VW-Edition Bible (2010)

1Then Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem, to his mother's brothers, and spoke with them and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying, 2Please speak in the ears of all the lords of Shechem: Which is better for you, for all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal to rule over you, or for one to rule over you? Remember that I am your own flesh and bone. 3And his mother's brothers spoke all these words concerning him in the ears of all the lords of Shechem; and their heart was inclined after Abimelech, for they said, He is our brother. 4And they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the house of Baal-Berith, with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men, who went after him.  5And he went to his father's house at Ophrah and killed his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, because he had hidden himself. 6And all the lords of Shechem gathered together, all the house of Millo, and they went and made Abimelech king beside the terebinth tree that was situated at Shechem. 7Now when they told Jotham, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted his voice and cried out. And he said to them: Listen to me, you lords of Shechem, that God may listen to you! 8The trees once went forth to anoint a king over them. And they said to the olive tree, Reign over us! 9But the olive tree said to them, Should I cease from my fatness, with which they honor God and men, and go to sway over the trees? 10Then the trees said to the fig tree, You come and reign over us! 11But the fig tree said to them, Should I cease my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to sway over the trees? 12Then the trees said to the vine, You come and reign over us! 13But the vine said to them, Should I cease my new wine, which cheers both God and men, and go to sway over the trees? 14Then all the trees said to the bramble, You come and reign over us! 15And the bramble said to the trees, If in truth you anoint me as king over you, then come and seek refuge in my shade; but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon! 16Now therefore, if you have acted in truth and sincerity in making Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him according to the dealings of his hands; 17for my father fought for you, cast aside his own soul, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian; 18but you have risen up against my father's house this day, and killed his seventy sons on one stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the lords of Shechem, because he is your brother; 19if then you have dealt in truth and integrity towards Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you. 20But if not, let fire come from Abimelech and devour the lords of Shechem and the house of Millo; and let fire come from the lords of Shechem and from the house of Millo and devour Abimelech! 21And Jotham fled and escaped; and he went to Beer and dwelt there, away from the face of Abimelech his brother. 22After Abimelech had reigned over Israel three years, 23God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the lords of Shechem; and the lords of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, 24that the wrong done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might be settled and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and upon the lords of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. 25And the lords of Shechem set an ambush against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who passed by them along that way; and it was reported to Abimelech. 26Now Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers and went over to Shechem; and the lords of Shechem trusted him. 27And they went out into the fields, and gathered grapes from their vineyards and trod them, and rejoiced. And they went into the house of their god, and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech. 28And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? 29Would therefore that this people were given into my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech. So he said to Abimelech, Increase your army and come out! 30And when Zebul, the ruler of the city, heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger burned. 31And he sent messengers to Abimelech deceitfully, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem; and behold, they are fortifying the city against you. 32Now therefore, rise up by night, you and the people with you, and lie in wait in the field. 33And it shall be in the morning as the sun rises, that you shall rise up early and rush upon the city; and when he and the people with him come out against you, you shall do to them as your hand shall find to do. 34So Abimelech and all the people with him rose by night, and lay in wait against Shechem in four companies. 35When Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance to the city gate, Abimelech and the people with him rose up from the ambush. 36And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains! But Zebul said to him, You are seeing the shadows of the mountains as if they were men. 37And Gaal spoke again and said, Behold, people are coming down from the midst of the land, and another company is coming from the plain by way of the fortunetellers. 38Then Zebul said to him, Where indeed is your mouth now, with which you said, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? Are not these the people whom you have despised? Go out now and fight with them. 39So Gaal went out before the lords of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. 40And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him; and many fell wounded, to the entrance of the gate. 41Then Abimelech dwelt at Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers, so as to not dwell in Shechem. 42And it came about on the next day that the people went out into the field, and they reported to Abimelech. 43And he took his people, divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the field, watching. And behold, the people were coming out of the city; and he rose up against them and struck them. 44And Abimelech and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city; and the other two companies rushed upon all who were in the fields and struck them. 45And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; he took the city and killed the people who were in it; and he broke down the city and sowed it with salt. 46And when all the lords of the tower of Shechem heard it, they entered the underground chambers of the house of the god Berith. 47And it was reported to Abimelech that all the lords of the tower of Shechem had gathered together. 48And Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people with him. And Abimelech took an ax in his hand and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it and laid it on his shoulder; then he said to the people with him, What you have seen me do, make haste and do as I have done. 49So each of the people likewise cut down his own bough and followed Abimelech, put them against the stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire over them, so that all the people of the tower of Shechem died, about a thousand men and women. 50Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and he encamped against Thebez and took it. 51But there was a strong tower in the middle of the city, and all the men and women, all the lords of the city, fled there and shut themselves in; and they went up to the top of the tower. 52So Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it; and he drew near the door of the tower to burn it with fire. 53And a certain woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech's head and crushed his skull. 54And he called quickly to the young man, his armorbearer, and said to him, Draw your sword and kill me, that they not say of me, A woman killed him. So his young man thrust him through, and he died. 55And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed, every man to his place. 56Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father by killing his seventy brothers. 57And all the evil of the men of Shechem God returned upon their own heads, and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.


Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
 1   Judg 9:1 Abimelech by conspiracy with the Shechemites, and murder of his brethren, is made king.
Judg 9:7 Jotham by a parable rebukes them, and foretells their ruin.
Judg 9:22 Gaal conspires with the Shechemites against him.
Judg 9:30 Zebul reveals it.
Judg 9:34 Abimelech overcomes them, and sows the city with salt.
Judg 9:46 He burns the hold of the god Berith.
Judg 9:50 At Thebez he is slain by a piece of a millstone.
Judg 9:56 Jotham's curse if fulfilled.
Abimelech.
Judg 8:31
Shechem.
Gen 33:18 Gen 34:2 1Kgs 12:1
communed.
2Sam 15:6 1Kgs 12:3 1Kgs 12:20 Ps 83:2 - Ps 83:4 Jer 18:18

 2   Whether, etc. Heb. What is good? whether, etc. threescore.
Judg 8:30
your bone.
Gen 29:14 2Sam 19:13 1Chr 11:1 Eph 5:30 Heb 2:14

 3   spake.
Ps 10:3 Pro 1:11 - Pro 1:14
to follow. Heb. after. our brother.
Gen 29:15

 4   house.
Judg 9:46 - Judg 9:49 Judg 8:33
vain, etc. Anashim raikim oophochozim, "worthless and dissolute men;" persons who were living on the public, and had nothing to lose. Such was the foundation of his Babel government. By a cunning management of such unprincipled men most revolutions are brought about.
Judg 11:3 1Sam 22:2 2Chr 13:7 Job 30:8 Pro 12:11 Acts 17:5

 5   at Ophrah.
Judg 6:24
slew.
2Kgs 10:17 2Kgs 11:1 2Kgs 11:2 2Chr 21:4 Matt 2:16 Matt 2:20

 6   the house.
2Sam 5:9 2Kgs 12:20
Millo. Probably the name of a person of note in Shechem.
plain. or, oak.
Josh 24:26 1Kgs 12:1 1Kgs 12:20 1Kgs 12:25

 7   mount Gerizim.
Deut 11:29 Deut 27:12 Josh 8:33 John 4:20
Hearken.
Ps 18:40 Ps 18:41 Ps 50:15 - Ps 50:21 Pro 1:28 Pro 1:29 Pro 21:13 Pro 28:9 Isa 1:15 Isa 58:6 - Isa 58:10 Matt 18:26 - Matt 18:34 Jas 2:13

 8   The trees. This is the most ancient fable or apologue extant; and is extremely beautiful, apposite, and intelligible.
2Kgs 14:9 Ezek 17:3 - Ezek 17:10 Dan 4:10 - Dan 4:18
olive tree. The zayith, or olive tree, in the Linnean system, is a genus of the diandra monogynia class of plants. It is of a moderate height, and grows best in sunny places. Its trunk is knotty; bark smooth, of an ash colour: wood solid and yellowish; leaves oblong, almost like those of the willow, of a dark green colour on the upper side, and whitish below. In June it puts forth white flowers, growing in bunches, each of one piece, widening towards the top, and dividing into four parts. After this succeeds the fruit, which is oblong and plump; first green, then pale, and when quite ripe, black. Within it is enclosed a hard stone, filled with oblong seeds. It was the most useful of all trees in the forest; as the bramble was the meanest and most worthless.
Reign.
Judg 8:22 Judg 8:23

 9   wherewith.
Exod 29:2 Exod 29:7 Exod 35:14 Lev 2:1 1Kgs 19:15 1Kgs 19:16 Ps 89:20 Ps 104:15 Acts 4:27 Acts 10:38 1John 2:20
God. Elohim, rather gods; the parable being adapted to the idolatrous Shechemites.
to be promoted over the trees. Heb. up and down for other trees.
Job 1:7 Job 2:2

 10   Judg 9:10

 11   Luke 13:6 Luke 13:7

 12   Judg 9:12

 13   cheereth.
Num 15:5 Num 15:7 Num 15:10 Ps 104:15 Pro 31:6 Eccl 10:19

 14   bramble. or, thistle.
2Kgs 14:9

 15   shadow.
Isa 30:2 Dan 4:12 Hos 14:7 Matt 13:32
let fire.
Judg 9:20 Judg 9:49 Num 21:28 Isa 1:31 Ezek 19:14
the cedars.
2Kgs 14:9 Ps 104:16 Isa 2:13 Isa 37:24 Ezek 31:3

