8.6 The commandeering of provisions is frustrated by distrust of Gideon’s capability, despite his threats. The hands of the enemy were sometimes cut off as evidence of their capture or death.
8.8 Pursuit continues eastward to Penuel, Hebrew, “Face of God” (Gen 32.24–32; Hos 12.4), which was a town and sanctuary at a ford of the Jabbok River.
8.10–11 Pursuit continues far to the southeast into territory east of the Dead Sea.
8.12 The Midianite army is stampeded in the desert terrain by the loss of two kings.
8.16 Gideon makes good on the threat he made in v. 7.
8.18 Tabor. Nothing has been said earlier about this event.
8.19 Readers belatedly discover that Gideon is pursuing a private blood feud. Sons of my mother specifies that these victims were his full brothers, a matter of great importance in a polygamous society.
8.20–21 Death at the hand of a mere boy would mean great disgrace and perhaps greater suffering.
8.22–28 Declining an offer to rule the Israelites, Gideon requests contributions of booty to make an elaborate divinatory device.
8.22 Rule over us, Hebrew mashal (not malak, “be king”). This rule, however, was to be dynastic: you and your son and your grandson.
8.23 The LORD will rule over you. The choice of a human king would impinge on the Lord’s kingship (1 Sam 8.7).
8.24 Ishmaelites were “related” to Israel through Abraham’s son by Hagar (Gen 16). Midianites were related to Israel through Abraham’s second wife, Keturah (Gen 25.1–4). These two nomadic groups were similar in culture.
8.27 In contrast with preceding judges, Gideon is still alive when apostasy resumes and is faulted for it. In later tradition an ephod was an elaborate vestment worn by the high priest, with a “breastpiece of judgment” to hold the sacred lots, Urim and Thummim (Ex 28; 39). Gideon’s ephod may have cloaked an idol (cf. 17.4–5) used in oracle seeking (1 Sam 23.9–12; 30.7–8). Israel prostituted themselves echoes 2.17; snare echoes 2.3.
8.28 The rest formula (3.11, 30; 5.31) occurs here for the last time.
8.29–32 Transition describing the political “family” of Gideon, seventy sons and many wives.
8.31 Concubine, a legitimate wife of secondary rank.
8.33–35 Apostasy introduces the story of Abimelech’s reign at Shechem, which interrupts the rest of the familiar framework pattern (punishment, crying out, deliverance; see note on 2.11–23).
8.33 Baal-berith, (Hebrew, “Lord of the Covenant” cf. 9.4) was worshiped in Shechem and is probably the same god as El-berith (9.46).
JUDGES 9
Abimelech Attempts to Establish a Monarchy
1Now Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s kinsfolk and said to them and to the whole clan of his mother’s family, 2“Say in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal rule over you, or that one rule over you?’ Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.” 3So his mother’s kinsfolk spoke all these words on his behalf in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem; and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.” 4They gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the temple of Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, who followed him. 5He went to his father’s house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone; but Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived, for he hid himself. 6Then all the lords of Shechem and all Beth-millo came together, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillara at Shechem.
The Parable of the Trees
7When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and cried aloud and said to them, “Listen to me, you lords of Shechem, so that God may listen to you.
8The trees once went out
to anoint a king over themselves.
So they said to the olive tree,
‘Reign over us.’
9The olive tree answered them,
‘Shall I stop producing my rich oil
by which gods and mortals are honored,
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 answered them,
‘Shall I stop producing my sweetness
and my delicious 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,
‘Shall I stop producing my wine
that cheers gods and mortals,
and go to sway over the trees?’
14So all the trees said to the bramble,
‘You come and reign over us.’
15And the bramble said to the trees,
‘If in good faith you are anointing me king over you,
then come and take refuge in my shade;
but if not, let fire come out of the bramble
and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’
16“Now therefore, if you acted in good faith and honor when you made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him as his actions deserved—17for my father fought for you, and risked his life, and rescued you from the hand of Midian; 18but 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 slave woman, king over the lords of Shechem, because he is your kinsman—19if, I say, you have acted in good faith and honor with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you; 20but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the lords of Shechem, and Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the lords of Shechem, and from Beth-millo, and devour Abimelech.” 21Then Jotham ran away and fled, going to Beer, where he remained for fear of his brother Abimelech.
The Downfall of Abimelech
22Abimelech ruled over Israel three years. 23But God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the lords of Shechem; and the lords of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech. 24This happened so that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might be avengedb and their blood be laid on their brother Abimelech, who killed them, and on the lords of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. 25So, out of hostility to him, the lords of Shechem set ambushes on the mountain tops. They robbed all who passed by them along that way; and it was reported to Abimelech.
