Judges

Judges 9:1–5

1Now Abimelech son of Jerubbaala went to his mother’s brothers at Shechem and said to them and to all the clan of his mother, 2“Please ask all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Is it better for you that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or just one man?’ Remember that I am your own flesh and blood.”

3And when his mother’s brothers spoke all these words about him in the presence of all the leaders of Shechem, their hearts were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.” 4So they gave him seventy shekels of silverb from the temple of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired some worthless and reckless men to follow him. 5He went to his father’s house in Ophrah, and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived, because he hid himself.

Footnotes

  • a 9:1 Jerubbaal is another name for Gideon and probably means let Baal contend; here and throughout this chapter; see Judges 6:32|JDG 6:32.
  • b 9:4 70 shekels is approximately 1.76 pounds or 797.8 grams of silver.

Read all of Judges 9

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Judges 9:1

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Now Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֤לֶךְ’ă·ḇî·me·leḵNoun - proper - masculine singularH40 Abimelek
sonבֶּן־ben-Noun - masculine singular constructH1121 son
of Jerubbaalיְרֻבַּ֙עַל֙yə·rub·ba·‘alNoun - proper - masculine singularH3378 Jerubbaal
wentוַיֵּ֨לֶךְway·yê·leḵConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH1980 go, come, walk
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
his mother’sאִמּ֑וֹ’im·mōwNoun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH517 mother
brothersאֲחֵ֖י’ă·ḥêNoun - masculine plural constructH251 brother
at Shechemשְׁכֶ֔מָהšə·ḵe·māhNoun - proper - feminine singular; third person feminine singularH7927 shoulder
and saidוַיְדַבֵּ֣רway·ḏab·bêrConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH1696 speak
toאֲלֵיהֶ֔ם’ă·lê·hemPreposition; third person masculine pluralH413 motion to
themוְאֶל־wə·’el-Conjunctive waw; PrepositionH413 motion to
and to allכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
the clanמִשְׁפַּ֛חַתmiš·pa·ḥaṯNoun - feminine singular constructH4940 clan
of his motherאִמּ֖וֹ’im·mōwNoun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH517 mother

Judges 9:2

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Pleaseנָ֞אnāInterjectionH4994 I (we) pray, now
askדַּבְּרוּ־dab·bə·rū-Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine pluralH1696 speak
allכָל־ḵālNoun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
the leadersבַּעֲלֵ֣יba·‘ă·lêNoun - masculine plural constructH1167 owner, lord
of Shechemשְׁכֶם֮šə·ḵemNoun - proper - feminine singularH7927 shoulder
Is it betterטּ֣וֹבṭō·wḇAdjective - masculine singularH2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
for youלָכֶם֒lā·ḵemPreposition; second person masculine plural
that seventyשִׁבְעִ֣יםšiḇ·‘îmNumber - common pluralH7657 seventy
menאִ֗ישׁ’îšNoun - masculine singularH376 man
allכֹּ֚לkōlNoun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
the sonsבְּנֵ֣יbə·nêNoun - masculine plural constructH1121 son
of Jerubbaalיְרֻבַּ֔עַלyə·rub·ba·‘alNoun - proper - masculine singularH3378 Jerubbaal
ruleהַמְשֹׁ֨לham·šōlVerb - Qal - Infinitive constructH4910 rule, have dominion, reign
over youבָּכֶ֜םbā·ḵemPreposition; second person masculine plural
orאִם־’im-ConjunctionH518 if
just oneאֶחָ֑ד’e·ḥāḏNumber - masculine singularH259 one
manאִ֣ישׁ’îšNoun - masculine singularH376 man
Rememberוּזְכַרְתֶּ֕םū·zə·ḵar·temConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralH2142 remember
thatכִּֽי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
Iאָנִֽי׃ʾå̄·nīPronoun - first person common singularH589 I
am your own fleshוּבְשַׂרְכֶ֖םū·ḇə·śar·ḵemConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine pluralH1320 flesh
and bloodעַצְמֵכֶםʿaṣ·mē·ḵɛmNoun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine pluralH6106 bone, substance, self

