Judges 9:1-6 -- Gideon was unwilling to take any throne, but his one known illegitimate son was hardly so noble. Aside from wives with legitimate heirs, Gideon felt a need for a concubine. This woman was a Canaanite, belonging to the clan of Shechemites that had been in the land from long ago. We see the place called Shechem in the days of Abraham (Genesis 12:6), but quite likely that was a scribal update for a much older name. The city traces roots back near the time of the Tower of Babel. When Israel was living in the land with his 12 sons, you may recall the incident where a young man named Shechem raped Dinah, their sister (Genesis 34). While the men of the town were slaughtered, that does not mean every male (infants?), nor would that prevent the women from bringing in distant male relatives to repopulate the city. Hamor had other sons beside Shechem. Later, the city became a central focus for worship during the Conquest. The first service of worship in celebration of victory inside Canaan took place on both sides of city, which sat in the saddle between to peaks, Mounts Gerizim and Ebal. The name Shechem was rather common, meaning "Neck," and implied someone who worked hard bearing burdens, which in Hebrew thinking were carried on the neck.
We find that this son of Gideon wanted to bear the burden of ruling as king. He left his father's home in Ophrah and went north to Shechem. While the city had been given to the Levites as a City of Refuge, we can be sure they were at this point still a minor presence there. The place was dominated as yet by the old Canaanite clan of Shechem. Excavations have identified the old Tower of Shechem as a double tower over the gate, which gate faces southeast. Just beside this stood the temple of Baal-berith. Abimelech took advantage of his father's fame, and sought the political support of his mother's relatives. With this support, he persuaded the old nobility to consider the advantage of having this single son of the aging Gideon -- one of their own -- ruling in place of the 70 other sons of Gideon, who would surely have to fight it out among them as to who would have primacy.
Apparently these same nobility were members of a Temple Party. These men would hold a great deal of power and influence in the city, and the Temple of Baal-berith was no doubt secure enough to function as the city's treasury. This was a common arrangement in ancient times. Later we will see that they are not the only party that seeks political power in the city. As the official treasurers, they were in a position to disburse a pile of silver to Abimelech to secure his ascendency over the rest of Gideon's sons. While not a great deal of money -- one piece of silver for each life to be taken -- it was a clear symbol of the party's backing. It was enough to persuade young and foolish men who would do anything for a few coins. They captured all but the youngest son of Gideon. It was clear the action was not a battle, but a serial execution. It probably took place over several days, and each was killed much as one might slaughter an animal for sacrifice. Upon his triumphal return the Shechem, the Temple Party held a ceremony on the open plain in front of the city. This was near an ancient tree, well known for the place where Israel had buried his families collection of pagan idols (Genesis 35:4) and where Joshua had erected a pillar as a monument to renewal of the Covenant (Joshua 24:26). It was before this pillar they crowned him king. While we know next to nothing of Beth Millo, it would appear this was a large and powerful noble family that could muster a powerful force of armed men, and based their presence in a fort. While that fort may have been the double tower of Shechem, it seems to have been someplace outside the city.
9:7-21 -- From his hideout, the surviving son of Gideon, Jotham, heard of the coronation. He climbed up onto Mount Gerizim, where there is even today a flat triangular table-rock. It's a perfect pulpit, and a single man with a good strong voice could be clearly heard in the city below, even as far as the peak of Ebal beyond. There he told a parable of what had happened. He shows how those with worthwhile occupations have no desire to rule. Only the most worthless dream of ruling. Thus, Abimelech compares nicely to the dry brambles clinging to the side of mountains at Jotham's feet. That such could offer a "shadow of protection" is ludicrous on the face of it. Instead, it was the one greatest threats to everything, because these were the first thing to catch fire if hit by stray lightening. What the men of Shechem sought for their protection would eventually destroy them. When his sermon was done, before anyone could act to detain him, Jotham fled to someplace called Beer ("The Well"). While many places are called that, a good guess would be Beersheba, far to the south.
9:22-29 -- The author of the text makes clear it was the hand of God that caused a falling out between Abimelech and his chief supporters. While evil, he probably knew they were an unsteady support, and was not living in the city where they could easily harm him. So when three years had passed, it occurred to them they were not good enough to host his court, they set up ambushes so that anyone bearing tribute to Abimelech, or toll-paying traffic, would be plundered, denying him revenue. In connection with this, a fellow named Gaal came with his cousins during the grape harvest. This was a major festival in what might well be considered the heart of the largest vineyard territory in Canaan. Gaal campaigned for a revival of the old Shechemite nobility to rule, instead of this upstart "king." He won over the Temple Party, but the city administration remained loyal to Abimelech.
9:30-41 -- The mayor, Zebul, advised Abimelech to bring his troops overnight. This would offer quite a sunrise to Gaal. Most battles took place at dawn, the day after arriving at the field of contest. Troops could hardly be expected to fight well after a full day's march. Gaal had issued a challenge to Abimelech, and expected to have a fair chance to see what he was up against before he decided to fight or flee. Gaal's reactions seem to indicate he expected a small force. He had seen no evidence of a major encampment.
Instead, as he went out to face Abimelech, he was greeted by a substantial force. While the Hebrew wording is difficult, it seems to describe a force that came over the ridge directly across the open field in front of the city gate, with another group coming up out of the trees, of which the huge ancient shrine oak was the closest. Two more groups were descending from the hilltops on either side of the city. When Gaal wondered out loud what he was seeing, Zebul mocked him, implying that he was seeing the ghosts of his own guilt. When the battle was joined, Gaal and his rebels fled. Abimelech didn't bring the battle inside the city walls at that time. Rather, he had a more dastardly plan in mind. He knew Zebul would gather enough power from those opposed to the Temple Party, and have Gaal and his kin evicted from the city. Abimelech backed off to a nearby town, Arumah.
9:42-49 -- Under normal circumstances, the defeated bunch would have been driven out under amnesty. They would have made a deal to leave the city under a promise that they could travel unmolested. Yet, no sooner had the last of the train cleared the gate, then Abimelech's troops attacked, killing everyone, including women and children. This time divided into three companies, one group of attackers blocked the city gates to prevent retreat, while the other two attacked the travelers in the field. Then the whole turned and attacked the city itself. After decimating the civilian population, he turned to the soldiers who had been quartered in the gate towers. They had moved into the temple, which was probably well fortified itself. The Temple Party had fled there with all their families. The structure must have been partly of wood, for Abimelech told his troops to follow his example in cutting a leafy branch for tinder to set a blaze. Anyone who has played much with tree cutting and fire knows green oak leaves burn exceedingly well, once a fire is started on dry grass. His final act was to ritually sow the city with salt, which was a warning to anyone not to rebuild the city, or replicate their rebellion.
9:50-57 -- It's safe to assume the city of Thebez, 13 miles to the north, was party to this revolt. Abimelech wasted no time in attacking that city. While Shechem's double tower was technically outside the city proper, the tower in Thebez was inside the walls. After breaching the walls, he still had to flush the inhabitants from their refuge. Before he could repeat his fire trick, a woman dropped an upper millstone on his head from above. This would have been a large flat wheel of stone, light enough for one person to carry, but heavy enough to break toes if dropped on one's foot. From a second floor level, it was fatal, though not immediately in this case. To die by the hand of a woman was the ultimate insult for an arrogant warrior like Abimelech. He persuaded his equipment steward to finish him off first.
As soon as he was dead, it was as if everyone woke up from an awful nightmare. Suddenly, the fighting stopped. As if puzzled and embarrassed to find themselves there, the soldiers dispersed. The author reminds us that Abimelech was repaid for his evil, as was the city of Shechem. Jotham's parable was prophetic.
10:1-5 -- We are told of Tola, who came next, but whose judgeship went unremarked. A few more details are given of Jair, whose sons founded the cities known as Havoth-jair scattered along the Yarmuk Valley and hills to the south, in northern Gilead. Riding on donkeys (actually, onagers) bespoke their noble status.
[ Return to Lesson Index ]
[ <-- Previous Lesson ]
[ --> Next Lesson ]
Ed Hurst
revised 05 April 2004
COPYRIGHT NOTICE: People of honor need no copyright laws; they are only too happy to give credit where credit is due. Others will ignore copyright laws whenever they please. If you are of the latter, please note what Moses said about dishonorable behavior -- "be sure your sin will find you out" (Numbers 32:23)