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Texts -- Judges 9:1-7 (NET)

Context
Abimelech Murders His Brothers
9:1 Now Abimelech son of Jerub-Baal went to Shechem to see his mother’s relatives . He said to them and to his mother’s entire extended family , 9:2 “Tell all the leaders of Shechem this: ‘Why would you want to have seventy men , all Jerub-Baal’s sons , ruling over you, when you can have just one ruler ? Recall that I am your own flesh and blood .’” 9:3 His mother’s relatives spoke on his behalf to all the leaders of Shechem and reported his proposal . The leaders were drawn to Abimelech ; they said , “He is our close relative .” 9:4 They paid him seventy silver shekels out of the temple of Baal-Berith . Abimelech then used the silver to hire some lawless , dangerous men as his followers . 9:5 He went to his father’s home in Ophrah and murdered his half-brothers , the seventy legitimate sons of Jerub-Baal , on one stone . Only Jotham , Jerub-Baal’s youngest son , escaped , because he hid . 9:6 All the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo assembled and then went and made Abimelech king by the oak near the pillar in Shechem .
Jotham’s Parable
9:7 When Jotham heard the news, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim . He spoke loudly to the people below, “Listen to me, leaders of Shechem , so that God may listen to you!

Pericope

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Bible Dictionary

  • Abimelech

    [ebd] my father a king, or father of a king, a common name of the Philistine kings, as "Pharaoh" was of the Egyptian kings. (1.) The Philistine king of Gerar in the time of Abraham (Gen. 20:1-18). By an interposition of Providence...
    [isbe] ABIMELECH - a-bim'-e-lek ('abhimelekh, "father of a king"): A name borne by five Old Testament persons. (1) The name of two kings of Philistia; the first was a contemporary of Abraham, the second, probably son of the former,...
    [nave] ABIMELECH 1. King of Gerar, Gen. 20; 21:22-32. 2. King of Gerar, Gen. 26. 3. Son of Gideon, Judg. 8:31; 9; 2 Sam. 11:21. 4. See: Achish; Ahimelech.

  • Shechem

    [isbe] SHECHEM - she'-kem (shekhem, "shoulder"; Suchem, he Sikima, ta Sikima, etc.; the King James Version gives "Sichem" in Gen 12:6; and "Sychem" in Acts 7:16): 1. Historical: This place is first mentioned in connection with Abra...
    [smith] (back or shoulder). An important city in central Palestine, in the valley between mounts Ebal and Gerizim, 34 miles north of Jerusalem and 7 miles southeast of Samaria. Its present name, Nablus , is a corruption of Neapolis,...
    [nave] SHECHEM 1. Called also Sichem and Sychem, a district in the central part of the land of Canaan. Abraham dwells in, Gen. 12:6. Jacob buys a piece of ground in, and erects an altar, Gen. 33:18-20. The flocks and herds of Jac...

  • Judge

    [nave] JUDGE Appointed by Persians, Ezra 7:25. Kings and other rulers as, 2 Sam. 8:15; 15:2; 1 Kin. 3:16-28; 10:9; 2 Kin. 8:1-6; Psa. 72:1-4; Matt. 27:11-26; Acts 23:34, 35; 24; 25:11, 12. Priests and Levites as, Deut. 17:9; 2 Ch...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • Jotham

    [ebd] Jehovah is perfect. (1.) The youngest of Gideon's seventy sons. He escaped when the rest were put to death by the order of Abimelech (Judg. 9:5). When "the citizens of Shechem and the whole house of Millo" were gathered toge...
    [isbe] JOTHAM - jo'-tham (yotham, "Yahweh is perfect"; Ioatham): (1) The youngest son of Gideon-Jerubbaal, the sole survivor of the massacre of his seventy brothers by Abimelech (Jdg 9:5), and (by Jdg 8:22) the legitimate ruler of ...
    [smith] (Jehovah is upright). The youngest son of Gideon, (Judges 9:5) who escaped from the massacre of his brethren. (B.C. after 1256.) His parable of the reign of the bramble is the earliest example of the kind. The son of King Uz...
    [nave] JOTHAM 1. Son of Gideon, Judg. 9:5, 57. Rebukes the Shechemites in the parable of the trees, Judg. 9:7-21. 2. Son of Azariah, king of Judah, 2 Kin. 15:5-7, 32, 38; 1 Chr. 3:12; 2 Chr. 26:21-23; 27. Piety of, 2 Chr. 27. T...

