Judges 9:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim and cried aloud and said to them, “Listen to me, you leaders of Shechem, that God may listen to you.

NIV: When Jotham was told about this, he climbed up on the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted to them, 'Listen to me, citizens of Shechem, so that God may listen to you.

NASB: Now when they told Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and raised his voice and called out. And he said to them, 'Listen to me, you leaders of Shechem, that God may listen to you.

CSB: When they told Jotham, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim, raised his voice, and called to them: Listen to me, citizens of Shechem, and may God listen to you:

NLT: When Jotham heard about this, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted, 'Listen to me, citizens of Shechem! Listen to me if you want God to listen to you!

KJV: And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.

NKJV: Now when they told Jotham, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted his voice and cried out. And he said to them: “Listen to me, you men of Shechem, That God may listen to you!

To be named king of Shechem, Abimelech committed a series of atrocities. He has killed almost all the other sons of his father Gideon (Judges 8:30). This appears to have been done in something like a ritual execution, one after another (Judges 9:5). This violence missed the youngest brother, though, who successfully hid himself away when Abimelech arrived with his hired goons (Judges 9:1–4). Since Abimelech was eliminating other heirs of Gideon, he may have targeted his nephews—Gideon's grandsons—as well.

Jotham has learned of Abimelech's coronation as king over Shechem. He comes out of hiding to deliver what could be described as a prophetic fable. He picks a spot out of reach up on Mount Gerizim; this overlooks the city from the south. Given the right terrain, a steep hillside can project sound some distance away (Matthew 5:1–2). Jotham calls out his speech in a loud voice, knowing he can be heard without being captured.

Aspects of this passage would be at home in Shakespearean dramas or epic movies. This scene revolves around brothers in three different states. Slain brothers—nearly seventy, at least—lay dead: executed by one of their own, to secure his power and position. High above a town, on a mountain, the only survivor of the massacre delivers a prophetic fable. Below, in the city, the people of Shechem are crowning the murderous brother king.

Jotham warns the leaders of Shechem to listen to him if they want God to listen to them. Apparently, Jotham believes the people of Shechem may yet be redeemed. God can forgive them if they don't give themselves fully to Abimelech. The entire speech which follows is directed to the people; Jotham never bothers to address the murderer of his other brothers. Abimelech's damnation seems inevitable.

Judges 9:6–21 contains a parable and prophecy spoken by the sole surviving son of Gideon. Jotham was the only one missed in a massacre orchestrated by his half-brother, Abimelech (Judges 9:1–6). During the coronation ceremony making Abimelech a local ruler, Jotham shouts out a curse against Abimelech and Shechem's leaders. This takes the form of a fable about trees making a bramble bush their king. The prediction intended by Jotham's declaration is that Shechem's leaders did not act in integrity, so they and Abimelech will destroy each other. Jotham then flees the area.

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).