Focused Passage

Judges 9:16-21

Abimelech's Anti-Kingship: Bloodshed, Treachery, and the Curse Fulfilled

Abimelech turns Gideon's legacy into bloody ambition, kills his brothers, is made king by Shechem, is warned by Jotham's fable, rules three unstable years, destroys the city that enthroned him, and dies under God's retributive judgment as Jotham's curse comes upon Abimelech and Shechem.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

16Now if you have acted faithfully and honestly in making Abimelech king, if you have done well by Jerubbaal and his family, and if you have done to him as he deserves—

17for my father fought for you and risked his life to deliver you from the hand of Midian,

18but you have risen up against my father’s house this day and killed his seventy sons on a single stone, and you have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the leaders of Shechem because he is your brother—

19if you have acted faithfully and honestly toward Jerubbaal and his house this day, then may you rejoice in Abimelech, and he in you.

20But if not, may fire come from Abimelech and consume the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo, and may fire come from the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo and consume Abimelech.”

21Then Jotham ran away, escaping to Beer, and he lived there for fear of his brother Abimelech.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 16

Cross-references

Judges 8:35Classic cross-references

Original words

Nowוְעַתָּ֗הH6258Conjunctive waw | Adverbifאִם־H518Conjunctionyou have actedעֲשִׂיתֶ֔םH6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine pluralfaithfullyבֶּאֱמֶ֤תH571Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singularand honestlyוּבְתָמִים֙H8549Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Adjective - masculine singularin making Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְH40Noun - proper - masculine singularkingוַתַּמְלִ֖יכוּH4427Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerifוְאִם־H518Conjunction. . .טוֹבָ֤הH2896Noun - feminine singularyou have done wellעֲשִׂיתֶם֙H6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine pluralbyעִם־H5973PrepositionJerubbaalיְרֻבַּ֣עַלH3378Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .וְעִם־H5973Conjunctive waw | Prepositionand his familyבֵּית֔וֹH1004Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularand ifוְאִם־H518Conjunctionyou have doneעֲשִׂ֥יתֶםH6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine pluralto himלֽוֹ׃Preposition | third person masculine singularas heיָדָ֖יוH3027Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine singulardeservesכִּגְמ֥וּלH1576Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct

Verse 17

Cross-references

1 Samuel 19:5Classic cross-references Romans 5:8Classic cross-references

Original words

forאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativemy fatherאָבִ֖יH1Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularfoughtנִלְחַ֥םH3898Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singularfor youעֲלֵיכֶ֑םH5921Preposition | second person masculine pluraland riskedוַיַּשְׁלֵ֤ךְH7993Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object marker-מִנֶּ֔גֶדH5048Preposition-mhis lifeנַפְשׁוֹ֙H5315Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularto deliverוַיַּצֵּ֥לH5337Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularyouאֶתְכֶ֖םH853Direct object marker | second person masculine pluralfrom the handמִיַּ֥דH3027Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular constructof Midianמִדְיָֽן׃H4080Noun - proper - masculine singular

Verse 18

Cross-references

Judges 9:5Classic cross-references Psalms 109:4Classic cross-references

Original words

but youוְאַתֶּ֞םH859Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine pluralhave risen upקַמְתֶּ֨םH6965Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine pluralagainstעַל־H5921Prepositionmy father’sאָבִי֙H1Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularhouseבֵּ֤יתH1004Noun - masculine singular constructthis dayהַיּ֔וֹםH3117Article | Noun - masculine singularand killedוַתַּהַרְג֧וּH2026Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerhis seventyשִׁבְעִ֥יםH7657Number - common plural. . .אִ֖ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularsonsבָּנָ֛יוH1121Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularonעַל־H5921Prepositiona singleאֶחָ֑תH259Number - feminine singularstoneאֶ֣בֶןH68Noun - feminine singularand you have made Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֤לֶךְH40Noun - proper - masculine singularthe sonבֶּן־H1121Noun - masculine singular constructof his maidservantאֲמָתוֹ֙H519Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularkingוַתַּמְלִ֜יכוּH4427Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markeroverעַל־H5921Prepositionthe leadersבַּעֲלֵ֣יH1167Noun - masculine plural constructof Shechemשְׁכֶ֔םH7927Noun - proper - feminine singularbecauseכִּ֥יH3588Conjunctionheהֽוּא׃H1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularis your brotherאֲחִיכֶ֖םH251Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural

Verse 19

Cross-references

Isaiah 8:6Classic cross-references

Original words

ifוְאִם־H518Conjunctionyou have actedעֲשִׂיתֶ֛םH6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine pluralfaithfullyבֶּאֱמֶ֨תH571Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singularand honestlyוּבְתָמִ֧יםH8549Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Adjective - masculine singulartowardעִם־H5973PrepositionJerubbaalיְרֻבַּ֥עַלH3378Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .וְעִם־H5973Conjunctive waw | Prepositionand his houseבֵּית֖וֹH1004Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularthisהַזֶּ֑הH2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singulardayהַיּ֣וֹםH3117Article | Noun - masculine singular[then] may you rejoiceשִׂמְחוּ֙H8055Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralin Abimelechבַּאֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְH40Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singularandגַּם־H1571Conjunctionheה֖וּאH1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularin youבָּכֶֽם׃Preposition | second person masculine plural-וְיִשְׂמַ֥חH8055Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular

Verse 20

Cross-references

Judges 9:15Classic cross-references Judges 9:57Classic cross-references 2 Chronicles 20:22Classic cross-references 2 Kings 2:24Classic cross-references Judges 9:53Classic cross-references

Original words

But ifוְאִם־H518Conjunctionnotאַ֕יִןH369Adverbmay fireאֵשׁ֙H784Noun - common singularcomeתֵּ֤צֵאH3318Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singularfrom Abimelechמֵאֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְH40Preposition-m | Noun - proper - masculine singularand consumeוְתֹאכַ֛לH398Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person feminine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe leadersבַּעֲלֵ֥יH1167Noun - masculine plural constructof Shechemשְׁכֶ֖םH7927Noun - proper - feminine singularandוְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker. . .בֵּ֣יתH1037Noun - masculine singular constructBeth-milloמִלּ֑וֹאH1037Noun - proper - feminine singularand may fireאֵ֜שׁH784Noun - common singularcomeוְתֵצֵ֨אH3318Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person feminine singularfrom the leadersמִבַּעֲלֵ֤יH1167Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural constructof Shechemשְׁכֶם֙H7927Noun - proper - feminine singularvvvוּמִבֵּ֣יתH1037Noun - masculine singular constructand Beth-milloמִלּ֔וֹאH1037Conjunctive waw, Preposition | Noun - proper - feminine singularand consumeוְתֹאכַ֖לH398Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person feminine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerAbimelechאֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ׃H40Noun - proper - masculine singular

Verse 21

Cross-references

Numbers 21:16Classic cross-references Joshua 19:8Classic cross-references

Original words

Then Jothamיוֹתָ֔םH3147Noun - proper - masculine singularran awayוַיָּ֣נָסH5127Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularescapingוַיִּבְרַ֖חH1272Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .וַיֵּ֣לֶךְH1980Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto Beerבְּאֵ֑רָהH876Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singularand he livedוַיֵּ֣שֶׁבH3427Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthereשָׁ֔םH8033Adverbfor fearמִפְּנֵ֖יH6440Preposition-m | Noun - common plural constructof his brotherאָחִֽיו׃פH251Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularAbimelechאֲבִימֶ֥לֶךְH40Noun - proper - masculine singular

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