  • Ambition

    [nave] AMBITION Falsely charged against Moses, Num. 16:13. Parable of the thistle, illustrating, 2 Kin. 14:9. Unclassified Scriptures Relating to Job 20:6, 7; Psa. 49:11-13; Isa. 5:8; Hab. 2:5, 6, 9; Matt. 4:8-10 Luke 4:5-8. Mat...

  • Conspiracy

    [nave] CONSPIRACY. Law Against Ex. 23:1, 2 Instances of Joseph's brethren, against Joseph, Gen. 37:18-20. Miriam and Aaron, against Moses, Num. 12; 14:4; 16:1-35. Abimelech, against Gideon's sons, Judg. 9:1-6. Gaal, against ...

  • Rulers

    [nave] RULERS Appointed and removed by God. See: Government, God in. Chastised, Dan. 4. See: Nation. Monarchical, See: Kings. Patriarchal, Gen. 27:29, 37. Instances of Nimrod, Gen. 10:8-10. Abraham, Gen. 14:13-24; 17:6; 21:2...

  • Ophrah

    [ebd] a fawn. 1 Chr. 4:14. (1.) A city of Benjamin (Josh. 18:23); probably identical with Ephron (2 Chr. 13:19) and Ephraim (John 11:54). (2.) "Of the Abi-ezrites." A city of Manasseh, 6 miles south-west of Shechem, the residence ...
    [isbe] OPHRAH - of'-ra (`ophrah; Codex Vaticanus Aphra; Codex Alexandrinus Iephratha, etc.): (1) A town in the territory allotted to Benjamin named between Parah and Chephar-ammoni (Josh 18:23). It is mentioned again in 1 Sam 13:17...
    [smith] (fawn). A town in the tribe of Benjamin. (Joshua 18:23; 1 Samuel 13:17) Jerome places it five miles east of Bethel. It is perhaps et-Taiyibeh , a small village on the crown of a conspicuous hill, four miles east-northeast...
    [nave] OPHRAH 1. A city in Benjamin, Josh. 18:23; 1 Sam. 13:17. Possibly identical with Ephrain, 2 Chr. 13:19; and Ephraim, John 11:54. 2. A city in Manasseh, home of Gideon, Judg. 6:11, 24; 8:27, 32; 9:5. 3. Son of Meonothai, 1...

  • Baal-berith

    [ebd] covenant lord, the name of the god worshipped in Shechem after the death of Gideon (Judg. 8:33; 9:4). In 9:46 he is called simply "the god Berith." The name denotes the god of the covenant into which the Israelites entered w...
    [isbe] BAAL-BERITH - ba-al-be'-rith ba`al berith = "Baal of the Covenant"): An idol worshipped by the Shechemites after Gideon's death (Jdg 8:33), as protector and guardian of engagements. His temple is also referred to in Jdg 9:4....
    [nave] BAAL-BERITH A god of the Shechemites, Judg. 9:4. Worshiped by Israelites, Judg. 8:3. Called Berith, Judg. 9:46.

