Judges 9:16

Translations

Modern

Now if you have acted faithfully and honestly in making Abimelech king, if you have done well by Jerubbaal and his family, and if you have done to him as he deserves—

Traditional

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;

Literal

And now, if in truth and sincerity you have acted in making Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and if according to the deed of his hands you have done to him—

Latin

Nunc igitur, si recte et absque peccato constituistis super vos regem Abimelech, et bene egistis cum Jerobaal, et cum domo ejus, et reddidistis vicem beneficiis ejus, qui pugnavit pro vobis,

Original

Hebrew

English

Now if you have acted faithfully and honestly in making Abimelech king, if you have done well by Jerubbaal and his family, and if you have done to him as he deserves—

Notes

Judges 9:16–18

The people of Shechem chose to follow an unworthy man. They also acted dishonestly by plotting with Abimelech against Gideon's family.

Judges 9:7–21

Jotham shared a fable, where plants and animals act like humans, to illustrate the situation (Judges 9:7–15). He then cursed Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem (Judges 9:16–21). If they had acted dishonestly, it would become clear (Judges 9:56–57).

Judges 9:1–57

Abimelech's reign marked a shift from the relative peace of the early judges (Judges 3:7–8:35) to the decline of the later years (10:1–16:31).

Theme notes and profiles

Gideon Preaching to a Tough Crowd Shechem