INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 9
This chapter contains an account of the craft and cruelty of
Abimelech, by which he got himself made king of the Shechemites,
Judges 9:1 of the parable of Jotham, the youngest son of Gideon,
concerning the trees, in which he exposes their folly in making
Abimelech king, and... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ABIMELECH THE SON OF JERUBBAAL WENT TO SHECHEM, UNTO HIS MOTHER'S
BRETHREN,.... It seems that though the mother of Abimelech lived at
Shechem, he was taken and brought up in his father's house at Ophrah,
where he was when he died; and from hence he came to Shechem, to pay a
visit to his uncles t... [ Continue Reading ]
SPEAK, I PRAY YOU, IN THE EARS OF ALL THE MEN OF SHECHEM,.... Which,
though the Targum calls the inhabitants of the place, Ben Melech
better interprets it the lords of Shechem, as the phrase will bear to
be rendered; for it is more likely he would have this first whispered
and suggested to the princ... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HIS MOTHER'S BRETHREN SPAKE OF HIM IN THE EARS OF THE MEN OF
SHECHEM ALL THESE WORDS,.... Got them together in some certain place,
and laid before them all that Abimelech had suggested to them, and
spake in his favour to them:
AND THEIR HEARTS INCLINED TO FOLLOW ABIMELECH, FOR THEY SAID, HE IS... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY GAVE HIM SEVENTY PIECES OF SILVER OUT OF THE HOUSE OF
BAALBIRITH,.... The temple of their idol; of this name
Judges 8:33, out of the money which had been dedicated to his service
by freewill offering, or out of a bank which they deposited there for
greater safety, and perhaps out of a supe... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE WENT TO HIS FATHER'S HOUSE AT OPHRAH,.... Which, according to
Bunting a, was ten miles from Shechem:
AND SLEW HIS BRETHREN THE SONS OF JERUBBAAL, BEING SEVENTY PERSONS,
UPON ONE STONE: in which he was assisted by the ruffians he had hired
with seventy pieces of silver; these were laid one af... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ALL THE MEN OF SHECHEM GATHERED TOGETHER,.... Upon the return of
Abimelech, after he with his banditti had committed the execrable
murder of his brethren:
AND ALL THE HOUSE OF MILLO; which was either the men of a place near
to Shechem, or of his brother's family, or of some grand leading
family... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THEY TOLD IT TO JOTHAM,.... Or when it was told him that
Abimelech was made king in Shechem by some of his friends:
HE WENT AND STOOD IN THE TOP OF MOUNT GERIZIM; a mount near Shechem;
it hung over the city, as Josephus says c, and so a very proper place
to stand on and deliver a speech fr... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TREES WENT FORTH ON A TIME TO ANOINT A KING OVER THEM,.... This is
an apologue or fable, and a very fine and beautiful one; it is fitly
expressed to answer the design, and the most ancient of the kind,
being made seven hundred years before the times of Aesop, so famous
for his fables, and exceed... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE OLIVE TREE SAID UNTO THEM,.... In reply to the request of the
trees:
SHOULD I LEAVE MY FATNESS, WHEREWITH BY ME THEY HONOUR GOD AND MAN; by
"fatness" oil is meant, pressed out of the fruit of the olive tree,
and which was much made use of both in the burning of the lamps in the
tabernacle,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE TREES SAID TO THE FIG TREE,.... Another useful and fruit
bearing tree, and to which also good men are sometimes compared, see
Song of Solomon 2:13,
COME THOU, AND REIGN OVER US: which Jarchi applies to Deborah, but may
be better applied to one of Gideon's sons, who, though they had not a
pe... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE FIG TREE SAID UNTO THEM,.... Rejecting the offer made:
SHOULD I FORSAKE MY SWEETNESS AND MY GOOD FRUIT; for such the fruit of
the fig tree is, sweet and good: so Julian d the emperor shows from
various authors, Aristophanes, Herodotus, and Homer, that nothing is
sweeter than figs, excepting... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID THE TREES UNTO THE VINE,.... Another emblem of good and
useful men; and it may be observed, that Jotham takes no notice of any
trees but fruitful ones till he comes to the bramble, and them only
such as were well known, and of the greatest use, in the land of
Judea, as olives, figs, and vi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE VINE SAID UNTO THEM,.... By way of denial and refusal, as the
other two:
SHALL I LEAVE MY WINE, WHICH CHEERETH GOD AND MAN; which being used in
the drink offerings was acceptable to God, and of a sweet savour to
him, Numbers 15:7 and being drank by than, revives, refreshes, and
makes glad,... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID ALL THE TREES UNTO THE BRAMBLE,.... Perceiving they could
