Judges 9:38 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your mouth now, you who said, ‘Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?’ Are not these the people whom you despised? Go out now and fight with them.”

NIV: Then Zebul said to him, 'Where is your big talk now, you who said, 'Who is Abimelek that we should be subject to him?' Aren't these the men you ridiculed? Go out and fight them!'

NASB: Then Zebul said to him, 'Where then is your boasting with which you said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Is this not the people whom you rejected? Go out now and fight them!'

CSB: Zebul replied, "What do you have to say now? You said, 'Who is Abimelech that we should serve him? ' Aren't these the troops you despised? Now go and fight them! "

NLT: Then Zebul turned on him and asked, 'Now where is that big mouth of yours? Wasn’t it you that said, ‘Who is Abimelech, and why should we be his servants?’ The men you mocked are right outside the city! Go out and fight them!'

KJV: Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them.

NKJV: Then Zebul said to him, “Where indeed is your mouth now, with which you said, ‘Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?’ Are not these the people whom you despised? Go out, if you will, and fight with them now.”

Only when his planned ambush is complete does Zebul reveal his allegiance to King Abimelech. So far, he apparently had Gaal convinced he was loyal to the noblemen of the city of Shechem. They thought he supported their plan to replace Abimelech with Gaal (Judges 9:22–27). Instead, Zebul has orchestrated a raid that takes advantage of the local terrain and the rising sun (Judges 9:30–35). When the attack first came, Gaal thought he saw troops approaching. Zebul told him it was a trick of the light, only for Gaal to again insist he saw an approaching enemy (Judges 9:36–37).

Now, with Abimelech's forces almost on top of the city, Zebul taunts Gaal with the truth. He asks about Gaal's boasting, arrogant talk of taking over by force (Judges 9:28–29). Gaal went to far as to say he'd dare Abimelech to raise an even larger army and then come fight; now Abimelech is there, in person, and ready for battle. Zebul's sarcasm pointedly refers to Gaal's mouth—a snide remark about his "big talk."

Even if Gaal wanted to take back his words, it's too late. Abimelech and his four companies of soldiers are bearing down, so Zebul forces Gaal to stand behind his words: these are the very men you mocked. Go out and fight them! To his credit, Gaal will not back down, though he will suffer defeat (Judges 9:39–41).

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).