Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, August 6th, 2025
the Week of Proper 13 / Ordinary 18
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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

Judges 9:22

Abimelech ruled Israel for three years.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Citizens;   Judge;   Treason;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Jotham;   Shechem;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Abimelech;   Shechem;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Persecution;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Baal (2);   Holman Bible Dictionary - Judges, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Belial (Beliar);   Government;   Israel;   Judges (1);   Levi;   Ophrah;   Palestine;   Shalman;   Shechem;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Judges, Book of;   Shechem ;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Government of the Hebrews;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Reign of the Judges;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Abimelech;   Zebul;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Judges, Period of;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When Abimelech had ruled over Israel three years,
Hebrew Names Version
Avimelekh was prince over Yisra'el three years.
King James Version
When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel,
Lexham English Bible
Abimelech ruled over Israel three years.
English Standard Version
Abimelech ruled over Israel three years.
New Century Version
Abimelech ruled Israel for three years.
New English Translation
Abimelech commanded Israel for three years.
Amplified Bible
Abimelech ruled over Israel for three years.
New American Standard Bible
Now Abimelech ruled over Israel for three years.
Geneva Bible (1587)
So Abimelech reigned three yeere ouer Israel.
Legacy Standard Bible
And on some, who are doubting, have mercy;
Contemporary English Version
Abimelech had been a military commander of Israel for three years,
Complete Jewish Bible
Avimelekh was chief over Isra'el for three years.
Darby Translation
And Abimelech ruled over Israel three years.
Easy-to-Read Version
Abimelech ruled the Israelites for three years.
George Lamsa Translation
When Abimeleck had reigned over Israel three years,
Literal Translation
And Abimelech ruled over Israel three years.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Now whan Abimelech had reigned thre yeare ouer Israel,
American Standard Version
And Abimelech was prince over Israel three years.
Bible in Basic English
So Abimelech was chief over Israel for three years.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
When Abimelech had raigned three yeres ouer Israel,
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Abimelech was prince over Israel three years.
King James Version (1611)
When Abimelech had reigned three yeeres ouer Israel,
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Abimelech reigned over Israel three years.
English Revised Version
And Abimelech was prince over Israel three years.
Berean Standard Bible
After Abimelech had reigned over Israel for three years,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Abymelech regnede on Israel thre yeer.
Young's Literal Translation
And Abimelech is prince over Israel three years,
Update Bible Version
And Abimelech was prince over Israel three years.
Webster's Bible Translation
When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel,
World English Bible
Abimelech was prince over Israel three years.
New King James Version
After Abimelech had reigned over Israel three years,
New Living Translation
After Abimelech had ruled over Israel for three years,
New Life Bible
Abimelech ruled over Israel for three years.
New Revised Standard
Abimelech ruled over Israel three years.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Abimelech ruled over Israel three years.
Douay-Rheims Bible
So Abimelech reigned over Israel three years.
Revised Standard Version
Abim'elech ruled over Israel three years.
THE MESSAGE
Abimelech ruled over Israel for three years. Then God brought bad blood between Abimelech and Shechem's leaders, who now worked treacherously behind his back. Violence boomeranged: The murderous violence that killed the seventy brothers, the sons of Jerub-Baal, was now loose among Abimelech and Shechem's leaders, who had supported the violence.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now Abimelech ruled over Israel three years.

Contextual Overview

22 Abimelech ruled Israel for three years. 23 Then God made Abimelech and the men of Shechem hostile to each other, and they rebelled against Abimelech. 24 This happened so that Abimelech and the men of Shechem, who encouraged him to murder Gideon's seventy sons, would pay for their crime. 25 The men of Shechem put men in ambush against Abimelech on the mountaintops, and they robbed everyone who passed their way. Abimelech was told about this. 26 Then Gaal son of Ebed came to Shechem with his brothers, and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him. 27 They all went out into their vineyards and picked the grapes, made wine from them, and held a festival. They went into the temple of their god, where they ate and drank and made fun of Abimelech. 28 Gaal said, "What kind of men are we in Shechem? Why are we serving Abimelech? Who is he, anyway? The son of Gideon! And Zebul takes orders from him, but why should we serve him? Be loyal to your ancestor Hamor, who founded your clan! 29 I wish I were leading this people! I would get rid of Abimelech! I would tell him, ‘Reinforce your army, come on out and fight!'" 30 Zebul, the ruler of the city, became angry when he heard what Gaal had said. 31 He sent messengers to Abimelech at Arumah to say, "Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem, and they are not going to let you into the city.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: Judges 11:26 - three hundred

Cross-References

Genesis 9:12
As a sign of this everlasting covenant which I am making with you and with all living beings,
Genesis 9:13
I am putting my bow in the clouds. It will be the sign of my covenant with the world.
Genesis 9:15
I will remember my promise to you and to all the animals that a flood will never again destroy all living beings.
Genesis 9:16
When the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between me and all living beings on earth.
Genesis 9:19
These three sons of Noah were the ancestors of all the people on earth.
Genesis 9:20
Noah, who was a farmer, was the first man to plant a vineyard.
Genesis 9:21
After he drank some of the wine, he became drunk, took off his clothes, and lay naked in his tent.
Genesis 9:25
he said, "A curse on Canaan! He will be a slave to his brothers.
Genesis 10:6
The sons of Ham—Cush, Egypt, Libya, and Canaan—were the ancestors of the peoples who bear their names.
1 Chronicles 1:8
The sons of Ham—Cush, Egypt, Libya, and Canaan—were the ancestors of the peoples who bear their names.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel. The people in general consenting to what the men of Shechem had done, at least not opposing it, all being desirous of a king, and therefore put up with a mean person, rather than have none; though it is amazing they should, and that they had not rose up as one man against Abimelech, and avenged the blood of the sons of Gideon, who had been so useful and serviceable to them; it is indeed said that he reigned over all Israel, and his reign, such as it was, was very short, as is often the case with wicked princes.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Had reigned - Rather, “had ruled.” It is not the phrase used in Judges 9:6. It looks as if the Shechemites alone had made him king, and the rest of Israel had submitted to his dominion, without allowing his title of king.


 
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