And in the morning at sunrise, get up and advance against the city. When Gaal and his men come out against you, do to them whatever you are able." And in the morning at sunriseThe timing of the attack is significant. Morning, especially at sunrise, is often associated with new beginnings and divine intervention in the Bible. This timing could symbolize the dawning of God's justice. In biblical narratives, morning is a time when God often acts decisively (e.g., Exodus 14:27, when the sea returned to its place at morning). The strategic advantage of attacking at sunrise is also practical, as it allows for the element of surprise and the full day ahead for battle. get up and advance against the city
The command to "get up" implies readiness and obedience to divine instruction. The city in question is Shechem, a significant location in Israel's history. It was a city of refuge and a place where covenants were made (Joshua 24:25). The advance against Shechem is not just a military maneuver but a confrontation with a city that has turned away from its covenantal obligations. This phrase also echoes the call to spiritual vigilance and readiness to confront sin and rebellion. When Gaal and his men come out against you
Gaal, son of Ebed, represents opposition to God's chosen leader, Abimelech. His presence in Shechem signifies internal strife and rebellion within Israel. Gaal's challenge to Abimelech is reminiscent of other biblical figures who opposed God's anointed, such as Absalom against David. This internal conflict highlights the recurring theme of Israel's struggle with leadership and fidelity to God. do to them whatever you are able
This phrase underscores the responsibility and agency given to the leader, Zebul, in this context. It reflects the biblical principle of human responsibility in carrying out divine justice. The phrase also suggests a test of faith and capability, as Zebul must rely on his wisdom and strength to execute judgment. This mirrors the broader biblical narrative where God empowers individuals to act according to His will, as seen in the stories of Joshua and David. Persons / Places / Events 1. AbimelechThe son of Gideon (also known as Jerubbaal), who sought to establish himself as king over Shechem by violent means, including the murder of his seventy brothers. 2. Gaal son of EbedA man who opposed Abimelech and sought to lead a rebellion against him in Shechem. 3. ZebulThe governor of the city of Shechem, loyal to Abimelech, who secretly informed Abimelech of Gaal's plans and advised him on how to counter the rebellion. 4. ShechemAn ancient city in the hill country of Ephraim, significant in Israel's history, where Abimelech sought to consolidate his power. 5. The BattleThe event where Abimelech, following Zebul's advice, ambushed Gaal and his followers, leading to a decisive conflict. Teaching Points The Dangers of Ambition and PrideAbimelech's account warns against unchecked ambition and pride, which can lead to destructive outcomes. Believers are encouraged to seek God's will rather than personal gain. The Consequences of BetrayalZebul's betrayal of Gaal illustrates the destructive nature of deceit and treachery. Christians are called to be people of integrity and truth. God's Sovereignty in Human AffairsDespite human schemes, God's sovereign plan prevails. This encourages believers to trust in God's ultimate control over all situations. The Importance of Wise CounselThe account underscores the value of seeking and heeding wise counsel, contrasting Zebul's advice to Abimelech with the folly of Gaal's rebellion. The Role of Vigilance and PreparednessAbimelech's early morning attack serves as a metaphor for spiritual vigilance. Christians are urged to be spiritually alert and prepared for challenges. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Abimelech's ambition compare to the biblical call for humility and service? Reflect on Philippians 2:3-4 in your response. 2. In what ways does the account of Abimelech and Gaal illustrate the consequences of pride and rebellion? Consider the broader biblical account of pride. 3. How can we apply the principle of seeking wise counsel in our daily decision-making? Reflect on Proverbs 11:14. 4. What does this passage teach us about God's sovereignty, even when human actions seem to dominate? How can this understanding impact our trust in God? 5. How can we remain spiritually vigilant in our own lives, as Abimelech was physically vigilant in his attack? Consider Ephesians 6:10-18 in your reflection. Connections to Other Scriptures Judges 8:30-31Provides background on Abimelech's lineage and his relationship with Gideon, setting the stage for his ambition and subsequent actions. Proverbs 16:18Relates to the theme of pride and its consequences, as seen in Abimelech's desire for power and control. 1 Samuel 15:22-23Highlights the importance of obedience to God over personal ambition, contrasting with Abimelech's self-serving actions. People Abimelech, Ebed, Gaal, Hamor, Jerubbaal, Jotham, Ophrah, Zalmon, ZebulPlaces Arumah, Beer, Beth-millo, Diviners' Oak, Lebanon, Midian, Mount Gerizim, Mount Zalmon, Ophrah, Shechem, Thebez, Tower of ShechemTopics Able, Advance, Attack, Behold, Chance, Early, Finds, Gaal, Hast, Mayest, Morning, Occasion, Offers, Pushed, Rise, Risen, Rising, Rush, Sunrise, Town, WhateverDictionary of Bible Themes Judges 9:33 4284 sun
4918 dawn
4954 morning Judges 9:26-41 5575 talk, idle Judges 9:32-33 5977 waiting Library Here, by Way of Objection, Several Questions are Raised. ...
