And when his mother's brothers spoke all these words about him in the presence of all the leaders of Shechem, their hearts were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, "He is our brother." And his mother's brothers spoke all these words on his behalf in the presence of all the leaders of ShechemAnd his mother's brothersThis phrase highlights the familial connections that Abimelech leveraged to gain influence. In the Hebrew context, family ties were crucial for establishing authority and trust. The term "brothers" here refers to his maternal uncles, indicating a matrilineal support system. This reflects the tribal and clan-based society of ancient Israel, where kinship played a significant role in political maneuvers. spoke all these words on his behalf
The act of speaking on behalf of someone indicates advocacy and representation. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, oral communication was a primary means of persuasion and negotiation. The uncles' advocacy for Abimelech suggests a strategic move to sway public opinion, emphasizing the power of rhetoric and familial loyalty in leadership dynamics. in the presence of all the leaders of Shechem
Shechem was a significant city in the central hill country of Canaan, with a rich history dating back to the patriarchs. The mention of "leaders" indicates a formal assembly or council, highlighting the structured governance of the city. This setting underscores the political nature of Abimelech's bid for power, as he sought the endorsement of influential figures within the community. all the leaders of Shechem
The leaders, or "ba'alei Shechem" in Hebrew, were likely the elders or ruling council of the city. Their role was crucial in decision-making processes, reflecting the decentralized tribal governance of Israel during the Judges period. This phrase emphasizes the importance of gaining the support of local authorities to legitimize one's claim to leadership. Persons / Places / Events 1. AbimelechThe son of Gideon (also known as Jerubbaal) and his concubine from Shechem. He sought to become king by persuading the people of Shechem to support him. 2. ShechemAn ancient city in the hill country of Ephraim, significant in Israel's history. It was a place of covenant renewal and a city of refuge. 3. Gideon's Seventy SonsThe legitimate sons of Gideon, who were potential rivals to Abimelech's claim to leadership. Teaching Points The Dangers of AmbitionAbimelech's account warns against unchecked ambition and the pursuit of power for selfish reasons. His desire to rule led to destructive consequences. Influence and PersuasionAbimelech's ability to sway the people of Shechem highlights the power of influence. Believers should be discerning about whom they follow and support. The Consequences of Forgetting GodThe people of Shechem forgot the deeds of Gideon and the LORD, leading them to make poor choices. Remembering God's past faithfulness is crucial for wise decision-making. Family and LeadershipAbimelech's actions against his brothers show the importance of integrity and righteousness in leadership, especially within families. God's Sovereignty Amidst Human PlansDespite Abimelech's schemes, God's purposes ultimately prevail. Trust in God's sovereignty should guide believers' actions and decisions. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Abimelech's ambition reflect the dangers of seeking power for personal gain, and how can we guard against similar temptations in our lives? 2. In what ways can the account of Abimelech and the people of Shechem serve as a warning about the influence of persuasive leaders? How can we ensure we are following godly leadership? 3. How does the account of Abimelech challenge us to remember and honor God's past faithfulness in our decision-making processes? 4. What lessons can we learn from Abimelech's treatment of his family regarding the importance of integrity and righteousness in leadership roles? 5. How does the account of Abimelech illustrate God's sovereignty, and how can this understanding impact our trust in God's plans for our lives? Connections to Other Scriptures Judges 8:30-31Provides background on Gideon's family, including Abimelech's birth, setting the stage for the events in Judges 9. 1 Samuel 8:4-7The Israelites' desire for a king, paralleling Abimelech's ambition and the people's willingness to follow a human leader over divine guidance. Proverbs 29:4Discusses the stability of a nation under righteous leadership, contrasting with the chaos that follows Abimelech's rule. | Ambitious Usurpation | A.F. Muir | Judges 9:1-6 | | Abimelech, the Adventurer | R. A. Watson, M. A. | Judges 9:1-22 | | Ambition Destroys the Finer Feelings of Men | H. E. Channing. | Judges 9:1-22 | | Bramble Rule; Or, the People and Their Leaders | Homilist | Judges 9:1-22 | | Forms of Usefulness in Life | Marcus Dods, D. D. | Judges 9:1-22 | | Jotham's Parable | R. A. Watson, M. A. | Judges 9:1-22 | | King Bramble and His Subjects | A. F. Vedder. | Judges 9:1-22 | | Misleading Self-Judgments | A. Rowland, B. A. | Judges 9:1-22 | | Pulpit Brambles | Homilist | Judges 9:1-22 | | Self-Fulfilment | E. G. Murphy. | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Bramble | H. Whittaker. | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Election of the Usurper to be King | J. P. Millar. | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Faithful Olive-Tree | Spurgeon, Charles Haddon | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Parable of Jotham | A London Minister | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Parable of the Trees | J. Bayley, Ph. D. | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Parable of the Trees | A. Raleigh, D. D. | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Refusing of Leadership | W. Morison, D. D. | Judges 9:1-22 | | Unrighteous Claims of Kindred | A.F. Muir | Judges 9:2, 3 |
People Abimelech, Ebed, Gaal, Hamor, Jerubbaal, Jotham, Ophrah, Zalmon, ZebulPlaces Arumah, Beer, Beth-millo, Diviners' Oak, Lebanon, Midian, Mount Gerizim, Mount Zalmon, Ophrah, Shechem, Thebez, Tower of ShechemTopics Abimelech, Abim'elech, Behalf, Brethren, Brother, Brothers, Citizens, Ears, Family, Follow, Hearing, Heart, Hearts, Inclined, Inclineth, Kinsmen, Leaders, Masters, Mother's, Relative, Relatives, Repeated, Shechem, Spake, Speak, Spoke, TownsmenDictionary of Bible Themes Judges 9:1-6 5040 murder
5661 brothers Judges 9:1-21 5356 irony Library Here, by Way of Objection, Several Questions are Raised. ...
