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Commentary on Judges 9 verses 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,
I. How craftily he got his mother's relations into his interests. Shechem was a city in the tribe of Ephraim, of great note. Joshua had held his last assembly there. If that city would but appear for him, and set him up, he thought it would go far in his favour. There he had an interest in the family of which his mother was, and by them he made an interest in the leading men of the city. It does not appear that any of them had an eye to him as a man of merit, who had any thing to recommend him to such a choice, but the motion came first from himself. None would have dreamed of making such a one king, if he had not dreamed of it himself. And see here, 1. How he wheedled them into the choice, Jdg 9:2, Jdg 9:3. He basely suggested that Gideon having left seventy sons, who made a good figure and had a good interest, they were designing to keep the power which their father had in their hands, and by a joint-influence to reign over Israel. "Now," says he, "you had better have one king than more, than many, than so many. Affairs of state are best managed by a single person," Jdg 9:2. We have no reason to think that all or any of Gideon's sons had the least intention to reign over Israel (they were of their father's mind, that the Lord should reign over them, and they were not called of him), yet this he insinuates to pave the way to his own pretensions. Note, Those who design ill themselves are commonly most apt to suspect that others design ill. As for himself, he only puts them in mind of his relation to them (verbum sapienti - A word to the wise is sufficient): Remember that I am your bone and your flesh. The plot took wonderfully. The magistrates of Shechem were pleased to think of their city being a royal city and the metropolis of Israel, and therefore they inclined to follow him; for they said, "He is our brother, and his advancement will be our advantage." 2. How he got money from them to bear the charges of his pretensions (Jdg 9:4): They gave him seventy pieces of silver; it is not said what the value of these pieces was; so many shekels are less, and so many talents more, than we can well imagine; therefore it is supposed they were each a pound weight: but they gave this money out of the house of Baal-berith, that is, out of the public treasury, which, out of respect to their idol, they deposited in his temple to be protected by him; or out of the offerings that had been made to that idol, which they hoped would prosper the better in his hands for its having been consecrated to their god. How unfit was he to reign over Israel, because unlikely to defend them, who, instead of restraining and punishing idolatry, thus early made himself a pensioner to an idol! 3. What soldiers he enlisted. He hired into his service vain and light persons, the scum and scoundrels of the country, men of broken fortunes, giddy heads, and profligate lives; none but such would own him, and they were fittest to serve his purpose. Like leader like followers.
II. How cruelly he got his father's sons out of the way.
1.The first thing he did with the rabble he headed was to kill all his brethren at once, publicly and in cold blood, threescore and ten men, one only escaping, all slain upon one stone. See in this bloody tragedy, (1.) The power of ambition what beasts it will turn men into, how it will break through all the ties of natural affection and natural conscience, and sacrifice that which is most sacred, dear, and valuable, to its designs. Strange that ever it should enter into the heart of a man to be so very barbarous! (2.) The peril of honour and high birth. Their being the sons of so great a man as Gideon exposed them thus and made Abimelech jealous of them. We find just the same number of Ahab's sons slain together at Samaria, Kg2 10:1, Kg2 10:7. The grand seigniors have seldom thought themselves safe while any of their brethren have been unstrangled. Let none then envy those of high extraction, or complain of their own meanness and obscurity. The lower the safer.
2.Way being thus made for Abimelech's election, the men of Shechem proceeded to choose him king, Jdg 9:6. God was not consulted whether they should have any king at all, much less who it should be; here is no advising with the priest or with their brethren of any other city or tribe, though it was designed that he should reign over Israel, Jdg 9:22. But, (1.) The Shechemites, as if they were the people and wisdom must die with them, did all; they aided and abetted him in the murder of his brethren (Jdg 9:24), and then they made him king. The men of Shechem (that is, the great men, the chief magistrates of the city), and the house of Millo (that is, the common-council, the full house or house of fulness, as the word signifies), those that met in their guildhall (we read often of the house of Millo, or state-house in Jerusalem, or the city of David, Sa2 5:9; Kg2 12:20), these gathered together, not to prosecute and punish Abimelech for this barbarous murder, as they ought to have done, he being one of their citizens, but to make him king. Pretium sceleris tulit hic diadema - His wickedness was rewarded with a diadem. What could they promise themselves from a king that laid the foundation of his kingdom in blood? (2.) The rest of the Israelites were so very sottish as to sit by unconcerned. They took no care to give check to this usurpation, to protect the sons of Gideon, or to avenge their death, but tamely submitted to the bloody tyrant, as men who with their religion had lost their reason, and all sense of honour and liberty, justice and gratitude. How vigorously had their fathers appeared to avenge the death of the Levite's concubine, and yet so wretchedly degenerate are they now as not to attempt the avenging of the death of Gideon's sons; it is for this that they are charged with ingratitude (Jdg 8:35): Neither showed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal.
