Judges 9:54 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then he called quickly to the young man his armor-bearer and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

NIV: Hurriedly he called to his armor-bearer, 'Draw your sword and kill me, so that they can't say, 'A woman killed him.'' So his servant ran him through, and he died.

NASB: Then he called quickly to the young man, his armor bearer, and said to him, 'Draw your sword and kill me, so that it will not be said of me, ‘A woman killed him.’?' So the young man pierced him through, and he died.

CSB: He quickly called his armor-bearer and said to him, "Draw your sword and kill me, or they'll say about me, 'A woman killed him.' " So his armor-bearer ran him through, and he died.

NLT: He quickly said to his young armor bearer, 'Draw your sword and kill me! Don’t let it be said that a woman killed Abimelech!' So the young man ran him through with his sword, and he died.

KJV: Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

NKJV: Then he called quickly to the young man, his armorbearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest men say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’ ” So his young man thrust him through, and he died.

Abimelech and his men have been trying to conquer the city of Thebez. They have captured every part of the town except for the city's strong tower, which would have been a stone structure and possibly several stories tall. There, the people have barricaded themselves and gathered on the tower's roof. They seem to have been throwing things down toward Abimelech and his men any time they come within range of the tower's walls. One woman has an upper millstone: a tool used for grinding. These looked like wheels and could weigh around 25 pounds, or 11 kilograms. In some way, her use of the stone is obvious enough that even when he's struck, Abimelech knows what has happened. That impact crushes Abimelech's skull.

Abimelech knows he will quickly die. Yet he does not want his legacy to end with the words "a woman killed him." This would have been considered a humiliating death for a man or a king during this era. The idea was that only weak men could be killed by women or children. If one must die, he hopes to die by the hand of a worthy opponent. Sisera, killed by Jael, suffered this fate (Judges 4:21–23). The kings captured by Gideon sought the honor of being killed by a worthy man (Judges 8:20–21).

Striving to avoid shame, Abimelech orders his armor-bearer to kill him. The armor-bearer obeys and thrusts Abimelech through, either with a sword or spear, killing him before he can die of his head wound. Obviously, Abimelech's command is too little and too late. God's Word records the full story. Centuries later, it will be remembered that he was brought to death by a woman (2 Samuel 11:21). God used this anonymous person to accomplish His plan to bring Abimelech's own sins back to him (Judges 9:56).

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).