27 And they went out H3318 into the fields, H7704 and gathered H1219 their vineyards, H3754 and trode H1869 the grapes, and made H6213 merry, H1974 and went H935 into the house H1004 of their god, H430 and did eat H398 and drink, H8354 and cursed H7043 Abimelech. H40
And in that day H3117 did the Lord H136 GOD H3069 of hosts H6635 call H7121 to weeping, H1065 and to mourning, H4553 and to baldness, H7144 and to girding H2296 with sackcloth: H8242 And behold joy H8342 and gladness, H8057 slaying H2026 oxen, H1241 and killing H7819 sheep, H6629 eating H398 flesh, H1320 and drinking H8354 wine: H3196 let us eat H398 and drink; H8354 for to morrow H4279 we shall die. H4191 And it was revealed H1540 in mine ears H241 by the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 Surely this iniquity H5771 shall not be purged H3722 from you till ye die, H4191 saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD H3069 of hosts. H6635
And G2532 as G2531 it was G1096 in G1722 the days G2250 of Noe, G3575 so G3779 shall it be G2071 also G2532 in G1722 the days G2250 of the Son G5207 of man. G444 They did eat, G2068 they drank, G4095 they married wives, G1060 they were given in marriage, G1547 until G891 the day G2250 that G3739 Noe G3575 entered G1525 into G1519 the ark, G2787 and G2532 the flood G2627 came, G2064 and G2532 destroyed G622 them all. G537 Likewise G3668 also G2532 as G5613 it was G1096 in G1722 the days G2250 of Lot; G3091 they did eat, G2068 they drank, G4095 they bought, G59 they sold, G4453 they planted, G5452 they builded; G3618 But G3739 G1161 the same day G2250 that Lot G3091 went G1831 out of G575 Sodom G4670 it rained G1026 fire G4442 and G2532 brimstone G2303 from G575 heaven, G3772 and G2532 destroyed G622 them all. G537
And G2532 I will say G2046 to my G3450 soul, G5590 Soul, G5590 thou hast G2192 much G4183 goods G18 laid up G2749 for G1519 many G4183 years; G2094 take thine ease, G373 eat, G5315 drink, G4095 and be merry. G2165 But G1161 God G2316 said G2036 unto him, G846 Thou fool, G878 this G5026 night G3571 thy G4675 soul G5590 shall be required G523 of G575 thee: G4675 then G1161 whose G5101 shall those things be, G2071 which G3739 thou hast provided? G2090
Ye that put far away H5077 the evil H7451 day, H3117 and cause the seat H7675 of violence H2555 to come near; H5066 That lie H7901 upon beds H4296 of ivory, H8127 and stretch H5628 themselves upon their couches, H6210 and eat H398 the lambs H3733 out of the flock, H6629 and the calves H5695 out of the midst H8432 of the stall; H4770 That chant H6527 to the sound H6310 of the viol, H5035 and invent H2803 to themselves instruments H3627 of musick, H7892 like David; H1732 That drink H8354 wine H3196 in bowls, H4219 and anoint H4886 themselves with the chief H7225 ointments: H8081 but they are not grieved H2470 for the affliction H7667 of Joseph. H3130
Belshazzar H1113 the king H4430 made H5648 a great H7229 feast H3900 to a thousand H506 of his lords, H7261 and drank H8355 wine H2562 before H6903 the thousand. H506 Belshazzar, H1113 whiles he tasted H2942 the wine, H2562 commanded H560 to bring H858 the golden H1722 and silver H3702 vessels H3984 which his father H2 Nebuchadnezzar H5020 had taken H5312 out of H4481 the temple H1965 which was in Jerusalem; H3390 that the king, H4430 and his princes, H7261 his wives, H7695 and his concubines, H3904 might drink H8355 therein. Then H116 they brought H858 the golden H1722 vessels H3984 that were taken H5312 out of H4481 the temple H1965 of the house H1005 of God H426 which was at Jerusalem; H3390 and the king, H4430 and his princes, H7261 his wives, H7695 and his concubines, H3904 drank H8355 in them. They drank H8355 wine, H2562 and praised H7624 the gods H426 of gold, H1722 and of silver, H3702 of brass, H5174 of iron, H6523 of wood, H636 and of stone. H69
The new wine H8492 mourneth, H56 the vine H1612 languisheth, H535 all the merryhearted H8056 H3820 do sigh. H584 The mirth H4885 of tabrets H8596 ceaseth, H7673 the noise H7588 of them that rejoice H5947 endeth, H2308 the joy H4885 of the harp H3658 ceaseth. H7673 They shall not drink H8354 wine H3196 with a song; H7892 strong drink H7941 shall be bitter H4843 to them that drink H8354 it.
Therefore I will bewail H1058 with the weeping H1065 of Jazer H3270 the vine H1612 of Sibmah: H7643 I will water H7301 thee with my tears, H1832 O Heshbon, H2809 and Elealeh: H500 for the shouting H1959 for thy summer fruits H7019 and for thy harvest H7105 is fallen. H5307 And gladness H8057 is taken away, H622 and joy H1524 out of the plentiful field; H3759 and in the vineyards H3754 there shall be no singing, H7442 neither shall there be shouting: H7321 the treaders H1869 shall tread out H1869 no wine H3196 in their presses; H3342 I have made their vintage shouting H1959 to cease. H7673
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Judges 9
Commentary on Judges 9 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 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].