Judges 9:3

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
And when his mother’sאִמּ֜וֹ’im·mōwNoun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH517 mother
brothersאֲחֵֽי־’ă·ḥê-Noun - masculine plural constructH251 brother
spokeוַיְדַבְּר֨וּway·ḏab·bə·rūConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH1696 speak
allכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
theseהָאֵ֑לֶּהhā·’êl·lehArticle; Pronoun - common pluralH428 these
wordsהַדְּבָרִ֖יםhad·də·ḇā·rîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH1697 speech, word
about himעָלָ֗יו‘ā·lāwPreposition; third person masculine singularH5921 height
in the presenceבְּאָזְנֵי֙bə·’ā·zə·nêPreposition-b; Noun - feminine dual constructH241 ear
of allכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
the leadersבַּעֲלֵ֣יba·‘ă·lêNoun - masculine plural constructH1167 owner, lord
of Shechemשְׁכֶ֔םšə·ḵemNoun - proper - feminine singularH7927 shoulder
their heartsלִבָּם֙lib·bāmNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine pluralH3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
were inclinedוַיֵּ֤טway·yêṭConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH5186 stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend
to followאַחֲרֵ֣י’a·ḥă·rêPrepositionH310 behind
Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ’ă·ḇî·me·leḵNoun - proper - masculine singularH40 Abimelek
forכִּ֥יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
they saidאָמְר֖וּ’ā·mə·rūVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralH559 utter, say
Heהֽוּא׃hūPronoun - third person masculine singularH1931 he, she
is our brotherאָחִ֥ינוּ’ā·ḥî·nūNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common pluralH251 brother

Judges 9:4

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
So they gaveוַיִּתְּנוּ־way·yit·tə·nū-Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH5414 give, put, set
himלוֹ֙lōwPreposition; third person masculine singular
seventyשִׁבְעִ֣יםšiḇ·‘îmNumber - common pluralH7657 seventy
of silverכֶּ֔סֶףke·sep̄Noun - masculine singularH3701 silver, money
from the templeמִבֵּ֖יתּmib·bētPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singular constructH1004 house
of Baal-berithבְּרִ֑יתbə·rîṯNoun - proper - masculine singularH1170 Baal-Berith
with whichבָּהֶ֜םbā·hemPreposition; third person masculine plural
Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֗לֶךְ’ă·ḇî·me·leḵNoun - proper - masculine singularH40 Abimelek
hiredוַיִּשְׂכֹּ֨רway·yiś·kōrConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH7936 hire
some worthlessרֵיקִים֙rê·qîmAdjective - masculine pluralH7386 empty, vain
and recklessוּפֹ֣חֲזִ֔יםū·p̄ō·ḥă·zîmConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralH6348 be wanton, reckless
menאֲנָשִׁ֤ים’ă·nā·šîmNoun - masculine pluralH582 man, mankind
to followוַיֵּלְכ֖וּway·yê·lə·ḵūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH1980 go, come, walk
himאַחֲרָֽיו׃’a·ḥă·rāwPreposition; third person masculine singularH310 behind

Judges 9:5

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
He wentוַיָּבֹ֤אway·yā·ḇōConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH935 come in, come, go in, go
to his father’sאָבִיו֙’ā·ḇîwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH1 father
houseבֵית־ḇêṯ-Noun - masculine singular constructH1004 house
in Ophrahעָפְרָ֔תָה‘ā·p̄ə·rā·ṯāhNoun - proper - feminine singular; third person feminine singularH6084 perhaps modern
and onעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
oneאֶחָ֑ת’e·ḥāṯNumber - feminine singularH259 one
stoneאֶ֣בֶן’e·ḇenNoun - feminine singularH68 stone
murderedוַֽיַּהֲרֹ֞גway·ya·hă·rōḡConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH2026 kill, slay
his seventyשִׁבְּעִ֥יםšib·bə·ʿīmNumber - common pluralH7657 seventy
brothersאֶחָ֧יו’e·ḥāwNoun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singularH251 brother
the sonsבְּנֵֽי־bə·nê-Noun - masculine plural constructH1121 son
of Jerubbaalיְרֻבַּ֛עַלyə·rub·ba·‘alNoun - proper - masculine singularH3378 Jerubbaal
But Jothamיוֹתָ֧םyō·w·ṯāmNoun - proper - masculine singularH3147 Jotham
the youngestהַקָּטֹ֖ןhaq·qā·ṭōnArticle; Adjective - masculine singularH6996 small, young, unimportant
sonבֶּן־ben-Noun - masculine singular constructH1121 son
of Jerubbaalיְרֻבַּ֛עַלyə·rub·ba·‘alNoun - proper - masculine singularH3378 Jerubbaal
survivedוַיִּוָּתֵ֞רway·yiw·wā·ṯêrConjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH3498 remain over
becauseכִּ֥יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
he hid himselfנֶחְבָּֽא׃סneḥ·bāVerb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH2244 withdraw, hide

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Judges 9:1 Judges 8:31 · Psalm 83:2–4

Judges 9:2 Genesis 29:14 · Judges 8:30 · Hebrews 2:14 · 1 Chronicles 11:1

Judges 9:3 Genesis 29:15 · Psalm 10:3

Judges 9:4 Judges 8:33 · 2 Chronicles 13:7 · Acts 17:5 · Judges 11:3 · Proverbs 12:11

Judges 9:5 2 Kings 11:1–2 · 2 Chronicles 21:4 · Judges 6:24 · Judges 9:2 · 2 Kings 10:17 · Judges 8:30 · Matthew 2:16 · Matthew 2:20

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.