JUDGES LESSON 11


     We will begin this lesson in Judges 9:22  "When Abimelech had
reigned three years over Israel,"

     In the last lesson, we saw that Abimelech {son of Gideon by his
servant girl} killed 70 of his half-brothers except for Jotham. This
lessons begins three years after he had been made ruler over Israel.

     Judges 9:23 "Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and
the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with
Abimelech:"

     Jotham had stood over the city of Shechem, on the mountain side,
and proclaimed this very thing earlier. God heard and saw all of that
is, now, bringing it about. We see that Abimelech, and the very men
who put him in power, are dealing treacherously with each other.

     Judges 9:24 "That the cruelty [done] to the threescore and ten
sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech
their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which
aided him in the killing of his brethren."

     We remember that, Abimelech hired some ruthless people to help
him kill his brothers. We see from this that, Shechem does not want to
be accounted guilty of the murder of the brothers of Abimelech. They
want Abimelech, and those he hired, to be held accountable for the
crime.

     Judges 9:25 "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."

     We see from this action, they are trying to defame Abimelech.
They have made the road to Shechem unsafe for travelers. Word was
carried to Abimelech of this, so that he would come out, and check on
the matter. They are trying to trap him.

     Judges 9:26 "And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and
went over to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in
him."

     There is very little known about this Gaal. He seems to be an
unknown. He comes forward to lead the men of Shechem against
Abimelech. They put their confidence in him.

     Judges 9:27 "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."

     The men of Shechem gathered their grapes, made fermented wine,
and had a drunken party. They worshipped Baal. They were drunk in the
temple of Baal, and they cursed Abimelech in this evil temple.

     Judges 9:28 "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?"

     In the Scripture above, it appears that, Shechem is speaking of
Abimelech who represented Shechem at this time. Gaal is puffed up with
pride, and believes he can overpower Abimelech and all of his
followers, and take Shechem for himself. Some of the people have
agreed to help Gaal against Abimelech. He tries to turn the people
against Abimelech, by saying he is the son of Jerubbaal who is of
Manasseh. He is trying to start the old battle up between Manasseh's
tribe and Ephraim's tribe. He claims that Abimelech is really of the
tribe of Manasseh.  Zebul was Abimelech's officer. He is saying, what
right does he have to rule you? He is claiming rights through Hamor,
who he says founded Shechem.

     Judges 9:29 "And would to God this people were under my hand!
then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase
thine army, and come out."

     He is bragging that he can defeat Abimelech and his army.

     Judges 9:30  "And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the
words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled." Judges 9:31
" 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."

     Zebul was governor of the city under Abimelech. Zebul, somehow,
found a way to slip out messengers to Abimelech, to warn him that the
city was fortified against him.

     Judges 9:32 "Now therefore up by night, thou and the people that
[is] with thee, and lie in wait in the field:" Judges 9:33 "And it
shall be, [that] in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, thou shalt
rise early, and set upon the city: and, behold, [when] he and the
people that [is] with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do
to them as thou shalt find occasion."

     He suggests that Abimelech come and hide very near the city
during the night, so he can attack early in the morning. They are
assuming that Gaal and his followers will come out of the city to
fight Abimelech.

     Judges 9:34  "And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that
[were] with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four
companies."

     We see that Abimelech took the suggestion of his governor in
this. He had scattered his men in 4 companies to surround the city.

     Judges 9:35 "And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the
entering of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the
people that [were] with him, from lying in wait." Judges 9:36 "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."

     This is the very first that Gaal had known of this, because he
stood in the open in the gate. His quick eye saw the men approaching
the city. Zebul tried to tell him he was seeing shadows, and not men.

     Judges 9:37 "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."

     Gaal continues to look, and sees the men separated into companies
against the city.

     Judges 9:38 " Then said Zebul unto him, Where [is] now thy mouth,
wherewith thou saidst, Who [is] Abimelech, that we should serve him?
[is] not this the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now,
and fight with them."

     Zebul tries to coax Gaal into leaving the city to fight Abimelech
in the field, by reminding him of the proud statements he had made
against these people. He is saying, "If your statements are true, show
us how brave you are."

     Judges 9:39 "And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and
fought with Abimelech." Judges 9:40 "And Abimelech chased him, and he
fled before him, and many were overthrown [and] wounded, [even] unto
the entering of the gate."

     He did just as Zebul coaxed him into doing. Abimelech was ready
for him, and put his men to flight. Those who were not killed, or
wounded, ran back into the city for safety.

     Judges 9:41 "And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out
Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem."

     Gaal and his men were defeated, and Zebul threw the remainder of
them out of the city. Arumah was near Shechem, but thought to be in
the edge of the mountains.

     Judges 9:42 "And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people
went out into the field; and they told Abimelech." Judges 9:43 "And he
took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait
in the field, and looked, and, behold, the people [were] come forth
out of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote them."

