Focused Passage

Judges 9:42-45

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

42The next day the people of Shechem went out into the fields, and this was reported to Abimelech.

43So he took his men, divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he rose up against them and attacked them.

44Then Abimelech and the companies with him rushed forward and took their stand at the entrance of the city gate. The other two companies rushed against all who were in the fields and struck them down.

45And all that day Abimelech fought against the city until he had captured it and killed its people. Then he demolished the city and sowed it with salt.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 42

Original words

-וַֽיְהִי֙H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularThe next dayמִֽמָּחֳרָ֔תH4283Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singularthe people [of Shechem]הָעָ֖םH5971Article | Noun - masculine singularwent outוַיֵּצֵ֥אH3318Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularinto the fieldsהַשָּׂדֶ֑הH7704Article | Noun - masculine singularand this was reportedוַיַּגִּ֖דוּH5046Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralto Abimelechלַאֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ׃H40Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular

Verse 43

Original words

So he tookוַיִּקַּ֣חH3947Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerhis menהָעָ֗םH5971Article | Noun - masculine singulardivided themוַֽיֶּחֱצֵם֙H2673Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine pluralinto threeלִשְׁלֹשָׁ֣הH7969Preposition-l | Number - masculine singularcompaniesרָאשִׁ֔יםH7218Noun - masculine pluraland lay in waitוַיֶּאֱרֹ֖בH693Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularin the fieldsבַּשָּׂדֶ֑הH7704Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularWhen he sawוַיַּ֗רְאH7200Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .וְהִנֵּ֤הH2009Conjunctive waw | Interjectionthe peopleהָעָם֙H5971Article | Noun - masculine singularcoming outיֹצֵ֣אH3318Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularofמִן־H4480Prepositionthe cityהָעִ֔ירH5892Article | Noun - feminine singularhe rose upוַיָּ֥קָםH6965Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularagainst themעֲלֵיהֶ֖םH5921Preposition | third person masculine pluraland attacked themוַיַּכֵּֽם׃H5221Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural

Verse 44

Cross-references

Galatians 5:15Classic cross-references

Original words

Then Abimelechוַאֲבִימֶ֗לֶךְH40Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singularand the companiesוְהָרָאשִׁים֙H7218Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural-אֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativewith himעִמּ֔וֹH5973Preposition | third person masculine singularrushed forwardפָּשְׁט֕וּH6584Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluraland took their standוַיַּ֣עַמְד֔וּH5975Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralat the entranceפֶּ֖תַחH6607Noun - masculine singular constructof the cityהָעִ֑ירH5892Article | Noun - feminine singulargateשַׁ֣עַרH8179Noun - masculine singular constructThe other twoוּשְׁנֵ֣יH8147Conjunctive waw | Number - masculine dual constructcompaniesהָֽרָאשִׁ֗יםH7218Article | Noun - masculine pluralrushedפָּֽשְׁט֛וּH6584Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralagainstעַֽל־H5921Prepositionallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructwho [were]אֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativein the fieldsבַּשָּׂדֶ֖הH7704Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularand struck them downוַיַּכּֽוּם׃H5221Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine plural

Verse 45

Cross-references

2 Kings 3:25Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 29:23Classic cross-references 1 Kings 12:25Classic cross-references Jeremiah 17:6Classic cross-references

Original words

And allכֹּ֚לH3605Noun - masculine singular constructthatהַה֔וּאH1931Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singulardayהַיּ֣וֹםH3117Article | Noun - masculine singularAbimelechוַאֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְH40Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singularfoughtנִלְחָ֣םH3898Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singularagainst the cityבָּעִ֗ירH5892Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularuntil he had captured itוַיִּלְכֹּד֙H3920Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object marker-הָעִ֔ירH5892Article | Noun - feminine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerand killedהָרָ֑גH2026Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularits peopleהָעָ֥םH5971Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relative-בָּ֖הּPreposition | third person feminine singularThen he demolishedוַיִּתֹּץ֙H5422Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe cityהָעִ֔ירH5892Article | Noun - feminine singularand sowedוַיִּזְרָעֶ֖הָH2232Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singularit with saltמֶֽלַח׃פH4417Noun - masculine singular

Read full chapter context All Judges chapters

<- Judges 8 Judges 9 Judges 10 ->