This word is unique to the book and is perhaps chosen to distinguish Abimelechs ill-fated rule from that of the true judges. (30-33) The role of Zebul, the ruler of the city. There was the plain and sure title of Jephthah. Judges 9:8-15 - BibliaPlus (Compare Judges 14:15 with Judges 15:6.) And they went into the house of their god, and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech. . 308.]. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. For on the contrary after Samson's days, the sufferings of the children of Israel reached even a higher degree than they had ever attained under Samson or before. However, Beer may not have been the name of a town. Thus in fact Sihon had assailed the Israelites against their will, who had taken the land from him. But the fig tree said to them, Where was their humiliation and grief before the Lord? He decided to teach his subjects a lesson. three thousand men of Judah! I am far from doubting that God wrought in him whom He had made the champion of His people. 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 [ Judges 9:8-15 ] drawn from the rivalry of the various trees was appropriate to the diversified foliage of the valley below. And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed, every man to his place. Most likely, when we talk about parables, our thoughts immediately go to the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son, the yeast, the pearl, the sower etc. Whatever might be wrought now was but the beginning of deliverance for Israel. . Still this became their relationship, yet the children of Israel have the answer from Jehovah, "Go up against him." And when all of the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they had entered into the fortress of the house that god Berith. This is always true in the ways of God. But if God's people have got into subjection to the world, none are so heartless about, if not bitter against, him who breaks fully with the enemy. a. Here is the proof of the time when all this occurred. Now therefore come by night, and the people that are with you, and lie in wait in the field: And it shall be, in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, you shall rise early, and set upon the city: and, behold, when he and the people that is with him come out against thee, then may you do to them as you find occasion. if a man attempts: to put himself under it for shelter, he will find it will be of no use to him, but harmful, since, the nearer and closer he comes to it, the more he will be scratched and torn by it: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon; signifying, that if they did not heartily submit to his government, and put confidence in him, and prove faithful to him, they should smart for it, and feel his wrath and vengeance, even the greatest men among them, comparable to the cedars of Lebanon; for thorns and brambles catching fire, as they easily do, or fire being put to them, as weak as they are, and placed under the tallest and strongest cedars, will soon fetch them down to the ground; and the words of the bramble, or Abimelech, proved true to the Shechemites, he is made to speak in this parable. Web35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from lying in wait. 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]. After the death of Gideon, this Abimelech who was the son of his concubine in Shechem. Scripture does not in any way vouch for the immaculateness of those even who wrought in faith. Verse Judges 9:15. So Abimelech came as far as the tower and fought against it; and he drew near the door of the tower to burn it with fire. One test of the character of a man is to see how he treats those who disagree with him. b. II. So Abimelech and all the people who were with him rose by night, and lay in wait against Shechem in four companies. Proud member 14 Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. In every point of view therefore the ground taken by Israel was solid, and could not be disputed righteously. You come and reign over us! Now you know, they used to say of the sailors "a girl in every port." And its sound just really carries over there. The fact was that some other races and peoples had dispossessed the Ammonites of these lands. His father and mother remonstrate in vain. Such hand-stones averaged ten to fourteen inches long and weighed five pounds or more. (Wood). His victories had then been as holy as they were brilliant; for he surely needed not to have defiled his Nazariteship by an unholy marriage in order to have punished the Philistines. Judges 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. i. "And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines, and he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife" (Judges 14:1-20). And so in one of those instances where positions, "Okay, now where's your mouth man? Judges 8 Abimelech was no doubt the son of a concubine; but here we descend lower still. b. 23. . It was the business of the Ammonites to have defended their claims as best they could against the Amorites. Click to enable/disable _gid - Google Analytics Cookie. Verses: PREVIOUS Judges 8 NEXT Such is the blinding power of sin; for was he ignorant of her vileness or of his own danger? It was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. Yet is the victory won by God's Spirit, without anything in the hand; but it is by direct antagonism to the enemy, not by guilty connection with his instruments. The Canaanites might have retreated from it; the Ammonites might have sought other lands. Then can we joy in Him, and it is our strength for all service, and is the spring of worship. 