15 And the bramble H329 said H559 unto the trees, H6086 If in truth H571 ye anoint H4886 me king H4428 over you, then come H935 and put your trust H2620 in my shadow: H6738 and if not, let fire H784 come out H3318 of the bramble, H329 and devour H398 the cedars H730 of Lebanon. H3844
That walk H1980 to go down H3381 into Egypt, H4714 and have not asked H7592 at my mouth; H6310 to strengthen H5810 themselves in the strength H4581 of Pharaoh, H6547 and to trust H2620 in the shadow H6738 of Egypt! H4714
But if not, let fire H784 come out H3318 from Abimelech, H40 and devour H398 the men H1167 of Shechem, H7927 and the house H1004 of Millo; H4407 H1037 and let fire H784 come out H3318 from the men H1167 of Shechem, H7927 and from the house H1004 of Millo, H4407 H1037 and devour H398 Abimelech. H40
They that dwell H3427 under his shadow H6738 shall return; H7725 they shall revive H2421 as the corn, H1715 and grow H6524 as the vine: H1612 the scent H2143 thereof shall be as the wine H3196 of Lebanon. H3844
For there is a fire H784 gone out H3318 of Heshbon, H2809 a flame H3852 from the city H7151 of Sihon: H5511 it hath consumed H398 Ar H6144 of Moab, H4124 and the lords of the high places H1181 of Arnon. H769
And Jehoash H3060 the king H4428 of Israel H3478 sent H7971 to Amaziah H558 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 saying, H559 The thistle H2336 that was in Lebanon H3844 sent H7971 to the cedar H730 that was in Lebanon, H3844 saying, H559 Give H5414 thy daughter H1323 to my son H1121 to wife: H802 and there passed H5674 by a wild H7704 beast H2416 that was in Lebanon, H3844 and trode down H7429 the thistle. H2336
The trees H6086 of the LORD H3068 are full H7646 of sap; the cedars H730 of Lebanon, H3844 which he hath planted; H5193
By H3027 thy servants H5650 hast thou reproached H2778 the Lord, H136 and hast said, H559 By the multitude H7230 of my chariots H7393 am I come up H5927 to the height H4791 of the mountains, H2022 to the sides H3411 of Lebanon; H3844 and I will cut down H3772 the tall H6967 cedars H730 thereof, and the choice H4005 fir trees H1265 thereof: and I will enter H935 into the height H4791 of his border, H7093 and the forest H3293 of his Carmel. H3760
The leaves H6074 thereof were fair, H8209 and the fruit H4 thereof much, H7690 and in it was meat H4203 for all: H3606 the beasts H2423 of the field H1251 had shadow H2927 under H8460 it, and the fowls H6853 of the heaven H8065 dwelt H1753 in the boughs H6056 thereof, and all H3606 flesh H1321 was fed H2110 of it. H4481
Which G3739 indeed G3303 is G2076 the least G3398 of all G3956 seeds: G4690 but G1161 when G3752 it is grown, G837 it is G2076 the greatest G3187 among herbs, G3001 and G2532 becometh G1096 a tree, G1186 so that G5620 the birds G4071 of the air G3772 come G2064 and G2532 lodge G2681 in G1722 the branches G2798 thereof. G846
And all the people H5971 likewise cut down H3772 every man H376 his bough, H7754 and followed H3212 H310 Abimelech, H40 and put H7760 them to the hold, H6877 and set H3341 the hold H6877 on fire H784 upon them; so that all the men H582 of the tower H4026 of Shechem H7927 died H4191 also, about a thousand H505 men H376 and women. H802
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Judges 9
Commentary on Judges 9 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 9
The apostasy of Israel after the death of Gideon is punished, not as the former apostasies by a foreign invasion, or the oppressions of any neighbouring power, but by intestine broils among themselves, which in this chapter we have the story of; and it is hard to say whether their sin or their misery appears most in it. It is an account of the usurpation and tyranny of Abimelech, who was base son to Gideon; so we must call him, and not more modishly his natural son: he was so unlike him. We are here told,
Jdg 9:1-6
We are here told by what arts Abimelech got into authority, and made himself great. His mother perhaps had instilled into his mind some towering ambitious thoughts, and the name his father gave him, carrying royalty in it, might help to blow up these sparks; and now that he has buried his father nothing will serve his proud spirit but he will succeed him in the government of Israel, directly contrary to his father's will, for he had declared no son of his should rule over them. He had no call from God to this honour as his father had, nor was there any present occasion for a judge to deliver Israel as there was when his father was advanced; but his own ambition must be gratified, and its gratification is all he aims at. Now observe here,
