jiù tīng nǐmen de huà .

8 Yǒu yī shí shùmù yào gāo yī shù wèi wáng , guǎnlǐ tāmen , jiù qù duì gǎnlǎn shù shuō , qǐng nǐ zuò wǒmen de wáng.

9 Gǎnlǎn shù huídá shuō , wǒ qǐ kĕn zhǐ zhù gōng fèng shén hé zūnzhòng rén de yóu , piāo yáo zaì zhòng shù zhī shàng ne .

10 Shùmù duì wúhuāguǒ shù shuō , qǐng nǐ lái zuò wǒmen de wáng .

11 Wúhuāguǒ shù huídá shuō , wǒ qǐ kĕn zhǐ zhù suǒ jié tián mĕi de guǒzi , piāo yáo zaì zhòng shù zhī shàng ne .

12 Shùmù duì pútàoshù shuō , qǐng nǐ lái zuò wǒmen de wáng .

13 Pútàoshù huídá shuō , wǒ qǐ kĕn zhǐ zhù shǐ shén hé rén xǐlè de xīn jiǔ , piāo yáo zaì zhòng shù zhī shàng ne .

14 Zhòng shù duì jīngjí shuō , qǐng nǐ lái zuò wǒmen de wáng .

15 Jīngjí huídá shuō , nǐmen ruò chéng chéngshí shí dì gāo wǒ wèi wáng , jiù yào tóu zaì wǒde yīn xià . bù rán , yuàn huǒ cóng jīngjí lǐ chūlai , shāo miè Lìbānèn de xiāng bǎi shù .

16 Xiànzaì nǐmen lì Yàbǐmǐlè wèi wáng , ruò àn chéngshí zhèngzhí shàn dāi yé lù bāLìhé tāde quán jiā , zhè jiù shì chóu tāde laó .

17 Cóng qián wǒ fù mào sǐ wèi nǐmen zhēng zhàn , jiù le nǐmen tuōlí Mǐdiàn rén de shǒu .

18 Nǐmen rújīn qǐlai gōngjī wǒde fù jiā , jiāng tā zhòng zǐ qī shí rén shā zaì yī kuaì pánshí shàng , yòu lì tā bìnǚ suǒ shēng de érzi Yàbǐmǐlè wèi Shìjiàn rén de wáng . tā yuán shì nǐmen de dìxiōng .

19 Nǐmen rújīn ruò àn chéngshí zhèngzhí dāi yé lù bāLìhé tāde jiā , jiù kĕ yīn Yàbǐmǐlè dé huānlè , tā yĕ kĕ yīn nǐmen dé huānlè .

20 Bù rán , yuàn huǒ cóng Yàbǐmǐlè fāchū , shāo miè Shìjiàn rén hé mǐ luó zhòngrén , yòu yuàn huǒ cóng Shìjiàn rén hé mǐ luó rén zhōng chūlai , shāo miè Yàbǐmǐlè .

21 Yuētǎn yīn pà tā dìxiōng Yàbǐmǐlè , jiù taópǎo , lái dào Bǐĕr , zhù zaì nàli .

22 Yàbǐmǐlè guǎnlǐ Yǐsèliè rén sān nián .

23 Shén shǐ è mó jiàng zaì Yàbǐmǐlè hé Shìjiàn rén zhōngjiān , Shìjiàn rén jiù yǐ guǐzhà dāi Yàbǐmǐlè .

24 Zhè shì yào jiào yé lù bā lì qī shí gè érzi suǒ shòu de cánhaì guīyǔ tāmende gēge Yàbǐmǐlè , yòu jiào nà liú tāmen xuè de zuì guīyǔ bāngzhu tā s Hādìxiōng de Shìjiàn rén .

25 Shìjiàn rén zaì shāndǐng shàng shè máifu , dĕnghòu Yàbǐmǐlè . fán cóng tāmen nàli jīngguò de rén , tāmen jiù qiǎngduó . yǒu rén jiāng zhè shì gàosu Yàbǐmǐlè .

26 Yǐ biéde érzi Jiālè hé tāde dìxiōng lái dào Shìjiàn , Shìjiàn rén dōu xìn kào tā .

27 Shìjiàn rén chū chéng dào tiánjiān qù , zhāi xià pútào , chuaì jiǔ , shè bǎi yán yàn , jìn tāmen shén de miào zhōng chī hē , zhòuzǔ Yàbǐmǐlè .