 16   according.
Judg 8:35

 17   fought.
Judg 7:1 - Judg 7:25 Judg 8:4 - Judg 8:10
adventured his life. Heb. cast his life.
Esth 4:16 Rom 5:8 Rom 16:4 Rev 12:11

 18   are risen.
Judg 9:5 Judg 9:6 Judg 8:35 Ps 109:4
Abimelech.
Judg 9:6 Judg 9:14 Judg 8:31

 19   rejoice.
Isa 8:6 Phil 3:3 Jas 4:16

 20   let fire come out.
Judg 9:15 Judg 9:23 Judg 9:56 Judg 9:57 Judg 7:22 2Chr 20:22 2Chr 20:23 Ps 21:9 Ps 21:10 Ps 28:4 Ps 52:1 - Ps 52:5 Ps 120:3 Ps 120:4 Ps 140:10

 21   Beer. Probably the Beer mentioned by Mk. Maundrell, three hours and a half, or about ten miles, north of Jerusalem, towards Shechem. It is situated toward the south, on an easy declivity; and has a fountain of excellent water at the bottom of the hill, from which it has taken its name. Close to the well are the mouldering walls of a ruined khan; and on the summit of the hill two large arches still remain of a ruined convent. Dr. Richardson says, that it seems to have been once a place of considerable consequence.
Num 21:16 Josh 19:8 2Sam 20:14

 22   Judg 9:22

 23   A.M. 2771. B.C. 1233. An. Ex. Is. 258. God. That is, God permitted the evil spirit of jealousy, treachery, and discord, to break out between Abimelech and the Shechemites.
Judg 9:15 Judg 9:20 1Sam 16:14 - 1Sam 16:16 1Sam 18:9 1Sam 18:10 1Kgs 12:15 1Kgs 22:22 1Kgs 22:23 2Chr 10:15 2Chr 18:19 - 2Chr 18:22 Isa 19:2 Isa 19:14 2Thess 2:11 2Thess 2:12
dealt.
Judg 9:16 Isa 33:1 Matt 7:2

 24   That the.
1Sam 15:33 1Kgs 2:32 Esth 9:25 Ps 7:16 Matt 23:34 - Matt 23:36
aided him in the killing of. Heb. strengthened his hands tokill. Sooner or later, God will make inquisition for blood, and will return it on the heads of those that shed it. Accessaries will be reckoned with, as well as principals, in that and other sins. The Shechemites, who countenanced Abimelech's pretensions, aided and abetted him in his bloody project, and avowed the fact by making him king after he had done it, must fall with him, fall by him, and fall first. Those that combine together to do wickedly, are justly dashed in pieces one against another. Blood cannot be a lasting cement to any interest.


 25   Josh 8:4 Josh 8:12 Josh 8:13 Pro 1:11 Pro 1:12

 26   brethren.
Gen 13:8 Gen 19:7

 27   merry. or, songs.
Isa 16:9 Isa 16:10 Isa 24:7 - Isa 24:9 Jer 25:30 Amos 6:3 - Amos 6:6
the house.
Judg 9:4 Judg 16:23 Exod 32:6 Exod 32:19 Dan 5:1 - Dan 5:4 Dan 5:23
did eat.
Isa 22:12 - Isa 22:14 Luke 12:19 Luke 12:20 Luke 17:26 - Luke 17:29
cursed.
Lev 24:11 1Sam 17:43 Ps 109:17

 28   Who is Abimelech.
1Sam 25:10 2Sam 20:1 1Kgs 12:16
Hamor.
Gen 34:2 Gen 34:6

 29   would to God. The very words and conduct of a sly, hypocritical demagogue.
2Sam 15:4 1Kgs 20:11 Ps 10:3 Rom 1:30 Rom 1:31
And he said. Rather, "and I would say to Abimelech," as the LXX. renders; for as Dr. Wall observes, this was probably not said in the presence of Abimelech; but at an intemperate feast, in his absence, when he boasted he would challenge him.
Increase thine army.
2Sam 2:14 - 2Sam 2:17 2Kgs 14:8 2Kgs 18:23 Isa 36:8 Isa 36:9

 30   kindled. or, hot.
Judg 9:30

 31   privily. Heb. craftily, or, to Tormah. they fortify. Under pretence of repairing the walls and towers, they were actually putting the place in a state of defence, intending to seize on the government as soon as they found Abimelech coming against them.
Judg 9:31

 32   by night.
Job 24:14 - Job 24:17 Ps 36:4 Pro 1:11 - Pro 1:16 Pro 4:16 Rom 3:15

 33   as thou shalt find. Heb. as thine hand shall find.
Lev 25:26
*marg:
Judg 9:33 1Sam 10:7 1Sam 25:8 Eccl 9:10

