Judg 9 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Judg 9:1-57: 9:1-57 The reign of Abimelech was the turning point between the comparative rest of the early period of judges (3:7–8:35 ) and the decline of the later years (10:1–16:31 ). Summary for Judg 9:1-3: 9:1-3 Abimelech , son of a concubine (8:31 ; see study note on 19:1), now argued that he could fulfill Israel’s desire for the kind of royal dynasty rejected by his father. • The lack of any account of a conquest of Shechem, despite Israel’s covenant activities in the city (Josh 24 ), suggests that Shechem’s inhabitants were assimilated into Israel. Abimelech’s uncles and his mother might thus have been of non-Israelite heritage.

Summary for Judg 9:1-57: 9:1-57 ^a The reign of Abimelech was the turning point between the comparative rest of the early period of judges (3:7–8:35 ^b) and the decline of the later years (10:1–16:31 ^c).
Summary for Judg 9:1-3: 9:1-3 ^d Abimelech, son of a concubine (8:31 ^e; see study note on 19:1), now argued that he could fulfill Israel’s desire for the kind of royal dynasty rejected by his father.

• The lack of any account of a conquest of Shechem, despite Israel’s covenant activities in the city (Josh 24 ^f), suggests that Shechem’s inhabitants were assimilated into Israel. Abimelech’s uncles and his mother might thus have been of non-Israelite heritage.
Summary for Judg 9:3-5: 9:3-5 ^g Abimelech’s appeal raised funding from the local temple of Baal-berith, the worship center for a mixed Canaanite-Israelite religious cult.
9:4 ^h True leaders do not buy loyalty and they appeal to the noble in society, not to reckless troublemakers like Abimelech’s mercenary followers.
9:5 ⁱ The murder of the seventy ... sons of Gideon ... on one stone was probably some kind of ritual slaying.

• youngest brother ... escaped: Cp. 2 Kgs 11:1-3 ^j.
9:6 ^k Beth-millo (“house of filling”) was probably an elevated terrace on which an inner keep or tower was built (cp. 2 Sam 5:9 ^l; 1 Kgs 9:15 ^m, 24 ⁿ). The irony is thick: Abimelech—empty of divine appointment, priestly anointing, and popular acclaim—met at the “house of filling.” His kingship was a sham.
Summary for Judg 9:7-21: 9:7-21 ^o Jotham told a fable (a story in which plants and animals take on human attributes to make a moral point) to show what was happening (9:7-15 ^p). He then cursed Abimelech and the leading citizens of Shechem (9:16-21 ^q). If they had acted in bad faith, it would become evident (9:56-57 ^r). 9:7 ^s Mount Gerizim was the mountain of blessing opposite Mount Ebal, the mountain of cursing (Deut 11:29 ^t). Gerizim, situated immediately south of Shechem, was a natural stage for Jotham’s speech and also allowed him to escape when he was finished.
Summary for Judg 9:8-13: 9:8-13 ^u Olives, figs, and grapes were fundamental to the agriculture of Canaan, yielding important produce and adding to the beauty of the landscape.

• To wave back and forth over the trees implied being visible and active while accomplishing nothing.
Summary for Judg 9:14-15: 9:14-15 ^v The trees, preferring an evil king to none at all (cp. 1 Sam 8:18-19 ^w), called on the thornbush, who, though neither useful nor pleasing to the eye, accepted the job. The person who had agreed to be king did not have more profitable work to do.

