And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother’s brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying,
Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.
And his mother’s brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.
And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baal–berith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him.
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.
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.
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.
The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.
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?
And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.
But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?
Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.
And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.
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.
Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands;
(For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:
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;)
If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:
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.
And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel,
Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.
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.
Now therefore up by night, thou and the people that is with thee, and lie in wait in the field:
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.
And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.
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.
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.
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.
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.
And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate.
And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.
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.
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.
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.
And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.
And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.
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.
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.
Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.
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.
And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and all to brake his skull.
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.
And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.
Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:
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.
Judges 9 is a chilling narrative of ambition, betrayal, and divine retribution. It serves as a stark warning against the pursuit of power at all costs and highlights the devastating consequences of straying from God's path. Following Gideon's death (Judges 8), the story plunges into a dark chapter of Israel's history, marked by bloodshed and moral decay. This chapter sets the stage for further idolatry and sin, as explored in Judges 10, before introducing the next major judge, Jephthah, in Judges 11.
Abimelech's Conspiracy and the Massacre at Shechem (Judges 9:1-6)
Abimelech, Gideon's son by a concubine in Shechem (Judges 8:31), harbored a ruthless ambition to rule over Israel. Unlike Gideon's other seventy sons, whose mothers were Gideon's wives, Abimelech felt disadvantaged. Driven by his desire for power, he cunningly exploited his maternal connections in Shechem. He persuaded his mother's family to lobby the leaders of Shechem, arguing that it was better to be ruled by one man (himself) than by all seventy of Gideon's sons.
The leaders of Shechem, swayed by Abimelech's promises and perhaps their own self-interest, provided him with funds from the temple of Baal-berith (Judges 9:4). With this money, Abimelech hired a band of ruthless mercenaries who helped him carry out a horrifying massacre, murdering his seventy brothers on a large stone, which may have been an altar, thus implying a human sacrifice (Judges 9:5). This act reveals the extreme lengths to which Abimelech was willing to go to secure his position, sacrificing his own family for political power. Only Jotham, the youngest son, managed to escape the carnage by hiding.
Jotham's Parable and Prophetic Curse (Judges 9:7-21)
News of Abimelech's coronation reached Jotham, who, from the strategic vantage point of Mount Gerizim (the place of blessing, see Deuteronomy 11:29), delivered a powerful and prophetic rebuke. He used a fable about trees seeking a king to illustrate the folly of Shechem's choice.
In Jotham's parable, the olive tree, fig tree, and grapevine – all symbols of productivity and blessing – refused the invitation to rule, recognizing that their value lay in their inherent purpose. Instead, the trees turned to the bramble, a thorny and unproductive shrub, representing Abimelech. The bramble's acceptance came with a sinister condition: "If in good faith you are anointing me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon!" (Judges 9:15).
Jotham's parable exposed Abimelech's worthlessness and the dangers of his rule. He prophesied that Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, who had acted deceitfully towards Gideon's house, would ultimately destroy each other. Having delivered this dire warning, Jotham fled for his life, escaping Abimelech's wrath (Judges 9:21).
The Downfall of Abimelech and Shechem (Judges 9:22-57)
Abimelech's reign over Shechem lasted only three years (Judges 9:22). God, in His sovereignty, stirred up conflict between Abimelech and the people of Shechem, fulfilling Jotham's curse. The text states that "God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem" (Judges 9:23). While this could refer to a literal demonic influence, it also signifies a breakdown of trust and the rise of animosity. It serves as a reminder that God is sovereign and can use even the devil to mess up a situation that is offensive to his will.
The citizens of Shechem, who had once supported Abimelech, now turned against him, hiring assassins to ambush him (Judges 9:24-25). A man named Gaal seized power and taunted Abimelech (Judges 9:26-29). However, Zebul, Abimelech's officer in Shechem, remained loyal and secretly warned Abimelech of the plot, setting up an ambush for Gaal (Judges 9:31-32). This internal strife led to further violence, with Abimelech ultimately defeating Gaal and destroying Shechem (Judges 9:42-49). The local leaders sought refuge in the temple of El-berith, thinking their god would protect them. When Abimelech set fire to the temple and everyone died, there could be no doubt that this so-called deity was powerless. Thus, the first half of Jotham's curse was fulfilled: “May fire come from Abimelech and consume the citizens of Shechem” (Judges 9:20).
