Judges

Judges 9:45–49

⁴⁵And all that day Abimelech fought against the city until he had captured it and killed its people. Then he demolished the city and sowed it with salt.

⁴⁶On hearing of this, all the leaders in the tower of Shechem entered the inner chamber of the temple of El-berith.^j ⁴⁷And when Abimelech was told that all the leaders in the tower of Shechem were gathered there, ⁴⁸he and all his men went up to Mount Zalmon. Abimelech took his axe in his hand and cut a branch from the trees, which he lifted to his shoulder, saying to his men, “Hurry and do what you have seen me do.”

⁴⁹So each man also cut his own branch and followed Abimelech. Then they piled the branches against the inner chamber and set it on fire above them, killing everyone in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women.

Footnotes

j 9:46 El-berith was another name for Baal-berith; see verse 4.

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 9:45

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And all	כֹּ֚ל	kōl	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
that	הַה֔וּא	ha·hū	Article; Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
day	הַיּ֣וֹם	hay·yō·wm	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3117 day
Abimelech	וַאֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ	wa·’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H40 Abimelek
fought	נִלְחָ֣ם	nil·ḥām	Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular	H3898 fight, do battle
against the city	בָּעִ֗יר	bā·‘îr	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H5892 excitement
until he had captured it	וַיִּלְכֹּד֙	way·yil·kōḏ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3920 capture, seize, take (by lot)
and killed	הָרָ֑ג	hā·rāḡ	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H2026 kill, slay
its people	הָעָ֥ם	hā·‘ām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
Then he demolished	וַיִּתֹּץ֙	way·yit·tōṣ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5422 pull down, break down
the city	הָעִ֔יר	hā·‘îr	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H5892 excitement
and sowed	וַיִּזְרָעֶ֖הָ	way·yiz·rā·‘e·hā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H2232 sow, scatter seed
it with salt	מֶֽלַח׃פ	me·laḥ	Noun - masculine singular	H4417 salt

Judges 9:46

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
On hearing of this	וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֔וּ	way·yiš·mə·‘ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H8085 hear
all	כָּֽל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the leaders	בַּעֲלֵ֖י	ba·‘ă·lê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1167 owner, lord
in the tower	מִֽגְדַּל־	miḡ·dal-	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4026 tower
of Shechem	שְׁכֶ֑ם	šə·ḵem	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H7927 shoulder
entered	וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ	way·yā·ḇō·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H935 come in, come, go in, go
the inner chamber	צְרִ֔יחַ	ṣə·rî·aḥ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H6877 excavation, underground chamber
of the temple	בֵּ֖ית	bêṯ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1004 house
of El-berith	בְּרִֽית׃	bə·rîṯ	Noun - proper	H1286 Berith

Judges 9:47

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And when Abimelech	לַאֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ	la·’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H40 Abimelek
was told	וַיֻּגַּ֖ד	way·yug·gaḏ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hofal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5046 be conspicuous
that	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
all	כָּֽל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the leaders	בַּעֲלֵ֖י	ba·‘ă·lê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1167 owner, lord
in the tower	מִֽגְדַּל־	miḡ·dal-	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4026 tower
of Shechem	שְׁכֶֽם׃	šə·ḵem	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H7927 shoulder
were gathered there	הִֽתְקַבְּצ֔וּ	hiṯ·qab·bə·ṣū	Verb - Hitpael - Perfect - third person common plural	H6908 gather, collect

Judges 9:48

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
he	אֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ	’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H40 Abimelek
and all	וְכָל־	wə·ḵāl	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
his men	הָעָ֣ם	hā·‘ām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
went up	וַיַּ֨עַל	way·ya·‘al	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
to Mount	הַר־	har-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H2022 mountain, hill, hill-country
Zalmon	צַלְמ֗וֹן	ṣal·mō·wn	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H6756 Tsalmon
Abimelech	אֲבִימֶ֨לֶךְ	’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H40 Abimelek
took	וַיִּקַּח֩	way·yiq·qaḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3947 take
his axe	הַקַּרְדֻּמּ֜וֹת	haq·qar·dum·mō·wṯ	Article; Noun - feminine plural	H7134 axe
in his hand	בְּיָד֗וֹ	bə·yā·ḏōw	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3027 hand
and cut	וַיִּכְרֹת֙	way·yiḵ·rōṯ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3772 cut off, cut down
a branch	שׂוֹכַ֣ת	śō·w·ḵaṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H7754 branch or brushwood
from the trees	עֵצִ֔ים	‘ê·ṣîm	Noun - masculine plural	H6086 tree, trees, wood
which he lifted	וַיִּ֨שָּׂאֶ֔הָ	way·yiś·śā·’e·hā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H5375 lift, take, carry
to	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
his shoulder	שִׁכְמ֑וֹ	šiḵ·mōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H7926 shoulder
saying	וַיֹּ֜אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
his men	הָעָ֣ם	hā·‘ām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
Hurry	מַהֲר֖וּ	ma·hă·rū	Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine plural	H4116 hasten
and do	עָשִׂ֔יתִי	‘ā·śî·ṯî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H6213 do, make
what	מָ֤ה	māh	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
you have seen me	רְאִיתֶם֙	rə·’î·ṯem	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural	H7200 see
do	עֲשׂ֥וּ	‘ă·śū	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural	H6213 do, make

Judges 9:49

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So each	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
man	אִ֣ישׁ	’îš	Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
also	גַם־	ḡam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
cut	וַיִּכְרְת֨וּ	way·yiḵ·rə·ṯū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3772 cut off, cut down
his own branch	שׂוֹכֹ֗ה	śō·w·ḵōh	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H7754 branch or brushwood
and followed	וַיֵּ֨לְכ֜וּ	way·yê·lə·ḵū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1980 go, come, walk
Abimelech	אֲבִימֶ֙לֶךְ֙	’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H40 Abimelek
Then they piled	וַיָּשִׂ֣ימוּ	way·yā·śî·mū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7760 put, place, set
against	עַֽל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the inner chamber	הַצְּרִ֔יחַ	haṣ·ṣə·rî·aḥ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6877 excavation, underground chamber
and set	וַיַּצִּ֧יתוּ	way·yaṣ·ṣî·ṯū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3341 kindle, burn
on fire	בָּאֵ֑שׁ	bā·’êš	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - common singular	H784 fire
above them	עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם	‘ă·lê·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural	H5921 height
killing	וַיָּמֻ֜תוּ	way·yā·mu·ṯū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H4191 die
everyone	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
in the tower	מִֽגְדַּל־	miḡ·dal-	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4026 tower
of Shechem	שְׁכֶ֛ם	šə·ḵem	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H7927 shoulder
about a thousand	כְּאֶ֖לֶף	kə·’e·lep̄	Preposition-k; Number - masculine singular construct	H505 thousand
men	אִ֥ישׁ	’îš	Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
and women	וְאִשָּֽׁה׃פ	wə·’iš·šāh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H802 woman, wife, female

Cross-references

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

Judges 9:45 Deuteronomy 29:23 · 2 Kings 3:25

Judges 9:46 Judges 8:33 · Psalm 115:8 · Judges 9:4

Judges 9:48 Psalm 68:14

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.