26When Gaal son of Ebed moved into Shechem with his kinsfolk, the lords of Shechem put confidence in him. 27They went out into the field and gathered the grapes from their vineyards, trod them, and celebrated. Then they went into the temple of their god, ate and drank, and ridiculed Abimelech. 28Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who are we of Shechem, that we should serve him? Did not the son of Jerubbaal and Zebul his officer serve the men of Hamor father of Shechem? Why then should we serve him? 29If only this people were under my command! Then I would remove Abimelech; I would sayc to him, ‘Increase your army, and come out.’”
30When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed, his anger was kindled. 31He sent messengers to Abimelech at Arumah,d saying, “Look, Gaal son of Ebed and his kinsfolk have come to Shechem, and they are stirring upe the city against you. 32Now therefore, go by night, you and the troops that are with you, and lie in wait in the fields. 33Then early in the morning, as soon as the sun rises, get up and rush on the city; and when he and the troops that are with him come out against you, you may deal with them as best you can.”
34So Abimelech and all the troops with him got up by night and lay in wait against Shechem in four companies. 35When Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city, Abimelech and the troops with him rose from the ambush. 36And when Gaal saw them, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the mountain tops!”
And Zebul said to him, “The shadows on the mountains look like people to you.” 37Gaal spoke again and said, “Look, people are coming down from Tabbur-erez, and one company is coming from the direction of Elon-meonenim.”f 38Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your boastg now, you who said, ‘Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?’ Are not these the troops you made light of? Go out now and fight with them.” 39So Gaal went out at the head of the lords of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. 40Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him. Many fell wounded, up to the entrance of the gate. 41So Abimelech resided at Arumah; and Zebul drove out Gaal and his kinsfolk, so that they could not live on at Shechem.
42On the following day the people went out into the fields. When Abimelech was told, 43he took his troops and divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the fields. When he looked and saw the people coming out of the city, he rose against them and killed them. 44Abimelech and the company that wash with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city, while the two companies rushed on all who were in the fields and killed them. 45Abimelech fought against the city all that day; he took the city, and killed the people that were in it; and he razed the city and sowed it with salt.
46When all the lords of the Tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered the stronghold of the temple of El-berith. 47Abimelech was told that all the lords of the Tower of Shechem were gathered together. 48So Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the troops that were with him. Abimelech took an ax in his hand, cut down a bundle of brushwood, and took it up and laid it on his shoulder. Then he said to the troops with him, “What you have seen me do, do quickly, as I have done.” 49So every one of the troops cut down a bundle and following Abimelech put it against the stronghold, and they set the stronghold on fire over them, so that all the people of the Tower of Shechem also died, about a thousand men and women.
50Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it. 51But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men and women and all the lords of the city fled to it and shut themselves in; and they went to the roof of the tower. 52Abimelech came to the tower, and fought against it, and came near to the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire. 53But a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, and crushed his skull. 54Immediately he called to the young man who carried his armor and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, so people will not say about me, ‘A woman killed him.’” So the young man thrust him through, and he died. 55When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they all went home. 56Thus God repaid Abimelech for the crime he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers; 57and God also made all the wickedness of the people of Shechem fall back on their heads, and on them came the curse of Jotham son of Jerubbaal.
next chapter
* * *
a Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain
b Heb might come
c Gk: Heb and he said
d Cn See 9.41. Heb Tormah
e Cn: Heb are besieging
f That is Diviners’ Oak
g Heb mouth
h Vg and some Gk Mss: Heb companies that were
9.1–57 Abimelech becomes commander in Israel, king of the Shechem city-state, and agent of Shechem’s destruction.
9.1 Abimelech’s entrée into Shechem’s politics is based on his mother’s belonging to one of the city’s clans (8.31).
9.2 Lords of Shechem are the local ruling elite. Seventy is a politically significant number; cf. Abdon’s seventy sons and grandsons (12.14); 2 Kings 10.1, 7. Many of Gideon’s sons would be half brothers. The appeal to bone and…flesh is a claim based on close kinship (Gen 2.23).
9.4 The massive temple at Shechem would double as a fortress.
9.5 On one stone sounds like a parody of sacrifice (1 Sam 14.33–34), but in any case indicates that the mass slaughter was calculated and brutal.
9.6 Beth-millo, Hebrew, possibly “House of the Fill,” may be named for a huge earthen platform supporting Shechem’s fortress-temple. The building denotes an element of Shechem’s government (v. 20; cf. White House). The oak of the pillar. Cf. Gen 35.4; Josh 24.26.
9.7–21 From a promontory on Mount Gerizim, Jotham denounces the deal with a scathing antimonarchical fable (vv. 8–15) and a curse (vv. 16–20).
9.8–13 A fable is an illustrative story in which animals or plants have speaking parts. Cf. the imagery and literary form of 2 Kings 14.9. The useful plants (olive, fig, and vine) refuse kingship as a waste of their valuable aptitudes.
9.14–15 Only the worthless bramble (Abimelech) aspires to power, but its shade would be meager and its potential for fire threatens disaster.
