Judges 9:42

Translations

Modern

The next day the people of Shechem went out into the fields, and this was reported to Abimelech.

Traditional

And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.

Literal

And it came to pass on the next day that the people went out into the field. And they declared it to Abimelech.

Latin

Sequenti ergo die, egressus est populus in campum. Quod cum nuntiatum esset Abimelech,

Original

Hebrew

English

The next day the people of Shechem went out into the fields, and this was reported to Abimelech.

Notes

Judges 9:42

The New Living Translation provides the words "to battle," suggesting that the Shechemites went into the fields to prevent Abimelech from regaining control. Others believe the Shechemites returned to the fields to continue the harvest (Judges 9:27), thinking Abimelech would be content now that Gaal was expelled.

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