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Texts -- Judges 9:26-57 (NET)

Context
9:26 Gaal son of Ebed came through Shechem with his brothers . The leaders of Shechem transferred their loyalty to him. 9:27 They went out to the field , harvested their grapes , squeezed out the juice, and celebrated . They came to the temple of their god and ate , drank , and cursed Abimelech . 9:28 Gaal son of Ebed said , “Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem , that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerub-Baal , and is not Zebul the deputy he appointed? Serve the sons of Hamor , the father of Shechem ! But why should we serve Abimelech? 9:29 If only these men were under my command , I would get rid of Abimelech !” He challenged Abimelech , “Muster your army and come out for battle !” 9:30 When Zebul , the city commissioner , heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed , he was furious . 9:31 He sent messengers to Abimelech , who was in Arumah , reporting , “Beware ! Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers are coming to Shechem and inciting the city to rebel against you. 9:32 Now , come up at night with your men and set an ambush in the field outside the city. 9:33 In the morning at sunrise quickly attack the city . When he and his men come out to fight you, do what you can to him.” 9:34 So Abimelech and all his men came up at night and set an ambush outside Shechem – they divided into four units . 9:35 When Gaal son of Ebed came out and stood at the entrance to the city’s gate , Abimelech and his men got up from their hiding places. 9:36 Gaal saw the men and said to Zebul , “Look , men are coming down from the tops of the hills .” But Zebul said to him, “You are seeing the shadows on the hills – it just looks like men .” 9:37 Gaal again said , “Look , men are coming down from the very center of the land . A unit is coming by way of the Oak Tree of the Diviners .” 9:38 Zebul said to him , “Where now are your bragging words , ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Are these not the men you insulted ? Go out now and fight them!” 9:39 So Gaal led the leaders of Shechem out and fought Abimelech . 9:40 Abimelech chased him, and Gaal ran from him. Many Shechemites fell wounded at the entrance of the gate . 9:41 Abimelech went back to Arumah ; Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem . 9:42 The next day the Shechemites came out to the field . When Abimelech heard about it , 9:43 he took his men and divided them into three units and set an ambush in the field . When he saw the people coming out of the city , he attacked and struck them down . 9:44 Abimelech and his units attacked and blocked the entrance to the city’s gate . Two units then attacked all the people in the field and struck them down. 9:45 Abimelech fought against the city all that day . He captured the city and killed all the people in it. Then he leveled the city and spread salt over it. 9:46 When all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem heard the news, they went to the stronghold of the temple of El-Berith . 9:47 Abimelech heard that all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem were in one place . 9:48 He and all his men went up on Mount Zalmon . He took an ax in his hand and cut off a tree branch . He put it on his shoulder and said to his men , “Quickly , do what you have just seen me do !” 9:49 So each of his men also cut off a branch and followed Abimelech . They put the branches against the stronghold and set fire to it . All the people of the Tower of Shechem died – about a thousand men and women . 9:50 Abimelech moved on to Thebez ; he besieged and captured it. 9:51 There was a fortified tower in the center of the city , so all the men and women , as well as the city’s leaders , ran into it and locked the entrance. Then they went up to the roof of the tower . 9:52 Abimelech came and attacked the tower . When he approached the entrance of the tower to set it on fire , 9:53 a woman threw an upper millstone down on his head and shattered his skull . 9:54 He quickly called to the young man who carried his weapons , “Draw your sword and kill me, so they will not say , ‘A woman killed him.’” So the young man stabbed him and he died . 9:55 When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead , they went home . 9:56 God repaid Abimelech for the evil he did to his father by murdering his seventy half-brothers . 9:57 God also repaid the men of Shechem for their evil deeds . The curse spoken by Jotham son of Jerub-Baal fell on them.

