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Judges 9:8 - Niobi aka Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes (30-33) The role of Zebul, the ruler of the city. You may be tried; but be assured that you will be helped out of the trial. c. Let fire come from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem: Jothams warning to the men of Shechem was that their unwise choice would come back to hurt them. . With which they honor God and men, In the latter case it is nothing but flesh, which becomes manifest in the long run; but even in the case of him who is truthful, whatever is carnal, whatever lets out that nature which is already judged, the confession of whose judgment is the very starting-point of a Christian, but which it is his calling to act upon and treat as a dead and condemned thing to the end if he forgets this, then, in the measure in which he does so, it brings in that which the Lord must infallibly deal with. If we turn away our ear from hearing the law, our prayer will be an abomination,Proverbs 28:9. Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. Finally, the position was offered to the bramble, which not only produced nothing of value and was quite worthless as timber, but was a positive menace to the farmer who had to wage continual war against its encroachments. (Cundall), iii. Go out and take him on. Judges 9:9 But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and god to be promoted over the trees? By the Holy Spirit only can we enter in and enjoy. So Abimelech fought against the city all that day; he took the city and killed the people who were in it; and he demolished the city and sowed it with salt. But returning from this to the simple tale of Samson's life, I take it as the plain fact that God meant us to learn that He saw fit at that time to deliver by an unworthy instrument, by a man who showed how low he was, if only by the moral incongruity of an Israelitish Nazarite seeking a wife from the fiercest of Israel's uncircumcised enemies. WebCommentary, explanation and study verse by verse. Trust in his shadow!--more likely to be scratched if they came near him--more likely to be injured by him than benefited. A work begun under the name and influence of the devil is not likely to end to the glory of God, or to the welfare of man. (Clarke). But the fig tree said to them, Judges 9:9. The reference to the men of Shechem (Judges 9:2) is literally the baals of Shechem, the word having here its original meaning of lord or owner. (Cundall). No way. WebJotham imputes the slaying of his brothers to the citizens of Shechem, as a crime which they themselves had committed ( Judges 9:18 ), because they had given Abimelech money out of their temple of Baal to carry out his designs against the sons of Jerubbaal ( Judges 9:4 ). But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof En-hakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day." I have taken no ground beyond your own, my brethren; but surely this is a ground that calls you to assert the very same inestimable privilege that I boast as by grace a man of faith. Planted in orchards they look not unlike apple trees, but the leaves are slender like willow leaves and silvery as they are turned up by the wind. When he approached the vineyards of Timnah, he saw a roaring young lion attacking him. did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them, while Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that be along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred years?" See Psalm 58:9. if ye in trust anoint me king over you; suspecting they were not hearty and cordial in their choice and call to the kingly authority over them: then come and put your trust in my shadow; promising protection to them as his subjects, requiring their confidence in him, and boasting of the good they should receive from him, as is common with wicked princes at their first entering on their office; but, alas! WebJudges 9:8 - Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible A parabolical discourse, usual among the ancients, especially in the eastern parts; wherein, under the names of trees, men are represented. Modern history records a case, in which soldiers on the hill shouted to the people in the city and endeavored to instigate them to an insurrection. what shadow or protection can there be in a bramble? What's best? But there is one thing that God's Spirit always assumes the perfect goodness and the unswerving holiness of God. The woman then tells her husband of the angel's visit, and they both entreat Jehovah, Manoah particularly, that the man of God might be sent again. How unlike to the shadow of a great rock in a weary land, which a good magistrate is compared to! Now I am far from denying that it is right for us to feel the pain and shame of Samson's ways. You can check these in your browser security settings. I do not myself doubt that it was put in the broadest way. And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of Jehovah came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands. There is something about the elastic atmosphere of an Eastern clime which causes it to transmit sound with wonderful celerity and distinctness [Hackett]. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. For objections against scripture are always the creation of unbelief. "And so he convinced the men of Shechem that they should come against the sons of Gideon and wipe them all out. All rights reserved. Where was the just horror at the idolatry of Micah? We see that God was faithful; but the fidelity even of those whom He used in deliverance is another matter. You come and reign over us! For on the contrary after Samson's days, the sufferings of the children of Israel reached even a higher degree than they had ever attained under Samson or before. Let fire come out of the bramble A strong catachresis. We are sanctified both by the Father's word and by Christ glorified on high. Now, broken down before God who had ordered their defeat, they are made to feel for their brother, guilty as he was, no doubt. "Whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be Jehovah's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering." b. Nevertheless they were beaten the next day; for they must be disciplined before the Lord before He could use them to deal with their brother. In due time the child was born, "and the Spirit of Jehovah began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol." And he was sore athirst, and called on Jehovah, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised? Killed his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerubbaal: Therefore, Abimelech killed his brothers with the support of his relatives on his mothers side. In him we have a man who took advantage of the reputation for the power of God that had wrought by his father; but where anything of the sort is used for self, and not for God, bitter disappointment must be the result; and if there be anything more marked than another in his history, it is the solemnity of divine retribution. Abimelech was no doubt the son of a concubine; but here we descend lower still. Ah! So, heres the secret the end of Judges chapter 8 here shows us how Israel did wrong to God. And its then in chapter 9 where we see the evil that Israel does to Gideons household. Now, Ill say one last thing about this section that we just read. Gideon the judge is dead. And now the people again do evil in the sight of the Lord. Not so: they took the insult patiently; and these were persons who were called to be the witnesses of earthly righteousness. Now of course, he's calling, in an essence this Abimelech a bramble and you guys have, you know, you're settling for a bramble to rule over you.And having finished his rebuke and his speech, rebuking them for the evil that they have recompensed to Gideon. One test of the character of a man is to see how he treats those who disagree with him. The bramble is a worthless plant, not to be numbered among the trees, useless and fruitless, nay, hurtful and vexatious, scratching and tearing, and doing mischief; it began with the curse, and its end is to be burned. saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin, my brother?" Such is the blinding power of sin; for was he ignorant of her vileness or of his own danger? [3.] Yet is the victory won by God's Spirit, without anything in the hand; but it is by direct antagonism to the enemy, not by guilty connection with his instruments. The olives are among the most beautiful trees that grow in the Holy Land. of You shall rise early and rush upon the city: Zebul advised Abimelech to organize a surprise attack against the rebels of Shechem. Let fire come out of the bramble.Some suppose that there is a reference to the ancient notions of the spontaneous ignition of the boughs of the bramble when rubbed together by the wind. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel: but the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.". WebThose who bear fruit for the public good, are justly respected and honoured by all that are wise, more than those who merely make a figure. But a certain woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelechs head and crushed his skull. ABIMELECH IS MADE KING BY THE SHECHEMITES. Outwardly indeed he was separate. The condensed moral of the whole fable is this: Weak, worthless, and wicked men, will ever be foremost to thrust themselves into power; and, in the end, to bring ruin upon themselves, and on the unhappy people over whom they preside. How much more are we, brethren, who are the followers of One who knew nothing but a life of continual sorrow and shame for the glory of God! The sound travels. WebThe Book of Judges Chapter 9 Chapter Overview: Abimelech usurps the government at Shechem, ver. This graphically fulfilled the warning of Jotham earlier in the chapter (Judges 9:19-20). However this may have been, we may notice first the quarter whence deliverance was to come: "There was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites." And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron." And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them. Jephthah takes the greatest pains to prove, when he comes forward, that he has clear right on his side. The ANSWER is: "Practice makes Perfect!" ii. Isaiah 32:2. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life." 1. The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page. But no "Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against Israel. for oil and wine were used both at God's altars and at men's tables. He stands to it that they must never have an enemy unless it be God's enemy. And all the men of Shechem gathered together, all of Beth Millo, and they went and made Abimelech king beside the terebinth tree at the pillar that was in Shechem. I feel pretty assured that he saw clearer morally without them than he had seen in any sense with them. 10 And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. What Every Christian Should Know about the Protestant Reformation. This was an ungodly leader given to an ungodly people, who first rejected Gods leadership over the nation and then embraced a cruel and brutal man. From the top of Gerizim you can call down in the valley and they can hear you quite plainly, sort of a natural amphitheater. Which cheers both God and men, It is not here meant that there is any special difficulty in that which has been the occasion of these general remarks; still less is it implied that he who speaks makes any pretension to know anything as he ought to know, more than those he sees around him. Abimelech was more like a tyrant than a king. (Wolf), ii. "Benjamin went forth against them the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword. Is not this an instructive as well as striking fact? If they could not make them good, if they had lost their land, and could not recover it, what had Israel to do with their affairs? And so in one of those instances where positions, "Okay, now where's your mouth man? But, for fear of Abimelech, he lived in exile, in some remote obscure place. c. Draw your sword and kill me, lest men say of me, A woman killed him.: Abimelech considered it manlier to be killed by his own armor bearer; but he was still dead afterward. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. Judges 9:8 * It is possible that verse 30 may be one of those later additions which Ezra or one of the prophets was inspired to make in putting together at a subsequent epoch the books of Scripture. Chapter 9Now here's what happened. . With the help of some worthless Shechemites, Abimelech killed all his brothers (except one who escaped) and established himself king in Shechem. 22. Nor should we wonder at it. go out, now, and fight with them ( Judges 9:29-38 ). By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. 2018 David Guzik No distribution beyond personal use without permission. Judges 9 NIV - Abimelek - Abimelek son of Jerub-Baal - Bible Acts 2:38 tells the ONLY WAY one receives the gift of the Holy Spirit and forgiveness of sins is at adult full immersion Baptism. Judges 9:8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. Then Abimelech and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city; and the other two companies rushed upon all who were in the fields and killed them. Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us?" So, the men of Shechem agreed to accept Abimelech as the new leader perhaps even the king of Israel. Samson is now absolutely isolated on the rock Etam. i. Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? Judges 9 Commentary - Commentary Critical and And devour the cedars of Lebanon!. 2. But He knows how to wake them up from such disgraceful insensibility. Then Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem, to his mothers brothers, and spoke with them and with all the family of the house of his mothers father, saying, Please speak in the hearing of all the men of Shechem: Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal reign over you, or that one reign over you? Remember that I am your own flesh and bone. And his mothers brothers spoke all these words concerning him in the hearing of all the men of Shechem; and their heart was inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, He is our brother.. Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? etc. And this, I need scarce say, is still more due on the score of brotherly relation and divine love, not merely on the ground of that which we might expect for our own souls. You that go with me this year, I'll prove it to you, but the acoustics are tremendous. WebAnd his mother's brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother. Everything was out of course. Degraded to the utmost, Samson becomes their sport as well as their slave. Judges 9 WebJudges 9:8. Pride, look what it would do, even when you're dying, you know. Having decided out of their own heads, they then turn to God, and ask Him to bless them in their efforts to exterminate Benjamin. Through highway robbery, the Shechemites created an atmosphere of insecurity and disorder, at the same time robbing Abimelech of his taxes (22-25). He hereby applauds the generous modesty of Gideon, and the other judges who were before him, and perhaps of the sons of Gideon, who had declined accepting the state and power of kings when they might have had them, and likewise shows that it is in general the temper of all wise and good men to decline preferment and to choose rather to be useful than to be great. If you need help in understanding God's Word visit The Church of Christ they will help you. Judges 8 TO ANOINT A KING, i.e. b. Beside the terebinth tree at the pillar that was in Shechem: Ironically, Abimelechs coronation took place at the same tree where Joshua had solemnly placed a copy of the law of God (Joshua 24:26). When Zebul, the ruler of the city, heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was aroused: Zebul, the city manager on behalf of Abimelech, told Abimelech all about Gaal and this rebellion. 2 Samuel 12:1-4; 2 Kings 14:9-10). Is it then a matter of wonder that men went wrong in early days under the Christian profession? 16 Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands; 17 (For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian: 18 And ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;) 19 If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you: 20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech. Still this became their relationship, yet the children of Israel have the answer from Jehovah, "Go up against him." b. But there was a strong tower in the city, and all the men and women; all the people of the city; fled there and shut themselves in; then they went up to the top of the tower. Yahweh is perfect, honest) stood on the same mountain where six of Israels tribes had declared the blessings of abiding by the Law of Yahweh and denounced the Shechemites for their foolish and wicked actions. ., and all the house of Millo--that is, a mound or rampart, so that the meaning is, all the men in the house or temple; namely, the priests of Baal. No way. Those that bear fruit for the public good are justly respected and honoured by all that are wise more than those that affect to make a figure. ii. rejoice in Abimelech: But if not, then let fire come forth from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and the fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech ( Judges 9:19-20 ). He gives a parable how that the trees of the forest came to the olive tree and they said, "Rule over us. Thanks. I presume that the reason why these incidents are not given before in the order of time may have been that, if inserted earlier, it would have completely interrupted the course of the history, and the main instruction of the book of Judges. Abimelech, one of Gideon's numerous sons, was connected with that place. And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains, And