not prevail upon any of the useful and fruitful trees to take the
government of them, they unite in a request to a bramble, scarce to be
called a tree, and however a very barren and fruitless one, yea,
hurtful and distressing:
COME... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE BRAMBLE SAID UNTO THE TREES,.... Accepting of their offer at
once:
IF YE IN TRUST ANOINT ME KING OVER YOU; suspecting they were not
hearty and cordial in their choice and call to the kingly authority
over them:
THEN COME AND PUT YOUR TRUST IN MY SHADOW; promising protection to
them as his... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THEREFORE, IF YE HAVE DONE TRULY AND SINCERELY, IN THAT YE HAVE
MADE ABIMELECH KING,.... If they had done this conscientiously, and in
the uprightness of their hearts, to take such a base man, and a
murderer, and make him their king, which Jotham doubted, and put it in
this manner to them, that... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR MY FATHER FOUGHT FOR YOU,.... In the valley of Jezreel, and at
Karkor, where with three hundred men he routed and destroyed an army
of 135,000:
AND ADVENTURED HIS LIFE FAR: which, according to our version, may seem
to have respect to his going over Jordan, and following the
Midianites, fleeing... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YE ARE RISEN UP AGAINST MY FATHER'S HOUSE THIS DAY,.... Which was
an instance of great ingratitude in them, after such services done for
them, and favours received by them:
AND HAVE SLAIN HIS SONS, SEVENTY PERSONS ON ONE STONE; excepting one,
himself, and he was intentionally slain, their desig... [ Continue Reading ]
IF YE THEN HAVE DEALT TRULY AND SINCERELY WITH JERUBBAAL AND HIS HOUSE
THIS DAY,.... If they could in their consciences think and believe
they had done well, and acted the faithful and upright part by him and
his family, which he left with them to consider of:
THEN REJOICE YE IN ABIMELECH, AND LET... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF NOT,.... If it appeared that they had not acted uprightly and
sincerely in this matter:
LET FIRE COME OUT OF ABIMELECH, AND DEVOUR THE MEN OF SHECHEM, AND THE
HOUSE OF MILLO; let wrath, rage, and fury, break out from Abimelech
like fire, and issue in the destruction of those that made him ki... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JOTHAM RAN AWAY, AND FLED,.... Having delivered his fable, and the
application of it, he made his escape, having the advantage of being
on the top of a mountain, at some distance from the people, and
perhaps they might not be inclined to do him any harm:
AND WENT TO BEER; which some take to be... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN ABIMELECH HAD REIGNED THREE YEARS OVER ISRAEL. The people in
general consenting to what the men of Shechem had done, at least not
opposing it, all being desirous of a king, and therefore put up with a
mean person, rather than have none; though it is amazing they should,
and that they had not ro... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN GOD SENT AN EVIL SPIRIT BETWEEN ABIMELECH AND THE MEN OF
SHECHEM,.... Permitted, yea, gave a commission to Satan, the evil
spirit, to go among them, who stirred up suspicions, jealousies,
hatred, and ill will to one another, and sowed the seeds of discord
and contention among them; or God gave... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THE CRUELTY DONE TO THE SEVENTY SONS OF JERUBBAAL MIGHT COME,....
That vengeance might come on the authors of it; so things were ordered
in Providence that this might come to pass:
AND THEIR BLOOD BE LAID UPON ABIMELECH THEIR BROTHER, WHICH SLEW THEM;
be charged to his account, and he suffer f... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE MEN OF SHECHEM SET LIERS IN WAIT FOR HIM IN THE TOP OF THE
MOUNTAINS,.... Of Ebal and Gerizim, which were near Shechem, by the
way of which he passed when he came to that city, and these they set
there, either to slay him, or to seize his person, and bring him to
them:
AND THEY ROBBED ALL T... [ Continue Reading ]
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 thinks
he was a Gentile, and it looks, by some speeches of his afterwards, as
if he was a descendant... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 27 AND THEY WENT INTO THE FIELDS, AND GATHERED THEIR
VINEYARDS,.... Before they kept within the city, and durst not stir
out to gather in the vintage, the time being come, for fear of the
troops of Abimelech; for their lying in wait for him, and the
robberies committed being made known to him,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND GAAL THE SON OF EBED SAID,.... As they were then making merry,
drinking and carousing:
WHO IS ABIMELECH, AND WHO IS SHECHEM, THAT WE SHOULD SERVE HIM? who is
this Abimelech the Shechemite? or who is he more than Shechem, the old
prince of this place, long ago dispossessed of it? the one is no
b... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WOULD TO GOD THIS PEOPLE WERE UNDER MY HAND,.... Or government,
that I were but the ruler of their city, and general of their forces:
THEN WOULD I REMOVE ABIMELECH; from his kingly office, and rid Shechem
of him, and all the country round about, and indeed remove him out of
the world:
AND HE S... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN ZEBUL THE RULER OF THE CITY,.... Whom Abimelech had placed
there under him: heard
THE WORDS OF GAAL THE SON OF EBED, HIS ANGER WAS KINDLED; because he
spoke slightly of him, and wished to have his place; perhaps before
Zebul was inclined to be on the side of the Shechemites against
Abimele... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SENT MESSENGERS UNTO ABIMELECH PRIVILY,.... In a secret manner,
unknown to Gaal and the men of Shechem; or "craftily", as Jarchi and
Kimchi interpret it, still dissembling, notwithstanding his anger, to
be in the interest of Gaal, and the men of Shechem, as appears indeed
afterwards by a show... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THEREFORE UP BY NIGHT,.... The night following, that no time might
be lost:
AND THE PEOPLE THAT IS WITH THEE; the troops he had with him; not only
such he had for his own guards, but what he had been raising, having
intelligence before this of the revolt of the Shechemites from him:
AND LIE IN... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL BE, THAT IN THE MORNING, AS SOON AS THE SUN IS UP, THOU
SHALT RISE EARLY, AND SET UPON THE CITY,.... For being with his forces
advanced near to it by a march in the night, he would be able by
sunrising to attack the city before the inhabitants were up to defend
it, and so surprise them:... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ABIMELECH ROSE UP, AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WERE WITH HIM, BY
NIGHT,.... According to the advice of Zebul:
AND THEY LAID WAIT AGAINST SHECHEM IN FOUR COMPANIES; he divided his
army into four parts, which he placed on the four sides of the city,
at some distance from it, to act as they should hav... [ Continue Reading ]
AND GAUL THE SON OR EBED WENT OUT,.... He rose up early that morning,
being a man of vigilance and activity, and perhaps had some
intelligence of the preparations of Abimelech, his design against the
city, though he did not expect he was so near at hand:
AND STOOD IN THE ENTERING OF THE GATE OF THE... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN GAAL SAW THE PEOPLE, HE SAID TO ZEBUL,.... Who was up as
early, and came to the gate of the city, to see how things went, and
whether there was any appearance of Abimelech and his forces, and
whether any opportunity offered to let him into the city; and it seems
as if he came and stood by G... [ Continue Reading ]
AND GAAL SPAKE AGAIN, AND SAID,.... Looking towards the mountains, and
taking another view of what he before saw, for further satisfaction:
SEE, THERE COME PEOPLE DOWN BY THE MIDDLE OF THE LAND; either in the
valley between the two mountains; or rather those he first saw on the
top of the mountains... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID ZEBUL UNTO HIM,.... Not being able to put him off any
longer, and willing to take the opportunity to upbraid him with what
he had said:
WHERE IS NOW THY MOUTH, [WHEREWITH] THOU SAIDST, WHO IS ABIMELECH,
THAT WE SHOULD SERVE HIM? darest thou say the same thou hast done, and
utter the conte... [ Continue Reading ]
AND GAAL WENT OUT BEFORE THE MEN OF SHECHEM,.... At the head of them,
to meet Abimelech, having gathered together as many, and put them in
as good order, as he could, and the time would admit of:
AND FOUGHT WITH ABIMELECH; without the city.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ABIMELECH CHASED HIM, AND HE FLED BEFORE HIM,.... Abimelech got
the better of him in the battle, and obliged him to give way, and he
pursued him closely as he was fleeing:
AND MANY WERE OVERTHROWN AND WOUNDED, EVEN UNTO THE ENTERING OF THE
GATE; or, "they fell many wounded" k, or slain, as the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ABIMELECH DWELT AT ARUMAH,.... Called also Aarima as Jerom l says,
and in his time called Remphtis; it seems to be not far off from
Shechem, he returned to the place where he was before, see Judges 9:31
contenting himself with the advantage he had got, and waiting when
another opportunity would... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS ON THE MORROW,.... The day after the battle:
THAT THE PEOPLE WENT OUT INTO THE FIELD; some think to fight, and try
the event of another battle, in order to be freed from Abimelech, but
that seems not so likely: rather to finish their vintage, as Josephus
l, or to till their grou... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE TOOK THE PEOPLE,.... That is, the forces he had with him at
Arumah:
AND DIVIDED THEM INTO THREE COMPANIES: each having a separate leader,
and the command of one of them he had himself:
AND LAID WAIT IN THE FIELD; in the field of Shechem, one company in
one part, and one in another part of t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ABIMELECH, AND THE COMPANY THAT WAS WITH HIM,.... Which he had the
particular command of; or "the heads" m, for in the company with him,
as Kimchi observes, were great men; and so the Septuagint renders it,
the princes that were with him:
RUSHED FORWARD, AND STOOD IN THE ENTERING OF THE GATE OF... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ABIMELECH FOUGHT AGAINST THE CITY ALL THAT DAY,.... By throwing
stones or arrows into it:
AND HE TOOK THE CITY; it was surrendered to him, not being able to
stand out against his forces:
AND SLEW THE PEOPLE THAT WAS THEREIN; all but those that were of his
own family and his friends; all that h... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN ALL THE MEN OF THE TOWER OF SHECHEM HEARD THAT,.... That the
city of Shechem was taken, the inhabitants of it slain, the city
beaten down, and sowed with salt; by which it appears that this tower
was not within the city, for then the men of it would have seen what
was done, and not be said... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT WAS TOLD ABIMELECH,.... Who had his spies about, and
particularly to observe the motions of the men in this tower:
THAT ALL THE MEN OF THE TOWER OF SHECHEM WERE GATHERED TOGETHER; in
the hold of the temple of Baalberith.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ABIMELECH GOT HIM UP TO MOUNT ZALMON,.... A mountain near Shechem,
and thought to be the same with Salmon in Psalms 68:14 which seems to
have had its name from the shade of the trees which grew upon it:
HE AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WERE WITH HIM; his whole army:
AND ABIMELECH TOOK AN AXE IN HIS... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ALL THE PEOPLE LIKEWISE CUT DOWN EVERY MAN HIS BOUGH, AND FOLLOWED
ABIMELECH,.... With their boughs on their shoulders, so that they were
men that seemed to be as trees walking:
AND PUT THEM TO THE HOLD, AND SET THE HOLD ON FIRE UPON THEM; upon the
men in it, or with them, the boughs of trees;... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN WENT ABIMELECH TO THEBEZ,.... Which, according to Ben Gersom, had
rebelled against him; it was near to Shechem. Adrichomius says p, the
ruins, where he thinks stood the city of Thebez, were but one furlong
from Neapolis or Shechem, where, to the left of Jacob's well, were to
be seen ruins of a... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THERE WAS A STRONG TOWER WITHIN THE CITY,.... The tower of Shechem
was without the city, but this within, as towers generally are:
AND HITHER FLED ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN, AND ALL THEY OF THE CITY; men,
women, and children, man and maid servants, all the inhabitants of the
city; the tower being a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ABIMELECH CAME UNTO THE TOWER,.... With his army to besiege it:
AND FOUGHT AGAINST IT; using all the methods he could to oblige those
in it to surrender:
AND WENT HARD UNTO THE DOOR OF THE TOWER TO BURN IT WITH FIRE; in
order to get entrance into it; and perhaps the tower was built of
stone, s... [ Continue Reading ]
AND A CERTAIN WOMAN CAST A PIECE OF A MILLSTONE,.... Of the upper
millstone, as the word signifies, which is observed by Jarchi and
other Jewish commentators; this with other stones being carried up to
the top of the tower, to do what execution they could with them: and a
woman observing Abimelech m... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN HE CALLED HASTILY TO THE YOUNG MAN HIS ARMOURBEARER,....
Perceiving it was a mortal blow that was given him, and he should soon
expire; and that the cast of the stone was by the hand of a woman, and
therefore he was in haste to have the young man come to him:
AND SAID UNTO HIM, DRAW THY SWORD... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THE MEN OF ISRAEL SAW THAT ABIMELECH WAS DEAD,.... That is,
those that were with him, the men of his army, who were all
Israelites:
THEY DEPARTED EVERY MAN TO HIS PLACE; disbanded themselves, and went
everyone to their own home, and so the inhabitants of Thebez escaped
the vengeance of Abi... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS GOD RENDERED THE WICKEDNESS OF ABIMELECH WHICH HE DID UNTO HIS
FATHER,.... To the disgrace of his father's character, and to the hurt
of his father's family:
IN SLAYING HIS SEVENTY BRETHREN; excepting one, which was a piece of
unheard of wickedness, attended with most sad aggravations; the
she... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ALL THE EVIL OF THE MEN OF SHECHEM,.... In aiding Abimelech to
slay his brethren, and in making him king after so foul a fact
committed:
DID GOD RENDER UPON THEIR HEADS; by suffering Abimelech to beat down
their city, and destroy the inhabitants of it, and by burning the hold
in which the men o... [ Continue Reading ]