Judges 9 Commentary

“And he went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.”

Stone where criminals were, perhaps, commonly executed, that he might seem to act with justice, (Tostat) or he might slaughter his brethren on the very altar, which had been erected to God by Gedeon, after he had thrown down that of Baal. By doing so, he would seem to vindicate the idol, and gratify the people of Sichem, who were zealous idolaters, ver. 46. Joatham escaped his fury, yet he, also, uses a round number, 70, when he says you have killed 70 men, ver. 18. (Calmet) — Abimelech himself must also be deducted from the number. Thus we say the seventy interpreters, (Menochius) though the Greek interpreters of the Bible are supposed (Haydock) to have been 72. (Menochius) — The history of nations is full of similar instances of cruelty. Ochus, king of Persia, killed his uncle, and 80 or 100 of his sons. Phraartees, son of Herod, king of the Parthians, by a concubine, slew his father and his 30 children. (Justin. x. and xlii.) — The Turkish emperors have shewn equal barbarity on many occasions, and they still murder or confine all their brothers. (Serar. q. 6.)

“And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo , and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem. plain: or, oak”

Mello. We know of no such city in the vicinity of Sichem. Hebrew, “all the house of Millo:” which some take to be the town-house of Sichem, full of the chief citizens, as Mello signifies “filled up;” (Vatable) or it might designate some part of the city which had been levelled, like the deep valley at Jerusalem, (3 Kings ix. 15.; Haydock) and where some powerful family, probably the father of Abimelech’s mother, might dwell. (Calmet) — This family would interest itself the most in the advancement of the tyrant, ver. 3. (Haydock) — Oak. Hebrew, “the plain, or oak of the statue,” (alluding to the monument which was left here by Josue, ver. 37., Josue xxiv. 26) or Septuagint, “of the station,” as those of Sichem might assemble here to deliberate on public affairs, (Calmet) in memory of the solemn covenant between God and the people. (Haydock)

“And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.”

Stood on. As Abimelech was a figure of Antichrist, who will reign for a time, so Joatham denotes the pastors of the church, who shall stand up for the truth. (Worthington) — Garizim. At the foot of this mountain Sichem was built. Joatham addressed the people of the city, probably during the absence of Abimelech, (Calmet) when, Josephus ([Antiquities?] v. 9.) says, a great festival was celebrated.

“The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.”

Us. By this parable, Joatham expostulates with the men of Sichem, who had so basely requited the labours of Gedeon, and had given the preference to the son of a servant, who was of the most savage temper. (Haydock) — In a spiritual sense, which the Fathers chiefly regard, heretics and schismatics act in this manner, and choose rather to be governed by those who will allow them to follow their passions, than by such governors as God has appointed, though the latter be endued with the grace of the Holy Ghost, and with all virtues, signified by the olive and other fruit trees. They prefer the bramble, or the worst dispositions, like Nemrod, Mahomet, Antichrist, &c., who, after persecuting the virtuous, and Catholics for a time, (2 Thessalonians ii.) will, in the end, prove their ruin, though they themselves be involved in the common destruction. “Fire shall rise (says Ven. Bede, q. 6.) against this bramble, Antichrist, and shall devour him, and all his together.” (Worthington) — The use of parables has been very general. (Menochius) — Agrippa brought the Roman plebeians, who had retired to the sacred mount, to a sense of their duty, and to a love of mutual harmony with the nobles, by observing that the members once refused to supply the wants of the belly, because it did not labour like the rest. (Livy ii.) — In the application of these parables, Maimonides justly remarks, that we must consider their general scope, and not pretend to explain every circumstance; (More. Neboc.) a remark which Origen had already made. Many things are only added for the sake of ornament. (Haydock) — Thus we need not imagine that the people of Sichem offered the sovereign authority to many, who refused to accept of it, and at last only prevailed upon Abimelech. Gedeon had, indeed, rejected a similar offer, (chap. viii. 22.) and his other sons not endeavouring to retain the authority of their father, the Sichemites acceded to the petition of Abimelech, to anoint him king. This expression does not always imply a material unction, though such was used among the Jews. It signifies the granting of all the power of a king; in which sense it is applied to foreign princes, (Isaias lxv. 1.) and to Jesus Christ, (Daniel ix. 24.) who received the reality of that sovereign dominion, of which this unction was only a figure. (Calmet)

“But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? go: or, go up and down for other trees”

