Judges 9

Jud 9:1-6.

ABIMELECH

IS

MADE

KING BY THE

SHECHEMITES.

1. Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem--The idolatry which

had been stealthily creeping into Israel during the latter years of

Gideon was now openly professed; Shechem was wholly inhabited by its

adherents; at least, idolaters had the ascendency. Abimelech, one of

Gideon's numerous sons, was connected with that place. Ambitious of

sovereign power, and having plied successfully the arts of a demagogue

with his maternal relatives and friends, he acquired both the influence

and money by which he raised himself to a throne.

communed . . . with all the family of the house of his mother's

father--Here is a striking instance of the evils of polygamy--one son

has connections and interests totally alien to those of his brothers.

2. Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal,

. . . or that one reign over you--a false insinuation, artfully

contrived to stir up jealousy and alarm. Gideon had rejected, with

abhorrence, the proposal to make himself or any of his family king, and

there is no evidence that any of his other sons coveted the title.

4. the house of Baal-berith--either the temple, or the place where this

idol was worshipped; Baal-berith, "god of the covenant," by invocation

of whom the league of cities was formed.

Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him--idle,

worthless vagabonds, the scum of society, who had nothing to lose, but

much to gain from the success of a revolutionary movement.

5. went unto . . . Ophrah, and slew his brethren

i. e., upon one stone--This is the first mention of a

barbarous atrocity which has, with appalling frequency, been

perpetrated in the despotic countries of the East--that of one son of

the deceased monarch usurping the throne and hastening to confirm

himself in the possession by the massacre of all the natural or

legitimate competitors. Abimelech slew his brethren on one

stone, either by dashing them from one rock, or sacrificing them on

one stone altar, in revenge for the demolition of Baal's altar by their

father. This latter view is the more probable, from the Shechemites

(Jud 9:24)

aiding in it.

threescore and ten persons--A round number is used, but it is evident

that two are wanting to complete that number.

6. all the men of Shechem . . ., and all the house of Millo--that is, a

mound or rampart, so that the meaning is, all the men in the house or

temple; namely, the priests of Baal.

made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar--rather, "by the

oak near a raised mound"--so that the ceremony of coronation might be

conspicuous to a crowd.

Jud 9:7-21.

JOTHAM BY A

PARABLE

REPROACHES

THEM.

7. he . . . stood in the top of mount Gerizim and lifted up his

voice--The spot he chose was, like the housetops, the public place

of Shechem; and the parable

[Jud 9:8-15]

drawn from the rivalry of the various trees was appropriate to the

diversified foliage of the valley below. Eastern people are exceedingly

fond of parables and use them for conveying reproofs, which they could

not give in any other way. The top of Gerizim is not so high in the

rear of the town, as it is nearer to the plain. With a little exertion

of voice, he could easily have been heard by the people of the city;

for the hill so overhangs the valley, that a person from the side or

summit would have no difficulty in speaking to listeners at the base.

Modern history records a case, in which soldiers on the hill shouted to

the people in the city and endeavored to instigate them to an

insurrection. There is something about the elastic atmosphere of an

Eastern clime which causes it to transmit sound with wonderful celerity

and distinctness [HACKETT].

13. wine, which cheereth God and man--not certainly in the same

manner. God might be said to be "cheered" by it, when the sacrifices

were accepted, as He is said also to be honored by oil

(Jud 9:9).

21. Joatham . . . went to Beer--the modern village El-Bireh, on the

ridge which bounds the northern prospect of Jerusalem.

Jud 9:22-49.

GAAL'S

CONSPIRACY.

22. When Abimelech had reigned three years--His reign did not, probably

at first, extend beyond Shechem; but by stealthy and progressive

encroachments he subjected some of the neighboring towns to his sway.

None could "reign" in Israel, except by rebellious usurpation; and

hence the reign of Abimelech is expressed in the original by a word

signifying "despotism," not that which describes the mild and divinely

authorized rule of the judge.

23. Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of

Shechem--In the course of providence, jealousy, distrust, secret

disaffection, and smothered rebellion appeared among his subjects

disappointed and disgusted with his tyranny; and God permitted those

disorders to punish the complicated crimes of the royal fratricide and

idolatrous usurper.

26. Gaal . . . came with his brethren . . ., and the men of Shechem put

their confidence in him--An insurrection of the original Canaanites,

headed by this man, at last broke out in Shechem.

28-45. would to God this people were under my hand--He seems to have

been a boastful, impudent, and cowardly person, totally unfit to be a

leader in a revolutionary crisis. The consequence was that he allowed

himself to be drawn into an ambush, was defeated, the city of Shechem

destroyed and strewn with salt. The people took refuge in the

stronghold, which was set on fire, and all in it perished.

Jud 9:50-57.

ABIMELECH

SLAIN.

50. Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez--now

Tubas--not far from Shechem.

51-53. all the men and women, . . . gat them up to the top of the

tower--The Canaanite forts were generally mountain fastnesses or

keeps, and they often had a strong tower which served as a last refuge.

The Assyrian bas-reliefs afford counterparts of the scene here

described so vivid and exact, that we might almost suppose them to be

representations of the same historic events. The besieged city--the

strong tower within--the men and women crowding its

battlements--the fire applied to the doors, and even the huge fragments

of stone dropping from the hands of one of the garrison on the heads of

the assailants, are all well represented to the life--just as they are

here described in the narrative of inspired truth

[GOSS].