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SUMMARY
Judges 9:5 vividly recounts the brutal consolidation of power by Abimelech, the son of Gideon (Jerubbaal), through the ruthless massacre of his seventy half-brothers at their ancestral home in Ophrah. This horrific act of fratricide, carried out "upon one stone," was a calculated attempt to eliminate all potential rivals to his self-appointed kingship. However, the verse critically notes the providential escape of Jotham, the youngest son, who hid himself, a detail that sets the stage for a prophetic denunciation and the eventual unraveling of Abimelech's tyrannical reign.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse serves as the chilling climax of Abimelech's cunning political machinations, detailed in Judges 9:1-4. Having swayed the men of Shechem to support his claim over Gideon's legitimate heirs, Abimelech secured funds to hire "worthless and reckless fellows" to execute his murderous plot. This act stands in stark contrast to Gideon's earlier refusal of kingship, as recorded in Judges 8:23, where he firmly declared, "The Lord shall rule over you." Abimelech's violent usurpation immediately precedes and provides the necessary backdrop for Jotham's powerful "Parable of the Trees" and his subsequent curse upon Abimelech and the men of Shechem in Judges 9:7-20. This prophetic denunciation accurately foreshadows the tragic events that unfold later in the chapter, culminating in divine retribution against both parties, as explicitly stated in Judges 9:56.
Historical & Cultural Context: The period of the Judges (approximately 12th-11th centuries BCE) was characterized by a cyclical pattern of apostasy, foreign oppression, repentance, and divine deliverance, often summarized by the poignant phrase, "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25). In this decentralized tribal society, the absence of a central king created power vacuums and opportunities for ambitious individuals like Abimelech to seize control. Ophrah was Gideon's ancestral home, a significant location where he had built an altar to the Lord. The act of slaying his brothers "upon one stone" suggests a public, decisive, or even a ritualistic execution, perhaps at an altar or a prominent landmark, designed to legitimize his claim and send a clear message of his absolute power. The number seventy emphasizes the completeness of the purge, aiming to eliminate all potential dynastic threats from Gideon's numerous progeny.
Key Themes: Abimelech's actions in this verse starkly illustrate several pervasive themes within the book of Judges and the broader Old Testament narrative. Firstly, it highlights the corrupting nature of unchecked ambition and the ruthless pursuit of power outside of God's design, leading directly to fratricide and tyranny. Secondly, it underscores the theme of usurpation and treachery, as Abimelech betrays his own family and the legacy of his father, Gideon, who had famously rejected kingship. Thirdly, the miraculous survival of Jotham introduces the profound theme of divine providence and the remnant. Even in the darkest moments of human depravity and widespread violence, God preserves a witness and an instrument for His purposes. Jotham's subsequent parable and curse become a pivotal element in the narrative, ensuring that divine justice is pronounced and ultimately executed against Abimelech and Shechem, as explicitly affirmed in Judges 9:56-57.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Judges 9:5 is rich in literary devices that amplify its dramatic and theological impact. Irony is profoundly evident, as Abimelech, the son of Gideon (Jerubbaal, "Let Baal contend"), who famously refused kingship to affirm God's rule, now violently seizes it, subverting his father's legacy and the very principle of divine sovereignty. The massacre itself is an act of powerful Symbolism, with the "one stone" representing the bloody, unstable foundation of Abimelech's reign, built not on divine appointment but on human ambition and murder. This act also serves as crucial Foreshadowing, as Jotham's miraculous survival directly leads to his prophetic parable and curse in Judges 9:7-20, which accurately predicts the mutual destruction of Abimelech and the men of Shechem, thereby setting the stage for the chaotic and tragic events that follow. The narrative further employs striking Contrast between the vast number of those slain ("threescore and ten") and the single survivor (Jotham), highlighting the miraculous nature of his escape and his unique role as a prophetic voice against tyranny.