Leave. But, would this advancement prove any disadvantage? The king is bound to give himself up wholly for the good of the public, so that he must frequently be full of anxiety and care. (Calmet) — Use of. The olive-tree is introduced, speaking in this manner, because oil was used, both in the worship of the true God, and in that of the false gods, whom the Sichemites served. (Challoner) — The pagans burnt lamps in honour of their idols, and anointed their statues: unguentoque lares humescere nigro. (Prud., contra Sym. 1.) — They also anointed their military standards at Rome. (Pliny, [Natural History?] xiii. 3.) — The same author observes, that “two sorts of liquor are very delightful to the bodies of men: wine to drink, and oil for the outside: intus vini, foris olei. (B. xiv. 22.) — Men use oil to strengthen and foment their bodies, as well as to give them light. (Calmet) — It spiritually denotes the grace of God, which establishes the peace of the soul, as the fig-tree signifies the sweetness of God’s law, producing good works, and the vine shews forth those noble actions, which are performed without the affection of outward show; and which are therefore, most agreeable both to God and to men. (Worthington) — Promoted. Some translate the Hebrew, “to put myself in motion for,” Syriac, &c. We might also render, “which honoureth the gods, (or the judges) and men to come to be promoted among (or disquieted on account of) the trees.”

“But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?”

Sweetness. The fig is the sweetest of fruits, and is regarded as the symbol of sweetness. (Aristop.[Aristophanes?]; Bonfrere)

“And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?”

Cheereth God and men. Wine is here represented as agreeable to God, because he had appointed it to be offered up with his sacrifices. But we are not obliged to take these words, spoken by the trees in Joatham’s parable, according to the strict rigour of divinity; but only in a sense accommodated to the design of the parable expressed in the conclusion of it. (Challoner) — The same word, Elohim, which is translated God may also signify any powerful man, as in ver. 9. (Haydock) — Yet wine may be said to cheer God, in the same figurative sense, as the odour of victims is sweet and delightful to him. (Calmet) — He is pleased with the devotion of men, and requires these things as a testimony of their love and fidelity. (Haydock) — Joatham might speak according to the notions of the idolaters, who thought that their gods really fed on ambrosia and nectar, and were pleased with the smell of victims and of perfumes. That wine cheereth the heart of man needs no proof, Psalm ciii. 15. — Tunc veniunt risus, tunc pauper cornua sumit.—Tunc dolor et curĉ rugaque frontis abit. (Ovid)

“Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. bramble: or, thistle”

Bramble. Septuagint rhamnos, “the white, or hawthorn.” Some suppose that atad means “a wild rose, (Vatable) thistle,” &c. (Calmet) — It is here put for any base and ambitious man. (Worthington)

“And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.”

Shadow or protection, Psalm xvi. 8., and Baruch i. 12. (Calmet) — Joatham hints at the insolence of Abimelech, (Haydock) and foretels that he and his foolish subjects will soon be at variance, and destroy each other. Fire is often put for war. The people of Sichem began soon to despise their new king, and he made war upon them, and destroyed their city; though the people afterwards took ample revenge, ver. 20. (Calmet) — Tyrants promise much, but their rage soon falls upon the more wealthy and powerful citizens, (Haydock) here signified by the cedars. (Menochius)

“And ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;)”

You are. People are answerable for the injuries which they do not prevent, when they have it in their power. (Calmet) — Many of the chief citizens of Sichem had assisted Abimelech, ver. 4. — Brother. The ties of kindred could not hide their ingratitude and cruelty. (Haydock)

“But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo ; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo , and devour Abimelech.”

Town of. Hebrew, “the house of Mello,” ver. 6. (Calmet) — The imprecation of Joatham was prophetical. He had not the smallest doubt but the people had done wrong; (Haydock) and the three different fruit-trees, which rejected the offer of promotion, represented all the virtuous Israelites, who knew that they could not lawfully assume the regal or judicial authority, without the divine call. Ezechiel (xvii. 24,) attributes knowledge to trees by the same figure of speech, as Joatham does here. (Menochius)

“And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.”

Bera. Hebrew, Bar or Beera, “the well.” There was a place of this name in the tribe of Ruben, where the Israelites encamped, Numbers xxi. 16. Bersabee, in the tribe of Juda, was another famous well, and it is probable that Joatham would retire to some distant place. (Haydock) — St. Jerome mentions a Bera, eight miles north of Eleutheropolis; and Maundrell speaks of another, about 21 miles from Sichem, on the road to Jerusalem. The dominion of Abimelech did not extend far. (Calmet)

“Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:”

Spirit. God permitted the spirit of discord to arise, like an executioner, (Calmet) to punish the sins both of the ruler and of his subjects. (Haydock) — St. Augustine (q. 45.) observes, that God caused the people to be sorry for what they had done: but they afterwards proceeded to acts of violence and enmity, at the instigation of the devil, to whose advice they gave ear, in consequence of their former transgression. (Worthington) — The common people began to open their eyes, and beheld the cruelty of Abimelech, and of some of the principal citizens, who had espoused his cause, with abhorrence. (Menochius) — They reflected on the justice of Joatham’s parable, which tended to rouse them not to suffer the tyrant to remain unpunished any longer. (Haydock) — Detest him. Hebrew, “revolted against (or dealt treacherously with) Abimelech, (24) that the crime (or punishment of the murder) of the, &c., might come, and their blood be laid upon,” &c. (Haydock) — God permitted that Abimelech should be punished by those very men who had been the occasion of his sin. To obtain the sceptre over them, he had committed the most horrible cruelty. (Calmet)

“And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech.”

