Judges Chapter 9
The judge of Israel Gideon (or Jerubbaal) had died leaving behind some 70 sons born from multiple wives and concubines (servants). One of his sons, born to him from a concubine, he named Abimelech. The name Abimelech means “my father, a king”. Abimelech must have known what his name meant because he decided that was his purpose in life, to be king of Israel. The problem was that he was self-appointed, God never established that this man should be king. Abimelech was certainly not the type of man that people would admire and want to make him their king. His first act of kingship was to kill all his brothers and half-brothers. Only one brother escaped the massacre, his name was Jotham, the youngest son of Gideon.
It would make no sense that the leadership of Israel at Shechem would endorse a man like Abimelech except that we read in the last verses of chapter 8 that the people had turned their back on God and made a covenant with the god Baal-berith. The people of Israel had certainly lost their way and held no wisdom from God. They gave Abimelech start-up money to start his kingdom, money that came from the temple of Baal.
“A work begun under the name and influence of the devil is not likely to end to the glory of God, or to the welfare of man.” [Clarke]
Let's Reflect
1. Who was instrumental in getting Abimelech “elected” as king of Israel?
2. According to verse 4, what did Abimelech use the start-up money for that was given to him by the leaders of Shechem?
3. The youngest son of Gideon, Jotham, escaped the murderous hand of Abimelech. He spoke to the leadership of Shechem by telling a parable of trees. The trees that should have been worthy, the fig, the olive tree or the vine, did not want to be king. But the bramble, a thorny small worthless bush, decided to be king. The bramble made promises to the other trees. These promises were worthless; a bramble bush cannot provide shade for much taller trees. According to verse 15, Jotham was explaining to the leadership of Shechem what truth about Abimelech?
4. In verses 16-21 Jotham foretold what would happen to the men of Shechem if they put their trust in Abimelech. He tried to remind them of what truth that had allowed them to be free men in Shechem? See verse 17.
5. According to verse 22 had the leadership heeded the warning of Jotham?
6. The alliance between the men of Shechem and Abimelech did not last for long. Why was that? See verse 23.
7. The men of Shechem were having a party and one of them, Gaal, said out loud what everyone was thinking; they wished Abimelech were dead. But there is always someone who spoils the fun (sarcasm) and told on the men of Shechem. According to verse 30 who was it that alerted Abimelech about the talk of the town?
8. An ambush was planned against the men of the city. Gaal saw Abimelech’s men coming in the distance but didn’t realize who they were. But the man who had leaked information to Abimelech knew who was coming. And he chided Gaal about the impending ambush. What did he say to Gaal in verse 38?
9. According to verses 42-25, who else besides Gaal did Abimelech attack?
10. The leadership of Shechem were inside a tower but Abimelech destroyed the tower and everyone in it by setting it on fire. Approximately how many died in the fire?
11. Abimelech then decided to also take on the city of Thebez using the same tactics he used in Shechem. After surrounding the city with his men, the people of Thebez fled into a tower. Abimelech was planning to set their tower on fire, but this time he too lost his life. How did Abimelech die?
12. The wording suggests that the people in the tower of Thebez were not killed by fire, because what did Abimelech’s men do when they saw that their leader was dead? God’s plan was complete.
