Judges 9:31
So he covertly sent messengers to Abimelech to say, "Look, Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem and are stirring up the city against you.
So he covertly sent messengers to Abimelech to say
This phrase highlights the secretive nature of the communication, indicating a lack of trust and the presence of political intrigue. In the context of Judges, Abimelech was a son of Gideon who sought power through manipulation and violence. The use of covert messengers suggests a climate of fear and betrayal, common in the period of the Judges when Israel had no king and everyone did what was right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25). This reflects the broader theme of the book, where leadership is often flawed and self-serving.

Look, Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem
Shechem was a significant city in Israel's history, located in the hill country of Ephraim. It was a place of covenant renewal (Joshua 24) and had deep historical and religious significance. Gaal son of Ebed represents a challenge to Abimelech's authority, as he and his brothers are outsiders coming into a city with a rich heritage. This situation echoes the recurring biblical theme of outsiders challenging established power, reminiscent of David's rise against Saul.

and are stirring up the city against you
The phrase indicates a brewing rebellion, with Gaal inciting the people of Shechem against Abimelech. This reflects the instability and factionalism of the time, where loyalty was often fluid and dependent on immediate benefits. The stirring up of the city can be seen as a precursor to civil unrest, a common occurrence in the era of the Judges. This internal conflict within Israel foreshadows the later divisions that would lead to the split of the kingdom after Solomon's reign. Theologically, it underscores the consequences of abandoning God's covenant, leading to chaos and strife.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Abimelech
The son of Gideon (also known as Jerubbaal), who declared himself king over Shechem after the death of his father. His rule is marked by treachery and violence.

2. Gaal son of Ebed
A newcomer to Shechem who challenges Abimelech's authority, stirring up dissent among the people of the city.

3. Shechem
An ancient city in the hill country of Ephraim, significant in Israel's history as a place of covenant renewal and conflict.

4. Zebul
The ruler of the city under Abimelech, who secretly informs Abimelech of Gaal's rebellion.

5. The Messengers
Individuals sent by Zebul to inform Abimelech of the brewing rebellion in Shechem.
Teaching Points
The Dangers of Ambition and Power
Abimelech's account warns against the pursuit of power for selfish reasons, highlighting the destructive consequences of unchecked ambition.

The Role of Leadership
Godly leadership is crucial for the well-being of a community. Abimelech's failure as a leader contrasts with the biblical ideal of servant leadership.

God's Sovereignty in Human Affairs
Despite human schemes and rebellion, God's purposes prevail. The events in Shechem demonstrate how God can use even flawed individuals to accomplish His will.

The Consequences of Division
Gaal's rebellion and the ensuing conflict illustrate the dangers of division and strife within a community, emphasizing the need for unity and peace.

The Importance of Discernment
Zebul's actions remind us of the need for discernment and wisdom in dealing with conflicts and challenges.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Abimelech's rise to power reflect the spiritual state of Israel at the time, and what lessons can we learn about the importance of godly leadership?

2. In what ways does the conflict between Abimelech and Gaal illustrate the consequences of ambition and division? How can we apply these lessons to conflicts in our own lives?

3. How does the account of Abimelech and Gaal connect to the broader biblical theme of God's sovereignty over human affairs?

4. What can we learn from Zebul's role in this account about the importance of discernment and wisdom in leadership?

5. How do the events in Shechem serve as a warning against the dangers of turning away from God, and how can we ensure that our communities remain faithful to Him?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Judges 8:33-35
Provides context for Abimelech's rise to power, highlighting the Israelites' unfaithfulness after Gideon's death, which sets the stage for Abimelech's rule.

1 Samuel 8:4-9
Relates to the Israelites' desire for a king, which parallels the people's acceptance of Abimelech despite his unrighteousness.

Proverbs 29:2
Discusses the impact of wicked rulers on a nation, relevant to the consequences of Abimelech's leadership.
The Nemesis of UsurpationA.F. Muir Judges 9:22-57
A Worthy Servant of a Worthless MasterA.F. Muir Judges 9:30-33, 36-38
People
Abimelech, Ebed, Gaal, Hamor, Jerubbaal, Jotham, Ophrah, Zalmon, Zebul
Places
Arumah, Beer, Beth-millo, Diviners' Oak, Lebanon, Midian, Mount Gerizim, Mount Zalmon, Ophrah, Shechem, Thebez, Tower of Shechem
Topics
Abimelech, Abim'elech, Arumah, Aru'mah, Behold, Brethren, Brothers, Constrain, Craftily, Deceitfully, Ebed, Fortify, Fortifying, Gaal, Ga'al, Incite, Kinsmen, Messengers, Privately, Privily, Relatives, Saying, Shechem, Stirring, Tormah, Town, Working
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Judges 9:26-41

     5575   talk, idle

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 Faith

Trials 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

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