Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 1 · Judges · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
AFter the death of Gedeon, his sonne Abimelech, whom hee had by his Concubine V. 1. V. 2. V. 3. V. 4.of Schechem, sought ambitiously by the helpe of the Schechemites to be King over Israel, and prevailed so farre that he obtained money out of the house of Baalberith to hire a band of men, and with them went and slew all his brethren at Ophrah, except Jotham, that hid himselfe, and then by the men of Shechem and of Millo he was made King. A wicked sonne most unlike unto his godly Father both in seeking the Kingdome, which hee refused, and in so cruelly murthering his brethren. Hee useth two arguments to move the Schechemites. 1. Because it was better, that one should reigne over them, then 70. brethren all together, which would breed a great confusion. 2. Because hee was their bone and their flesh, so that his honour would be their honour, being so neerely allyed unto them, and they should be sure, as in nature hee was bound, that hee would chiefly seeke to promote their welfare, especially if by their meanes hee obtained the Kingdome.
And they gave him 70 pieces of Silver out of the house of Baalberith, wherewith Abimelech hired light and vaine persons. It seemeth by this, that the house of V. 4.their Idol was their common Treasury, so greatly were they already addicted to Idolatry, and so great confidence did they put in this false God. For 70 pieces of silver, the Vulg. Latine hath, 70 pondo argenti, but Hebr. it is onelyonly 70 of Vatablus Arias Montanus, Sa. Sallianus.silver, and likewise in the Sept. and Chald. which are commonly understood to bee 70 shekels of silver. But because this may seem to be too small a summe to hire a sufficient number of men to obtaine a Kingdome, some thinke, that so many pounds of silver are rather meant, and some so many Talents. The Rabbins say, that by such a number of silver shekels are meant in the Pentateuch, pounds in the Prophets, and talents in the Hagiographa; and that the booke of Judges is one of the bookes of the Prophets: which if it were so, 70 pounds must bee meant here. But because this rule is uncertaine, it is best to understand shekels here, and if it shall seeme too small a summe to hire Souldiers; it is to bee understood, both that a little money was more by farre in those dayes for the hiring of men, then a great deale now; and the men hired by Abimelech must bee considered, they were vaine persons, and needy, and therefore such as might bee hired for small wages, in hope of better preferment, and some booty to bee gotten at the intended execution; and that they were drawne as well by a desire of innovation, as by silver. For vain and light persons, whom Abimelech is said with this money to hire, the Vulg. Latine hath, inopes & vagos; and the first word in Heb. properly signifieth empty, and the other light, that is, either poore men empty of money, or of grace, and inconstant, lightly drawn any way, and so fit for such a wicked designe.
With these men Abimelech went to Ophrah, and slew his 70 Brethren all upon one stone; most probably striking off their heads, their necks being laid V. 5.downe upon it. Thus in the most horrible sonne of fratricide hee began his Kingdome, as the barbarous Turkes have long done, that there might bee no competitors of the Kingdome. But as he begun in blood, so hee miserably died, v. 54.
Then the Shechemites and the house of Millo made him King, By the plaine of the pillar in Shechem. The Vulg. Latine by the Oake that stood in Shechem; so likewise the Sept. and Hebr. it is foreign by the standing Oake, or Plain which is in Shechem. For the word foreign signifieth on Oake or a Plaine indifferently; and foreign any standing thing as well as a Pillar. But because we read no where of any Pillar in Shechem, and it agreeth not so well to say, they made him King by the Plain, as by an Oake standing in Shechem; I rather subscribe to the Vulgar Latine herein. But whereas, for all the house of Millo, it hath, all the families of the City of Millo, there is more supplyed then in the Hebrew, and it is a question whether Millo were a City, or some particular place about Shechem, because we read no where of any such City, but onelyonly of a very deep and low place between Mount Sion and Moriah, called Millo, 1 King. but that could not bee this Millo, because it was in Jerusalem, this neare Shechem, and by some thought to bee a place where many people dwelt, called the Tower of Shechem, hereafter in this Chapter, v. 47, for it was Serrarius.not in Shechem, as appeareth, because Shechem was first destroyed and sowne with salt, and then the news of it comming to them of this Tower, who are said to have been a thousand men and women, they fled to an hold of Baalberith, and there were by Abimelech and his men burnt to death, according to the judgement called for against the men of Shecbem and of Millo by Jotham Gedeons youngest sonne, v. 20. Wherefore the event answering his imprecation in the inhabitants of this place called the Tower, being a distinct place from Shechem, although under the jurisdiction thereof, as the name implyeth, maketh it most probable that it was the same with Millo, which because is signifieth fulnesse, might be so called from its being so full of inhabitants.
When Jotham the onelyonly sonne of Gedeon (who had escaped, v. 5. when all V. 7, 8.his brethren were put to death) heard that they had made Abimelech King, hee went and stood upon mount Gerizim, and cryed out to the men of Shechem, saying, The trees went to anoint a King over them, and they said to the Olive, V. 9, 10, 11, &c.Come and reign over us, &c. Mount Gerizim was neare to Shechem, so that the men of Shechem might hear him speaking, but could not easily come to him, by reason of the steepnesse of the Mount on that side. The thing pronounced by him with so high and lowd a voice, was a tale or fable of the trees that would needs set a King over them; by trees the men of Israel being understood. The first desired for a King was the Olive, the second the Fig-tree, the third the Vine, who all refused, the fourth the Bramble, who accepted of this offer. By the Olive full of fatnesse were set forth Abraham, Isaac, and Ferus.Jacob, &c. full of the riches of grace; by the Fig-tree Moses, Joshua, and other Judges, sweet for their meeknesse, charity, and beneficence; by the Vine, Gedeon, through his faith and vertue chearing God and men; lastly, by the Bramble, Abimelech, the worst, and the most unworthy of all, for hee, as the Bramble, yeelded no good fruit, but was worthy to bee cut downe and cast into the fire. Yet when as all the rest in humility refused to bee Kings, and Gedeon in particular, to whom it had been offered, Abimelech ambitiously sought it, and attained to it, being unquiet, prickie, and cruell. And this hath been the manner of wise men, both amongst the people of God, and the Heathen, by invented Fables or Parables, the more significantly to expresse other things, that the deeper impression might thus be made in the minds of the rude and ignorant, and they might be taught wisdome, out of whose minds the sayings of the wise would otherwise soone depart, neither could they bee so capable of instruction. For the Morall of this, it sheweth, 1. That the godly are like The Morall.unto fruitfull trees, the wicked like briars that bear no fruit, but tear and scratch those that come neare them. 2. That men naturally desire things hurtfull for them, of which they have no need, as the trees had no need of a King. 3. That the best men are most humble and content with that estate in which God hath set them, neither doe they seeke worldly honours, unto which they are not called: and the worse and more wicked any are, the more ambitious, bold, and presumptuous they bee. 4. That such onelyonly as be wise, faithfull, and milde ought to have domination; hitherto Ferus. Lyra following the Hebrews, understandeth by the three former, Othniel, Deborah, and Gedeon, Lyra.to all which the Kingdom had been offered, although it be not expressed, but onelyonly touching Gedeon; and others hee saith, understand the other sonnes of Gedeon, some of which were as the Olive, fat in riches; some as the Fig-tree, sweet in conditions; and others as the Vine, fruitfull in children; but none of them was made King, although more a noble by birth, for they came of free women; but the bramble Abimelech, the most base of all, was advanced by the Shechemites, because hee was their flesh and their bone. But because the brethren of Abimelech were all the cut off by the help of the Shechemites, it agreeth not so well to understand them by the Olive, Fig-tree, and Vine, to which the Kingdom was offered, but rather the three to whom it is applyed by Lyra. For the saying of the Vine, Shall I leave my Wine, wherewith I cheare God and man? V. 13. R. Solomon.this of the Wines chearing of God, saith R. Solomon is so spoken, because the Levites did not at the time of sacrificing sing the praises of God, untill that the drinke-offering, which was of Wine, was powred out upon the Altar. Or, as Ferus hath it, to set forth the great refreshing that is in Wine, so that not onelyonly man drinketh of it and is cheared, but God, as it were, in his drink-offerings, when by his holy fire he consumeth it, being well pleased herewith. Other Expositions are also brought by some, as that by God Christ might be meant; or the false Gods which they worshipped, who were thought by Idolaters to eat, and to drink Wine, as Bel was; but I rest in the former.
And if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devoure the Cedars of Lebanon; V. 15.that is, if the bramble Abimelech being made King, yee doe not quietly submit unto him, but stirre against him, this shall turne to the destruction of the very Cedars, that is, of the Princes and Elders of Shechem. Isidore saith, that Isidor.rh…mnus a bramble, the word here used is parvus dumus, which being much shaken with the winde, a fire commeth out of it. And this is accordingly applyed by way of imprecation.
Let fire come out from Abimelech and devoure the men of Shechem and Millo, V. 20.and a fire come from the men of Shechem and devoure Abimelech. Of fire comming from the bramble, many others write also, as Tostatus, Mercerus, Forsterus, Carthusianus ex Josepho, &c.
When Abimelech had reigned three yeares over Israel, God sent on evill Spirit V. 22.between Abimelech and the men of Shechem, &c. For Jotham hee is said in the meane season to have run away and dwelt in Bera, that is, saith Adrichomius, in V. 21. Adrichomius.the tribe of Dan; but Bonfrerius, in Judah; Junius, in Simeon, citing Josh. 19. 8. H. Bunt. Patriarchs travailes, saith it was in Judah, 10 miles from Jerusalem westward; wheresoever, it seemeth that in this place he was safe from Abimelechs tyranny; and therefore although he be said to have reigned three years over Israel,yet it was not over all Israel, but a part of Israel, viz. Shechem and some other bordering places. For the evill Spirit sent, Hugo saith that it was the Hugo Gard.Devill, now permitted by God to disturbe the Peace between Abimelech and the Shechemites, that they might all come to destruction, as they had deserved, by their ingratitude towards Gedeon, and the shedding of so much innocent blood of his children. For God hath the Devill tyed up, as a Shepheard a dogge, that hee may not runne amongst the Sheep to devoure them, but for horrible wickednesses hee letteth him loose, as at this time, and so hee soweth the seeds of discord amongst them. St. Augustine moveth a question whether this evill August. Qu. 45.Spirit were sent by God, or onelyonly permitted, and concludeth that it is not absurd to hold, that hee was sent to take revenge upon sinne. And it seemeth indeed to bee no more then a bare permission, even an effectuall sending of the evill Spirit, who is the Spirit of contention, to stirre up this strife amongst them to their ruine. And this was just in God, the revenger of wrongs, at whose liberty it is to take what way hee pleaseth to punish the wicked. Or by this evill Spirit wee may understand the Spirit of hatred against Abimelech, in consideration of his fore-passed tyranny and unworthinesse, making them now to seeke his deposing; whereupon a malignant Spirit against them was stirred up in him, and so they attempted on both sides mutually their owne destruction, that the blood of the 70 sonnes of Gedeon might come upon them all, where V. 24.his sons slaine are called 70, as also v. 18. although Jotham, who was one of them escaped, and so there wanted one of this number; and this is thus said, for the rotundity of the number, as is usuall in other like passages of Scripture, the one that escaped their hands, being as it were none, and their purpose was to have killed him also.
And the men of Shechem set lyers in waite for him on the tops of the mountaines, V. 25.and thy robbed all that came by that way, &c. They repenting that they had made Abimelech King, now worke treason against him, seeking by Forces placed for the purpose to cut him off: so mutable are the mindes of the people, and therefore such as are carryed by their honouring of them, do build Note. upon a most fickle foundation, that all wise men will take heed of. These Forces thus set to waite for Abimelechs comming, whilst heed layed, as all unruly Souldiers doe, make a prey of the Passengers.
And Gaal the sonne of Ebed came with his brethren to Shechem, &c. Who this V. 26.Gaal was, it is not known, but certainly he was a man ambitious of honour, and one that by his comming made them the more confidently to proceed in their rebellion, for it is said, that they put their trust in him; and now it being their Vintage time, they went boldly out, and gathered their grapes, and made Wine, and were merry in the house of their God Baal, eating and drinking, and cursing Abimelech; shewing hereby, now that they had gotten them such a Captaine, how light they set by him: the Vulg. Latine hath it, They went out into the fields, wasting the Vineyards; that is, saith Lyra, the Vineyards of Lyra.Abimelech in contempt of him; but Hebr. there is no word signifying wasting, but the cutting downe of grapes, and that not in his, but in their Vineyards. Wherefore the Latine translation is not right herein, as the Jesuite himselfe Bonfrerius.confesseth. And as erroneous is it, v. 24. before-going, To requite the wickednesse in killing the 70 sonnes of Jerubbaal upon Abimelech their brother, and the rest of the Princes of Shechem which holpe him: whereby it may seeme, that this was the thing which the Shechemites aimed at in their revolting from Abimelech, whereas indeed according to the Hebrew verity, it was a Divine providence, that aimed in this revolt at the paying home both of Abimelech and of the Shechemites according to their deserts. And v. 28. whereas Hebr. it is, Who is V. 28.Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that wee should serve him? is not hee the sonne of Jerubbaal? and is not Zebul in Officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem. The Vulg. Latine hath it, Is not hee the sonne of Jerubbaal? and hath set Zebul his servant Prince over the men of Hamor the father of Shechem? But in this difference the Septuagint agreeth with the Latine, and a better sense seemeth to make for it, then can be in the other. For is it likely that Gaal in disswading them from serving Abimelech, would move them to serve the men of Hamor, when as, v. 29. hee plainly sheweth that he would have the dominion himself? And who were the men of Hamor but the Shechemites, and how could they be exhorted to serve themselves? Junius in resolving this, saith, the scope of his exhortation is, Junius.that they should not suffer themselves to bee in a worse condition then the inhabitants of that City of old were in the dayes of Hamor, who was as a father to them. But them it should have been said, serve as the men of Hamor, and not serve the men of Hamor. Wherefore I must needs rather subscribe to the Vulg. Latine and Septuagint herein, because without pricks, as the Hebrew sometime went, before the Masoreth, the word foreign here used may well bee rendred, his servant. And thus rendred it agreeth best, because Abimelech regarded them so little, that he set a base fellow, a servant of his over them, and lived not amongst them himselfe, there was no reason why they should endure his reigne any longer. And he calleth the Shechemites the men of Hamor, not for that they Gen. 34.came of Hamor, but from Hamor the father of Shechem, to commend the antiquity of that City, because his history was well knowne, and that this City stood in Jacobs dayes. Touching the former words, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem? the meaning is, is not Abimelech a base man, that came of a Maidservant, and by murther attained to the throne? and is not Shechem a great City and famous, and therefore unfit to be under his dominion? Yea, is he not the son of Jerubbaal who was neither of us, nor a friend, but a deadly enemy to our God Baalberith, and shall we then serve him?
Would to God this people were under my hand, then would I remove Abimelech: V. 29.And hee said to Abimelech, Increase thine Army and come out. The Septuagint, And I would say to Abimelech, Increase thine Army and come out; but Hebr. it is, and hee, said, that is, as Vatablus hath it, Gaal said thus vauntingly in the absence Vatablus.of Abimelech, by a Prosopopeia speaking to him as present. The Vulgar Latine, And it was said to Abimelech. Pagninus, dixit quispiam Abimelecho: but Pagninus.the first is best, because Zebul the Governour of the City under Abimelech, hearing these words of Gaal, sent secretly unto him, to certifie him thereof, v. 30, 31. and then most probably did Abimelech first heare of it; and all this while, saith Lyra, did Zehul make a shew to Gaal, as if he had been on his side.Lyra.
But he sent privily to Abimelech to come against the City with his Army, and V. 30, 31, 32.to lye all night in the fields, and early in the morning to assault it, who did accordingly, and lay in wait against Shechem with foure Companies. The V. 33, 34. V. 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40. H. Bunting Patria. travailesGaal standing in the gate, they arose and came towards the City, and Gaal at the instigation of Zebul went out and fought with them, but was beaten and chased, and many of his men overthrowne. The place to which Gaal sent to Abimelech, is held to bee Ophrah, where his father Gedeon dwelt, 10 miles from Shechem, v. 37. For these words, One Company commeth from the middle of the land; the Vulgar Latine hath it, de umbilico terrae, but the navell is put for the middle, because it is in the midst of the body: the Sept. have more words, By the sea from the contiguous navel of the earth.
Unto these words, And Abimelech chased him, and hee fled before him, the Vulg. Latine addeth, and hee drove him into the City, and this may seem to have been so said, because v. 41. Zebul is said to have thrust out Gaal and his brethren that they should not rest in Shechem, wherefore they entred in with the men of Shechem fleeing, for if they had been kept out, they had at the time been all slaine. Thus wee see that the union amongst wicked men founded in sin, continueth Note. not, but soone breaketh out through Gods just judgement into most deadly enmity. And againe, that the most wicked may prevaile in their Wars for a time, as did Abimesech, for the punishment of other wicked men, themselves receiving their just reward ere long, as hee also did, and the Beast in the Revelation.
And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah; and Zebul thrust out Gaal, &c. Here is V. 41.shewed when the battaile was ended that day, where Abimelech with his men rested till the next day, viz. at Arumah; the Vulg. Latine Ruma, which is the same, saith Jerome, with Arimathea, it was doublesse a place neare Shechem, because he was to renew the warre against it the next day. The word foreign rendred, hee dwelt, signifieth also, hee sate, and so the Vulg. Latine hath it, and more aptly, because of his short stay there. As for Gaal, Zebul had so perswaded the Shechemites against him, for his battaile so ill fought that day, that hee was not suffered, nor his brethren, to rest at Shechem so much as that night, but was immediately expelled, so Josephus: so that Zebul, who had before dissembled Josephus.amity with Gaal, now shewed plainly his hostile mind against him for his pride, treachery, and vain-glory.
