Focused Passage

Judges 9:50-55

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

50Then Abimelech went to Thebez, encamped against it, and captured it.

51But there was a strong tower inside the city, and all the men, women, and leaders of the city fled there. They locked themselves in and went up to the roof of the tower.

52When Abimelech came to attack the tower, he approached its entrance to set it on fire.

53But a woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, crushing his skull.

54He quickly called his armor-bearer, saying, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” So Abimelech’s armor-bearer ran his sword through him, and he died.

55And when the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they all went home.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 50

Original words

Then Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְH40Noun - proper - masculine singularwentוַיֵּ֥לֶךְH1980Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413PrepositionThebezתֵּבֵ֑ץH8405Noun - proper - feminine singularencampedוַיִּ֥חַןH2583Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularagainst itבְּתֵבֵ֖ץH8405Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singularand captured itוַֽיִּלְכְּדָֽהּ׃H3920Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Verse 51

Original words

But there wasהָיָ֣הH1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singulara strongעֹז֮H5797Noun - masculine singulartowerוּמִגְדַּל־H4026Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructinsideבְתוֹךְ־H8432Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructthe cityהָעִיר֒H5892Article | Noun - feminine singularand allכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe menהָאֲנָשִׁ֣יםH582Article | Noun - masculine pluralwomenוְהַנָּשִׁ֗יםH802Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine plural. . .וְכֹל֙H3605Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructand leadersבַּעֲלֵ֣יH1167Noun - masculine plural constructof the cityהָעִ֔ירH5892Article | Noun - feminine singularfledוַיָּנֻ֨סוּH5127Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralthereשָׁ֜מָּהH8033Adverb | third person feminine singularThey locked themselves inוַֽיִּסְגְּר֖וּH5462Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural. . .בַּעֲדָ֑םH1157Preposition | third person masculine pluraland went upוַֽיַּעֲל֖וּH5927Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluraltoעַל־H5921Prepositionthe roofגַּ֥גH1406Noun - masculine singular constructof the towerהַמִּגְדָּֽל׃H4026Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 52

Original words

When Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֙לֶךְ֙H40Noun - proper - masculine singularcameוַיָּבֹ֤אH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoעַד־H5704Prepositionattackוַיִּלָּ֖חֶםH3898Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe towerהַמִּגְדָּ֔לH4026Article | Noun - masculine singularhe approachedוַיִּגַּ֛שׁH5066Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .עַד־H5704Prepositionitsהַמִּגְדָּ֖לH4026Article | Noun - masculine singularentranceפֶּ֥תַחH6607Noun - masculine singular constructto set it on fireלְשָׂרְפ֥וֹH8313Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular. . .בָאֵֽשׁ׃H784Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular
Verse 53

Original words

But aאַחַ֛תH259Number - feminine singularwomanאִשָּׁ֥הH802Noun - feminine singulardroppedוַתַּשְׁלֵ֞ךְH7993Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularan upperפֶּ֥לַחH6400Noun - masculine singular constructmillstoneרֶ֖כֶבH7393Noun - masculine singularonעַל־H5921PrepositionAbimelech’sאֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְH40Noun - proper - masculine singularheadרֹ֣אשׁH7218Noun - masculine singular constructcrushingוַתָּ֖רִץH7533Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerhis skullגֻּלְגָּלְתּֽוֹ׃H1538Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 54

Original words

He quicklyמְהֵרָ֜הH4120Adverb. . .אֶל־H413Preposition. . .הַנַּ֣עַר׀H5288Article | Noun - masculine singularcalledוַיִּקְרָ֨אH7121Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularhis armor-bearerנֹשֵׂ֣אH5375Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct. . .כֵלָ֗יוH3627Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularsayingוַיֹּ֤אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularDrawשְׁלֹ֤ףH8025Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularyour swordחַרְבְּךָ֙H2719Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularand kill meוּמ֣וֹתְתֵ֔נִיH4191Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular | first person common singularlestפֶּן־H6435Conjunctionthey sayיֹ֥אמְרוּH559Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralof meלִ֖יPreposition | first person common singularA womanאִשָּׁ֣הH802Noun - feminine singularkilled himהֲרָגָ֑תְהוּH2026Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine singularSo Abimelech’s armor-bearer ran [his sword] through himוַיִּדְקְרֵ֥הוּH1856Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular. . .נַעֲר֖וֹH5288Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularand he diedוַיָּמֹֽת׃H4191Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 55

Original words

And when the Israelitesאִֽישׁ־H376Noun - masculine singular construct. . .יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularsawוַיִּרְא֥וּH7200Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralthatכִּ֣יH3588ConjunctionAbimelechאֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְH40Noun - proper - masculine singularwas deadמֵ֣תH4191Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularthey allאִ֥ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularwentוַיֵּלְכ֖וּH1980Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralhomeלִמְקֹמֽוֹ׃H4725Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.