Judges 9:34

Translations

Modern

So Abimelech and all his troops set out by night and lay in wait against Shechem in four companies.

Traditional

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

Literal

And Abimelech rose, and all the people who were with him, by night, and they lay in wait against Shechem in four companies.

Latin

Surrexit itaque Abimelech cum omni exercitu suo nocte, et tetendit insidias juxta Sichimam in quatuor locis.

Original

Hebrew

English

So Abimelech and all his troops set out by night and lay in wait against Shechem in four companies.

Notes

Judges 9:30–41

The second plot, like the first (Judges 9:22–25), was stopped by an informer, likely an official appointed by the absent Abimelech. Zebul suggested a bold morning ambush, planning to lure Gaal and his followers into the open country for a confrontation. The plan succeeded. Due to his boasting and possibly Zebul’s mocking challenge, Gaal and his men ventured out, only to be driven from town by the loyal Zebul, who acted to cleanse the city.

Judges 9:26–41

Gaal, son of Ebed (meaning "vile son of a slave"), led a failed rebellion against Abimelech. Many citizens of Shechem died in this event. This partially fulfilled Jotham's curse (Judges 9:20).

Judges 9:22–57

Theological statements in Judges 9:23–24 and 9:56–57 frame the story of the civil conflict that caused the destruction of Abimelech and Shechem. This event fulfilled the curse that Jotham declared (Judges 9:19–20).

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 Shechem