Judges 9:42 - Printer Friendly

ESV: On the following day, the people went out into the field, and Abimelech was told.

NIV: The next day the people of Shechem went out to the fields, and this was reported to Abimelek.

NASB: Now it came about the next day, that the people went out to the field, and it was reported to Abimelech.

CSB: The next day when the people of Shechem went into the countryside, this was reported to Abimelech.

NLT: The next day the people of Shechem went out into the fields to battle. When Abimelech heard about it,

KJV: And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.

NKJV: And it came about on the next day that the people went out into the field, and they told Abimelech.

Abimelech is still angry with Shechem. The city was disloyal to his appointed rule (Judges 9:22–25). On the previous day, he defeated a rebellion by the city's leaders and a man named Gaal (Judges 9:26–29; 39–40). Many of the leaders were wounded and likely lost their positions of power in the city.

As far as Scripture has recorded so far, the common citizens of Shechem were not involved in the rebellion against Abimelech. They did not participate in the battle of the previous day. They seem to assume Abimelech was content to run Gaal out of town and punish the city's leaders. So, they go out to work the fields as on any other day. Their intent seems only to accomplish their regular work. When Abimelech is told this, he sees an opportunity to punish the entire population of Shechem for not standing with him.

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 5/3/2024 5:26:23 AM