Judges 9:42

42 On the following day the people went out into the fields. When Abimelech was told,

Judges 9:42 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 9:42

And it came to pass on the morrow
The day after the battle:

that the people went out into the field;
some think to fight, and try the event of another battle, in order to be freed from Abimelech, but that seems not so likely: rather to finish their vintage, as Josephus {l}, or to till their ground, to plough and sow, which quickly came on after the vintage was ended; find this they might do the more securely, since Abimelech had withdrawn himself and his forces to his place of habitation, and so concluded he would not soon at least return to them; and the rather they might think he would be more easy, with then, since Gaal was thrust out from among them:

and they told Abimelech;
or it was told Abimelech, that the people came out into the field, and so an opportunity offered to him to come and cut them off, as they were at their business unarmed.

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 Antiqu. l. 5. c. 7. sect. 4.

Judges 9:42 In-Context

40 Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him. Many fell wounded, up to the entrance of the gate.

41 So Abimelech resided at Arumah; and Zebul drove out Gaal and his kinsfolk, so that they could not live on at Shechem.

42 On the following day the people went out into the fields. When Abimelech was told,

43 he took his troops and divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the fields. When he looked and saw the people coming out of the city, he rose against them and killed them.

44 Abimelech and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city, while the two companies rushed on all who were in the fields and killed them.