  • Pillar

    [ebd] used to support a building (Judg. 16:26, 29); as a trophy or memorial (Gen. 28:18; 35:20; Ex. 24:4; 1 Sam. 15:12, A.V., "place," more correctly "monument," or "trophy of victory," as in 2 Sam. 18:18); of fire, by which the D...
    [isbe] PILLAR - pil'-ar (matstsebhah, `ammudh; stulos): In a good many cases the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "pillars" for the King James Version "images" (matstsebhoth, Ex 34:13; Dt 7:5; 1 Ki 14:23, etc.). I...
    [nave] PILLAR Of Solomon's temple, 1 Kin. 7:13-22; 2 Kin. 25:17. Broken and carried to Babylon, 2 Kin. 25:13; Jer. 52:17, 20, 21. Of Solomon's palaces, 1 Kin. 7:6. Used to mark roads, Jer. 31:21. Pillar of salt, Lot's wife turn...

  • Millo

    [ebd] (Heb. always with the article, "the" Millo). (1.) Probably the Canaanite name of some fortification, consisting of walls filled in with earth and stones, which protected Jerusalem on the north as its outermost defence. It is...
    [isbe] MILLO - mil'-o. (millo generally interpreted to mean a "filling," e.g. a solid tower or an earth embankment; in Jdg 9:6,20; 2 Ki 12:20, we get beth millo', translated in English Versions of the Bible "House of Millo," which ...
    [nave] MILLO 1. The house of Millo, possibly a clan at Shechem, Judg. 9:6, 20. 2. A name given to part of the citadel of Jerusalem, 2 Sam. 5:9; 1 Chr. 11:8. King Solomon raises a levy to repair, 1 Kin. 9:15, 24; 11:27. Repaired ...

  • PERSON, PERSONALITY

    [isbe] PERSON, PERSONALITY - pur'-sun, pur'-s'n, pur-un-al'-ti (nephesh, 'ish, 'adham, panim, prosopon, hupostasis): The most frequent word for "person" in the Old Testament is nephesh, "soul" (Gen 14:21, "Give me the persons, and ...

  • Lord

    [ebd] There are various Hebrew and Greek words so rendered. (1.) Heb. Jehovah, has been rendered in the English Bible LORD, printed in small capitals. This is the proper name of the God of the Hebrews. The form "Jehovah" is retain...

  • FLESH

    [ebd] in the Old Testament denotes (1) a particular part of the body of man and animals (Gen. 2:21; 41:2; Ps. 102:5, marg.); (2) the whole body (Ps. 16:9); (3) all living things having flesh, and particularly humanity as a whole (...
    [isbe] FLESH - @basar, she'er): 1. Etymology: Used in all senses of the word, the latter, however, most frequently in the sense of kin, family, relationship (compare sha'arah, "kins-woman," Lev 18:17): Lev 18:6; 25:49; Prov 11:17; ...

  • PLAIN

    [ebd] (1.) Heb. 'abel (Judg. 11:33), a "grassy plain" or "meadow." Instead of "plains of the vineyards," as in the Authorized Version, the Revised Version has "Abel-cheramim" (q.v.), comp. Judg. 11:22; 2 Chr. 16:4. (2.) Heb. 'elon...
    [isbe] PLAIN - plan ((1) kikkar, "circle" "talent," or "round loaf"; (2) mishor, from yashar, "to be level"; compare Arabic maisur, "that which is easy"; (3) biqah; compare Arabic baq`at, "a plot of ground" or "a wet meadow"; (4) `...

  • OAK

    [ebd] There are six Hebrew words rendered "oak." (1.) 'El occurs only in the word El-paran (Gen. 14:6). The LXX. renders by "terebinth." In the plural form this word occurs in Isa. 1:29; 57:5 (A.V. marg. and R.V., "among the oaks"...
    [isbe] OAK - ok: Several Hebrew words are so translated, but there has always been great doubt as to which words should be translated "oak" and which "terebinth." This uncertainty appears in the Septuagint and all through English V...

  • PIECE OF SILVER

    [smith] I. In the Old Testament the word "pieces" is used in the Authorized Version for a word understood in the Hebrew (if we except) (Psalms 68:30) The phrase is always "a thousand," or the like, "of silver." (Genesis 20:16; 37:28;...