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Judges 9:5 stands as a stark biblical warning against the dangers of unbridled human ambition and the pursuit of power outside of God's divine order. It vividly illustrates the corrupting nature of sin, demonstrating how a desire for control can lead to unimaginable cruelty and a complete disregard for human life and familial bonds. Theologically, this event underscores the principle that human attempts to establish authority apart from God's will often result in chaos, violence, and self-destruction. While Abimelech's act appears to be a success in the short term, the narrative of Judges 9 ultimately reveals God's sovereign hand in bringing justice, even if delayed, against those who shed innocent blood and usurp authority through wicked means. It reminds us that true leadership is rooted in humility and service, not in ruthless domination, and that God's justice will ultimately prevail over all forms of human wickedness.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Judges 9:5 serves as a chilling mirror reflecting the destructive potential of human ambition when untethered from moral constraint and divine guidance. It compels us to examine the motivations behind our own desires for influence, control, or recognition. Are we seeking to build our own kingdoms, or are we striving to serve God's kingdom? This verse reminds us that true authority and lasting peace do not come from seizing power through violence or manipulation, but from humble submission to God's will and a commitment to justice and righteousness. The tragic outcome of Abimelech's reign, foreshadowed by Jotham's escape and curse, underscores the ultimate futility of building power on a foundation of sin. For believers, this passage is a call to vigilance against the subtle allure of self-serving ambition, encouraging us instead to pursue servant leadership, integrity, and a deep trust in God's perfect timing for justice and vindication.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is Abimelech's act of slaying his brothers so significant in the book of Judges?
Answer: Abimelech's act in Judges 9:5 is profoundly significant for several reasons. Firstly, it represents a direct and violent rejection of Gideon's legacy, who, despite his flaws, had famously refused to be king over Israel, declaring that "The Lord shall rule over you" (Judges 8:23). Abimelech, his son by a concubine, embodies the antithesis of this, seizing power through brutal fratricide. Secondly, it marks a dark turning point in the book of Judges, showcasing the escalating moral decay and chaos in Israel as "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25). Thirdly, it sets the stage for Jotham's powerful parable and curse (Judges 9:7-20), which prophetically outlines the mutual destruction that will befall Abimelech and the men of Shechem, serving as a vivid example of divine retribution.
What is the symbolic significance of "upon one stone"?
Answer: The phrase "upon one stone" in Judges 9:5 carries significant symbolic weight. It suggests that the massacre was not a chaotic, spontaneous event but a deliberate, organized, and possibly public or even ritualistic execution. The "stone" could have been an altar (though defiled by such an act), a significant landmark, or a designated place of execution. Its singularity emphasizes the unified and decisive nature of Abimelech's purge, aiming for total eradication of his rivals. Symbolically, it represents the bloody foundation upon which Abimelech sought to establish his illegitimate kingship, a monument to his tyranny and the violence that characterized his brief and destructive reign. It underscores the premeditated and ruthless nature of his ambition.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Judges 9:5, with its grim depiction of Abimelech's self-serving and murderous pursuit of kingship, stands in stark contrast to the true and ultimate King, Jesus Christ. Abimelech slays his own brethren to ascend to a throne built on blood and human ambition, seeking a kingdom "of this world" (John 18:36). In profound antithesis, Christ, though truly King, willingly humbled himself, taking on the form of a servant and becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:5-8). He did not eliminate His brethren for power but became like them in every respect to save them, sharing in their humanity so that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil (Hebrews 2:14-15). While Jotham's miraculous escape from Abimelech's purge foreshadows the preservation of a righteous remnant, Christ is the ultimate survivor and victor over death and sin, establishing a kingdom not through violence but through self-sacrifice and resurrection. His is the true and eternal kingship, where justice is perfectly rendered (Revelation 19:11-16) and His people are brought into life, not slaughtered for power.