8 The trees H6086 went forth H1980 H1980 on a time to anoint H4886 a king H4428 over them; and they said H559 unto the olive tree, H2132 Reign H4427 thou over us.
Then the men H376 of Israel H3478 said H559 unto Gideon, H1439 Rule H4910 thou over us, both thou, and thy son, H1121 and thy son's H1121 son H1121 also: for thou hast delivered H3467 us from the hand H3027 of Midian. H4080 And Gideon H1439 said H559 unto them, I will not rule H4910 over you, neither shall my son H1121 rule H4910 over you: the LORD H3068 shall rule H4910 over you.
And say, H559 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 A great H1419 eagle H5404 with great H1419 wings, H3671 longwinged, H83 H750 full H4392 of feathers, H5133 which had divers colours, H7553 came H935 unto Lebanon, H3844 and took H3947 the highest branch H6788 of the cedar: H730 He cropped off H6998 the top H7218 of his young twigs, H3242 and carried H935 it into a land H776 of traffick; H3667 he set H7760 it in a city H5892 of merchants. H7402 He took H3947 also of the seed H2233 of the land, H776 and planted H5414 it in a fruitful H2233 field; H7704 he placed H3947 it by great H7227 waters, H4325 and set H7760 it as a willow tree. H6851 And it grew, H6779 and became a spreading H5628 vine H1612 of low H8217 stature, H6967 whose branches H1808 turned H6437 toward him, and the roots H8328 thereof were under him: so it became a vine, H1612 and brought forth H6213 branches, H905 and shot H7971 forth sprigs. H6288 There was also another H259 great H1419 eagle H5404 with great H1419 wings H3671 and many H7227 feathers: H5133 and, behold, this vine H1612 did bend H3719 her roots H8328 toward him, and shot forth H7971 her branches H1808 toward him, that he might water H8248 it by the furrows H6170 of her plantation. H4302 It was planted H8362 in a good H2896 soil H7704 by great H7227 waters, H4325 that it might bring forth H6213 branches, H6057 and that it might bear H5375 fruit, H6529 that it might be a goodly H155 vine. H1612 Say H559 thou, Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Shall it prosper? H6743 shall he not pull up H5423 the roots H8328 thereof, and cut off H7082 the fruit H6529 thereof, that it wither? H3001 it shall wither H3001 in all the leaves H2964 of her spring, H6780 even without great H1419 power H2220 or many H7227 people H5971 to pluck it up H5375 by the roots H8328 thereof. Yea, behold, being planted, H8362 shall it prosper? H6743 shall it not utterly H3001 wither, H3001 when the east H6921 wind H7307 toucheth H5060 it? it shall wither H3001 in the furrows H6170 where it grew. H6780
Thus were the visions H2376 of mine head H7217 in H5922 my bed; H4903 I saw, H1934 H2370 and behold H431 a tree H363 in the midst H1459 of the earth, H772 and the height H7314 thereof was great. H7690 The tree H363 grew, H7236 and was strong, H8631 and the height H7314 thereof reached H4291 unto heaven, H8065 and the sight H2379 thereof to the end H5491 of all H3606 the earth: H772 The leaves H6074 thereof were fair, H8209 and the fruit H4 thereof much, H7690 and in it was meat H4203 for all: H3606 the beasts H2423 of the field H1251 had shadow H2927 under H8460 it, and the fowls H6853 of the heaven H8065 dwelt H1753 in the boughs H6056 thereof, and all H3606 flesh H1321 was fed H2110 of it. H4481 I saw H1934 H2370 in the visions H2376 of my head H7217 upon H5922 my bed, H4903 and, behold, H431 a watcher H5894 and an holy one H6922 came down H5182 from H4481 heaven; H8065 He cried H7123 aloud, H2429 and said H560 thus, H3652 Hew down H1414 the tree, H363 and cut off H7113 his branches, H6056 shake off H5426 his leaves, H6074 and scatter H921 his fruit: H4 let the beasts H2423 get away H5111 from H4481 under it, H8479 and the fowls H6853 from H4481 his branches: H6056 Nevertheless H1297 leave H7662 the stump H6136 of his roots H8330 in the earth, H772 even with a band H613 of iron H6523 and brass, H5174 in the tender grass H1883 of the field; H1251 and let it be wet H6647 with the dew H2920 of heaven, H8065 and let his portion H2508 be with H5974 the beasts H2423 in the grass H6211 of the earth: H772 Let his heart H3825 be changed H8133 from H4481 man's, H606 and let a beast's H2423 heart H3825 be given H3052 unto him; and let seven H7655 times H5732 pass H2499 over H5922 him. This matter H6600 is by the decree H1510 of the watchers, H5894 and the demand H7595 by the word H3983 of the holy ones: H6922 to H5705 the intent H1701 that the living H2417 may know H3046 that the most High H5943 ruleth H7990 in the kingdom H4437 of men, H606 and giveth H5415 it to whomsoever H4479 he will, H6634 and setteth up H6966 over H5922 it the basest H8215 of men. H606 This H1836 dream H2493 I H576 king H4430 Nebuchadnezzar H5020 have seen. H2370 Now thou, H607 O Belteshazzar, H1096 declare H560 the interpretation H6591 thereof, forasmuch as H6903 all H3606 the wise H2445 men of my kingdom H4437 are not H3809 able H3202 to make known H3046 unto me the interpretation: H6591 but thou H607 art able; H3546 for the spirit H7308 of the holy H6922 gods H426 is in thee.
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].