Judges 9:26-41
Lexham English Bible
26 And Gaal son of Ebel and his relatives came, and they crossed over into Shechem, and the lords of Shechem gave him confidence.[a] 27 They went out into the field and harvested their vineyards and trod them, and they held a festival.[b] And they went into the temple[c] of their god, and they ate and drank and cursed Abimelech. 28 Then Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who are we of Shechem that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerub-Baal, and is not Zebul his chief officer?[d] Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem. Why should we serve him?[e] 29 If only this people were in my command![f] Then I would remove Abimelech, and I would have said,[g] ‘Increase your army and come out!’”
30 When Zebul the commander of the city heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed, he became angry,[h] 31 and he sent messengers to Abimelech in Tormah, saying, “Look, Gaal son of Ebed and his relatives are coming to Shechem, and they are stirring up the city against you. 32 So then, get up by night, you and the army that is with you, and lie in ambush in the field. 33 And in the morning at sunrise, get up and rush the city; and look, when he and the troops who are with him come out to you, you must act according to whatever opportunity offers itself.[i]
34 So Abimelech and all the army that was with him got up by night, and they lay in ambush against Shechem in four divisions.[j] 35 Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate, and Abimelech and the army that was with him got up from the ambush. 36 When Gaal saw the army, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the top of the mountains!” And Zebul said to him, “The shadows of the mountains look like people to you.”[k] 37 And Gaal spoke again[l] and said, “Look, people are coming down from Tabbur-erez, and one division[m] is coming from the direction of Elon-meonenim.”[n] 38 And Zebul said to him, “Where then is your boast,[o] you who said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Is this not the army that you rejected? Please, go out now and fight against them.”[p] 39 So Gaal went out before the lords of Shechem and fought against Abimelech. 40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him; many fell slain up to the entrance of the gate. 41 So Abimelech resided at Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal and his relatives[q] from living in Shechem.
Read full chapterNotas al pie
- Judges 9:26 Literally “put confidence into him”
- Judges 9:27 Literally “made a rejoicing”
- Judges 9:27 Or “house”
- Judges 9:28 Or “overseer”
- Judges 9:28 That is, Abimelech
- Judges 9:29 Literally “were in my hand”
- Judges 9:29 Hebrew “he said”; the translation “I would have said” follows the LXX
- Judges 9:30 Literally “his nose became hot”
- Judges 9:33 Literally “you must do to him just as it will find your hand”
- Judges 9:34 Or “companies”
- Judges 9:36 Literally “the shadows of the mountains you are seeing as men”
- Judges 9:37 Literally “And he did again again Gaal to speak”
- Judges 9:37 Or “company”
- Judges 9:37 Or “the Sorcerer’s Oak”
- Judges 9:38 Literally “is your mouth”
- Judges 9:38 Hebrew “against him”
- Judges 9:41 Or “brothers”
Judges 9:26-41
New King James Version
26 Now Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him. 27 So they went out into the fields, and gathered grapes from their vineyards and trod them, and [a]made merry. And they went into (A)the house of their god, and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech. 28 Then Gaal the son of Ebed said, (B)“Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? Serve the men of (C)Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? 29 (D)If only this people were under my [b]authority! Then I would remove Abimelech.” So [c]he said to Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out!”
30 When Zebul, the ruler of the city, heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was aroused. 31 And he sent messengers to Abimelech secretly, saying, “Take note! Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem; and here they are, fortifying the city against you. 32 Now therefore, get up by night, you and the people who are with you, and [d]lie in wait in the field. 33 And it shall be, as soon as the sun is up in the morning, that you shall rise early and rush upon the city; and when he and the people who are with him come out against you, you may then do to them [e]as you find opportunity.”
34 So Abimelech and all the people who were with him rose by night, and [f]lay in wait against Shechem in four companies. 35 When Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance to the city gate, Abimelech and the people who were with him rose from lying in wait. 36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains!”
But Zebul said to him, “You see the shadows of the mountains as if they were men.”
37 So Gaal spoke again and said, “See, people are coming down from the center of the land, and another company is coming from the [g]Diviners’ Terebinth Tree.”
38 Then Zebul said to him, “Where indeed is your mouth now, with which you (E)said, ‘Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?’ Are not these the people whom you despised? Go out, if you will, and fight with them now.”
39 So Gaal went out, leading the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. 40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled from him; and many fell wounded, to the very entrance of the gate. 41 Then Abimelech dwelt at Arumah, and Zebul [h]drove out Gaal and his brothers, so that they would not dwell in Shechem.
Read full chapterNotas al pie
- Judges 9:27 rejoiced
- Judges 9:29 Lit. hand
- Judges 9:29 So with MT, Tg.; DSS they; LXX I
- Judges 9:32 Set up an ambush
- Judges 9:33 Lit. as your hand can find
- Judges 9:34 Set up an ambush
- Judges 9:37 Heb. Meonenim
- Judges 9:41 exiled
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
