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More Judges commentaries
Judges 6:1-10
Conditions in Israel
Judges 6:11-24
The Commission of Gideon
Judges 6:25-29
Destroying the Pagan Altar
Judges 6:30-40
Confirming the Will of God
Judges 7:1-15
Who is on the Lord’s Side?
Judges 7:16-25
The Defeat of Gideon’s Foes
Judges 8:1-12
The Surprise Attack
Judges 8:13-23
Gideon’s Sense of Justice
Judges 8:24-35
The Concluding Days of Gideon
Judges 9:1-15
The Renegade Who Lusted for Power
Judges 9:16-29
The Troubled Reign of Abimelech
Judges 9:30-41
The Destruction of Shechem
Judges 9:42-57
Abimelech Wanted to Get Revenge
Judges 10:1-9
Servitude Under the Philistines and Ammonites
Judges 10:10-18
The Repentance of Israel
Judges 11:1-17
Jephthah’s Call to Leadership
Judges 11:18-28
Jephthah’s Military Strategy
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The Troubled Reign of Abimelech
Judges 9:16–29
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
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Gideon had risked his life for Israel. They had responded by destroying his sons (vv. 16-18) so fires of destruction would only be what they deserved (vv. 19-20). These were Gotham’s words of warning. Then Gotham had to run for his life and hide from the anger of his brothers (v. 21). Abimelech ruled over Israel for three years (v. 22). His power probably did not extend beyond the central areas of Ephraim and Manasseh. These years were full of trouble, for the Lord sent “an evil spirit” to create strife between Abimelech and those under him (v. 23). God turned the leaders of Shechem against Abimelech (v. 24). They sent some men to hide on the hilltops and watch for Abimelech and his troops, while they sent others to rob everyone that went by on the road. (v. 25).
Gaal son of Ebed went to live in Shechem (v. 26). His brothers moved there too, and soon the leaders of Shechem started trusting him. Time came for the grape harvest, and the people of Shechem squeezed the juice out of them and threw a big party at the temple (v. 27). There was a lot of eating and drinking, and before long they were cursing Abimelech. Gaal said: Abimelech isn’t really one of us (v. 28). He shouldn’t be our king, and we shouldn’t have to obey him or Zebul, who rules Shechem for him.” Having undermined their confidence in Abimelech he hinted how different things would be if he were the leader and sent a challenge to the absent king to bring his army and meet him (v. 29).
Application
You have probably heard the saying “your sins will find you out”. I can never do anything that the Lord doesn’t know about and will one day pronounce judgment upon. I need to be quick to confess sin in my own life and not be afraid to speak out against sin in the lives of others.
Judges 9:16-29 (English Standard Version)
""Now therefore, if you acted in good faith and integrity when you made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house and have done to him as his deeds deserved-- for my father fought for you and risked his life and delivered you from the hand of Midian, and you have risen up against my father's house this day and have killed his sons, seventy men on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the leaders of Shechem, because he is your relative-- if you then have acted in good faith and integrity with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you. But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the leaders of Shechem and from Beth-millo and devour Abimelech." And Jotham ran away and fled and went to Beer and lived there, because of Abimelech his brother. Abimelech ruled over Israel three years. And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. And the leaders of Shechem put men in ambush against him on the mountaintops, and they robbed all who passed by them along that way. And it was told to Abimelech. And Gaal the son of Ebed moved into Shechem with his relatives, and the leaders of Shechem put confidence in him. And they went out into the field and gathered the grapes from their vineyards and trod them and held a festival; and they went into the house of their god and ate and drank and reviled Abimelech. And Gaal the son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech, and who are we of 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? Would that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech. I would say to Abimelech, 'Increase your army, and come out.'"
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