How does Judges 9:18 connect with the commandment "You shall not murder"? Opening Snapshot: Two Verses, One Principle “but today you have risen up against my father’s house and killed his seventy sons on a single stone, and you have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the citizens of Shechem because he is your brother—” (Judges 9:18) “You shall not murder.” (Exodus 20:13) The Scene in Judges 9: A Massacre on a Stone • Gideon’s seventy sons are slaughtered by their half-brother Abimelech with the full cooperation of Shechem’s leaders. • The deed is deliberate, calculated, and carried out “on a single stone,” highlighting both the premeditation and the brazen public nature of the crime. • Jotham, the sole surviving son, confronts the city and exposes their guilt with the words quoted above. The Sixth Commandment: Protecting Life • Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17 lay down God’s uncompromising prohibition against the taking of innocent life. • Genesis 9:6 grounds that command in humanity’s creation “in the image of God,” showing that murder is ultimately an assault on God Himself. • Romans 13:9 repeats the commandment, confirming its abiding moral authority. Connecting the Dots • Direct Violation: Judges 9:18 records an act that squarely transgresses the sixth commandment. Seventy men are slain without trial, without cause, purely to consolidate power. • Shedding Innocent Blood: Proverbs 6:16-17 lists “hands that shed innocent blood” among the things the Lord hates. Abimelech and Shechem’s citizens embody this hatred by their actions. • Corporate Complicity: The leaders of Shechem sponsor and endorse the killings, illustrating Numbers 35:33—“bloodshed pollutes the land.” The entire community becomes accountable. • Divine Justice Follows: Judges 9 later describes how God turns Abimelech and Shechem against each other (Judges 9:23-24). Murder reaps judgment, echoing Galatians 6:7—“whatever a man sows, he will reap.” What the Passage Teaches Us Today • Human life is sacred because it bears God’s image; disregard for life invites God’s judgment. • Political ambition or personal gain never justifies breaking God’s moral law. • Being silent or complicit in violence makes one a participant; God sees communal responsibility. • God’s justice may appear delayed, but it is certain, as the later downfall of both Abimelech and Shechem demonstrates. Key Takeaways • Judges 9:18 is a narrative illustration of the sixth commandment’s violation. • The command “You shall not murder” is not merely a legal statute; it reflects God’s character and His value for human life. • When people ignore that command, individual sin becomes societal corruption, eventually inviting divine retribution. • Believers are called to honor the sanctity of life, resist complicity in violence, and trust God’s ultimate justice. |
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