Judges 9:56

Translations

Modern

In this way God repaid the wickedness that Abimelech had done to his father in murdering his seventy brothers.

Traditional

Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:

Literal

And God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father by killing his seventy brothers.

Latin

…et reddidit Deus malum quod fecerat Abimelech contra patrem suum, interfectis septuaginta fratribus suis.

Original

Hebrew

English

In this way God repaid the wickedness that Abimelech had done to his father in murdering his seventy brothers.

Notes

Judges 9:56–57

The theological summary revisits Jotham’s fable (Judges 9:24). Abimelech lacked divine charisma, and his death due to divine vengeance brought justice to Gideon’s family. Israel’s attempt at kingship without divine guidance showed the dangers of leadership not from God.

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

Events

Usurpation by Abimelech

Related verses

Psalm 94:23
He will bring upon them their own iniquity and destroy them for their wickedness. The LORD our God will destroy them.
Proverbs 5:22
The iniquities of a wicked man entrap him; the cords of his sin entangle him.
Galatians 6:7
Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.
Psalm 11:6
On the wicked He will rain down fiery coals and sulfur; a scorching wind will be their portion.
Psalm 9:12
For the Avenger of bloodshed remembers; He does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.
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.
Matthew 7:2
For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Psalm 58:10–11
The righteous will rejoice when they see they are avenged; they will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.
Job 31:3
Does not disaster come to the unjust and calamity to the workers of iniquity?
Revelation 19:20–21
But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
Acts 28:4
When the islanders saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “Surely this man is a murderer. Although he was saved from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.”

People

Abimelech: Son of Gideon, self-proclaimed king of Shechem

Glossary

Abimelech Curse, Cursed Judges, Book of Shechem (Place) Warfare

Topics

God: Judge, and his Justice Homicide: Felonious: Abimelech Judgments: Upon Abimelech The Anger of God: Exemplified Against: Abimelech Thebez: A City, at Which Abimelech Was Killed While Besieging

Judges 9:56

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