The next day the men of Shechem comming out to fight with Abimelech, hee V. 42, 43, 44.divided his Army into three parts, and hastening with one part to the gate, hee appointed the other two to fight in the fields, and so entred the City, slew all the people, and beat down the City, and sowed it with salt, which last thing was done in token of utter desolation, because salt maketh ground barren. So that hereby Abimelech shewed his hatefull mind against his owne City, not willing that ever any people should inhabite there againe, for inhabitants are, as it were, the fruits of a City: that Millaine in Italy was served likewise, Anno Sigonius de regno Italiae. Josephus. Procopius.1162. Sigonius writeth. Whereas it is said here, that the people went out of Shechem next day into the fields, Iosephus and Procopius say, that they went to their Grape-gathering, thinking that Abimelech had been gone. But this is altogether improbable, because Abimelech having obtained the victory the day before, would not in all likelihood cease to prosecute in the next day, till that he had destroyed such Rebells. Wherefore it is rather to bee held, that they came out to battaile, if they could meet with him, trusting to their number; and therefore Abimelech with all care ordereth the battaile against them accordingly: unlesse it shall bee thought, that the Shechemites supposing Abimelech to be pacified by the thrusting out of Gaal, went without feare about their husbandry.
The City of Shechem being thus ruined, they of the Tower of Shechem hearing it, flee to the house of Baalberith, and are there burnt together with that V. 40.Hold to the number of 1000 by Abimelech and his men cutting downe and bringing bough…s of trees for that purpose. And these, as hath been already sewed, V. 47, 48, 49.were most probably the men of Millo, that had holpen to make Abimelech King. Mount Salmon, from whence this wood was taken, was neare Shechem, as Adrichomius hath it; and here of it is spoken, Psal. 68. 14.Adrichomius.
Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and sought against it, and tooke it, &c. V. 50.After that God had used Abimelech to execute judgement upon the Shechemites and the men of Mill, now it is shewed how he also was judged for his tyranny. Approaching to the gate of the Tower of Thebez, to which the inhabitants fled, to set fire upon it, as hee had done upon the Tower of Shechem, a woman V. 51, 52, 53, 54, 55.cast downe a piece of a milstone upon his head, and brake his skull, and then his Armour-bearer slew him, as hee commanded him. Thebez is thought to have been a Colony of the Shechemites, as Millo was, or the tower of Shechem. Adrichomius saith, it waa but one mile distant from Shechem. Wherefore the Shechemites and the men of Millo being destroyed, Abimelech hastened to the destruction of this Place also, that he might not leave any thing pertaining to the Shechemites underfaced. But here he miserably perished, according to the curse of Jotham, as is noted, v. 57. both touching him and the men of Shechem, V. 57.that had aided him in so unnaturall and cruell a murther, of which curse see v. 20. where, because as a fire is called for to come from Abimelech against the Shechemites and the men of Millo to devoure them, so from the Shechemites to devoure Abimelech, it appeareth that the people of Thebez belonged to them. So judgement may bee deferred, but at length it is certainly executed upon the Note. heads of all the wicked, and the curse of the righteous against such taketh effect; so the curse of Joshua, Iosh. 6. 26. tooke effect, 1 Kings 16. 34. and the curse of Elisha, 2 Kings 2. 24. and there be many examples of Parents cursing their wicked children, as Noah cursed Canaan.
Mystically by Abimelech, Isidor understandeth Antichrist, who reigneth over vaine and light persons, as the Bramble, and in the end, both hee and they goe The Mystery. Isidor.to destruction: But neither the Olive, Vine, nor Figtree will reigne over such, that is, neither the Spirit of Grace, the Vine Christ Jesus, nor the Law, set forth by the Figtree planted in Gods Vineyard. The 70 sons of Gedeon slaine by Abimelech, set forth the Nations of the world divided into 70 Languages, amongst whom Antichrist worketh great destructions; but Jotham escapeth and standeth upon Mount Gerizim, thence prophecying the destruction of Abimelech, &c. by whom the remnant escaping the fury of Antichrist, are set forth; but neither can they escape or prophesie, but by getting up to the top of blessing, that is, by an high degree of faith and vertue; for Gerizim was appointed by Moses to pronounce the blessing there.Deut. 27. 12.