28 Yǐ biéde érzi Jiālè shuō , Yàbǐmǐlè shì shuí . Shìjiàn shì shuí . shǐ wǒmen fúshì tā ne . tā bú shì yé lù bā lì de érzi ma . tāde bāngshou bú shì xī bù lè ma . nǐmen kĕyǐ fúshì Shìjiàn de fùqin Hāmā de hòuyì . wǒmen wèihé fúshì Yàbǐmǐlè ne

29 Wéi yuàn zhè mín guī wǒde shǒu xià , wǒ jiù chúdiào Yàbǐmǐlè . Jiālè yòu duì Yàbǐmǐlè shuō , zēngtiān nǐde jūn bīng chūlai ba .

30 Yì zǎi xī bù lè tīngjian yǐ biéde érzi Jiālè de huà , jiù fānù ,

31 Qiāoqiāo de dǎfa rén qù jiàn Yàbǐmǐlè , shuō , yǐ biéde érzi Jiālè hé tāde dìxiōng dào le Shìjiàn , shān huò chéng zhōng de mín gōngjī nǐ .

32 Xiànzaì nǐ hé gēnsuí nǐde rén jīnyè qǐlai , zaì tiánjiān máifu .

33 Dào zǎochen taìyáng yī chū , nǐ jiù qǐlai chuǎng chéng . Jiālè hé gēnsuí tāde rén chūlai gōngjī nǐde shíhou , nǐ biàn xiàng tāmen jiàn jī ér zuò .

34 Yúshì , Yàbǐmǐlè hé gēnsuí tāde zhòngrén yè jiān qǐlai , fēn zuò sì duì , máifu dĕnghòu Shìjiàn rén .

35 Yǐ biéde érzi Jiālè chū qù , zhàn zaì chéng ménkǒu . Yàbǐmǐlè hé gēnsuí tāde rén cóng máifu zhī chù qǐlai .

36 Jiālè kànjian nàxiē rén , jiù duì xī bù lè shuō , kàn nǎ , yǒu rén cóng shāndǐng shàng xià lái le . xī bù lè shuō , nǐ kànjian shān de yǐng zǐ , yǐwéi shì rén .

37 Jiālè yòu shuō , kàn nǎ , yǒu rén cóng gāo chù xià lái , yòu yǒu yī duì cóng mǐ è ní ní xiàngshù de lù shàng ér lái .

38 Xī bù lè duì tā shuō , nǐ céng shuō , Yàbǐmǐlè shì shuí , jiào wǒmen fúshì tā . nǐ suǒ kuā de kǒu zaì nǎli ne . zhè bú shì nǐ suǒ miǎoshì de mín ma . nǐ xiànzaì chū qù , yǔ tāmen jiāo zhàn ba .

39 Yúshì Jiālè shuaìlǐng Shìjiàn rén chū qù , yǔ Yàbǐmǐlè jiāo zhàn .

40 Yàbǐmǐlè zhuīgǎn Jiālè . Jiālè zaì tā miànqián taópǎo , yǒu xǔduō shòushāng pú dǎo de , zhídào chéng mén .

41 Yàbǐmǐlè zhù zaì yà lǔ mǎ . xī bù lè gǎn chū Jiālè hé tā dìxiōng , bù zhún tāmen zhù zaì Shìjiàn .

42 Cì rì , mín chū dào tiánjiān , yǒu rén gàosu Yàbǐmǐlè .

43 Tā jiù bǎ tāde rén fēn zuò sān duì , máifu zaì tiánjiān , kànjian Shìjiàn rén cóng chéng lǐ chūlai , jiù qǐlai jī shā tāmen .

44 Yàbǐmǐlè hé gēnsuí tāde yī duì xiàng qián chuǎng qù , zhàn zaì chéng ménkǒu . nà liǎng duì zhí chuǎng dào tiánjiān , jī shā le zhòngrén .

45 Yàbǐmǐlè zhĕngtiān gōngdǎ chéng , jiāng chéng duó qǔ , shā le qízhōng de jūmín , jiāng chéng chāihuǐ , sǎ shàng le yán .

46 Shìjiàn lóu de rén tīngjian le , jiù duǒ rù bā lì Bǐlì tǔ miào de wèi suǒ .

47 Yǒu rén gàosu Yàbǐmǐlè shuō , Shìjiàn lóu de rén dōu jù zaì yī chù .

48 Yàbǐmǐlè hé gēnsuí tāde rén jiù dōu shàng sǎ men shān . Yàbǐmǐlè shǒu ná fǔzi , kǎn xià yī gēn shùzhī , káng zaì jiān shàng , duì gēnsuí tāde rén shuō , nǐmen kàn wǒ suǒ xíng de , yĕ dāng gǎnjǐn zhàoyàng xíng .

