Judges 9:32 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Now therefore, go by night, you and the people who are with you, and set an ambush in the field.

NIV: Now then, during the night you and your men should come and lie in wait in the fields.

NASB: So now, arise by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field.

CSB: Now tonight, you and the troops with you, come and wait in ambush in the countryside.

NLT: Come by night with an army and hide out in the fields.

KJV: Now therefore up by night, thou and the people that is with thee, and lie in wait in the field:

NKJV: Now therefore, get up by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field.

Zebul, the governor of Shechem (Judges 9:30–31), has sent a messenger to Abimelech, lord of the region (Judges 9:1–6). His message contains a warning and a plan. A man named Gaal and his relatives are openly inciting rebellion against Abimelech's rule. In fact, Gaal has claimed he wants to rule the people and would remove Abimelech by force. Zebul does not believe this to be an empty threat (Judges 9:22–29).

Along with the warning comes a strategy to defeat the challenger. Zebul suggests an ambush outside the city gates under the cover of darkness. Archaeologists uncovering the remains of Shechem found the main gate on the east side of the city. This looked out over a plain with hills to the northeast and southeast. Zebul wants Abimelech's fighters to be waiting in that field when the sun rises. This will allow them to attack with the sunrise directly at their backs, partially blinding the city's defenders.

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).

Accessed 5/7/2024 8:25:53 PM