FRAMEWORKS:
Judges 9: The Activities of Abimelek
v.1-6
Abimelek Murders most of Gideon's Sons
v.7-15
Jotham tells a parable
v.16-21
He Applies it – have they acted honourably?
v.22-25
Shechem turn against Abimelek
v.26-29
Gaal seeks to subvert Abimelek
v.30-34
The word gets sent to Abimelek
v.35-39
Conflict between the two occurs
v.40-45
Abimelek prevails and wreaks vengeance on Shechem
v.46-49
That included those seeking refuge in the tower
v.50-57
Attacking Thebez, Abimelek is killed
v.1-6
Abimelek Murders most of Gideon's Sons
v.1
Abimelek
son of Jerub-Baal [i.e.
Gideon] went to his mother's
brothers in Shechem and said to them and to
all his mother's clan,
v.2 “Ask
all the citizens of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you: to have
all seventy of Jerub-Baal's sons rule over you, or just one man?'
Remember, I am your flesh and blood.”
v.3
When
the brothers repeated all this to the citizens of Shechem, they
were inclined to follow Abimelek, for they said, “He is related
to us.”
v.4
They
gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith,
and Abimelek used it to hire reckless scoundrels, who became his
followers.
v.5
He
went to his father's home in Ophrah [near
Mount Moreh] and on one stone
murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerub-Baal. But Jotham,
the youngest son of Jerub-Baal, escaped by hiding.
v.6
Then
all the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo gathered beside the
great tree at the pillar in Shechem to crown Abimelek king.
[Notes:
Shechem, located centrally in the land tended to be under Canaanite
influence. Abimelek, the son of a slave of Gideon [see v.18],
a concubine [see 8:31 above] is probably made to feel inferior
by the other brothers, of whom there are a lot. This slave girl
mother came from Shechem [see 8:31 above] and so he appeals to
them on those grounds, desiring to be their ruler, and they consent.
He then goes and kills all but one of the brothers.]
v.7-15
Jotham tells a parable
v.7
When
Jotham was told about this, he climbed up on the top of Mount
Gerizim and shouted to them, “Listen to me, citizens of Shechem,
so that God may listen to you.
v.8-13
All the good trees refuse to be rulers
v.8
One
day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said
to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.'
v.9
“But
the olive tree answered, ‘Should I give up my oil, by which both
gods and humans are honored, to hold sway over the trees?'
v.10
“Next,
the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and be our king.'
v.11
“But
the fig tree replied, ‘Should I give up my fruit, so good and
sweet, to hold sway over the trees?'
v.12
“Then
the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and be our king.'
v.13
“But
the vine answered, ‘Should I give up my wine, which cheers both
gods and humans, to hold sway over the trees?'
v.14,15
It is only the unstable, untrustworthy thorn willing to rule
v.14
“Finally
all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be our king.'
v.15
“The
thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to anoint me
king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, then
let fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!'
[Notes:
Jotham, the sole surviving and youngest brother, goes to the top
of Mount Gerizim which presumably was acoustically excellent for
transmitting voices, as seen when Israel originally entered the
Land and from there declared the blessings of God [Josh 8:33]
as instructed by Moses [Deut 11:29, 27:12]. From there Jotham
shouts this parable so the people of Shechem can hear it.]
v.16-21
He Applies it – have they acted honourably?
v.16
“Have
you acted honorably and in good faith by making Abimelek king?
Have you been fair to Jerub-Baal and his family? Have you treated
him as he deserves?
v.17
Remember
that my father fought for you and risked his life to rescue you
from the hand of Midian.
v.18 But
today you have revolted against my father's family. You have murdered
his seventy sons on a single stone and have made Abimelek,
the son of his female slave, king over the citizens of
Shechem because he is related to you.
v.19
So
have you acted honorably and in good faith toward Jerub-Baal and
his family today? If you have, may Abimelek be your joy, and may
you be his, too!
v.20
But
if you have not, let fire come out from Abimelek and consume you,
the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and let fire come out
from you, the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and consume
Abimelek!”
v.21
Then
Jotham fled, escaping to Beer, and he lived there because he was
afraid of his brother Abimelek.
[Notes:
He concludes the parable by asking them had they acted honourably
towards his family and wisely in trusting Abimelek? It may be
this was partly the cause of what follows.]
v.22-25
Shechem turn against Abimelek
v.22 After
Abimelek had governed Israel three years,
v.23
God
stirred up animosity between Abimelek and the citizens of Shechem
so that they acted treacherously against Abimelek.
v.24
God
did this in order that the crime against Jerub-Baal's seventy
sons, the shedding of their blood, might be avenged on their brother
Abimelek and on the citizens of Shechem, who had helped him murder
his brothers.
v.25
In
opposition to him these citizens of Shechem set men on the hilltops
to ambush and rob everyone who passed by, and this was reported
to Abimelek.
[Notes:
The situation carries on unchanged for three years but then the
Lord stirred them, perhaps to remember Jotham's words, to act
with hostility to all passers-by so that Abimelek's rule was no
longer seen as being applied.]
v.26-29
Gaal seeks to subvert Abimelek
v.26
Now
Gaal son of Ebed moved with his clan into Shechem,
and its citizens put their confidence in him.
v.27
After
they had gone out into the fields and gathered the grapes and
trodden them, they held a festival in the temple of their god.
