Judges 9:34

And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(34) Four companies.—Literally, four heads. (Comp. Judges 7:16.)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

9:30-49 Abimelech intended to punish the Schechemites for slighting him now, but God punished them for their serving him formerly in the murder of Gideon's sons. When God uses men as instruments in his hand to do his work, he means one thing, and they another. That, which they hoped would have been for their welfare, proved a snare and a trap, as those will certainly find, who run to idols for shelter; such will prove a refuge of lies.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Privily - See the margin. The word is probably the name of a place in "Tormah", some think the same as "Arumah" Judges 9:41. Zebul was faithful to Abimelech, but dissembled his sentiments, from being too weak to oppose Gaal, until Abimelech came with his army Judges 9:38.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

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.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night,.... According to the advice of Zebul:

and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies; he divided his army into four parts, which he placed on the four sides of the city, at some distance from it, to act as they should have opportunity, to find ways and means of getting into it on either quarter.

Geneva Study Bible

And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Judges 9:34

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

On receiving this intelligence, Abimelech rose up during the night with the people that were with him, i.e., with such troops as he had, and placed four companies ("heads" as in Judges 7:16) in ambush against Shechem.