• Shade from the burning Middle Eastern sun was precisely what the thornbush could not produce. Accepting such an offer was both futile and foolish.
Summary for Judg 9:16-18: 9:16-18 ^x The people of Shechem had chosen to follow an unworthy man; they had also acted in bad faith by conspiring with Abimelech against Gideon’s family.
Summary for Judg 9:19-20: 9:19-20 ^y The Shechemites were invited to decide whether their actions merited blessing or cursing. The implication was that they had acted in bad faith, so they and Abimelech would destroy each other. The Lord is a devouring fire (Heb 12:29 ^z), and those who act unfaithfully prove his justice.
Summary for Judg 9:22-57: 9:22-57 ^aa Theological statements in 9:23-24 ^ab and 9:56-57 ^ac frame the account of the civil strife that led to the destruction of Abimelech and Shechem, which was divine fulfillment of the curse set out by Jotham (9:19-20 ^ad).
Summary for Judg 9:22-25: 9:22-25 ^ae As prophesied in the fable (9:8-15 ^af), Abimelech was unable to live up to the Shechemites’ expectations, so they conspired against him.
Summary for Judg 9:22-23: 9:22-23 ^ag It took three years to bring about what God had decreed. The spirit that stirred up trouble found willing hearts. Those condemned for their folly participated fully in their own demise; they brought it on themselves.
9:25 ^ah An informer foiled the plot against Abimelech, but social conditions were deteriorating as God’s curse played out.
Summary for Judg 9:26-41: 9:26-41 ^ai Gaal son of Ebed (“vile son of a slave”) led an unsuccessful rebellion against Abimelech in which many of Shechem’s citizens were killed. This partially fulfilled Jotham’s curse (9:20 ^aj).
Summary for Judg 9:27-29: 9:27-29 ^ak Disillusionment with Abimelech, social unrest, and lots of wine and loose talk made it easy for Gaal to gain initial acceptance.
9:28 ^al Who is Abimelech? ... He’s not a true son of Shechem: Gaal focused on Abimelech’s pedigree through his father, Gideon (a non-Shechemite), rather than through his mother (8:31 ^am; 9:2 ^an).

• Serve the true sons of Hamor: Gaal’s pedigree apparently went back to Hamor, the founder of Shechem (Gen 33:18–34:31 ^ao).
Summary for Judg 9:30-41: 9:30-41 ^ap The second plot, like the first (9:22-25 ^aq), was foiled by an informer, in this case probably an official appointed by the absent Abimelech. Zebul proposed a bold morning ambush, in which he would presumably help to draw Gaal and his followers out into the open country where they could be engaged. The plan worked. Perhaps because of his boasting and possibly in response to Zebul’s mocking challenge, Gaal and his men ventured out only to be driven from town by the faithful Zebul, the agent for cleansing the city.
9:42 ^ar The NLT supplies the words to battle, with the understanding that the Shechemites went out into the fields to keep Abimelech from reasserting power over them. Others think that the Shechemites returned to the fields to continue the harvest (9:27 ^as), believing that Abimelech would be satisfied now that Gaal had been driven out.
Summary for Judg 9:43-45: 9:43-45 ^at Abimelech forfeited any claim he might have had to being an inspired leader; he turned his men on the people of Shechem, slaughtered them all, and destroyed the city.
9:45 ^au Scattering salt prevented anything from growing and ensured destruction.
Summary for Judg 9:46-49: 9:46-49 ^av The leading citizens (literally lords) of Shechem who had first plotted against Abimelech now crowded into the temple of Baal-berith only to have it burn around them. This destruction has been confirmed by archaeologists at the site.
9:48 ^aw Mount Zalmon is probably another name for Mount Ebal, the mountain opposite Gerizim and next to Shechem.
9:50 ^ax Thebez was a stronghold a few miles northeast of Shechem. Abimelech was probably reclaiming Thebez, but he might have been attempting an initial takeover.
9:53 ^ay Women frequently ground grain on a stationary lower millstone, on which the lighter upper millstone was turned by hand. This incident is referenced in the story of David’s murder of Uriah (2 Sam 11:21 ^az).
Summary for Judg 9:54-55: 9:54-55 ^ba To die at the hands of a woman or a child was shameful (see study note on 8:20-21). Abimelech was not given a peace formula or burial notice, because his reign was not legitimate.
Summary for Judg 9:56-57: 9:56-57 ^bb The theological summary returns to the theme of Jotham’s fable (9:24 ^bc). Abimelech had no divine charisma, and his death as a result of divine vengeance meant that justice was finally served for Gideon’s family. Israel’s experiment with uninspired kingship was a stark example of leadership that was not from God.