Pericope

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Bible Dictionary

  • Zebul

    [ebd] habitation, the governor of Shechem under Abimelech (Judg. 9:28, 30, 36). He informed his master of the intention of the people of Shechem to transfer their allegiance to the Hivite tribe of Hamor. This led to Abimelech's de...
    [isbe] ZEBUL - ze'-bul (zebhul, perhaps "exalted"; Zeboul): In Jdg 9:26 ff. He is called in 9:30 sar ha-`ir, "the ruler of the city," a phrase translated "the governor of the city" in 1 Ki 22:26 = 2 Ch 18:25; 2 Ki 23:8; 2 Ch 34:8; ...
    [smith] (habitation), chief man (Authorized Version "ruler") of the city of Shechem at the time of the contest between Abimelech and the native Canaanites. (Judges 9:28,30,36,41) (B.C. 1209.)
    [nave] ZEBUL, an officer of Abimelech, Judg. 9:28-41.

  • TOWER OF SHECHEM

    [isbe] TOWER OF SHECHEM - (mighdal shekhem): Mentioned only in Jdg 9:46-49. It seems along with the Beth-millo and the Beth-el-berith to have comprised the three strongest parts of the fortification when Abimelech besieged the town...

  • Shechem

    [ebd] shoulder. (1.) The son of Hamor the Hivite (Gen. 33:19; 34). (2.) A descendant of Manasseh (Num. 26:31; Josh. 17:2). (3.) A city in Samaria (Gen. 33:18), called also Sichem (12:6), Sychem (Acts 7:16). It stood in the narrow ...
    [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...

  • SALMON

    [ebd] shady; or Zalmon (q.v.), a hill covered with dark forests, south of Shechem, from which Abimelech and his men gathered wood to burn that city (Judg. 9:48). In Ps. 68:14 the change from war to peace is likened to snow on the ...
    [smith] a hill near Shechem, on which Abimelech and his followers cut down the boughs with which they set the tower of Shechem on fire. (Judges 9:48) Its exact position is not known. Referred to in (Psalms 68:14)

  • PALESTINE, 2

    [isbe] PALESTINE, 2 - III. Palestine in the Historic Books of the Old Testament. 1. Book of Joshua: Joshua is the great geographical book of the Old Testament; and the large majority of the 600 names of places, rivers and mountains...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • Gaal

    [ebd] loathing, the son of Ebed, in whom the Shechemites "placed their confidence" when they became discontented with Abimelech. He headed the revolution, and led out the men of Shechem against Abimelech; but was defeated, and fle...
    [isbe] GAAL - ga'-al (ga`al, "rejection," or "loathing"; according to Wellhausen, "beetle," HPN, 110): A man of whose antecedents nothing is known, except that his father's name was Ebed. He undertook to foment and lead a rebellion...
    [nave] GAAL, conspires against and is defeated by Abimelech, Judg. 9:26-41.

  • GATE

    [smith] The gate and gateways of eastern cities anciently held and still hold an important part, not only in the defence but in the public economy of the place. They are thus sometimes taken as representing the city itself. (Genesis ...

  • Field

    [ebd] (Heb. sadeh), a cultivated field, but unenclosed. It is applied to any cultivated ground or pasture (Gen. 29:2; 31:4; 34:7), or tillage (Gen. 37:7; 47:24). It is also applied to woodland (Ps. 132:6) or mountain top (Judg. 9:...

  • Entertain

    [ebd] Entertainments, "feasts," were sometimes connected with a public festival (Deut. 16:11, 14), and accompanied by offerings (1 Sam. 9:13), in token of alliances (Gen. 26:30); sometimes in connection with domestic or social eve...

  • Ebed

    [ebd] slave, the father of Gaal, in whom the men of Shechem "put confidence" in their conspiracy against Abimelech (Judg. 9:26, 26, 30, 31).
    [isbe] EBED - e'-bed (`ebhedh, "servant"): (1) Father of Gaal, who rebelled against Abimelech (Jdg 9:26-35). (2) A companion of Ezra in his return (Ezr 8:6) = Obeth (1 Esdras 8:32).
    [smith] (a servant). (Many MSS. have EBER.) Father of Gaal, who with his brethren assisted the men of Shechem in their revolt against Abimelech. (Judges 9:26,28,30,31,35) (B.C. 1206). Son of Jonathan; one of the Bene-Adin who return...
    [nave] EBED 1. Father of Gaal, Judg. 9:26-35. 2. A captive returned from Babylon, Ezra 8:6.