Here, by way of objection, several questions are raised. Scripture relates that God sometimes complied with certain prayers which had been dictated by minds not duly calmed or regulated. It is true, that the cause for which Jotham imprecated on the inhabitants of Shechem the disaster which afterwards befell them was well founded; but still he was inflamed with anger and revenge (Judges 9:20); and hence God, by complying with the execration, seems to approve of passionate impulses. Similar fervour …
John Calvin—Of Prayer--A Perpetual Exercise of FaithTrials of the Christian
AFFLICTION--ITS NATURE AND BENEFITS. The school of the cross is the school of light; it discovers the world's vanity, baseness, and wickedness, and lets us see more of God's mind. Out of dark afflictions comes a spiritual light. In times of affliction, we commonly meet with the sweetest experiences of the love of God. The end of affliction is the discovery of sin; and of that, to bring us to a Saviour. Doth not God ofttimes even take occasion, by the hardest of things that come upon us, to visit …
John Bunyan—The Riches of Bunyan Hence is Also that which Thou Hast Mentioned that they Speak Of...
28. Hence is also that which thou hast mentioned that they speak of, that the Lord Jesus, after He was risen, walked in the way with two disciples; and upon their drawing near to the village whither they were going, He made as though He would have gone farther: where the Evangelist, saying, "But He Himself feigned that He would go further," [2435] hath put that very word in which liars too greatly delight, that they may with impunity lie: as if every thing that is feigned is a lie, whereas in a truthful …
St. Augustine—Against Lying The Hebrew Sages and their Proverbs
[Sidenote: Role of the sages in Israel's life] In the days of Jeremiah and Ezekiel (Jer. xviii. 18; Ezek. vii. 26) three distinct classes of religious teachers were recognized by the people: the prophets, the priests, and the wise men or sages. From their lips and pens have come practically all the writings of the Old Testament. Of these three classes the wise men or sages are far less prominent or well known. They wrote no history of Israel, they preached no public sermons, nor do they appear …
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament Sovereignty of God in Administration
"The LORD hath prepared His Throne In the heavens; and His Kingdom ruleth over all" (Psa. 103:19). First, a word concerning the need for God to govern the material world. Suppose the opposite for a moment. For the sake of argument, let us say that God created the world, designed and fixed certain laws (which men term "the laws of Nature"), and that He then withdrew, leaving the world to its fortune and the out-working of these laws. In such a case, we should have a world over which there was no intelligent, …
Arthur W. Pink—The Sovereignty of God Seasonable Counsel: Or, Advice to Sufferers.
BY JOHN BUNYAN. London: Printed for Benjamin Alsop, at the Angel and Bible in the Poultry, 1684. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. THIS valuable treatise was first published in a pocket volume in 1684, and has only been reprinted in Whitfield's edition of Bunyan's works, 2 vols. folio, 1767. No man could have been better qualified to give advice to sufferers for righteousness' sake, than John Bunyan: and this work is exclusively devoted to that object. Shut up in a noisome jail, under the iron hand of …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 The Greater Prophets.
1. We have already seen (Chap. 15, Nos. 11 and 12) that from Moses to Samuel the appearances of prophets were infrequent; that with Samuel and the prophetical school established by him there began a new era, in which the prophets were recognized as a distinct order of men in the Theocracy; and that the age of written prophecy did not begin till about the reign of Uzziah, some three centuries after Samuel. The Jewish division of the latter prophets--prophets in the more restricted sense of the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible An Exhortation to Love God
1. An exhortation. Let me earnestly persuade all who bear the name of Christians to become lovers of God. "O love the Lord, all ye his saints" (Psalm xxxi. 23). There are but few that love God: many give Him hypocritical kisses, but few love Him. It is not so easy to love God as most imagine. The affection of love is natural, but the grace is not. Men are by nature haters of God (Rom. i. 30). The wicked would flee from God; they would neither be under His rules, nor within His reach. They fear God, …
Thomas Watson—A Divine Cordial Of Prayer --A Perpetual Exercise of Faith. The Daily Benefits Derived from It.
1. A general summary of what is contained in the previous part of the work. A transition to the doctrine of prayer. Its connection with the subject of faith. 2. Prayer defined. Its necessity and use. 3. Objection, that prayer seems useless, because God already knows our wants. Answer, from the institution and end of prayer. Confirmation by example. Its necessity and propriety. Perpetually reminds us of our duty, and leads to meditation on divine providence. Conclusion. Prayer a most useful exercise. …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion Judges
For the understanding of the early history and religion of Israel, the book of Judges, which covers the period from the death of Joshua to the beginning of the struggle with the Philistines, is of inestimable importance; and it is very fortunate that the elements contributed by the later editors are so easily separated from the ancient stories whose moral they seek to point. That moral is most elaborately stated in ii. 6-iii. 6, which is a sort of programme or preface to iii. 7-xvi. 31, which constitutes …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Judges 9:33 NIVJudges 9:33 NLTJudges 9:33 ESVJudges 9:33 NASBJudges 9:33 KJV
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