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 fact which comes out first is that Gibeah of Benjamin was scarce better than Sodom or Gomorrah, on which Jehovah rained fire and brimstone for their uncleanness. And they said to the olive tree, It does not throw a veil, as man loves to do, over that which is uncomely and distressing in those that bear the name of the Lord; especially as the very object the Spirit of God has here in view is to show the frightful results of a vow so little weighed before God, not at all drawn from His guidance. . Respectfully submitted as my Scriptural understanding, I share with you what His Spirit has shared with my spirit. Now I am far from denying that it is right for us to feel the pain and shame of Samson's ways. And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.". Their keenest feelings were in favour of the Levite and his concubine, wounded to the quick by the abominations of the men of Gibeah; and therefore, whatever of human affection may be in evidence, we certainly learn how little faith Jehovah could then find in the land of Israel. "And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. In due time the child was born, "and the Spirit of Jehovah began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol." If this be submitted to (and you might more consistently reject the Bible altogether, if you do not submit), one sees the hollowness and falsehood of sitting in judgment upon it: for who can question that to doubt that which comes directly from God Himself would be to take the place, not merely of an unbeliever, but of a blasphemer or an atheist? (2.) But when God and His word are in question, it ought to be a simple matter for a child of God. c. Let fire come from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem: Jothams warning to the men of Shechem was that their unwise choice would come back to hurt them. The lands might be good pasture, the temptation great, the provocation given by Moab or Ammon very considerable. This again leads to a bitter vengeance of the Philistines on those of Timnath who had served him so ill the very fate befalling them at last, to escape which at first the woman had lent herself to the basest treachery. Those whose extraction and education are ever so high know not to what difficulties and straits they may be reduced. And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you? . You come and reign over us! "And the Spirit of Jehovah" to some minds a marvellous fact under the circumstances "came mightily upon him." They have no shame nor resentment on their part at this accusation of treachery. We have had the power of God acting in deliverance, but man alone is incapable even of a safe vow to Jehovah; and who could fail to foresee the bitter fruit of rashness here? His kingdom probably consisted only of Shechem and a few towns round about (9:1-6). But commentators observe it for a just hand of God upon Abimelech, that upon one stone he had slain his seventy brethren, and now a stone slayeth him: his head had stolen the crown of Israel, and now his head is smitten. (Trapp). 2018 David Guzik No distribution beyond personal use without permission. A watchman of His Word, Interesting, how can me know the words of God to the fullest. We have seen before, from the earlier part of the book, the remarkable manner in which, either personally or in the weapons that were employed, God was acting mysteriously at this period of Israel's history. So Abimelech fought against the city all that day; he took the city and killed the people who were in it; and he demolished the city and sowed it with salt. The Parable of the Trees: Intro (Judges 9:8-15) And so Abimelech came to the tower, he fought against it, he was up against the door trying to burn it with fire. In the case of Abimelech it is seen most conspicuously, yet is it always true, though it may be occasionally more marked than at other times. So in this rash vow says Jephthah, "it shall be that whatsoever," etc. The men of Shechem (Judges 9:2-3) supported the plan because it was good for them, not because it was morally good or right. Should I cease my sweetness and my good fruit, "And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of Jehovah; and Jehovah delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years." But in the end He acts in His own way, which will ever be what we little expect. He permitted that there should be no confidence in the peaceable intentions of Israel, for the very purpose of putting them in possession of the land. It was a shame that they needed to be put in mind of this. 5. went unto . Eastern people are exceedingly fond of parables and use them for conveying reproofs, which they could not give in any other way. Judges 9:8 Commentaries: "Once the trees went forth to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, 'Reign over us!' The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. (8) The trees went forth. ii. He could, if he had reflected, hardly expect an ox or a sheep to walk out of the house. We can all understand righteousness where the ground is clearly sanctioned of God; but is it not also strengthening to our hearts to find that, even where all was dark and faulty, God knows how to give effect to His principles? Nor ought anyone to allow a suspicion until he has the certainty of that which can be accounted for in no way save by guilt. This makes their