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Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

Judges 9:26

Gaal the son of Ebed. — We are not told any further who he was; but the context leads us to infer that he was one of these freebooters, and probably belonged to the Canaanite population. His “brethren” may have formed the nucleus of a marauding band. Josephus says he was “a certain chief, with his soldiers and kinsmen.” For Ebed some MSS. and versions read Eber, and some Jobel. “Gaal Ben-Ebed” (“loathing son of a slave “) sounds like some contemptuous distortion of his real name.

Went over to Shechem. — Possibly he had been practising brigandage on the other side of the Jordan.

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See also Judges 9:26 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 26. _GAAL THE SON OF EBED_] Of this person we know no more than is here told. He was probably one of the descendants of the Canaanites, who hoped from the state of the public mind, and their dis...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    It does not appear who Gaal, son of Ebed, was; he may have been an officer sent by Abimelech with a force to bring the men of Shechem back to their allegiance, but who tried to turn the rebellion to h...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 9 ABIMELECH THE KING AND HIS WICKEDNESS _ 1. The murder of Gideon's sons (Judges 9:1)_ 2. Jotham's parable (Judges 9:7) 3. Scenes of strife and destruction of Shechem (Judges 9:22) 4. Abim...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    THE SEDITION OF THE SHECHEMITES. The statement that Abimelech was prince over Israel is an exaggeration, and the chronological note is probably by R. Judges 9:23. The Shechemites soon tired of the gov...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _Gaal stirs up the Shechemites: Abimelech defeats them_ 26 _.Gaal the son of Ebed_ i.e. _of a slave_; but pronounce throughout _Obed_, with LXX. cod. B (Ιωβηλ for Ιωβηδ) and Vulgate; a common name. Ga...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    AND GAAL THE SON OF EBED— It is very uncertain who this man was. It has been rationally conjectured by some, that he was a Gentile, and desirous to see the authority of the Canaanites restored. His wh...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _The Conspiracy of Gaal Judges 9:22-49_ 22 When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel, 23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt tr...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND GAAL THE SON OF EBED CAME WITH HIS BRETHREN, AND WENT OVER TO SHECHEM: AND THE MEN OF SHECHEM PUT THEIR CONFIDENCE IN HIM._ Gaal ... came with his brethren ... and the men of Shechem put their c...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    Gaal is introduced quite abruptly; Judges 9:26 are really in parenthesis: the main narrative is continued at Judges 9:42. EBED means 'slave'; probably the name was Obed, 'servant' (of God)....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE STORY OF ABIMELECH This chapter breaks the regular order of the book, since Abimelech is not thought of as a judge, and the Canaanites are not here regarded as oppressors. The story, however, thr...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    LIFE WITHOUT LAW JUDGES _PHILIP SMITH_ CHAPTER 9 V1 Abimelech, Jerubbaal’s son, went to his mother’s brothers in Shechem. He spoke to them and he spoke to all his mother’s *tribe. V2 ‘Ask all the...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יָּבֹ֞א גַּ֤עַל בֶּן ־עֶ֨בֶד֙ וְ אֶחָ֔יו

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE KINDLING FIRE Judges 9:22 Although this is a sordid story, it is set out at length to teach us that _God's_ judgments upon sin are not reserved for some future date, but are continually being adm...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The closing statement of the previous chapter constitutes the introduction to this. The words, "As soon as Gideon was dead" and the declaration that then the people returned to evil courses reveal, fi...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    Abimelech ruled over Israel for three years and, though he was wicked, is considered to be the next judge. After that time, God caused a spirit of ill will to arise between the men of Shechem and Abim...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    One general observation runs through the whole of this history, and meets the Reader in every part of it: namely, that God's judgments, sooner or later, overtake the sinner. The Shechemites are first...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    My object being no more than a sketch, as most of you know, I desire to say but a few words on such of the Chapter s as bear a similar character to that which has been already pointed out in the early...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 9, 10, 11, AND 12. After Gideon's death we see the results of this distance from God in the internal struggles which took place between the children of Israel...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND GAAL THE SON OR EBED CAME WITH HIS BRETHREN, AND WENT OVER TO SHECHEM,.... Who this Gaal was, and who his brethren, and from whence he came, and the place he went over, are all uncertain. Jarchi t...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him. Ver. 26. _And Gaal the son of Ebed._] This thrasonical fellow, no less a...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Gaal_ It is not known who he was; but it is evident he was a man very considerable for wealth, and strength, and interest, and that he was ill pleased with Abimelech's power. _Went to Shechem_ By his...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Abimelech by conspiracie with the Shechemites, and murder of his brethren, is made King. 7 Iotham by a parable rebuketh them and foretelleth their ruine. 22 Gaal conspireth with the Shechemites ag...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And Gaal, the son of Ebed, came with his brethren, apparently the leader of a roving band, AND WENT OVER TO SHECHEM; AND THE MEN OF SHECHEM PUT THEIR CONFIDENCE IN HIM, believing him to be the very ma...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE DEFEAT OF GAAL...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    ABIMELECH'SCONSPIRACY (vv. 1-6). Abimelech did not only forget his father's example, but deliberately chose a contrary path of proud self-pleasing. He wanted to rule over Israel and recognized that...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    22-29 Abimelech is seated in the throne his father refused. But how long does this glory last? Stay but three years, and see the bramble withered and burned. The prosperity of the wicked is short and...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    It is not known who or of what tribe GAAL was; but it is evident that he was a man very considerable for wealth, and strength, and counsel, and interest, and ill-pleased with Abimelech's power. WENT O...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Judges 9:26 Gaal H1603 son H1121 Ebed H5651 came H935 (H8799) brothers H251 over H5674 (H8799) Shechem...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘ And Gaal, the son of Ebed, came with his brothers, and went over to Shechem, and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.' Many of the chief men of Shechem were now aware that Abimelech was p...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Conspiracy of Abimelech. CHARACTERS: God, Abimelech, Jerubbaal, Jocham, Gaal, Zebul. CONCLUSION: Evil pursues sinners and sometimes overtakes them when they are apparently triumphant. The...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Judges 9:4. _Baal-berith._ Berith signifies a covenant, which those bad people had made with Baal. The Greeks had their ζευς ορκιος, their Jupiter, or their Baal, to which they made vows. Judges 9:5....

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JUDGES—NOTE ON JUDGES 9:22 The Shechemites, who had made Abimelech their king (vv. Judges 9:1), eventually rebelled against him (vv....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CHAPTER 9 _ABIMELECH’S TRAGIC BUT BRIEF HISTORY_ (Judges 9:22.) CRITICAL NOTES.— JUDGES 9:22. HAD REIGNED] ruled by _force_ rather than by _natural right_, implying a hard, as opposed to a mild, rul...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JUDGES 9:22 HAD REIGNED. The Hebrew word here used is quite a different one from that in Judges 9:8, Judges 9:10,...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now here's what happened. After the death of Gideon, this Abimelech who was the son of his concubine in Shechem. Now you know, they used to say of the sailors "a girl in every port." Well, Gideon had...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Genesis 13:8; Genesis 19:7...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Gaal — It is not known who he was; but it is evident, he was a man very considerable for wealth, and strength and interest; and ill — pleased with Abimelech's power. Went to Shechem — By his presence...

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