8:33–9:57 The Abimelech story demonstrates the disaster the wrong kind of king could be. Abimelech was an anti-deliverer, an oppressor of the people, and a breaker of the covenant. His story raises the question of who should be king (9:2, 8–20, 28, 29). In light of this question, it is significant that Abimelech and Saul resemble each other in important ways (9:23 note; 9:54 note). This would imply that Saul was the same sort of king that Abimelech was. The message to the readers of Judges was that they should no more want Ish-bosheth the son of Saul to be their king, than Israel had wanted Abimelech, the son of Gideon.