     They thought because Abimelech had not rushed them in the city,
that the war was over and forgotten. They went about their usual
activities in the field, and Abimelech was waiting for them. He
attacked them in the field.
     Judges 9:44 "And Abimelech, and the company that [was] with him,
rushed forward, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and
the two [other] companies ran upon all [the people] that [were] in the
fields, and slew them."

     Abimelech and his men take the city gate and hold it, so the men
of Shechem cannot return to the city.

     Judges 9:45 "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."

     When they had killed all the men, who had come out into the
field, then Abimelech and his men went into the city and killed the
people in it. It appears, he tore down buildings and everything that
was standing. The "sowing of the salt" had to be to kill whatever
vegetation was growing. Salt is used as a preservative many times, but
that is not the use here.

     Judges 9:46  "And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard
[that], they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith."

     This was a lookout post, probably. It seems, the wealth of the
city was here. It is, somehow, associated with the worship of Baal.
The god of "Berith" is the same as Baal.

     Judges 9:47 "And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the
tower of Shechem were gathered together."

     They have hidden in this place, presuming they are safe from
Abimelech. He finds out where they are, and in the next verses, we
find out what he does about it.

     Judges 9:48 "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]."

     Mount Zalmon was a heavily wooded area very near Shechem.
Abimelech had to be strong physically. He cuts a tree and puts it on
his shoulder, to carry to this place where the tower is. He tells all
of his men to do the same thing. I guess each man cut a tree he knew
he could carry.

     Judges 9:49 "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."

     This pile of trees they cut, were brought to the hiding place of
the people of the tower. They set it on fire, and burned them all up.
There were 1,000 men and women in the hold, who died. This fulfills
the curse Jotham had spoken on these people earlier.
     Judges 9:50  "Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against
Thebez, and took it."

     Thebez is about 13 miles out of Shechem. It seemed, Abimelech
took them, and the ones he did not kill ran to the tower.

     Judges 9:51 "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."

     They ran to this tower to avoid capture and death from Abimelech.

     Judges 9:52 "And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought
against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with
fire."

     They were trying to break a hole in the bottom of the tower, so
they could set it on fire.

     Judges 9:53 "And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon
Abimelech's head, and all to brake his skull."

     It appears, this unknown woman picks up this heavy millstone, and
throws it over the side on Abimelech's head. She was attemepting to
kill him, so the burning of the tower would stop.

     Judges 9:54 "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."

     He thought it shame to be killed by a woman. His armourbearer
killed him with his sword, so the men would not think him a weakling
killed by a woman.

     Judges 9:55 "And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was
dead, they departed every man unto his place."

     This stopped the battle, and everyone went home.

     Judges 9:56  "Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech,
which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:"

     This unusual death was punishment from God on Abimelech, for
killing his 70 brothers, except Jotham.

     Judges 9:57 "And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God
render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the
son of Jerubbaal."

     The destruction of the men of Shechem was in answer to the curse
Jotham spoke upon them for following Abimelech. Notice, the
destruction of the men of Shechem was by the hand of Abimelech, but
was really because of a judgement of God against them.
                         Judges 11 Questions


1.  At what time, did God send an evil spirit between Abimelech and
    the men of Shechem?
2.  Who had stood over the city of Shechem, and spoke a curse on the
    city and on Abimelech?
3.  Who had helped Abimelech kill his brothers?
4.  Who does Shechem want to be accountable for the murder of
    Abimelech's brothers?
5.  What did they do, to try to lure Abimelech to them?
6.  Who is Gaal?
7.  Who did the men of Shechem put their trust in?
8.  What did the men of Shechem do in celebration of their new leader?
9.  Gall is puffed up with _________.
10. How does he try to turn people against Abimelech?
11. What bragging remark did Gaal make in verse 29?
12. Who was Zebul?
13. What did Zebul do to help Abimelech?
14. What suggestion did he make to Abimelech?
15. Did Abimelech take his advice?
16. How did Gaal realize that Abimelech was coming?
17. What does Gaal see pertaining to Abimelech's army?
18. What does Zebul talk Gaal into doing?
19. When Abimelech attacked them, what did those alive do?
20. Where was Arumah?
21. What did the people do, when they thought the war was over?
22. What happened to them?
23. When Abimelech beat down the city, why did he cover it with salt?
24. Where did the people hide from Abimelech?
24. This false god "Berith" is the same as ________.
25. What did Abimelech do, when he found the people from the tower
    were hiding in a hold under the place of the false worship?
26. How many trees did they bring, and pile around the hiding place?
27. How many died in this place?
28. Where did Abimelech go next?
29. Where did the people flee for safety from Abimelech?
30. What was Abimelech trying to do to the tower?
31. What did this woman on the tower do to Abimelech?
32. Why did he ask his armourbearer to kill him?
33. When Abimelech was killed, what did all the people do?
34. What really caused this unusual death of Abimelech?
35. Why had the men at Shechem been killed?