49 Zhòngrén jiù gè kǎn yī zhī , gēnsuí Yàbǐmǐlè , bǎ shùzhī duī zaì wèi suǒ de sìwéi , fàng huǒshào le wèi suǒ , yǐzhì Shìjiàn lóu de rén dōu sǐ le , nánnǚ yuē yǒu yī qiā .

50 Yàbǐmǐlè dào dī/tí beì sī , xiàng tí beì sī ān yíng , jiù gōng qǔ le nà chéng .

51 Chéng zhōng yǒu yī zuò jiāngù de lóu . chéng lǐ de zhòngrén , wúlùn nánnǚ , dōu taó jìn lóu qù , guān shàng mén , shàng le lóu dǐng .

52 Yàbǐmǐlè dào le lóu qián gōngdǎ , āijìn lóu mén , yào yòng huǒ fùnshāo .

53 Yǒu yī gè fùrén bǎ yī kuaì shàng mòshí pāo zaì Yàbǐmǐlè de tóu shàng , dǎpò le tāde nǎo gú .

54 Tā jiù jímáng hǎnjiào ná tā bīngqì de shàonián rén , duì tā shuō , bá chū nǐde dāo lái , shā le wǒ ba . miǎndé rén yìlùn wǒ shuō , tā wèi yī gè fùrén suǒ shā . yúshì shàonián rén bǎ tā cī tòu , tā jiù sǐ le .

55 Yǐsèliè rén jiàn Yàbǐmǐlè sǐ le , biàn gè huí zìjǐ de dìfang qù le .

56 Zhèyàng , shén bàoyìng Yàbǐmǐlè xiàng tā fùqin suǒ xíng de è , jiù shì shā le dìxiōng qī shí gèrén de è .

57 Shìjiàn rén de yīqiè è , shén yĕ dōu bàoyìng zaì tāmen tóu shàng . yé lù bā lì de érzi Yuētǎn de zhòuzǔ guī dào tāmen shēnshang le .

Shìshījì 9 Commentary

Chapter 9

Abimelech murders his brethren, and is made king. (1-6) Jotham rebukes the Shechemites. (7-21) The Shechemites conspire against Abimelech. (22-29) Abimelech destroys Shechem. (30-49) Abimelech slain. (50-57)

Verses 1-6 The men of Shechem chose Abimelech king. God was not consulted whether they should have any king, much less who it should be. If parents could see what their children would do, and what they are to suffer, their joy in them often would be turned into sorrow: we may be thankful that we cannot know what shall happen. Above all, we should fear and watch against sin; for our evil conduct may produce fatal effects upon our families, after we are in our graves.

Verses 7-21 There was no occasion for the trees to choose a king, they are all the trees of the Lord which he has planted. Nor was there any occasion for Israel to set a king over them, for the Lord was their King. Those who bear fruit for the public good, are justly respected and honoured by all that are wise, more than those who merely make a figure. All these fruit-trees gave much the same reason for their refusal to be promoted over the trees; or, as the margin reads it, to go up and down for the trees. To rule, involves a man in a great deal both of toil and care. Those who are preferred to public trust and power, must forego all private interests and advantages, for the good of others. And those advanced to honour and dignity, are in great danger of losing their fruitfulness. For which reason, they that desire to do good, are afraid of being too great. Jotham compares Abimelech to the bramble or thistle, a worthless plant, whose end is to be burned. Such a one was Abimelech.

Verses 22-29 Abimelech is seated in the throne his father refused. But how long does this glory last? Stay but three years, and see the bramble withered and burned. The prosperity of the wicked is short and fickle. The Shechemites are plagued by no other hand than Abimelech's. They raised him unjustly to the throne; they first feel the weight of his sceptre.

Verses 30-49 Abimelech intended to punish the Schechemites for slighting him now, but God punished them for their serving him formerly in the murder of Gideon's sons. When God uses men as instruments in his hand to do his work, he means one thing, and they another. That, which they hoped would have been for their welfare, proved a snare and a trap, as those will certainly find, who run to idols for shelter; such will prove a refuge of lies.

Verses 50-57 The Shechemites were ruined by Abimelech; now he is reckoned with, who was their leader in villany. Evil pursues sinners, and sometimes overtakes them, when not only at ease, but triumphant. Though wickedness may prosper a while, it will not prosper always. The history of mankind, if truly told, would greatly resemble that of this chapter. The records of what are called splendid events present to us such contests for power. Such scenes, though praised of men, fully explain the Scripture doctrine of the deceitfulness and desperate wickedness of the human heart, the force of men's lust, and the effect of Satan's influence. Lord, thou has given us thy word of truth and righteousness, O pour upon us thy spirit of purity, peace, and love, and write thy holy law in our hearts.

Chapter Summary

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.