  • 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 ...

  • Captain

    [ebd] (1.) Heb. sar (1 Sam. 22:2; 2 Sam. 23:19). Rendered "chief," Gen. 40:2; 41:9; rendered also "prince," Dan. 1:7; "ruler," Judg. 9:30; "governor,' 1 Kings 22:26. This same Hebrew word denotes a military captain (Ex. 18:21; 2 K...

  • CITY

    [ebd] The earliest mention of city-building is that of Enoch, which was built by Cain (Gen. 4:17). After the confusion of tongues, the descendants of Nimrod founded several cities (10:10-12). Next, we have a record of the cities o...
    [isbe] CITY - sit'-i (`ir, qiryah; polis): I. THE CANAANITE CITY 1. Origin 2. Extent 3. Villages 4. Sites 5. External Appearance 6. General II. THE CITY OF THE JEWISH OCCUPATION 1. Tower or Stronghold 2. High Place 3. Broad Place 4...

  • BRANCH ;BOUGH

    [isbe] BRANCH ;BOUGH - bransh: Represented by very many words in the Hebrew. (1) zemorah used especially of a vine branch. The spies "cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes" (Nu 13:23). See also Ezek 15:2; Nah 2:2...

  • Axe

    [ebd] used in the Authorized Version of Deut. 19:5; 20:19; 1 Kings 6:7, as the translation of a Hebrew word which means "chopping." It was used for felling trees (Isa. 10:34) and hewing timber for building. It is the rendering of ...

  • Armour-bearer

    [ebd] an officer selected by kings and generals because of his bravery, not only to bear their armour, but also to stand by them in the time of danger. They were the adjutants of our modern armies (Judg. 9:54; 1 Sam. 14:7; 16:21; ...

  • 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.

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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • 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...
  • 4:1-3 As long as Ehud lived he kept Israel faithful to God (v. 1). However after he died, God's people again turned from the Lord. In discipline God allowed the Canaanites in the North to gain strength and dominate the Israel...
  • 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 ...
  • After Gideon's death the Israelites again wandered from the Lord (cf. 3:7, 12; 4:1; 6:1; 10:6; 13:1). They even made a covenant with Baal in disobedience to God's law. "Baal-berith"(v. 33) means "Baal of the covenant."Ironica...
  • 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 ...
  • Abimelech's rule over Israel appears to have been very small in scope as well as short in duration. He was only the ruler of Shechem and its surrounding territory. He evidently lived in Arumah about five miles to the southeas...
  • Abimelech suffered an ignominious death suitable to a man of his character. Thebez (v. 50) was probably another name for Tirzah northeast of Shechem.204The upper millstone the woman threw down on Abimelech was probably about ...
  • 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...
  • Verses 29-36a give an overview of the battle, and 36b-48 provide a more detailed explanation.Israel's strategy was similar to what God had specified against Ai (Josh. 8:1-29) and what Abimelech used against Shechem (9:33-44)....
  • 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...
  • David compounded his sin by trying to cover it up rather than confessing it. He tried three cover-ups: a "clean"one (vv. 6-11), a "dirty"one (vv. 12-13), and a "criminal"one (vv. 14-17).178David's suggestion that Uriah go hom...
  • 68:7-10 The Canaanites also credited Baal with lightning, thunder, rain, and earthquakes. However Yahweh sent these to confirm His presence among His people in their wilderness wanderings and to provide for them. In the Penta...
  • This oracle is similar to the one in Isaiah 15 and 16.555Other oracles against Moab appear in Ezekiel 25:8-11, Amos 2:1-3, and Zephaniah 2:9, but this is the longest one. It is very difficult to say when Jeremiah gave this or...
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