Judges 9:18

9:17 (For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian: adventured: Heb. cast his life

And ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;)

KJV

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and you have risen up against my father’s house today, and have slain his sons, seventy persons, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother);

And ye are risen up against my father’s house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;)

And you are risen up against my father’s house this day, and have slain his sons, three score and ten persons, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;)

9:19 If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:

What does Judges 9:18 mean?

Judges 9:18 is a verse in the book of Judges, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include קוּם (qûwm), אָב (ʼâb), בַּיִת (bayith). It connects to 9 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

And

are

risen

upקוּםqûwm/koom/H6965to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)

against

father'sאָבʼâb/awb/H1father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application

houseבַּיִתbayith/bah'-yith/H1004a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)

this

day,יוֹםyôwm/yome/H3117a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)

and

have

slainהָרַגhârag/haw-rag'/H2026to smite with deadly intent

his

sons,בֵּןbên/bane/H1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)

threescore

and

tenשִׁבְעִיםshibʻîym/shib-eem'/H7657seventy

persons,אִישׁʼîysh/eesh/H376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)

upon

oneאֶחָדʼechâd/ekh-awd'/H259properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first

stone,אֶבֶןʼeben/eh'-ben/H68a stone

and

have

made

Abimelech,אֲבִימֶלֶךְʼĂbîymelek/ab-ee-mel'-ek/H40Abimelek, the name of two Philistine kings and of two Israelites

the

sonבֵּןbên/bane/H1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)

his

maidservant,אָמָהʼâmâh/aw-maw'/H519a maidservant or female slave

kingמָלַךְmâlak/maw-lak'/H4427to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by implication) to take counsel

over

the

menבַּעַלbaʻal/bah'-al/H1167a master; hence, a husband, or (figuratively) owner (often used with another noun in modifications of this latter sense)

Shechem,שְׁכֶםShᵉkem/shek-em'/H7927Shekem, a place in Palestine

because

your

brother;)אָחʼâch/awkh/H251a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance (like father))

Commentary on Judges 9:18

HENRY_FULL · Judges 9:18

="gen4658" Shamgar Slays Six Hundred Philistines. ( b. c. 1316.) 31 And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel. When it is said the land had rest eighty years, some think it meant chiefly of that part of the land which lay eastward on the banks of Jordan, which had been oppressed by the Moabites; but it seems, by this passage here, that the other side of the country which lay south-west was in that time infested by the Philistines, against whom Shamgar made head. 1. It seems Israel needed deliverance, for he delivered Israel; how great the distress was Deborah afterwards related in her song ( ch. v. 6 ), that in the days of Shamgar the highways were unoccupied, &c.; that part of the country which lay next to the Philistines was so infested with plunderers that people could not travel the roads in safety, but were in danger of being set upon and robbed, nor durst they dwell in the unguarded villages, but were forced to take shelter in the fortified cities. 2. God raised him up to deliver them, as it should seem, while Ehud was yet living, but superannuated. So inconsiderable were the enemies for number that it seems the killing of 600 of them amounted to a deliverance of Israel, and so many he slew with an ox-goad, or, as some read it, a plough-share. It is probable that he was himself following the plough when the Philistines made an inroad upon the country to ravage it, and God put it into his heart to oppose them; the impulse being sudden and strong, and having neither sword nor spear to do execution with, he took the instrument that was next at hand, some of the tools of his plough, and with that killed so many hundred men and came off unhurt. See here, (1.) That God can make those eminently serviceable to his glory and his church's good whose extraction, education, and employment, are very mean and obscure. He that has the residue of the Spirit could, when he pleased, make ploughmen judges and generals, and fishermen apostles. (2.) It is no matter how weak the weapon is if God direct and strengthen the arm. An ox-goad, when God pleases, shall do more than Goliath's sword. And sometimes he chooses to work by such unlikely means, that the excellency of the power may appear to be of God.

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Judges 2:11

And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:

Judges 2:19

And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way. corrupted: or, were corrupt ceased: Heb. let nothing fall of their

Judges 2:20

And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice;

Judges 3:7

And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.

Judges 3:12

And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.

Judges 6:1

And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.

Judges 10:6

And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him.

Nehemiah 9:23

Their children also multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land, concerning which thou hadst promised to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it.

Jeremiah 5:3

O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.

Topics

Fatherless

People & places in this verse

People

Abimelech

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Judges 9:18.

Genesis 24:61

And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.

Psalms 103:13

Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.

Psalms 113:9

He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD. to keep: Heb. to dwell in an house

Psalms 52:1

To the chief Musician, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech. Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually.

Psalms 78:9

The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle. carrying: Heb. throwing forth

Psalms 84:10

For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. I had: Heb. I would choose rather to sit at the threshold

Psalms 88:1

A Song or Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite. O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee: for the sons: or, of the sons Maschil: or, A Psalm of Heman the Ezrahite, giving instruction

Psalms 90:10

The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. The days: Heb. As for the days of our years, in them are seventy years

Frequently asked questions

What does Judges 9:18 say?

Judges 9:18 (King James Version) reads: "And ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;)"

Is Judges 9:18 in the Old or New Testament?

Judges 9:18 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Judges.

Reflect

As you read Judges 9:18, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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