Abimelech's reign of terror continued as he moved on to Thebez (Judges 9:50). There, while attempting to set fire to a tower where the townspeople had sought refuge, a woman dropped an upper millstone on his head, fracturing his skull (Judges 9:52-53). Humiliated at the prospect of being killed by a woman, Abimelech ordered his armor-bearer to kill him, so it could not be said he was killed by a woman (Judges 9:54). However, Scripture reports the truth of his embarrassing end. This echoes other instances in Judges where women bring an end to godless men (see Judges 4:17-22; 5:24-27).
With Abimelech's death, his followers dispersed, and the second half of Jotham's curse was fulfilled. God brought back Abimelech’s evil on his own head (Judges 9:56). God did not forget that the man had slain his seventy brothers. God also brought back to the men of Shechem all their evil in helping him to do it and naming that wicked man king. Thus, the curse of Jotham son of Jerubbaal came upon them (Judges 9:57).
Lessons for Today
Judges 9 serves as a potent reminder of the dangers of unchecked ambition, the consequences of idolatry, and the importance of integrity in leadership. The chapter highlights the following key takeaways:
- The Destructive Nature of Ambition: Abimelech's relentless pursuit of power led to the massacre of his brothers and the destruction of Shechem. This illustrates how unchecked ambition can corrupt individuals and lead to devastating consequences for themselves and others.
- The Consequences of Compromise: The people of Shechem compromised their values by supporting Abimelech, a man of questionable character. This compromise ultimately led to their own destruction, highlighting the dangers of aligning oneself with evil.
- God's Justice and Sovereignty: Despite the wickedness of Abimelech and the people of Shechem, God's justice ultimately prevailed. He used their own evil actions to bring about their downfall, demonstrating His sovereignty over human affairs.
- The Importance of Discernment: Jotham's parable underscores the importance of discerning true leadership from false pretenders. The trees who rejected the call to rule recognized their inherent value and purpose, while the bramble offered only empty promises and destructive power.
Judges 9 is a sobering account of moral decay and divine judgment. It reminds us to be wary of the allure of power, to remain steadfast in our commitment to God's principles, and to exercise discernment in choosing our leaders. Only by heeding these lessons can we avoid the tragic consequences that befell Abimelech and the people of Shechem. It’s a chilling reminder that when we compromise with idolatry—even just a little—it is fatal. Satan often tempts people to consume his spiritual poison by camouflaging it with truth. Without godly discernment, rooted in God’s Word, you won’t know what you’re believing and following until you’re spiritually sick.
And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother’s brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying,
Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.
And his mother’s brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.
And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baal–berith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him.
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.
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.
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.
The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.
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?
And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.
But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?
Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.
And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.
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.
Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands;
(For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:
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;)
If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:
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.
And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel,
Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.
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.
Now therefore up by night, thou and the people that is with thee, and lie in wait in the field:
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.
And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.
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.
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.
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.
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.
And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate.
And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.
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.
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.
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.
And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.
And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.
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.
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.
Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.
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.
And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and all to brake his skull.
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.
And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.
Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:
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.
Judges 9 is a chilling narrative of ambition, betrayal, and divine retribution. It serves as a stark warning against the pursuit of power at all costs and highlights the devastating consequences of straying from God's path. Following Gideon's death (Judges 8), the story plunges into a dark chapter of Israel's history, marked by bloodshed and moral decay. This chapter sets the stage for further idolatry and sin, as explored in Judges 10, before introducing the next major judge, Jephthah, in Judges 11.
Abimelech's Conspiracy and the Massacre at Shechem (Judges 9:1-6)
Abimelech, Gideon's son by a concubine in Shechem (Judges 8:31), harbored a ruthless ambition to rule over Israel. Unlike Gideon's other seventy sons, whose mothers were Gideon's wives, Abimelech felt disadvantaged. Driven by his desire for power, he cunningly exploited his maternal connections in Shechem. He persuaded his mother's family to lobby the leaders of Shechem, arguing that it was better to be ruled by one man (himself) than by all seventy of Gideon's sons.
The leaders of Shechem, swayed by Abimelech's promises and perhaps their own self-interest, provided him with funds from the temple of Baal-berith (Judges 9:4). With this money, Abimelech hired a band of ruthless mercenaries who helped him carry out a horrifying massacre, murdering his seventy brothers on a large stone, which may have been an altar, thus implying a human sacrifice (Judges 9:5). This act reveals the extreme lengths to which Abimelech was willing to go to secure his position, sacrificing his own family for political power. Only Jotham, the youngest son, managed to escape the carnage by hiding.
Jotham's Parable and Prophetic Curse (Judges 9:7-21)
News of Abimelech's coronation reached Jotham, who, from the strategic vantage point of Mount Gerizim (the place of blessing, see Deuteronomy 11:29), delivered a powerful and prophetic rebuke. He used a fable about trees seeking a king to illustrate the folly of Shechem's choice.