behaviour the more remarkable here. The descent is great, when one bearing the name of the Lord slights His word and seeks a path of his own. You can also change some of your preferences. O what a mercy it is to have God to take care of our walk! Put your trust in my shadow.The mean leaves and bristling thorns of the rhamnus could afford no shadow to speak of, and even such as they could afford would be dangerous; but the fable is full of fine and biting irony. Dear Pilgrims Christianity is singular and not plural all things plural become corrupt Jesus begins each letter/epistle in Revelation to a church (plural) but He ends each letter/epistle addressing individual/s (singular) (i.e. There is not a man that sympathizes with him, not even in Judah; yet Judah, we know, was the royal tribe in the purpose of God from the beginning, as in fact its type followed in David. "And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him. So low were things now in Israel, that even this man becomes an instrument of God's deliverance; and so evidently in all this was God stamping on the people His moral sentence of their state. But there was a strong tower in the city, and all the men and women; all the people of the city; fled there and shut themselves in; then they went up to the top of the tower. And in Thebez there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men and women, fled to the tower there in Thebez. And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people who were with him, and lying there in wait. I am not speaking of what men of the world may be, for they may be conscientious and honourable in their own way; but it is different with God's people. Furthermore we can see what had become of Shechem (cf. He took the city and killed the people who were in it; and he demolished the city and sowed it with salt: Abimelech then turned his fury against the people of Shechem, and killed as many of them as he could, and he demolished their city. or, as the margin reads it, go up and down for the trees? Yet he threatens with as much confidence as he promises: If you be not faithful, let fire come out of the bramble (a very unlikely thing to emit fire) and devour the cedars of Lebanon--more likely to catch fire, and be itself devoured. Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? Great merits often meet with very ill returns. c. Let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon: The bramble warned that he would be an oppressive ruler and destroy anyone who disagreed with him. In senseless fury Abimelech carried his attack to other towns, but his uncontrolled rage and lack of caution soon brought about his own death. Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father by killing his seventy brothers. And all the evil of the men of Shechem God returned on their own heads, and on them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal. And it was of the greatest importance that His people should be trained in this. If this be so, the captivity might be the Assyrian, and not that of the Philistines. In Samson's case, tested in a seemingly little sign but a sign of entire subjection to God, and this in separation from all others, it was obedience; not so in our case, where we have the highest treasure in earthen vessels, but obedience in everything, and this formed and guided by the Spirit according to the written word, now set in the fullest light, because seen in the person, and ways, and work, and glory of Christ. (f) Abimelech will destroy the nobles of Shechem. 7 And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you. By the Holy Spirit only can we enter in and enjoy. What courage and confidence may they not then cherish! And Abimelech dwelt in Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal with his brothers, that they should not dwell in Shechem. Never then let the breath of suspicion enter your soul. In the latter case it is nothing but flesh, which becomes manifest in the long run; but even in the case of him who is truthful, whatever is carnal, whatever lets out that nature which is already judged, the confession of whose judgment is the very starting-point of a Christian, but which it is his calling to act upon and treat as a dead and condemned thing to the end if he forgets this, then, in the measure in which he does so, it brings in that which the Lord must infallibly deal with. came with his brethren . It seems to me then that the reserve of the Holy Spirit is as strikingly according to God as the rashness of Jephthah is a solemn warning to man. What a picture of the true state of things! He knew right well that the presence of the Amorites upon their skirts would be a continual snare and evil. Undoubtedly the children of Moab, Ammon, and Edom, for reasons of relationship at least, were exempted from the sentence to which God subjected the races of Canaan. We have seen how grace overruled, broke up an evil association before it was consummated, and gave him righteous ground to take vengeance on the Philistines, followed by his judging Israel for twenty years. You that go with me this year, I'll prove it to you, but the acoustics are tremendous. ., 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. Judges 9:15 - Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. In the instance before us it was an extraordinary Nazariteship, stretching through the whole life. Alas! threescore and ten persons--A round number is used, but it is evident that two are wanting to complete that number. The result is that "the people rose as one man, saying, We will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn into his house. For "it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramathlehi. (1.) Samson felt it easier to die for His name than to live thus in Philistia. The men of Shechem put their confidence in him: The men of Shechem lost their confidence in Abimelech, so they chose a new leader named Gaal, the son of Ebed. 