Judges 9:18-28

18 but you have risen against my father's house today and have killed ¹his sons, seventy men, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, ²the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your relative -

19 if then you have dealt in truth and integrity with Jerubbaal and his house this day, rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you.

20 "But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and consume the men of Shechem and Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem and from Beth-millo, and consume Abimelech."

21 Then Jotham escaped and fled, and went to Beer and remained there because * of Abimelech his brother.

Shechem and Abimelech Fall

22 Now Abimelech ruled over Israel three years.

23 ³Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem ⁴dealt treacherously with Abimelech,

24 ⁵so that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and ⁶their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers.

25 The men of Shechem set men in ambush against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who might pass by them along the road; and it was told to Abimelech.

26 Now Gaal the son of Ebed came with his relatives, and crossed over into Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their trust in him.

27 They went out into the field and gathered the grapes of their vineyards and trod them, and held a festival; and they went into the house of ⁷their god, and ate and drank and cursed Abimelech.

28 Then Gaal the son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is Zebul not his lieutenant? Serve the men of ⁸Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him?

Judges 9:18-28 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.

Cross References

• 1. Judges 8:30; Judges 9:2, 5
• 2. Judges 8:31
• 3. 1 Samuel 16:14; Isaiah 19:2, 14
• 4. Isaiah 33:1
• 5. Deuteronomy 27:25; Judges 9:56, 57
• 6. Numbers 35:33
• 7. Judges 8:33; Judges 9:46
• 8. Genesis 34:2

Footnotes

• [a] Lit "brother"
• [b] Or "sincerity"
• [c] Or "the house of Millo"
• [d] Or "the house of Millo"
• [e] Lit "of the seventy"
• [f] Lit "liers-in-wait for"
• [g] Lit "brothers"
• [h] Lit "rejoicing"
• [i] Lit "overseer"