Judges 9:29

And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(29) Would to God this people were under my hand !—Comp. 2Samuel 15:4.

And he said to Abimelech.—The “he said” may be the impersonal idiom (comp. Joshua 7:26, &c.), meaning “it was told” (Vulg., Dictum est). It is less likely that “he” means Zebul, or that it is Gaal’s drunken vaunt to the absent Abimelech. Another reading is, “And I would say to Abimelech,” &c.

Benson Commentary

Jdg 9:29. Under my hand — That is, under my command; I wish you would unanimously submit to me, as your captain and governor; for he found them divided; and some of them inclining toward Abimelech, whom they had lately rejected, according to the levity of the popular humour. I would remove — As you have driven him out of your city, I would drive him out of your country. He said — He sent this message or challenge to him. Increase thine army — I desire not to surprise thee at any disadvantage; strengthen thyself as much as thou canst, and come out into the open field, that thou and I may decide it by our arms.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

9:22-29 Abimelech is seated in the throne his father refused. But how long does this glory last? Stay but three years, and see the bramble withered and burned. The prosperity of the wicked is short and fickle. The Shechemites are plagued by no other hand than Abimelech's. They raised him unjustly to the throne; they first feel the weight of his sceptre.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Shechem is another designation of Abimelech. Sheehem means the son and heir of Sheehem, Abimelech's mother being a Canaanite Judges 9:18.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

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. The consequence was that he allowed himself to be drawn into an ambush, was defeated, the city of Shechem destroyed and strewn with salt. The people took refuge in the stronghold, which was set on fire, and all in it perished.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Under my hand, i.e. under my command; I wish you would unanimously submit to me, as your captain and governor; for he found them divided, and some of them hearkening after Abimelech, whom they had lately rejected, according to the levity of the popular humour.

Then would I remove Abimelech; as you have driven him out of your city, I would drive him out of your country.

He said to Abimelech; he sent this message or challenge to him, I desire not to surprise thee at any disadvantage; strengthen thyself as much as thou canst, and come out into the open field, that thou and I may decide it by our arms.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And would to God this people were under my hand,.... Or government, that I were but the ruler of their city, and general of their forces:

then would I remove Abimelech; from his kingly office, and rid Shechem of him, and all the country round about, and indeed remove him out of the world:

and he said to Abimelech; as if he was present, in a hectoring and blustering manner; or he said what follows to his officer under him, that represented him; or he sent a messenger to him, saying:

increase thine army, and come out; bidding him defiance, challenging him to come into the open field and fight him, and bring as many forces along with him as he could or would, not doubting but he should be a match for him; and the men of Shechem would see they had nothing to fear from him, having such a man as Gaal at the head of them; this he said to engage the Shechemites to make him their ruler.

Geneva Study Bible

And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to {k} Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.

(k) Braggingly, as though he had been present, or to his captain Zebul.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

29. And he said] Read with a slight change and I would say, so LXX; cf. Jdg 9:38.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 29. - And would to God, etc., i.e. "If you will only trust me as your leader, I will soon remove Abimelech, and then you can have a national government." It seems that the people at once closed with his offer, and, thus emboldened, he sent a challenge to Abimelech to come out and fight him. Judges 9:29

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

"O that this people," continued Gaal, "were in my hand," i.e., could I but rule over the inhabitants of Shechem, "then would I remove (drive away) Abimelech. " He then exclaimed with regard to Abimelech (ל אמר, as in Judges 9:54, Genesis 20:13, etc.), "Increase thine army and come out!" Heated as he was with wine, Gaal was so certain of victory that he challenged Abimelech boldly to make war upon Shechem. תּבּה, imper. Piel with Seghol. צאה, imperative, with ה of motion or emphasis.