Abimelech

• Usurpation by Abimelechc. 1218 BC

Abimelech

Father

Gideon

Siblings

Jether· Jotham

• אֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ·Abimelech

Includes 5 verses that refer to Abimelech without naming them, as “he”, “she”, or the subject of a verb.

1. Judges 8:31
   His concubine, who dwelt in Shechem, also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech.
2. Judges 9:1
   Now Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to his mother’s brothers at Shechem and said to them and to all the clan of his mother,
3. Judges 9:2Referred to, not named
   “Please ask all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Is it better for you that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or just one man?’ Remember that I am your own flesh and blood.”
4. Judges 9:3
   And when his mother’s brothers spoke all these words about him in the presence of all the leaders of Shechem, their hearts were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.”
5. Judges 9:4
   So they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired some worthless and reckless men to follow him.
6. Judges 9:6
   Then all the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo gathered beside the oak at the pillar in Shechem and proceeded to make Abimelech their king.
7. Judges 9:16
   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—
8. Judges 9:18
   …but you have risen up against my father’s house this day and killed his seventy sons on a single stone, and you have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the leaders of Shechem because he is your brother—
9. Judges 9:19
   …if you have acted faithfully and honestly toward Jerubbaal and his house this day, then may you rejoice in Abimelech, and he in you.
10. Judges 9:20
    But if not, may fire come from Abimelech and consume the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo, and may fire come from the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo and consume Abimelech.”
11. Judges 9:21
    Then Jotham ran away, escaping to Beer, and he lived there for fear of his brother Abimelech.
12. Judges 9:22
    After Abimelech had reigned over Israel for three years,
13. Judges 9:23
    God sent a spirit of animosity between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem and caused them to treat Abimelech deceitfully,
14. Judges 9:24
    …in order that the crime against the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come to justice and their blood be avenged on their brother Abimelech and on the leaders of Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers.
15. Judges 9:25
    The leaders of Shechem set up an ambush against Abimelech on the hilltops, and they robbed all who passed by them on the road. So this was reported to Abimelech.
16. Judges 9:27
    And after they had gone out into the fields, gathered grapes from their vineyards, and trodden them, they held a festival and went into the house of their god; and as they ate and drank, they cursed Abimelech.
17. Judges 9:28
    Then Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? You are to serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech?
18. Judges 9:29
    If only this people were under my authority, I would remove Abimelech; I would say to him, ‘Muster your army and come out!’”
19. Judges 9:31
    So he covertly sent messengers to Abimelech to say, “Look, Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem and are stirring up the city against you.
20. Judges 9:32Referred to, not named
    Now then, tonight you and the people with you are to come and lie in wait in the fields.
21. Judges 9:33Referred to, not named
    And in the morning at sunrise, get up and advance against the city. When Gaal and his men come out against you, do to them whatever you are able.”
22. Judges 9:34
    So Abimelech and all his troops set out by night and lay in wait against Shechem in four companies.
23. Judges 9:35
    Now Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate just as Abimelech and his men came out from their hiding places.
24. Judges 9:38
    “Where is your gloating now?” Zebul replied. “You said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Are these not the people you ridiculed? Go out now and fight them!”
25. Judges 9:39
    So Gaal went out before the leaders of Shechem and fought against Abimelech,
26. Judges 9:40
    …but Abimelech pursued him, and Gaal fled before him. And many Shechemites fell wounded all the way to the entrance of the gate.
27. Judges 9:41
    Abimelech stayed in Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem.
28. Judges 9:42
    The next day the people of Shechem went out into the fields, and this was reported to Abimelech.
29. Judges 9:43Referred to, not named
    So he took his men, divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he rose up against them and attacked them.
30. Judges 9:44
    Then Abimelech and the companies with him rushed forward and took their stand at the entrance of the city gate. The other two companies rushed against all who were in the fields and struck them down.
31. Judges 9:45
    And all that day Abimelech fought against the city until he had captured it and killed its people. Then he demolished the city and sowed it with salt.
32. Judges 9:47
    And when Abimelech was told that all the leaders in the tower of Shechem were gathered there,
33. Judges 9:48
    …he and all his men went up to Mount Zalmon. Abimelech took his axe in his hand and cut a branch from the trees, which he lifted to his shoulder, saying to his men, “Hurry and do what you have seen me do.”
34. Judges 9:49
    So each man also cut his own branch and followed Abimelech. Then they piled the branches against the inner chamber and set it on fire above them, killing everyone in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women.
35. Judges 9:50
    Then Abimelech went to Thebez, encamped against it, and captured it.
36. Judges 9:52
    When Abimelech came to attack the tower, he approached its entrance to set it on fire.
37. Judges 9:53
    But a woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, crushing his skull.
38. Judges 9:54Referred to, not named
    He quickly called his armor-bearer, saying, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” So Abimelech’s armor-bearer ran his sword through him, and he died.
39. Judges 9:55
    And when the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they all went home.
40. Judges 9:56
    In this way God repaid the wickedness that Abimelech had done to his father in murdering his seventy brothers.
41. Judges 10:1
    After the time of Abimelech, a man of Issachar, Tola son of Puah, the son of Dodo, rose up to save Israel. He lived in Shamir, in the hill country of Ephraim.
42. 2 Samuel 11:21
    Who struck Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth? Was it not a woman who dropped an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you get so close to the wall?’ If he asks you this, then you are to say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead as well.’”