 34   Judg 9:34

 35   Gaal. Of this person we know no more than is here recorded. He was probably one of the descendants of the Canaanites, who hoped, from the state of the public mind and their disaffection to Abimelech, to cause a revolution, and thus to restore the ancient government as it was under Hamor, the father of Shechem. Josephus says he was a man of authority, who sojourned with them, with his armed men and kinsmen; and that the Shechemites desired that he would allow them a guard during the vintage.
the people.
Judg 9:44

 36   seest the shadow. Doubdan states, that in some parts of the Holy Land there are many detached rocks scattered up and down, some growing out of the ground, and others fragments broken off from rocky precipices, the shadow of which, it appears, Josephus thought might be most naturally imagined to look like troops of men at a distance, rather than that of the mountains; for he represents Zebul as saying to Gaal, that he mistook the shadow of the rocks for men.
Ezek 7:7 Mark 8:24

 37   middle. Heb. navel. Meonenim. or, the regarders of thetimes.
Deut 18:14

 38   Judg 9:28 Judg 9:29 2Sam 2:26 2Sam 2:27 2Kgs 14:8 - 2Kgs 14:14 Jer 2:28

 39   Judg 9:39

 40   he fled before.
1Kgs 20:18 - 1Kgs 20:21 1Kgs 20:30

 41   Arumah. This place appears from the next verse to have been near Shechem; and is perhaps the same as Ruma, a village of Galilee, mentioned by Josephus, Bell. 1. iii. c. 9.
Zebul.
Judg 9:28 Judg 9:30

 42   Judg 9:42

 43   Judg 9:43

 44   rushed forward.
Judg 9:15 Judg 9:20 Gal 5:15

 45   he took.
Judg 9:20
beat.
Deut 29:23 1Kgs 12:25 2Kgs 3:25 Ps 107:34
*marg:
Judg 9:45 Ezek 47:11 Zeph 2:9 Jas 2:13
sowed. Salt in small quantities renders land extremely fertile; but too much of it destroys vegetation. Every place, says Pliny, in which salt is found is barren, and produces nothing. Hence the sowing of a place with salt was a custom in different nations to express permanent desolation. Sigonius observes, that when Milan was taken, A.D. 1162, the walls were razed, and it was sown with salt. And Brantome informs us, that it was an ancient custom in France, to sow the house of a man with salt, who had been declared a traitor to his king. Charles IX., king of France, the most base and perfidious of human beings, caused the house of Admiral Coligni (whom he and the Duke of Guise caused to be murdered, with thousands more of Protestants, on the eve of St. Bartholomew, 1572,) to be sown with salt!


 46   an hold.
Judg 9:4 Judg 9:27 Judg 8:33 1Kgs 8:26 2Kgs 1:2 - 2Kgs 1:4 Ps 115:8 Isa 28:15 - Isa 28:18 Isa 37:38

 47   Judg 9:47

 48   Zalmon.
Ps 68:14
What ye.
Judg 7:17 Judg 7:18 Pro 1:11 Pro 1:12
me do. Heb. I have done.


 49   put them.
Judg 9:15 Judg 9:20 Gal 5:15 Jas 3:16

 50   Thebez. According to Eusebius, thirteen miles from Shechem, towards Scythopolis.
Judg 9:50

 51   Judg 9:51

 52   Judg 9:48 Judg 9:49 2Kgs 14:10 2Kgs 15:16

 53   woman.
Judg 9:15 Judg 9:20 2Sam 11:21 2Sam 20:21 Job 31:3 Jer 49:20 Jer 50:45
and all to. An antiquated expression, meaning "full intention" to complete an object. "All to," observes Dr. Johnson, "is a particle of mere enforcement." The original is wattaritz eth gulgalto, which is simply as the LXX. render [kai eklase to kranion autou,] "and she brake his skull." Plutarch relates, that Pyrrhus was killed at the siege of Thebes, by a piece of a tile, which a woman threw upon his head.


 54   Draw thy.
1Sam 31:4 1Sam 31:5
And his young man. It was a disgrace to be killed by a woman.


 55   2Sam 18:16 2Sam 20:21 2Sam 20:22 1Kgs 22:35 1Kgs 22:36 Pro 22:10

 56   God rendered. Both the fratricide Abimelech and the unprincipled men of Shechem had the iniquity visited upon them of which they had been guilty. Man's judgment may be avoided; but there is no escape from that of God. How many houses have been sown with salt in France, by the just judgment of God, for the massacre of the Protestants on the eve of St. Bartholomew! See Note on ver. 45 Judg 9:45.
Judg 9:24 Job 31:3 Ps 9:12 Ps 11:6 Ps 58:10 Ps 58:11 Ps 94:23 Pro 5:22 Matt 7:2 Acts 28:4 Gal 6:7 Rev 19:20 Rev 19:21

 57   upon them.
Judg 9:20 Judg 9:45 Josh 6:26 1Kgs 16:34