Coming. Abimelech resided at Ephra, having appointed Zebul governor of Sichem, from whom he received information of what was doing. The malcontents began to plunder his adherents; (Calmet) and as it was the time of vintage, they gave way to all the sallies which fury, heated by wine, can suggest; particularly after Gaal, a powerful man of the neighbourhood, came to put himself at their head, ver. 28. (Haydock)

“And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech. merry: or, songs”

Cups. Such revellings were common in the days of vintage; (Isaias xvi. 10., and Jeremias xlviii. 33,) and they generally accompanied the heathenish sacrifices, chap. xvi. 24. They went to give thanks to their god, for having delivered them, (Calmet) as they thought, from the power of Abimelech. (Haydock)

“And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serve him?”

Sichem. Why should this ancient city be thus degraded? This son of Jerobaal deigns not to reside among us, but sets one of his servants over us! (Haydock) — He mentions Jerobaal instead of Gedeon, to remind the people of the indignity formerly offered to their great idol, by the father of their present ruler. (Menochius) — Hebrew may have another sense. “Who is Abimelech?….Is he not the son of Jerobaal, and Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hemor,” &c. It seems that Gaal was of the race of Chanaan, by the manner in which he speaks of Hemor, whose history is given, Genesis xxxiv. Many of the same nations might still inhabit Sichem, (Calmet) which made the people so bold and zealous in the adoration of Baal. (Haydock) — The insidious Gaal hence takes occasion to propose to his countrymen, that they had better acknowledge the authority of their ancient magistrates, who occupied the place of Hemor. (Calmet) — But he immediately insinuates, that the most effectual method to expel the tyrant, would be to vest him with the sovereign authority. (Haydock) (ver. 29.) — The party of Abimelech was now the weaker. (Calmet)

“And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem; and, behold, they fortify the city against thee. privily: Heb. craftily or, to Tormah”

Thee. Hebrew, “they besiege (Calmet) or fortify the city.” (Haydock) — The partizans of Gaal attacked those who were still favourable to Abimelech, and fortified themselves as much as possible, in those parts which they had already seized. (Vatable; Drusius) — Or as tsarim means “enemies,” we may as well translate, “lo, the enemies are in (or with) the city against thee.” (Calmet)

“And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.”

Places. Hebrew, “companies, (Haydock) or heads.” He divided his army into four parts, over each of which he appointed a commander. (Calmet)

“And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.”

To Zebul. It seems the latter had acted with such dissimulation, that Gaal supposed he had come over to his party. Zebul laughs at him, as if he were disturbed with groundless fears, (Haydock) in order that Abimelech may take him unawares. (Menochius)

“And Gaal spake again and said, See there come people down by the middle of the land, and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim. middle: Heb. navel Meonenim: or, the regarders of times”

Midst. Hebrew Tabur, here signifies “a little hill, or the navel,” which title is given to places which are elevated and in the centre of the country, Ezechiel xxxviii. 12. (Josephus, Jewish Wars iii. 2.) Varro mentions the lake of Cutilia, as the navel of Italy. The wood of Enna and Etolia are styled the navel of Sicily and of Greece, by Cicero and Livy. (Bonfrere; Calmet) — Oak, which is probably mentioned, ver. 6. (Menochius) — Hebrew, “another company comes by the oak or plain of Mehonenim,” which may signify, “of the augurs.” Septuagint, “of those who make observations,” apoblepontón. (Calmet)

“And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.”

Ruma may be the same place as Arimathea, between Joppe and Lidda. (St. Jerome) (Menochius) — But this seems to be too remote from Sichem, (Haydock; Bonfrere) in the neighbourhood of which Abimelech halted, to give the citizens time to enter into themselves, (Calmet) and to open their gates to him without farther resistance. Gaal entered the city after his defeat: but was forced the next day to leave it by Zebul. Whereupon he was met by two divisions of Abimelech’s army, which routed him, and pursued the fugitives, while the king marched straight to the city; and though he had a party within the walls, headed by Zebul, (Haydock) unless he was slain, (Calmet) the rest of the inhabitants made such a stout resistance, that the tyrant resolved to demolish the city, when he took it, at night. (Haydock)

“And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.”

