Bk – The Destruction of Shechem 9: 22-25

The Destruction of Shechem
9: 22-25

The destruction of Shechem DIG: What characterized Abimelech’s reign as king? Why? How long did Abimelech reign compared to others that we see in Judges? How can evil proceed from ADONAI (First Samuel 16:14 and 18:10)? How did God punish Abimelech for murdering Gideon’s [sixty-nine] sons?

REFLECT: Sooner or later, Ha’Shem repays wickedness. What does that inspire in you? Awe? Comfort? Guilt? Fear? Is there any wicked thing that you’d like to rid yourself of? Do you know a modern-day Abimelech? What can you do to not be affected by his or her evil? Read Psalm 73 and be comforted.

Ha’Shem will not allow the murderer to escape; but will punish him in some dreadful way.

Self-seeking opportunists and those capable of treacherous murder never make easy companions, and it was not long before hostility broke out between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. Perhaps it’s significant that Abimelech didn’t seem to live in Shechem, but delegated that oversight to Zebul (9:30). The sovereignty of ADONAI can be seen in these verses (First Samuel 16:14, 18:10 and First Kings 22:19-23).²³⁰ The main thread of the narrative is resumed here after the interlude of Jotham’s fable (to see link click Bj – Jothan’s Fable). But rather than opening with an account of the events of Abimelech’s reign, it moves almost at once to his downfall.²³¹

And Abimelech was prince (Hebrew: sar) over Isra’el. Abimelech was seated on the throne his father refused. But how long did it last? In a mere three years (9:22 NLT) we see the thornbush (9:14-15) withered and burned. The prosperity of the wicked is short and fickle. The author used the Hebrew word sar, which means prince, captain, or official, and not the word melech, which means king. By using sar, the author states that Abimelech governed, but the narrator didn’t accept him as a king; thus showing that he didn’t fulfill Isra’el’s need for a king. The term Isra’el is not always used of the whole nation, but sometimes used more locally, as it is here. In this case, Isra’el refers to Greater Shechem, which included Shechem, Beth-Millo, Arumah, and Thebez (9:6). Here, the length of his three-year rule is announced at the beginning of his reign rather than the end, which is the norm in this book. This signaled that his attempt to be “king” would not last as long as any of the oppressions by the enemies of Isra’el or any of the periods in the rest of the book.

After three years of relative success, Abimelech found himself in trouble. It’s one thing to acquire a throne and quite another to defend and hold onto it. The divine vindication of Jotham’s judgment began with a divine action. Elohim sent an evil spirit, a demon, between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. As a result of the demonic attack the men of Shechem revolted against Abimelech (9:23 Hebrew), as was predicted by Jotham three years earlier. God was punishing Abimelech for murdering Gideon’s [sixty-nine] sons (9:5a), and the citizens of Shechem for supporting him in this treachery of murdering his half-brothers (9:24 NLT).²³²

The result was that a series of events were set in motion that had a relentless, repeating pattern to them. Abimelech going to Shechem to incite the rulers to conspire against the sons of Gideon (9:1-2) is answered by Ga’al’s arrival in Shechem to incite its rulers to conspire with Ga’al against Abimelech (see Bl – The Boasting of Ga’al). The ambush set by the men of Shechem (9:25) is answered by the ambush set by Abimelech on the advice of Zebul (9:34). Finally, Abimelech, who killed the sons of Gideon on one stone (9:5a and 18), is himself killed by a millstone which was dropped on his head by a woman of Thebez (9:53). Therefore, in the working out of the plot, act answers to act, and evil to evil. So God used a demon to bring about the death of Abimelech, showing that He is able to use demons to carry out His purposes. Ha’Shem will do this again in the case of Ahab (see the commentary on Elijah and Elisha Bf – The Death of Ahab). And that demon is not eliminated until Abimelech, the chief instigator of evil is struck down; after that, his followers, as if walking away from a bad dream, put down their weapons and went home (9:55).²³³

The rulers of Shechem, who had helped crown Abimelech as king, set men on the mountains and robbed everyone who passed that way. The mountains in view here were probably Gerizim and Ebal, which overlook Shechem and would have provided excellent vantage points from which to see anyone approaching the narrow Shechem valley below.²³⁴ As the caravans were coming to pay tribute to Abimelech, the men of Shechem robbed them. This highway robbery would discredit the government of Abimelech. All this was from Ha’Shem, who was about to punish both Abimelech and the men of Shechem for the slaughter of Gideon’s [sixty-nine] sons (9:5a).²³⁵ The fact that someone warned Abimelech about their plot (9:25 Hebrew) shows that the seat of government was not in Shechem. The actions of the men of Shechem achieved two things: First, they showed that Abimelech could not guarantee the safety of travelers in his own domain; and secondly, the caravans would hear about the danger, take a different route, and not have to pay Abimelech whatever tribute money levied upon them.²³⁶ The destabilizing of Abimelech’s fledgling kingdom created a situation like the one existing in the terrible days of Shamgar and Ja’el (5:6-7a). Abimelech was informed about what was going on, but before he could take action to stop it, another, more ominous development took place with the boasting of Ga’al.

Although Abimelech thought he was still in control of his destiny, the cracks were beginning to show. Men may do evil, and think they have profited; they may imagine that they have strengthened themselves in their wickedness, and are quite secure (Psalm 73). That they have friends who will stand by them, and save them; but ADONAI can, with great ease, make all their schemes crumble around them, turn their best plans into ruin, and punish those on whom they depended for help and security. The example of Abimelech and the men of Shechem may assure us that Ha’Shem will not allow the murderer to escape; but will punish him in some dreadful way (see Bn – The death of Abimelech).²³⁷

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for how wonderful You always are (Psalms 63:3)! You offer those who trust in You an eternity that is much better than any momentary earthly thrill. This world will pass away but life with You will last forever! Even when I have hard earthly trials, I am comforted by knowing that they will be over soon! For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18). Those who live separating themselves from Your love on earth will live separate from You after they die. By loving themselves the most and giving into all kinds of selfish desires, they will have chosen an eternity of pain and suffering. He who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him (John 3:36). In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen