8:33 After Gideon died, the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They made Baal-Berith 4 their god. 8:34 The Israelites did not remain true 5 to the Lord their God, who had delivered them from all the enemies who lived around them. 8:35 They did not treat 6 the family of Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) fairly in return for all the good he had done for Israel.
9:1 Now Abimelech son of Jerub-Baal went to Shechem to see his mother’s relatives. 7 He said to them and to his mother’s entire extended family, 8 9:2 “Tell 9 all the leaders of Shechem this: ‘Why would you want 10 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.’” 11 9:3 His mother’s relatives 12 spoke on his behalf to 13 all the leaders of Shechem and reported his proposal. 14 The leaders were drawn to Abimelech; 15 they said, “He is our close relative.” 16 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 17 men as his followers. 18
1 sn A concubine was a slave woman in ancient Near Eastern societies who was the legal property of her master, but who could have legitimate sexual relations with her master. A concubine’s status was more elevated than a mere servant, but she was not free and did not have the legal rights of a free wife. The children of a concubine could, in some instances, become equal heirs with the children of the free wife. After the period of the Judges concubines may have become more of a royal prerogative (2 Sam 21:10-14; 1 Kgs 11:3).
2 sn The name Abimelech means “my father is king.”
3 tn Heb “good.”
5 sn Baal-Berith was a local manifestation of the Canaanite storm god. The name means, ironically, “Baal of the covenant.” Israel’s covenant allegiance had indeed shifted.
7 tn Heb “remember.”
9 tn Heb “did not do loyalty with,” or “did not act faithfully toward.”
11 tn Heb “brothers.”
12 tn Heb “to all the extended family of the house of the father of his mother.”
13 tn Heb “Speak into the ears of.”
14 tn Heb “What good is it to you?”
15 tn Heb “your bone and your flesh.”
15 tn Heb “brothers.”
16 tn Heb “into the ears of.”
17 tn Heb “and all these words.”
18 tn Heb “Their heart was inclined after Abimelech.”
19 tn Heb “our brother.”
17 tn Heb “empty and reckless.”
18 tn Heb “and they followed him.”