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the Week of Proper 14 / Ordinary 19
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Contemporary English Version

Judges 9:42

The next morning, the people of Shechem were getting ready to work in their fields as usual, but someone told Abimelech about it.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Judge;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Jotham;   Shechem;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Abimelech;   House;   Shechem;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Ambush;   Gaal;   Zebul;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Baal (2);   Holman Bible Dictionary - Abimelech;   Judges, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Fortification and Siegecraft;   Government;   Israel;   Judges (1);   Levi;   Ophrah;   Palestine;   Shalman;   Shechem;   Zebul;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Shechem ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Gaal;   Smith Bible Dictionary - She'chem;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Government of the Hebrews;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Reign of the Judges;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Zebul;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The next day when the people of Shechem went into the countryside, this was reported to Abimelech.
Hebrew Names Version
It happened on the next day, that the people went out into the field; and they told Avimelekh.
King James Version
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.
Lexham English Bible
On the next day the people went out to the field; and it was reported to Abimelech,
English Standard Version
On the following day, the people went out into the field, and Abimelech was told.
New Century Version
The next day the people of Shechem went out to the fields. When Abimelech was told about it,
New English Translation
The next day the Shechemites came out to the field. When Abimelech heard about it,
Amplified Bible
The next day the people went out to the field, and it was reported to Abimelech.
New American Standard Bible
Now it came about the next day, that the people went out to the field, and it was reported to Abimelech.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And on the morowe, the people went out into the fielde: which was tolde Abimelech.
Legacy Standard Bible
En toe die mense die volgende dag uittrek in die veld, is dit aan Abiméleg meegedeel.
Complete Jewish Bible
But the very next day, the people went out into the field, and Avimelekh was told about it.
Darby Translation
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.
Easy-to-Read Version
The next day the people of Shechem went out to the fields to work. Abimelech found out about it.
George Lamsa Translation
And it came to pass on the next day, that the people went out into the fields, and they told Abimeleck.
Good News Translation
The next day Abimelech found out that the people of Shechem were planning to go out into the fields,
Literal Translation
And it happened on the next day, the people went out in the field and told Abimelech.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Vpon the morowe wente the people forth into ye felde. Wha this was tolde Abimelech,
American Standard Version
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.
Bible in Basic English
Now the day after, the people went out into the fields; and news of it came to Abimelech.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And on the morow, the people wet out into the fielde: And they told Abimelech.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and it was told Abimelech.
King James Version (1611)
And it came to passe on the morrow, that the people went out into the field, and they tolde Abimelech.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And it came to pass on the second day that the people went out into the field, and one brought word to Abimelech.
English Revised Version
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.
Berean Standard Bible
The next day the people of Shechem went out into the fields, and this was reported to Abimelech.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor in the dai suynge the puple yede out in to the feeld; and whanne this thing was teld to Abymelech,
Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that the people go out to the field, and they declare [it] to Abimelech,
Update Bible Version
And it came to pass on the next day, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.
Webster's Bible Translation
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.
World English Bible
It happened on the next day, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.
New King James Version
And it came about on the next day that the people went out into the field, and they told Abimelech.
New Living Translation
The next day the people of Shechem went out into the fields to battle. When Abimelech heard about it,
New Life Bible
The men went out to the field the next day and told Abimelech.
New Revised Standard
On the following day the people went out into the fields. When Abimelech was told,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And it came to pass, on the morrow, that the people went forth into the field, - and they told Abimelech.
Douay-Rheims Bible
So the day following the people went out into the field. And it was told to Abimelech,
Revised Standard Version
On the following day the men went out into the fields. And Abim'elech was told.
THE MESSAGE
The next day the people went out to the fields. This was reported to Abimelech. He took his troops, divided them into three companies, and placed them in ambush in the fields. When he saw that the people were well out in the open, he sprang up and attacked them. Abimelech and the company with him charged ahead and took control of the entrance to the city gate; the other two companies chased down those who were in the open fields and killed them. Abimelech fought at the city all that day. He captured the city and massacred everyone in it. He leveled the city to the ground, then sowed it with salt.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now it came about the next day, that the people went out to the field, and it was told to Abimelech.

Contextual Overview

22 Abimelech had been a military commander of Israel for three years, 23when God decided to punish him and the leaders of Shechem for killing Gideon's seventy sons. So God turned the leaders of Shechem against Abimelech. 25 Then they sent some men to hide on the hilltops and watch for Abimelech and his troops, while they sent others to rob everyone that went by on the road. But Abimelech found out what they were doing. 26 One day, Gaal son of Ebed went to live in Shechem. His brothers moved there too, and soon the leaders of Shechem started trusting him. 27 The time came for the grape harvest, and the people of Shechem went into their vineyards and picked the grapes. They put the grapes in their wine-pits and walked on them to squeeze out the juice in order to make wine. Then they went into the temple of their god and threw a big party. There was a lot of eating and drinking, and before long they were cursing Abimelech. 28 Gaal said: Hamor was the founder of Shechem, and one of his descendants should be our ruler. But Abimelech's father was Gideon, so Abimelech isn't really one of us. He shouldn't be our king, and we shouldn't have to obey him or Zebul, who rules Shechem for him. 29 If I were the ruler of Shechem, I'd get rid of that Abimelech. I'd tell him, "Get yourself an even bigger army, and we will still defeat you." 30 Zebul was angry when he found out what Gaal had said. 31 And so he sent some messengers to Abimelech. But they had to pretend to be doing something else, or they would not have been allowed to leave Shechem. Zebul told the messengers to say: Gaal the son of Ebed has come to Shechem along with his brothers, and they have persuaded the people to let Gaal rule Shechem instead of you. 32 This is what I think you should do. Lead your army here during the night and hide in the fields.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it came to pass on the morrow,.... The day after the battle:

that the people went out into the field; some think to fight, and try the event of another battle, in order to be freed from Abimelech, but that seems not so likely: rather to finish their vintage, as Josephus l, or to till their ground, to plough and sow, which quickly came on after the vintage was ended; find this they might do the more securely, since Abimelech had withdrawn himself and his forces to his place of habitation, and so concluded he would not soon at least return to them; and the rather they might think he would be more easy, with then, since Gaal was thrust out from among them:

and they told Abimelech; or it was told Abimelech, that the people came out into the field, and so an opportunity offered to him to come and cut them off, as they were at their business unarmed.

l Antiqu. l. 5. c. 7. sect. 4.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

After Gaal’s expulsion, “the people went out into the field,” either to complete the vintage, or for some other agricultural operation. “They” (Zebul and his party) sent word of this to Abimelech.


 
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