Zebul said, No that's just an illusion, [that's just the sun rising and the sun coming down, it looks like people,] just an illusion that you see. Set men in ambush they robbed all who passed by: Prompted by the spirit of ill will, the men of Shechem set ambushes on the mountain roads, hoping to disrupt the trade routes that profited Abimelech. And it was of the greatest importance that His people should be trained in this. The acoustics are quite interesting in many areas of the land. Therein are involved thus the very highest and deepest privileges that God could communicate to the souls of men on earth. He hereby exposes the ridiculous ambition of Abimelech, whom he compares to the bramble or thistle, Judges 9:14; Judges 9:14. stood in the top of mount Gerizim and lifted up his voice--The spot he chose was, like the housetops, the public place of Shechem; and the parable [ Judges 9:8-15 ] drawn from the rivalry of the various trees was appropriate to the diversified foliage of the valley below. 1. That's not an exaggeration. Not that God did not work mightily afterwards, and even more in his death than in his life. And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: In order that the cruelty that was done by Abimelech might be avenged ( Judges 9:21-24 ). Gideon had left many sons that were an honour to his name and family, and these they had barbarously murdered; one son he had left that was the blemish of his name and family, for he was the son of his maid-servant, whom all that had any respect to Gideon's honour would endeavour to conceal, yet him they made their king. Judges 9 Commentary So, heres the secret the end of Judges chapter 8 here shows us how Israel did wrong to God. We have here one of the strangest and most humbling of histories recorded in Scripture, and withal singularly marking that very truth that we have so often ere this referred to: how little moral strength keeps pace with physical power as it wrought in and by Samson. It was on this principle then that Jephthah pleads the righteousness of the cause that was now to be decided by the sword between Ammon and Israel. God might be said to be "cheered" by it, when the sacrifices were accepted, as He is said also to be honored by oil ( Judges 9:9 ). If I have spoken strongly, it is only, I trust, what becomes every believer. The fact was that some other races and peoples had dispossessed the Ammonites of these lands. But God takes means to make them feel what such a state comes to. Does the Bible Condemn Using Tarot Cards? But again, "And it came to pass afterward that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah." None could "reign" in Israel, except by rebellious usurpation; and hence the reign of Abimelech is expressed in the original by a word signifying "despotism," not that which describes the mild and divinely authorized rule of the judge. It was known, but intended to be so; but for all that the children of Israel, as Jephthah showed, would not go against the word of God. Not only were they in slavery, but content to be slaves, yea, traitors. It appears to me that the Spirit of God brings in this little notice of his judging Israel here in order to show that this is the normal close of his history. In senseless fury Abimelech carried his attack to other towns, but his uncontrolled rage and lack of caution soon brought about his own death. For "it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramathlehi. i. The Parable of the Trees: Intro (Judges 9:8-15) 28-45. would to God this people were under my hand--He seems to have been a boastful, impudent, and cowardly person, totally unfit to be a leader in a revolutionary crisis. i. And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed, every man to his place. He could, if he had reflected, hardly expect an ox or a sheep to walk out of the house. And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok.". With a little exertion of voice, he could easily have been heard by the people of the city; for the hill so overhangs the valley, that a person from the side or summit would have no difficulty in speaking to listeners at the base. If unveiling the fact at all, he would have apologized for it, denounced its evil to clear himself, spoken much perhaps of God's permitting and overruling. He understood the importance of leading through the example of ones own actions. But that which does good to every saint and to every soul is the unqualified confidence in God and His word, which, if it does not reproduce itself in hearts purified by faith, at least deals with the consciences of all others till utterly blinded by Satan. The object of the king of Ammon was to put the children of Israel in the wrong. "And in those days the tribe of the Danites." b. Thus He bids the men of Judah go; but the men of Judah were shamefully beaten, and were forced to weep before Jehovah. This is always true in the ways of God. If not.The bramble is not only eager to be king, but has spiteful and dangerous threatsthe counterpart of those, doubtless, which had been used by Abimelechto discourage any withdrawal of the offer. It seems therefore that the two extremes of moral weakness and of outward strength find each its height in this extraordinary character. "Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? They went and made Abimelech king: It is almost hard to tell who was worse; Abimelech who did the murdering, or the men of Shechem who approved of it. And Abimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed forward, and stood at the entering of the gate of the city: and two other companies ran upon all the people that were in the fields, and they killed them. 22 - 41. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, because he hid himself. Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him." What is to become of you then? how many there are in these days of audacious free-thinking who are disposed to sit in judgment on His word, and give His revelation no credit for telling us the truth as it was and is.