Discovery BoxJudges 8:31--9:4
Context8:31 His concubine, 1 who lived in Shechem, also gave him a son, whom he named Abimelech. 2 8:32 Gideon son of Joash died at a very 3 old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash located in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
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
[8:31] 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).
[8:31] 2 sn The name Abimelech means “my father is king.”
[8:33] 4 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.
[8:35] 6 tn Heb “did not do loyalty with,” or “did not act faithfully toward.”
[9:1] 8 tn Heb “to all the extended family of the house of the father of his mother.”
[9:2] 9 tn Heb “Speak into the ears of.”
[9:2] 10 tn Heb “What good is it to you?”
[9:2] 11 tn Heb “your bone and your flesh.”
[9:3] 13 tn Heb “into the ears of.”
[9:3] 14 tn Heb “and all these words.”
[9:3] 15 tn Heb “Their heart was inclined after Abimelech.”
[9:3] 16 tn Heb “our brother.”