In Jotham's parable, the olive tree, fig tree, and grapevine – all symbols of productivity and blessing – refused the invitation to rule, recognizing that their value lay in their inherent purpose. Instead, the trees turned to the bramble, a thorny and unproductive shrub, representing Abimelech. The bramble's acceptance came with a sinister condition: "If in good faith you are anointing me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon!" (Judges 9:15).
Jotham's parable exposed Abimelech's worthlessness and the dangers of his rule. He prophesied that Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, who had acted deceitfully towards Gideon's house, would ultimately destroy each other. Having delivered this dire warning, Jotham fled for his life, escaping Abimelech's wrath (Judges 9:21).
The Downfall of Abimelech and Shechem (Judges 9:22-57)
Abimelech's reign over Shechem lasted only three years (Judges 9:22). God, in His sovereignty, stirred up conflict between Abimelech and the people of Shechem, fulfilling Jotham's curse. The text states that "God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem" (Judges 9:23). While this could refer to a literal demonic influence, it also signifies a breakdown of trust and the rise of animosity. It serves as a reminder that God is sovereign and can use even the devil to mess up a situation that is offensive to his will.
The citizens of Shechem, who had once supported Abimelech, now turned against him, hiring assassins to ambush him (Judges 9:24-25). A man named Gaal seized power and taunted Abimelech (Judges 9:26-29). However, Zebul, Abimelech's officer in Shechem, remained loyal and secretly warned Abimelech of the plot, setting up an ambush for Gaal (Judges 9:31-32). This internal strife led to further violence, with Abimelech ultimately defeating Gaal and destroying Shechem (Judges 9:42-49). The local leaders sought refuge in the temple of El-berith, thinking their god would protect them. When Abimelech set fire to the temple and everyone died, there could be no doubt that this so-called deity was powerless. Thus, the first half of Jotham's curse was fulfilled: “May fire come from Abimelech and consume the citizens of Shechem” (Judges 9:20).
Abimelech's reign of terror continued as he moved on to Thebez (Judges 9:50). There, while attempting to set fire to a tower where the townspeople had sought refuge, a woman dropped an upper millstone on his head, fracturing his skull (Judges 9:52-53). Humiliated at the prospect of being killed by a woman, Abimelech ordered his armor-bearer to kill him, so it could not be said he was killed by a woman (Judges 9:54). However, Scripture reports the truth of his embarrassing end. This echoes other instances in Judges where women bring an end to godless men (see Judges 4:17-22; 5:24-27).
With Abimelech's death, his followers dispersed, and the second half of Jotham's curse was fulfilled. God brought back Abimelech’s evil on his own head (Judges 9:56). God did not forget that the man had slain his seventy brothers. God also brought back to the men of Shechem all their evil in helping him to do it and naming that wicked man king. Thus, the curse of Jotham son of Jerubbaal came upon them (Judges 9:57).
Lessons for Today
Judges 9 serves as a potent reminder of the dangers of unchecked ambition, the consequences of idolatry, and the importance of integrity in leadership. The chapter highlights the following key takeaways:
- The Destructive Nature of Ambition: Abimelech's relentless pursuit of power led to the massacre of his brothers and the destruction of Shechem. This illustrates how unchecked ambition can corrupt individuals and lead to devastating consequences for themselves and others.
- The Consequences of Compromise: The people of Shechem compromised their values by supporting Abimelech, a man of questionable character. This compromise ultimately led to their own destruction, highlighting the dangers of aligning oneself with evil.
- God's Justice and Sovereignty: Despite the wickedness of Abimelech and the people of Shechem, God's justice ultimately prevailed. He used their own evil actions to bring about their downfall, demonstrating His sovereignty over human affairs.
- The Importance of Discernment: Jotham's parable underscores the importance of discerning true leadership from false pretenders. The trees who rejected the call to rule recognized their inherent value and purpose, while the bramble offered only empty promises and destructive power.
Judges 9 is a sobering account of moral decay and divine judgment. It reminds us to be wary of the allure of power, to remain steadfast in our commitment to God's principles, and to exercise discernment in choosing our leaders. Only by heeding these lessons can we avoid the tragic consequences that befell Abimelech and the people of Shechem. It’s a chilling reminder that when we compromise with idolatry—even just a little—it is fatal. Satan often tempts people to consume his spiritual poison by camouflaging it with truth. Without godly discernment, rooted in God’s Word, you won’t know what you’re believing and following until you’re spiritually sick.