  • BAAL

    [smith] the supreme male divinity of the Phoenician and Canaanitish nations, as Ashtoreth was their supreme female divinity. Some suppose Baal to correspond to the sun and Ashtoreth to the moon; others that Baal was Jupiter and Ashto...

  • MILLO, THE HOUSE OF

    [smith] Apparently a family or clan, mentioned in (Judges 9:6,20) only, in connection with the men or lords of Shechem. The spot at which King Joash was murdered by his slaves. (2 Kings 12:20)
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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • All was not well in Abraham's household. Ishmael was a potential rival to Isaac's inheritance. This section records another crisis in the story of Abraham's heir.Normally the son of a concubine became the heir of his mother b...
  • I. The reason for Israel's apostasy 1:1-3:6A. Hostilities between the Israelites and the Canaanites after Joshua's death 1:1-2:51. Initial successes and failures ch. 12. The announcement of God's discipline 2:1-5B. Israel's c...
  • The first major section in the book (1:1-3:6) explains very clearly why the period of the judges was a dark chapter in Israel's history. God revealed the reasons for Israel's apostasy and consequent national problems in terms...
  • Israel's JudgesJudgeScriptureIsrael's OppressorsLength in YearsNation(s)King(s)OppressionJudgeshipPeaceOthniel3:7-11MesopotamiaCushan-rishathaim8(ca. 1358-1350 B.C.)40(ca. 1350-1310 B.C.)Ehud3:12-30Moab (with Ammon & Amal...
  • The writer of Judges structured this book so the story of Gideon would be its focal center."Within the main body of the book, seven major narrative blocks can be noted. Moreover, there are certain parallel features between th...
  • Tanner also pointed out that the Gideon narrative consists of five primary structural sections."The first section (6:1-10) provides the introduction and setting before Gideon's debut, the second section (6:11-32) gives the co...
  • These verses wrap up the story of Gideon and introduce the story of Abimelech that follows (ch. 9).Gideon enjoyed the fruits of his heroism for the rest of his life. He was wealthy enough to afford many wives who bore him 70 ...
  • Though Gideon had rejected kingship officially (8:23), though not practically, Abimelech desired it for himself. He also hated his half-brothers, presumably because he was the son of a concubine rather than the son of one of ...
  • Verses 1-3 provide information about Jephthah's personal background. His name means "He [an unspecified deity] has opened [the womb]."Jephthah lived on the east side of the Jordan River. Unlike Gideon he was a courageous and ...
  • Verses 1-33 record Jephthah's success. The rest of his story (11:34-12:7) relates his failure. The writer likewise recorded Gideon's success first (6:1-8:23) and then his failure (8:24-9:57). We shall find a similar pattern w...
  • The writer's emphasis now shifts from Jephthah's foolishness to Ephraim's arrogance.The Ephraimites were the Gileadites' neighbors to the west. They resented the fact that Jephthah had not requested their assistance in the wa...
  • The following two extended incidents (ch. 17-21) differ from the records of the judges just completed (chs. 3-16). They are not accounts of the activities of any of Israel's judges. They are the record of events that took pla...
  • The Danites' defeat of the inhabitants of Laish appears cruel and unjustified (cf. 9:45-49). The town that seemed so desirable to the spies was really vulnerable and isolated. Its advantages proved to be weaknesses. Since God...
  • The Book of Joshua recorded Israel's victory over her enemies through trust in and obedience to God. The Book of Judges shows the defeat of the nation by its enemies from without and within due to refusal to trust and obey Go...
  • Aharoni, Yohanan. Land of the Bible. Phildelphia: Westminster Press, 1962.Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas. Revised ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1977.Albright, William Foxwell. The...
  • 11:1 The prophet announced in vigorous poetic language that Lebanon's famous cedars would perish. The Israelites referred to the royal palace in Jerusalem as Lebanon because it contained so much cedar from Lebanon (Jer. 22:23...
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