Judges 9:22

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.

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,

Good News Translation
Abimelech ruled Israel for 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.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now Abimelech ruled over Israel three years.

Contextual Overview

²²Abimelech 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. ²⁵ To undermine Abimelech, Shechem's leaders put men in ambush on the mountain passes who robbed travelers on those roads. And Abimelech was told. ²⁶At that time Gaal son of Ebed arrived with his relatives and moved into Shechem. The leaders of Shechem trusted him. One day they went out into the fields, gathered grapes in the vineyards, and trod them in the winepress. Then they held a celebration in their god's temple, a feast, eating and drinking. And then they started putting down Abimelech. ²⁸Gaal son of Ebed said, "Who is this Abimelech? And who are we Shechemites to take orders from him? Isn't he the son of Jerub-Baal, and isn't this his henchman Zebul? We belong to the race of Hamor and bear the noble name of Shechem. Why should we be toadies of Abimelech? If I were in charge of this people, the first thing I'd do is get rid of Abimelech! I'd say, ‘Show me your stuff, Abimelech—let's see who's boss here!'" ³⁰Zebul, governor of the city, heard what Gaal son of Ebed was saying and got angry. Secretly he sent messengers to Abimelech with the message, "Gaal son of Ebed and his relatives have come to Shechem and are stirring up trouble against you. Here's what you do: Tonight bring your troops and wait in ambush in the field. In the morning, as soon as the sun breaks, get moving and charge the city. Gaal and his troops will come out to you, and you'll know what to do next." ³⁴Abimelech and his troops, four companies of them, went up that night and waited in ambush approaching Shechem. Gaal son of Ebed had gotten up and was standing in the city gate. Abimelech and his troops left their cover. When Gaal saw them he said to Zebul, "Look at that, people coming down from the tops of the mountains!" Zebul said, "That's nothing but mountain shadows; they just look like men." Gaal kept chattering away. ³⁷ Then he said again, "Look at the troops coming down off Tabbur-erez (the Navel of the World)—and one company coming straight from the Oracle Oak." ³⁸ Zebul said, "Where is that big mouth of yours now? You who said, ‘And who is Abimelech that we should take orders from him?' Well, there he is with the troops you ridiculed. Here's your chance. Fight away!" ³⁹Gaal went out, backed by the leaders of Shechem, and did battle with Abimelech. Abimelech chased him, and Gaal turned tail and ran. Many fell wounded, right up to the city gate. ⁴¹ Abimelech set up his field headquarters at Arumah while Zebul kept Gaal and his relatives out of Shechem.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: Judges 11:26 - three hundred

Cross-References

Genesis 9:12
God continued, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and everything living around you and everyone living after you. I'm putting my rainbow in the clouds, a sign of the covenant between me and the Earth. From now on, when I form a cloud over the Earth and the rainbow appears in the cloud, I'll remember my covenant between me and you and everything living, that never again will floodwaters destroy all life. When the rainbow appears in the cloud, I'll see it and remember the eternal covenant between God and everything living, every last living creature on Earth."

Genesis 9:20
Noah, a farmer, was the first to plant a vineyard. He drank from its wine, got drunk and passed out, naked in his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw that his father was naked and told his two brothers who were outside the tent. Shem and Japheth took a cloak, held it between them from their shoulders, walked backward and covered their father's nakedness, keeping their faces turned away so they did not see their father's exposed body.

Genesis 10:6
The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, Canaan.

1 Chronicles 1:8
Ham had Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.

Proverbs 25:9
In the heat of an argument, don't betray confidences; Word is sure to get around, and no one will trust you.

Proverbs 30:17
An eye that disdains a father and despises a mother— that eye will be plucked out by wild vultures and consumed by young eagles.

Matthew 18:15
"If a fellow believer hurts you, go and tell him—work it out between the two of you. If he listens, you've made a friend. If he won't listen, take one or two others along so that the presence of witnesses will keep things honest, and try again. If he still won't listen, tell the church. If he won't listen to the church, you'll have to start over from scratch, confront him with the need for repentance, and offer again God's forgiving love.

Galatians 6:1
Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day's out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.

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.