What is the meaning of Judges 9:28? Then Gaal son of Ebed said • Gaal arrives in Shechem during the harvest festival (Judges 9:27) and seizes the moment to speak in the city gate, a place of judgment and decision (Ruth 4:1). • His speech follows years of unrest sparked by Abimelech’s murderous rise to power (Judges 9:1–6). • Scripture shows God frequently allowing challengers to expose ungodly rulers (1 Kings 11:14). Gaal becomes such an instrument, even if unknowingly. Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? • A two–pronged taunt: he belittles both Abimelech’s person and the city’s collective choice. • The question echoes Israel’s earlier cries against oppressive leaders (1 Samuel 10:27; 2 Samuel 20:1). • Service or allegiance belongs ultimately to the LORD alone (Exodus 23:25). Gaal leverages that truth to stir civic pride against Abimelech. Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? • “Jerubbaal” is Gideon, the hero who tore down Baal’s altar (Judges 6:32). Abimelech shares Gideon’s blood but none of his faith. • By stressing Gideon’s name, Gaal reminds listeners that Abimelech is only a half-Israelite, born to Gideon’s concubine from Shechem (Judges 8:31). • Zebul, the city prefect (Judges 9:30), is painted as an outsider’s puppet. Gaal exposes the humiliation of being ruled by their own official who sides with a tyrant. You are to serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem. • Hamor founded the city centuries earlier (Genesis 33:18–19; 34:2). Mentioning him evokes ancestral dignity and native rule. • Gaal urges the Shechemites to recall covenantal identity much as Joshua had rallied Israel to remember its heritage (Joshua 24:15). • The statement suggests local leadership—including Gaal—deserves their loyalty, not a foreign-spirited king. Why should we serve Abimelech? • Gaal’s closing question drives the point home: there is no moral, familial, or covenantal obligation to submit to Abimelech’s kingship. • Similar rhetorical challenges precede God’s judgment on illegitimate authority (1 Kings 12:16; Acts 5:29). • In the narrative that follows, the LORD vindicates this challenge by turning Shechem against Abimelech and fulfilling Jotham’s curse (Judges 9:22–57). summary Judges 9:28 records Gaal’s bold speech that strips Abimelech of legitimacy, appeals to Shechem’s ancient heritage, and calls the city to reject oppressive rule. By contrasting Abimelech’s dubious lineage and ruthless methods with the honorable memory of Hamor and Gideon, Gaal ignites a revolt that God ultimately uses to judge both parties, proving once again that allegiance rightly belongs to the LORD and to leaders who honor His covenant. |
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