He went to his father's house in Ophrah, and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived, because he hid himself. He went to his father’s house in OphrahThe phrase "He went to his father’s house in Ophrah" sets the stage for a tragic and violent event. Ophrah, a town in the territory of Manasseh, is significant as the home of Gideon, also known as Jerubbaal. This location is not just a geographical marker but a place of familial and spiritual heritage. Gideon, a judge of Israel, had previously torn down the altar of Baal here, signifying a stand against idolatry ( Judges 6:25-32). The return to this place by Abimelech, Gideon's son, is laden with irony and foreboding, as it becomes the site of fratricide rather than faithfulness. and killed his brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal
The act of killing his brothers is a stark depiction of ambition and betrayal. The Hebrew verb used here for "killed" (הָרַג, harag) conveys a sense of deliberate and violent action. Abimelech's actions are a direct violation of the familial bonds and the covenantal community that Israel was meant to embody. This fratricide echoes the account of Cain and Abel, highlighting the destructive nature of sin and the breakdown of relationships when power and self-interest take precedence over God's commandments. seventy men
The number "seventy" is often symbolic in the Bible, representing completeness or totality. In this context, it underscores the extent of Abimelech's ruthlessness and the totality of his ambition. The slaughter of seventy brothers is not just a personal vendetta but a calculated move to eliminate any potential rivals to his claim to leadership. This act of mass murder is a grim reminder of the consequences of unchecked ambition and the lengths to which individuals will go to secure power. on one stone
The phrase "on one stone" suggests a methodical and possibly ritualistic execution. The use of a single stone as the site of execution may imply a public display meant to instill fear and assert dominance. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, stones were often used as altars or places of judgment, adding a layer of sacrilege to Abimelech's actions. This detail highlights the cold-blooded nature of the massacre and the perversion of justice and sacred spaces for personal gain. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived
The survival of Jotham introduces a glimmer of hope and divine providence amidst the darkness. The name Jotham means "Yahweh is perfect" or "Yahweh is complete," suggesting that God's purposes will ultimately prevail despite human wickedness. Jotham's escape is not merely a fortunate accident but a testament to God's sovereignty and the preservation of a remnant through whom justice and truth will eventually be proclaimed. because he hid himself
Jotham's act of hiding is both a practical and symbolic gesture. It reflects the wisdom and discernment needed to navigate perilous times. In a broader theological sense, it can be seen as an act of divine protection, where God provides refuge for those who seek Him. This phrase invites reflection on the theme of God's sheltering presence and the call for believers to find safety and strength in Him during times of trial and persecution. Persons / Places / Events 1. AbimelechThe son of Gideon (Jerubbaal) and a concubine from Shechem. He sought power and killed his brothers to establish himself as king. 2. Jerubbaal (Gideon)Abimelech's father, a judge of Israel who led the Israelites to victory over the Midianites. His legacy is marred by his son's actions. 3. JothamThe youngest son of Gideon who escaped Abimelech's massacre. He later delivered a parable to the people of Shechem. 4. OphrahThe hometown of Gideon and the site of the massacre of his sons by Abimelech. 5. Seventy BrothersThe sons of Gideon, representing the legitimate heirs to Gideon's legacy, who were murdered by Abimelech. Teaching Points The Dangers of Ambition and PowerAbimelech's account warns against unchecked ambition and the destructive pursuit of power. It serves as a reminder that leadership should be rooted in service and humility, not self-interest. The Consequences of SinThe massacre of Gideon's sons illustrates the far-reaching consequences of sin, affecting not only the sinner but also the innocent. It calls believers to consider the impact of their actions on others. God's Sovereignty and JusticeDespite Abimelech's actions, God's justice prevails. This encourages believers to trust in God's ultimate justice, even when evil seems to triumph temporarily. The Importance of Righteous LeadershipThe contrast between Gideon's leadership and Abimelech's tyranny highlights the need for leaders who fear God and uphold righteousness. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Abimelech's desire for power compare to other biblical figures who sought leadership for selfish reasons? What were the outcomes? 2. In what ways can unchecked ambition lead to destructive behavior in our own lives? How can we guard against this? 3. How does the account of Abimelech and his brothers illustrate the principle of sowing and reaping found in Galatians 6:7-8? 4. What lessons can we learn from Jotham's response to the massacre, and how can we apply them when facing injustice? 5. How does the theme of God's justice in Judges 9 encourage us to trust in His sovereignty in our current circumstances? Connections to Other Scriptures Genesis 4The account of Cain and Abel, where Cain kills his brother out of jealousy and desire for favor, parallels Abimelech's fratricide for power. 1 Samuel 8The Israelites' demand for a king, which reflects the desire for centralized power seen in Abimelech's actions. Matthew 23:35Jesus speaks of the blood of the righteous, which can be connected to the innocent bloodshed by Abimelech. | Shortcomings of Unscrupulous Schemes | A.F. Muir | Judges 9:5 | | Ambitious Usurpation | A.F. Muir | Judges 9:1-6 | | Abimelech, the Adventurer | R. A. Watson, M. A. | Judges 9:1-22 | | Ambition Destroys the Finer Feelings of Men | H. E. Channing. | Judges 9:1-22 | | Bramble Rule; Or, the People and Their Leaders | Homilist | Judges 9:1-22 | | Forms of Usefulness in Life | Marcus Dods, D. D. | Judges 9:1-22 | | Jotham's Parable | R. A. Watson, M. A. | Judges 9:1-22 | | King Bramble and His Subjects | A. F. Vedder. | Judges 9:1-22 | | Misleading Self-Judgments | A. Rowland, B. A. | Judges 9:1-22 | | Pulpit Brambles | Homilist | Judges 9:1-22 | | Self-Fulfilment | E. G. Murphy. | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Bramble | H. Whittaker. | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Election of the Usurper to be King | J. P. Millar. | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Faithful Olive-Tree | Spurgeon, Charles Haddon | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Parable of Jotham | A London Minister | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Parable of the Trees | J. Bayley, Ph. D. | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Parable of the Trees | A. Raleigh, D. D. | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Refusing of Leadership | W. Morison, D. D. | Judges 9:1-22 |
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 Brothers, Escaped, Father's, Hiding, Home, Jerubbaal, Jerub-baal, Jotham, Killed, Murdered, Ophrah, Persons, Seventy, Sons, Stone, YoungestDictionary of Bible Themes Judges 9:5 5277 criminals
9021 death, natural Judges 9:1-6 5040 murder
5661 brothers Judges 9:1-21 5356 irony 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 9:5 NIVJudges 9:5 NLTJudges 9:5 ESVJudges 9:5 NASBJudges 9:5 KJV
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