Judges 9:52 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it and drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire.

NIV: Abimelek went to the tower and attacked it. But as he approached the entrance to the tower to set it on fire,

NASB: So Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it, and approached the entrance of the tower to burn it down with fire.

CSB: When Abimelech came to attack the tower, he approached its entrance to set it on fire.

NLT: Abimelech followed them to attack the tower. But as he prepared to set fire to the entrance,

KJV: And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.

NKJV: So Abimelech came as far as the tower and fought against it; and he drew near the door of the tower to burn it with fire.

Abimelech is attempting to defeat the people of a town called Thebez and take control of their city. He and his men have successfully breached the gates and walls. They control every part of the town except for the tower (Judges 9:50–51). Thebez is said to have an especially strong tower with a flat roof. The people of the city have fled into the tower, barricaded themselves inside, and have gathered on the roof.

It's not clear if Abimelech's plan is meant to duplicate what he did in Shechem: to burn his enemies alive (Judges 9:48–49). Since this is likely a stone tower, with a wooden door, he may simply be trying to burn the door and gain access. If so, Abimelech and his men will have to fight their way up the tower from the inside once they gain access.

Of course, one advantage of defensive towers is high ground. The top level of these structures might be several stories high. To attack, an enemy must come within range of weapons that can be thrown down from above. Abimelech attempts to get close enough to burn the door. That will bring him within the range of enemy attack.

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).