While they were eating and drinking, they cursed Abimelek.
v.28
Then
Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelek, and why should we Shechemites
be subject to him? Isn't he Jerub-Baal's son, and isn't Zebul
his deputy? Serve the family of Hamor, Shechem's father! Why should
we serve Abimelek?
v.29
If
only this people were under my command! Then I would get rid of
him. I would say to Abimelek, ‘Call out your whole army!'”
[Notes:
The arrival of Gaal is somewhat shrouded in mystery. He arrives
with his family and sets up in Shechem and proceeds to undermine
their thoughts about Abimelek by appealing to the early history
of Shechem, to Hamor, Shechem's father who existed and lived in
the land apparently before Abraham [Gen 12:6] and certainly before
Jacob [Gen 33:19]
v.30-34
The word gets sent to Abimelek
v.30
When
Zebul the governor of the city heard what Gaal son of Ebed said,
he was very angry.
v.31
Under
cover he sent messengers to Abimelek, saying, “Gaal son of Ebed
and his clan have come to Shechem and are stirring up the city
against you.
v.32
Now
then, during the night you and your men should come and lie in
wait in the fields.
v.33
In
the morning at sunrise, advance against the city. When Gaal and
his men come out against you, seize the opportunity to attack
them.”
v.34
So
Abimelek and all his troops set out by night and took up concealed
positions near Shechem in four companies.
[Notes:
The governor of the city is unhappy about this, despite his citizens
accepting Abimelek [v.26] and sends messages to Abimelek telling
him what is going on. Abimelek had done nothing about the marauding
that had gone on previously but now his authority is challenged,
he takes action.]
v.35-39
Conflict between the two occurs
v.35
Now
Gaal son of Ebed had gone out and was standing at the entrance
of the city gate just as Abimelek and his troops came out from
their hiding place.
v.36
When
Gaal saw them, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down
from the tops of the mountains!”
Zebul
replied, “You mistake the shadows of the mountains for men.”
v.37
But
Gaal spoke up again: “Look, people are coming down from the central
hill, and a
company is coming from the direction of the diviners' tree.”
v.38
Then
Zebul said to him, “Where is your big talk now, you who said,
‘Who is Abimelek that we should be subject to him?' Aren't these
the men you ridiculed? Go out and fight them!”
v.39
So
Gaal led out the citizens of Shechem and fought Abimelek.
[Notes:
Gaal sees Abimelek and his men coming but the governor seek to
put him off, perhaps to delay him taking any defensive action.
In the event, Gaal goes to fight Abimelek.]
v.40-45
Abimelek prevails and wreaks vengeance on Shechem
v.40
Abimelek
chased him all the way to the entrance of the gate, and many were
killed as they fled.
v.41
Then
Abimelek stayed in Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal and his clan out
of Shechem.
v.42 The
next day the people of Shechem went out to the fields, and this
was reported to Abimelek.
v.43
So
he took his men, divided them into three companies and set an
ambush in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the
city, he rose to attack them.
v.44
Abimelek
and the companies with him rushed forward to a position at the
entrance of the city gate. Then two companies attacked those in
the fields and struck them down.
v.45
All
that day Abimelek pressed his attack against the city until he
had captured it and killed its people. Then he destroyed the city
and scattered salt over it.
[Notes:
The outcome is victory for Abimelek who drives Gaal and his family
away, and then they go on to kill the occupants of Shechem for
their lack of loyalty.]
v.46-49
That included those seeking refuge in the tower
v.46
On
hearing this, the citizens in the tower of Shechem went into the
stronghold of the temple of El-Berith.
v.47
When
Abimelek heard that they had assembled there,
v.48
he
and all his men went up Mount Zalmon. He took an ax and cut off
some branches, which he lifted to his shoulders. He ordered the
men with him, “Quick! Do what you have seen me do!”
v.49
So
all the men cut branches and followed Abimelek. They piled them
against the stronghold and set it on fire with the people still
inside. So all the people in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand
men and women, also died.
[Notes:
The destruction includes even the tower of Shechem into which
a number of the citizens had sought refuge, so they too are killed.]
v.50-57
Attacking Thebez, Abimelek is killed
v.50
Next
Abimelek went to Thebez [approx.
10 miles north, north-east of Shechem] and
besieged it and captured it.
v.51
Inside
the city, however, was a strong tower, to which all the men and
women—all the people of the city—had fled. They had locked themselves
in and climbed up on the tower roof.
v.52
Abimelek
went to the tower and attacked it. But as he approached the entrance
to the tower to set it on fire,
v.53
a
woman dropped an upper millstone on his head and cracked his skull.
v.54
Hurriedly
he called to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and kill me, so
that they can't say, ‘A woman killed him.'” So his servant ran
him through, and he died.
v.55
When
the Israelites saw that Abimelek was dead, they went home.
v.56
Thus
God repaid the wickedness that Abimelek had done to his father
by murdering his seventy brothers.
v.57
God
also made the people of Shechem pay for all their wickedness.
The curse of Jotham son of Jerub-Baal came on them.
[Notes:
Seeking to overcome any pockets of resistance to his rule, Abimelek
goes on to attack Thebez and takes it. Again people retreat into
the fortress tower and again Abimelek goes to burn it down, but
in so doing, is careless and gets too close so a woman on the
upper ramparts dropped a large stone on him, fracturing his skull.
At his request, his servant kills him by the sword.]