Jdg 9:7-21
We have here the only testimony that appears to have been borne against the wicked confederacy of Abimelech and the men of Shechem. It was a sign they had provoked God to depart from them that neither any prophet was sent nor any remarkable judgment, to awaken this stupid people, and to stop the progress of this threatening mischief. Only Jotham, the youngest son of Gideon, who by a special providence escaped the common ruin of his family (v. 5), dealt plainly with the Shechemites, and his speech, which is here recorded, shows him to have been a man of such great ingenuity and wisdom, and really such an accomplished gentleman, that we cannot but the more lament the fall of Gideon's sons. Jotham did not go about to raise an army out of the other cities of Israel (in which, one would think, he might have made a good interest for his father's sake), to avenge his brethren's death, much less to set up himself in competition with Abimelech, so groundless was the usurper's suggestion that the sons of Gideon aimed at dominion (v. 2); but he contents himself with giving a faithful reproof to the Shechemites, and fair warning of the fatal consequences. He got an opportunity of speaking to them from the top of Mount Gerizim, the mount of blessings, at the foot of which probably the Shechemites were, upon some occasion or other, gathered together (Josephus says, solemnizing a festival), and it seems they were willing to hear what he had to say.
Jotham, having given them this admonition, made a shift to escape with his life, v. 21. Either they could not reach him or they were so far convinced that they would not add the guilt of his blood to all the rest. But, for fear of Abimelech, he lived in exile, in some remote obscure place. Those whose extraction and education are ever so high know not to what difficulties and straits they may be reduced.
Jdg 9:22-49
Three years Abimelech reigned, after a sort, without any disturbance; it is not said, He judged Israel, or did any service at all to his country, but so long he enjoyed the title and dignity of a king; and not only the Shechemites, but many other places, paid him respect. They must have been fond of a king that could please themselves with such a one as this. But the triumphing of the wicked is short. Within three years, as the years of a hireling, all this glory shall be contemned, and laid in the dust, Isa. 16:14. The ruin of these confederates in wickedness was from the righteous hand of the God to whom vengeance belongs. He sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the Shechemites (v. 23), that is, they grew jealous one of another and ill-affected one to another. He slighted those that set him up, and perhaps countenanced other cities which now began to come into his interests more than he did theirs; and then they grew uneasy at his government, blamed his conduct, and quarrelled at his impositions. This was from God. He permitted the devil, that great mischief-maker, to sow discord between them, and he is an evil spirit, whom God not only keeps under his check, but sometimes serves his own purposes by. Their own lusts were evil spirits; they are devils in men's own hearts; from them come wars and fightings. These God gave them up to, and so might be said to send the evil spirits between them. When men's sin is made their punishment, though God is not the author of the sin, yet the punishment is from him. The quarrel God had with Abimelech and the Shechemites was for the murder of the sons of Gideon (v. 24): That the cruelty done to them might come and their blood be laid as a burden upon Abimelech that slew them, and the men of Shechem that helped him. Note,
Jdg 9:50-57
We have seen the ruin of the Shechemites completed by the hand of Abimelech; and now it comes to his turn to be reckoned with who was their leader in villany. Thebez was a small city, probably not far from Shechem, dependent upon it, and in confederacy with it. Now,