Here, by way of objection, several questions are raised. Scripture relates that God sometimes complied with certain prayers which had been dictated by minds not duly calmed or regulated. It is true, that the cause for which Jotham imprecated on the inhabitants of Shechem the disaster which afterwards befell them was well founded; but still he was inflamed with anger and revenge (Judges 9:20); and hence God, by complying with the execration, seems to approve of passionate impulses. Similar fervour …
John Calvin—Of Prayer--A Perpetual Exercise of FaithTrials of the Christian
AFFLICTION--ITS NATURE AND BENEFITS. The school of the cross is the school of light; it discovers the world's vanity, baseness, and wickedness, and lets us see more of God's mind. Out of dark afflictions comes a spiritual light. In times of affliction, we commonly meet with the sweetest experiences of the love of God. The end of affliction is the discovery of sin; and of that, to bring us to a Saviour. Doth not God ofttimes even take occasion, by the hardest of things that come upon us, to visit …
John Bunyan—The Riches of Bunyan Hence is Also that which Thou Hast Mentioned that they Speak Of...
28. Hence is also that which thou hast mentioned that they speak of, that the Lord Jesus, after He was risen, walked in the way with two disciples; and upon their drawing near to the village whither they were going, He made as though He would have gone farther: where the Evangelist, saying, "But He Himself feigned that He would go further," [2435] hath put that very word in which liars too greatly delight, that they may with impunity lie: as if every thing that is feigned is a lie, whereas in a truthful …
St. Augustine—Against Lying The Hebrew Sages and their Proverbs
[Sidenote: Role of the sages in Israel's life] In the days of Jeremiah and Ezekiel (Jer. xviii. 18; Ezek. vii. 26) three distinct classes of religious teachers were recognized by the people: the prophets, the priests, and the wise men or sages. From their lips and pens have come practically all the writings of the Old Testament. Of these three classes the wise men or sages are far less prominent or well known. They wrote no history of Israel, they preached no public sermons, nor do they appear …
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament Sovereignty of God in Administration
"The LORD hath prepared His Throne In the heavens; and His Kingdom ruleth over all" (Psa. 103:19). First, a word concerning the need for God to govern the material world. Suppose the opposite for a moment. For the sake of argument, let us say that God created the world, designed and fixed certain laws (which men term "the laws of Nature"), and that He then withdrew, leaving the world to its fortune and the out-working of these laws. In such a case, we should have a world over which there was no intelligent, …
Arthur W. Pink—The Sovereignty of God Seasonable Counsel: Or, Advice to Sufferers.
BY JOHN BUNYAN. London: Printed for Benjamin Alsop, at the Angel and Bible in the Poultry, 1684. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. THIS valuable treatise was first published in a pocket volume in 1684, and has only been reprinted in Whitfield's edition of Bunyan's works, 2 vols. folio, 1767. No man could have been better qualified to give advice to sufferers for righteousness' sake, than John Bunyan: and this work is exclusively devoted to that object. Shut up in a noisome jail, under the iron hand of …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 The Greater Prophets.
1. We have already seen (Chap. 15, Nos. 11 and 12) that from Moses to Samuel the appearances of prophets were infrequent; that with Samuel and the prophetical school established by him there began a new era, in which the prophets were recognized as a distinct order of men in the Theocracy; and that the age of written prophecy did not begin till about the reign of Uzziah, some three centuries after Samuel. The Jewish division of the latter prophets--prophets in the more restricted sense of the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible An Exhortation to Love God
1. An exhortation. Let me earnestly persuade all who bear the name of Christians to become lovers of God. "O love the Lord, all ye his saints" (Psalm xxxi. 23). There are but few that love God: many give Him hypocritical kisses, but few love Him. It is not so easy to love God as most imagine. The affection of love is natural, but the grace is not. Men are by nature haters of God (Rom. i. 30). The wicked would flee from God; they would neither be under His rules, nor within His reach. They fear God, …
Thomas Watson—A Divine Cordial Of Prayer --A Perpetual Exercise of Faith. The Daily Benefits Derived from It.
1. A general summary of what is contained in the previous part of the work. A transition to the doctrine of prayer. Its connection with the subject of faith. 2. Prayer defined. Its necessity and use. 3. Objection, that prayer seems useless, because God already knows our wants. Answer, from the institution and end of prayer. Confirmation by example. Its necessity and propriety. Perpetually reminds us of our duty, and leads to meditation on divine providence. Conclusion. Prayer a most useful exercise. …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion Judges
For the understanding of the early history and religion of Israel, the book of Judges, which covers the period from the death of Joshua to the beginning of the struggle with the Philistines, is of inestimable importance; and it is very fortunate that the elements contributed by the later editors are so easily separated from the ancient stories whose moral they seek to point. That moral is most elaborately stated in ii. 6-iii. 6, which is a sort of programme or preface to iii. 7-xvi. 31, which constitutes …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Judges 9:3 NIVJudges 9:3 NLTJudges 9:3 ESVJudges 9:3 NASBJudges 9:3 KJV
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