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. "So they came to the fig trees and said, "Rule over us." His abortive rule, however, ran roughshod over the divine requirements for that office. (Wolf), ii. Thus men boast of a false gift. went to Beer--the modern village El-Bireh, on the ridge which bounds the northern prospect of Jerusalem. "The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.". It is only another proof of what we have always to assume in reading the Bible that not only the things given are divine, but that the arrangement, even when they look somewhat disorderly, is just as divine as the communication itself. 7. he . And a certain woman took a piece of a millstone ( Judges 9:50-53 ), Now millstones are sort of lava kinds of rock and there are millstones-I've seen them four feet high. Alas! So it was pressed on Israel then. And this is just as true of the saint as of the man who rashly or lightly bears the name of the Lord Jesus. What he felt was that these lands had once been his lands, and that the children of Israel now possessed them. Of this tribe Samson was born. There was the plainest proof of what God could be, even where there was but one man to work by; but this very fact showed to what a depth was Israel now sunk. Go out, if you will, and fight with them now. So Gaal went out, leading the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. "What is this that thou hast done unto us? God gave the devil commission to enter into or work upon their minds and hearts; knowing that he of himself, and by his own inclinations, would fill them with mistakes, and jealousies, and dissensions, and heart-burnings, which would end in civil wars and mutual ruin. (Poole). But, for fear of Abimelech, he lived in exile, in some remote obscure place. We should each consider if God is warning us about something in the present time. Their moral condition indeed was the very lowest, below nature itself, towards their deliverer. We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. And shall I leave my sweetness, saith the fig-tree, and my good fruit (Judges 9:11; Judges 9:11), and go to be promoted over the trees? Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport. Judges 9 What is to become of you then? For objections against scripture are always the creation of unbelief. I need not dwell on the deplorable details. ., p. ', To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient, Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament, Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Nederlandstalige Bijbelstudies door Stan Marinussen, Copyright - Enduring Word | . 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. Could a people descend lower in human things? The Parable of the Bramble :: Andrews University Nor are you thus called to believe anything like an extravagance, though it surely would be so if the Bible were a human book, and so to be treated like any other, which after all even infidels do not: witness their occupation with it and zeal against it. The prophecy of Jotham was not to be immediately fulfilled. Let none expect to do ill and fare well. Judges 9:8-15 : Trees Choosing a King - New Christian Bible Study No way. Now therefore, if you have acted in truth and sincerity in making Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him as he deserves; for my father fought for you, risked his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian; but you have risen up against my fathers house this day, and killed his seventy sons on one stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother; if then you have acted in truth and sincerity with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you. Go to your Bible and begin there to follow God's Word. WebJudges 9:8. For we must remember carefully this, in looking at the dealings of God with the holy land and with His people Israel, God had always destined the land of Palestine for the chosen people. It is not the vanity of setting up oneself as possessed of exclusive powers or special means of attaining or explaining anything; for I should distrust anyone who pretended to anything of the sort, no matter who or where he might be. . It was Samson feeling for himself, yet not unpitied of the Lord; for there was One above Samson Who heard. But what a Nazarite was Samson! Dear Searching (i.e. They spread abroad the revolting tale; they readily respond to the call for their advice and counsel. Bright contrast between Samson and the man that overthrew Satan on that cross where He Himself reached the very climax of weakness! And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? But this was far from the true and full history of the case. Judges 9:8 Commentaries: "Once the trees went forth to And all of the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and they went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem. In them Jotham points out the base ingratitude of the people in raising Abimelech upon the ruin of Gideons house, and foretells the retribution which would fall upon both parties.
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