Sowed salt. To make the ground barren, and fit for nothing; (Challoner) and to testify his eternal hatred towards the place, as salt is the symbol of duration. See Deuteronomy xxix. 23., Sophonias ii. 9., and Jeremias xvii. 6. — Salsa autem tellus & quĉ perhibetur amara—Frugibus infelix. (Virgil, Georg. ii.) Notwithstanding the fury of Abimelech, Sichem was afterwards rebuilt, and became as fertile as before. The city of Milan was destroyed and sowed with salt in 1162. (Sigon.) — The houses of traitors were formerly treated in this manner in France, (Brantome) as was that of the admiral de Chatillon. (Calmet) — See on this custom Bochart, animal. iii. 16. — Some think it denoted that the ground might henceforth be cultivated, and grow corn where houses had stood. Salt is the source of fertility, if there be not too much of it. (Haydock)

“And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.”

Tower. Serarius thinks it was the house of Mello, out of the city, ver. 6. (Menochius) — It was the citadel, large enough to contain 1000 soldiers. They durst not, however, stop here to encounter Abimelech, but retired to the temple, either because it was still stronger and higher, or in hopes that they would be secure, on account of the veneration (Calmet) to which the place was entitled among the idolaters. — Berith. Protestants, “they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.” Septuagint, “of the covenant.” (Haydock) — Where, &c., is added by way of explanation, (Calmet) except the word strong, which the Septuagint render ochuroma, “a fortress.” The tower and temple seem to have been contiguous, since Abimelech, by setting fire to the tower, destroyed these people at the same time, ver. 49. (Haydock)

“And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done. me do: Heb. I have done”

Selmon. This mountain lay towards the Jordan, and was covered with trees and snow, Psalm lxvii. 16. (Menochius) — Bough. Septuagint, “a burden or faggot of sticks.” Josephus observes that they were dry. (Calmet)

“And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.”

And so. Hebrew and Septuagint, “upon them, so that all the men of the tower of Sichem died also, about a thousand men and women.” The sanctity of the place where they had taken refuge, made no impression upon the tyrant’s mind, who was equally devoid of religion as of humanity. (Haydock)

“Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.”

Thebes, about 13 miles from Sichem, towards Scythopolis. (Eusebius) — Besieged. Hebrew, &c., “took,” as the sequel shews, (ver. 52,) since Abimelech was killed, as he was attacking the tower or citadel, in the midst of the city. (Calmet)

“But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower.”

Battlements, or roof of the tower, which was flat. Hence the defendants hurled down stones, &c., upon the enemy.

“And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and all to brake his skull.”

Above, or “of the upper millstone,” according to the Hebrew and Septuagint. Pyrrhus met with a similar fate at Argos. Plutarch observes, (in Scylla) that the Lacedemonians did not like to attack walls, because the bravest men are there often slain by the greatest cowards. (Calmet) — Hence Joab puts this advice in the mouth of David, that it is imprudent to come too near the walls, 2 Kings xi. 21. — Skull, (cerebrum) “brain.” Yet the tyrant’s understanding was not perhaps so much impaired, as to excuse him for commanding his armour-bearer to kill him. (Menochius)

“Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer , and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.”

Slew him. The ancient heroes were always attended by their armour-bearers. (Calmet) — Marius ordered his servant to run him through, that he might not be exposed to the insults of his enemies; and V. Maximus (vi. 8,) greatly commends the servant for doing so. Nihil eorum pietati cedit, a quibus salus Dominorum protecta est. David was not of the same opinion, since he punished the Amalecite who pretended that he had rendered this service to Saul, 2 Kings i. 16. The Christian religion condemns both those who engage others to take away their life, and those who comply with the impious request. Hercules was affected in the same manner as Abimelech, when he found that he was to die by the malice of a woman. O turpe fatum! femina Herculeĉ necis—Auctor feratur. (Seneca) — The Lacedemonians were not eager to besiege Argos, when they saw that the women were engaged in its defence. (Pausan. ii.) (Calmet) — Notwithstanding the wicked precaution of Abimelech, what he so much feared took place; for Joab said, Did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, and slay him in Thebes? (2 Kings xi. 21.) His skull was so much fractured, that he had received a mortal wound: the sword only hastened his death. Thus was he justly punished with a stone, who had slaughtered 68 or 69 of his brethren upon one stone. (Haydock) — He can only be considered as an usurper or tyrant, since he was neither chosen by God nor by the Israelites in general. Hence he is only said to have reigned at Sichem. (Cornelius a Lapide) — He was going to extend his conquests over other cities and tribes, when he was slain at Thebes. (Josephus) (Haydock)