Focused Passage

Judges 9:46-49

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

46On hearing of this, all the leaders in the tower of Shechem entered the inner chamber of the temple of El-berith.

47And when Abimelech was told that all the leaders in the tower of Shechem were gathered there,

48he and all his men went up to Mount Zalmon. Abimelech took his axe in his hand and cut a branch from the trees, which he lifted to his shoulder, saying to his men, “Hurry and do what you have seen me do.”

49So each man also cut his own branch and followed Abimelech. Then they piled the branches against the inner chamber and set it on fire above them, killing everyone in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 46

Original words

On hearing of thisוַֽיִּשְׁמְע֔וּH8085Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralallכָּֽל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe leadersבַּעֲלֵ֖יH1167Noun - masculine plural constructin the towerמִֽגְדַּל־H4026Noun - proper - feminine singularof Shechemשְׁכֶ֑םH7927Noun - proper - feminine singularenteredוַיָּבֹ֣אוּH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural. . .אֶל־H413Prepositionthe inner chamberצְרִ֔יחַH6877Noun - masculine singular constructof the templeבֵּ֖יתH1004Noun - masculine singular constructvvvאֵ֥לH410Noun - proper - masculine singularof El-berithבְּרִֽית׃H1286Noun - proper

BSB notes

  • El-berith was another name for Baal-berith; see verse 4.
Verse 47

Original words

And when Abimelechלַאֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְH40Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularwas toldוַיֻּגַּ֖דH5046Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hofal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthatכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionallכָּֽל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe leadersבַּעֲלֵ֖יH1167Noun - masculine plural constructin the towerמִֽגְדַּל־H4026Noun - proper - feminine singularof Shechemשְׁכֶֽם׃H7927Noun - proper - feminine singularwere gathered thereהִֽתְקַבְּצ֔וּH6908Verb - Hitpael - Perfect - third person common plural
Verse 48

Original words

heאֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְH40Noun - proper - masculine singularand allוְכָל־H3605Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructhis menהָעָ֣םH5971Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relative-אִתּוֹ֒H854Preposition | third person masculine singularwent upוַיַּ֨עַלH5927Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto Mountהַר־H2022Noun - masculine singular constructZalmonצַלְמ֗וֹןH6756Noun - proper - feminine singular. . .הוּא֮H1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularAbimelechאֲבִימֶ֨לֶךְH40Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markertookוַיִּקַּח֩H3947Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularhis axeהַקַּרְדֻּמּ֜וֹתH7134Article | Noun - feminine pluralin his handבְּיָד֗וֹH3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularand cutוַיִּכְרֹת֙H3772Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulara branchשׂוֹכַ֣תH7754Noun - feminine singular constructfrom the treesעֵצִ֔יםH6086Noun - masculine pluralwhich he liftedוַיִּ֨שָּׂאֶ֔הָH5375Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singularוַיָּ֖שֶׂםוַיָּ֖שֶׂםH7760Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoעַל־H5921Prepositionhis shoulderשִׁכְמ֑וֹH7926Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularsayingוַיֹּ֜אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionhis menהָעָ֣םH5971Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relative-עִמּ֗וֹH5973Preposition | third person masculine singularHurryמַהֲר֖וּH4116Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine pluraland doעָשִׂ֔יתִיH6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularwhatמָ֤הH4100Interrogativeyou have seen meרְאִיתֶם֙H7200Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine pluraldoעֲשׂ֥וּH6213Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural. . .כָמֽוֹנִי׃H3644Preposition | first person common singular
Verse 49

Original words

So eachכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructmanאִ֣ישׁH376Noun - masculine singular-הָעָ֜םH5971Article | Noun - masculine singularalsoגַם־H1571Conjunctioncutוַיִּכְרְת֨וּH3772Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralhis own branchשׂוֹכֹ֗הH7754Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularand followedוַיֵּ֨לְכ֜וּH1980Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural. . .אַחֲרֵ֤יH310PrepositionAbimelechאֲבִימֶ֙לֶךְ֙H40Noun - proper - masculine singularThen they piled [the branches]וַיָּשִׂ֣ימוּH7760Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralagainstעַֽל־H5921Prepositionthe inner chamberהַצְּרִ֔יחַH6877Article | Noun - masculine singularand setוַיַּצִּ֧יתוּH3341Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural-אֶֽת־H853Direct object marker[it]הַצְּרִ֖יחַH6877Article | Noun - masculine singularon fireבָּאֵ֑שׁH784Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singularabove themעֲלֵיהֶ֛םH5921Preposition | third person masculine pluralkillingוַיָּמֻ֜תוּH4191Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural. . .גַּ֣םH1571Conjunctioneveryoneכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular construct. . .אַנְשֵׁ֧יH582Noun - masculine plural constructin the towerמִֽגְדַּל־H4026Noun - proper - feminine singularof Shechemשְׁכֶ֛םH7927Noun - proper - feminine singularabout a thousandכְּאֶ֖לֶףH505Preposition-k | Number - masculine singular constructmenאִ֥ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularand womenוְאִשָּֽׁה׃פH802Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular

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