Topical Bible: Judgments: Upon Abimelech

◄ Judgments: Upon Abimelech ►

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Abimelech, a son of Gideon (also known as Jerubbaal), is a significant figure in the Book of Judges, specifically in Judges 9. His account is a cautionary tale of ambition, treachery, and divine retribution. Abimelech's rise to power and subsequent downfall illustrate the consequences of ungodly leadership and the divine justice that follows.

Background and Rise to Power

Abimelech was one of the seventy sons of Gideon, born to a concubine in Shechem (Judges 8:31). After Gideon's death, Abimelech sought to establish himself as ruler over Shechem and the surrounding region. He appealed to his maternal relatives, leveraging his connection to Shechem to gain support. Abimelech's ambition led him to propose a stark choice to the people of Shechem: "Which is better for you: that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or that one man rule over you?" (Judges 9:2).

With the backing of the Shechemites, Abimelech hired reckless and worthless men to carry out his plan. He went to his father's house in Ophrah and murdered his seventy brothers on a single stone, sparing only the youngest, Jotham, who managed to hide (Judges 9:5).

Jotham's Parable and Prophecy

Jotham, the sole surviving son of Gideon, delivered a parable from Mount Gerizim, warning the people of Shechem about the consequences of their actions. He likened Abimelech to a thornbush, unworthy of kingship, and prophesied that fire would come from Abimelech to consume the leaders of Shechem, and vice versa (Judges 9:7-20).

Judgment and Downfall

Abimelech's reign lasted three years before God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, causing distrust and conflict (Judges 9:23). This divine intervention was a direct response to the bloodshed and treachery that marked Abimelech's rise to power.

The leaders of Shechem turned against Abimelech, and a man named Gaal son of Ebed incited rebellion. Abimelech responded with brutal force, destroying Shechem and sowing it with salt (Judges 9:45). However, his victory was short-lived.

Abimelech's final act of aggression was against the city of Thebez. During the siege, a woman dropped an upper millstone from a tower, striking Abimelech on the head and mortally wounding him. In his final moments, Abimelech commanded his armor-bearer to kill him with a sword to avoid the disgrace of being slain by a woman (Judges 9:53-54).

Divine Retribution

The narrative concludes with a reflection on divine justice: "Thus God repaid the wickedness that Abimelech had done to his father by murdering his seventy brothers. God also brought all the wickedness of the men of Shechem back upon their own heads, and upon them came the curse of Jotham son of Jerubbaal" (Judges 9:56-57).

Abimelech's account serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of sin and the certainty of divine judgment. His ambition and treachery led to his downfall, fulfilling Jotham's prophetic curse and demonstrating God's sovereignty in enacting justice.

Nave's Topical Index

Judges 9:52-57
And Abimelech came to the tower, and fought against it, and went hard to the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

The Sins of Communities Noted and Punished.
... which have suffered, yea perished, by judgments sent to ... We know of none chargeable
on Abimelech, or the ... Eli and his house, were punished upon them, agreeably ...
/.../lee/sermons on various important subjects/sermon xxix the sins of.htm

The Blessing of Jacob Upon Judah. (Gen. Xlix. 8-10. )
... forsake My law, and walk not in My judgments; if they ... On the contrary, if the blessing
upon the heathen be ... God, in Genesis 20:7, says to Abimelech, the heathen ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the blessing of jacob upon.htm

General Principles of Interpretation. 1 Since the Bible Addresses ...
... and Pharisees, and denounces upon them the judgments of heaven ... and there is none
upon earth that I desire ... God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxxiv general principles of.htm

Doubtful Fragments on the Pentateuch.
... among them one who was better practised in His judgments and decrees ... And Abimelech
delivered it to Taleg. ... a deep ditch, and cast fire and hot ashes upon it for ...
/.../doubtful fragments on the pentateuch.htm

Against Rash and Vain Swearing.
... When Abimelech would assure to himself the friendship ... purposed to keep thy righteous
judgments," to him ... impertinent accumulation of one oath upon another; he ...
/.../sermons on evil-speaking by isaac barrow/against rash and vain swearing.htm

Of Antichrist, and his Ruin: and of the Slaying the Witnesses.
... why may we not suppose that he will go the same way with his great enemy now:
especially since those judgments mentioned before, were executed upon those, which ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/of antichrist and his ruin .htm

Matt. xii. 1
... for charity: thee again we entreat to be lenient in judgments, and not ... The former
retains it, giving the patristic comments upon it. ... [1656] Abimelech, 1 Samuel ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily xxxix matt xii 1.htm

Sources of the Pentateuch.
... on the other; in the second Abimelech is represented as ... to the spirit which he impressed
upon the Hebrew ... are also remarkably unanimous in their judgments as to ...
/.../gladden/who wrote the bible/chapter iii sources of the.htm

The Historical Books.
... three years for the reign of Abimelech, three hundred ... under Eli's administration,
for which God denounced upon his family severe judgments; the invasion ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xx the historical books.htm

Use to be Made of the Doctrine of Providence.
... by the Lord himself to execute the Judgments which he ... Walk along the streets, every
tile upon the roofs ... The Lord rebuking King Abimelech for having carried off ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 17 use to be.htm