9.16–20 The rest of Jotham’s speech is an extended curse that denounces monarchy founded on theft and murder and reaches fulfillment in vv. 56–57.
9.17–18 Jotham interrupts his curse to establish that the rulers of Shechem have acted unfairly.
9.20 Fire (cf. v. 15) symbolizes the conflict that is soon to develop.
9.22–33 Abimelech’s downfall begins with dissension in the city, described as God’s way of bringing Abimelech and his collaborators to justice (vv. 22–25), followed by the return of Gaal, a native Shechemite, who stirs up the citizenry to rebellion (vv. 26–33).
9.22 Mention of Israel forms a frame around the story along with the reference to Israelites in 9.55. In the story proper, Abimelech’s rule is a purely local affair.
9.23 Split loyalty is Abimelech’s undoing. Evil spirits from God describe a psychology of mutual distrust (1 Sam 16.14).
9.24 Israel believed that evil deeds automatically brought on a fitting penalty, so that violence and blood (bloodshed) would rebound on those who perpetrated them.
9.25 With lookouts posted, the Shechem elite take to plundering the caravans (cf. 5.6–8). This undercuts Abimelech’s authority and weakens his ability to collect tolls.
9.26 Gaal son of Ebed, in Hebrew possibly “loathsome son of a slave,” an obviously distorted name.
9.27 Celebration of the wine harvest would mean loose talk and volatile emotions.
9.28 Gaal’s speech objects to Abimelech’s limited family status in Shechem and appears to base its appeal on genealogical purity and ethnic pride. The Shechemites are urged to serve the authentic native leadership, the men of Hamor father of Shechem (see Gen 33.19; 34.6), rather than Abimelech, the upstart outsider.
9.33 Zebul (Abimelech’s deputy, v. 30) arranges things to ensure that Gaal and his troops come out against Abimelech (see also v. 38).
9.34 Dividing his troops into four companies lets Abimelech approach unobserved and set up his surprise attack.
9.37 Tabbur-erez, Hebrew, “The Navel of the Land,” is a mythic designation for the Shechem temple location, a narrow east-west pass between Mounts Gerizim and Ebal emptying into the broader north-south plain. Elon-meonenim, Hebrew, “Diviner’s Oak,” possibly the oak of the pillar in v. 6.
9.39–40 Shechem’s aristocrats venture out from the city under Gaal’s leadership but are driven back with heavy casualties.
9.41 Abimelech remains at Arumah (v. 31) and does not take over Shechem at this point; nevertheless, Zebul is able to expel Gaal and his followers.
9.42–43 Abimelech now turns his attention to the common folk who work in the fields.
9.44 The troops directly under Abimelech’s command block off the safety of the city while the other two detachments massacre Shechem’s ordinary citizens.
9.45 Abimelech wages total war, pulling down buildings and sowing Shechem with salt as a curse to prevent resettlement.
9.46–49 This account emphasizes the destruction of the temple and the conspirators.
9.46 The lords of the Tower of Shechem are an aristocratic group who seek safety in the city’s last strongholds. The Tower of Shechem is probably an alternative designation for Beth-millo (v. 6) and temple of El-berith.
9.48 Zalmon, Hebrew, “Dark One,” is probably Mount Ebal, mountain of the cov
enantal curses (Deut 27.11–26; Josh 8.30–35).
9.49 Stronghold, some part of the temple, perhaps a tower.
9.50–57 Abimelech’s dishonorable death.
9.53 The tactic that worked at Shechem is foiled at Thebez by an anonymous woman, whose achievement is ironic in light of v. 54, the one thing elsewhere remembered about Abimelech (see 2 Sam 11.21). An upper millstone could be easily picked up in two hands and thrown; a woman would find one conveniently at hand.
9.54 Draw your sword…killed him. Abimelech seeks to avoid the dishonor of being killed by a woman (cf. 4.9), but he was remembered for this nevertheless (2 Sam 11.21).
9.56–57 Jotham’s curse (v. 20) and retributive justice (v. 24) have worked together to achieve an appropriate end result.
JUDGES 10
Tola and Jair
1After Abimelech, Tola son of Puah son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, who lived at Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim, rose to deliver Israel. 2He judged Israel twenty-three years. Then he died, and was buried at Shamir.
3After him came Jair the Gileadite, who judged Israel twenty-two years. 4He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys; and they had thirty towns, which are in the land of Gilead, and are called Havvoth-jair to this day. 5Jair died, and was buried in Kamon.
Oppression by the Ammonites
6The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, worshiping the Baals and the Astartes, the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines. Thus they abandoned the LORD, and did not worship him. 7So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the Ammonites, 8and they crushed and oppressed the Israelites that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the Israelites that were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. 9The Ammonites also crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah and against Benjamin and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was greatly distressed.
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