Judges 9:29 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Would that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech. I would say to Abimelech, ‘Increase your army, and come out.’”

NIV: If only this people were under my command! Then I would get rid of him. I would say to Abimelek, 'Call out your whole army!''

NASB: If only this people were under my authority! Then I would do away with Abimelech.' And he said to Abimelech, 'Enlarge your army and come out!'

CSB: If only these people were in my power, I would remove Abimelech." So he said to Abimelech, "Gather your army and come out."

NLT: If I were in charge here, I would get rid of Abimelech. I would say to him, ‘Get some soldiers, and come out and fight!’'

KJV: And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.

NKJV: If only this people were under my authority! Then I would remove Abimelech.” So he said to Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out!”

Gaal is merely the next immoral man being manipulated by the leaders of Shechem (Judges 9:1–6; 22–26). He is making a passionate speech about Abimelech, the appointed ruler of Shechem. He has been drinking with lords and noblemen of the city who already agree with his view. Gaal has said that no son of Gideon—at all (Judges 8:31)— should be ruling over the sons of Shechem's founder Hamor (Judges 33:19). Gideon was an outsider, so why is the son of an outsider their leader (Judges 9:28)?

It's likely Gaal is speaking with the kind of bravery that only alcohol can provide (Judges 9:27). So, it's not surprising he reveals his own ambition. If only he were the king of Shechem, he would make some much-needed changes. For starters, he would challenge Abimelech to battle, defeat him and his army, and remove him from the throne. As a boast, Gaal declares he would tell Abimelech to build an even bigger army and then come out to fight him.

This may be drunken talk goaded on by the leaders of Shechem, but Abimelech will treat the challenge with deadly seriousness (Judges 9:34).

Judges 9:22–57 describes the brutal fulfillment of Jotham's curse against his brother, Abimelech, and the leaders of the city of Shechem. God allows the two sides to be split by an evil spirit. First, Shechem's leaders attempt to kill Abimelech. Then they plot with a man named Gaal to overthrow him. Helped by his officer in the city, Abimelech and his men ambush Gaal and Shechem. They kill all the people and destroy the city. They then move on to the town of Thebez to do the same, but Abimelech is killed. Jotham's prediction of divine vengeance (Judges 9:19–20) comes true.

Shechem's leaders conspire with a concubine's son to kill Gideon's other seventy sons. They make this man, Abimelech, their ruler. Gideon's youngest son survives, however, and delivers a curse. Using a fable, he says Abimelech and Shechem's leaders will destroy each other. God causes a division between Shechem's leaders and Abimelech. The noblemen attempt to kill Abimelech and unite behind a new leader. Abimelech discovers the plot and kills everyone in Shechem, destroying the city. When attacking a tower in a nearby town, however, Abimelech's skull is crushed by a thrown millstone. The curse is fulfilled.

Gideon successfully defeated Midianite raiders but declined to become Israel's official king. His sons, however, were held in high esteem during his remaining years (Judges 8). After Gideon's death, ambitious men conspire to kill almost all those heirs. This results in a series of bloody events. Eventually, judgment comes on those responsible. Israel fails to learn from the tragedies. Chapter 10 explains further idolatry and sin, before introducing the next major judge, Jephthah, in chapter 11.

The Book of Judges describes Israel's history from the death of Joshua to shortly before Israel's first king, Saul. Israel fails to complete God's command to purge the wicked Canaanites from the land (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; 9:4). This results in a centuries-long cycle where Israel falls into sin and is oppressed by local enemies. After each oppression, God sends a civil-military leader, labeled using a Hebrew word loosely translated into English as "judge." These appointed rescuers would free Israel from enemy control and govern for a certain time. After each judge's death, the cycle of sin and oppression begins again. This continues until the people of Israel choose a king, during the ministry of the prophet-and-judge Samuel (1 Samuel 1—7).