Abimelech's Conspiracy

Judges 9

1 Then Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem, to a his mother's brothers, and spoke with them and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying, 2 "Please speak in the hearing of all the men of Shechem: 'Which is better for you, that all b seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal reign over you, or that one reign over you?' Remember that I am your own flesh and c bone."

3 And his mother's brothers spoke all these words concerning him in the hearing of all the men of Shechem; and their heart was inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, "He is our d brother." 4 So they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of e BaalBe'rith, with which Abimelech hired f worthless and reckless men; and they followed him. 5 Then he went to his father's house g at Ophrah and h killed his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, because he hid himself. 6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together, all of Beth Millo, and they went and made Abimelech king beside the terebinth tree at the pillar that was in Shechem.

7 Now when they told Jotham, he went and stood on top of i Mount Gerizim, and lifted his voice and cried out. And he said to them:
"Listen to me, you men of Shechem,
That God may listen to you! 8 "The j trees once went forth to anoint a king over them.
And they said to the olive tree,
k 'Reign over us!' 9 But the olive tree said to them,
'Should I cease giving my oil,
l With which they honor God and men,
And go to sway over trees?' 10 "Then the trees said to the fig tree,
'You come and reign over us!' 11 But the fig tree said to them,
'Should I cease my sweetness and my good fruit,
And go to sway over trees?' 12 "Then the trees said to the vine,
'You come and reign over us!' 13 But the vine said to them,
'Should I cease my new wine,
m Which cheers both God and men,
And go to sway over trees?' 14 "Then all the trees said to the bramble,
'You come and reign over us!' 15 And the bramble said to the trees,
'If in truth you anoint me as king over you,
Then come and take shelter in my n shade;
But if not, o let fire come out of the bramble
And devour the p cedars of Lebanon!'

16 "Now therefore, if you have acted in truth and sincerity in making Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him q as 1 he deserves - 17 "for my r father fought for you, risked his life, and s delivered you out of the hand of Midian; 18 t "but you have risen up against my father's house this day, and killed his seventy sons on one stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his u female servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother - 19 "if then you have acted in truth and sincerity with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then v rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you. 20 "But if not, w let fire come from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem and Beth Millo; and let fire come from the men of Shechem and from Beth Millo and devour Abimelech!" 21 And Jotham ran away and fled; and he went to x Beer and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.

  1. Cross References
    Judges 8:31
    And his concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.
    Judges 8:35
    Nor did they show kindness to the house of Jerubbaal (Gideon) in accordance with the good he had done for Israel.
  2. Cross References
    Judges 8:30
    Gideon had seventy sons who were his own offspring, for he had many wives.
    Judges 9:5
    Then he went to his father's house at Ophrah and killed his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, because he hid himself.
    Judges 9:18
    But you have risen up against my father's house this day, and killed his seventy sons on one stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother -
  3. Cross References
    Genesis 29:14
    And Laban said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh." And he stayed with him for a month.
  4. Cross References
    Genesis 29:15
    Then Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be?
  5. Cross References
    Judges 8:33
    So it was, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel again played the harlot with the Baals, and made BaalBe'rith their god.
  6. Cross References
    Judges 11:3
    Then Jephthah fled from his brothers and dwelt in the land of Tob; and worthless men banded together with Jephthah and went out raiding with him.
    2 Chronicles 13:7
    Then worthless rogues gathered to him, and strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and inexperienced and could not withstand them.
    Acts 17:5
    But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
  7. Cross References
    Judges 6:24
    So Gideon built an altar there to the LORD, and called it The-LORD- Is -Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
  8. Cross References
    Judges 8:30
    Gideon had seventy sons who were his own offspring, for he had many wives.
    Judges 9:2
    "Please speak in the hearing of all the men of Shechem: 'Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal reign over you, or that one reign over you?' Remember that I am your own flesh and bone."
    Judges 9:18
    But you have risen up against my father's house this day, and killed his seventy sons on one stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother -
    2 Kings 11:1
    When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal heirs.
    2 Kings 11:2
    But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king's sons who were being murdered; and they hid him and his nurse in the bedroom, from Athaliah, so that he was not killed.
  9. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 11:29
    Now it shall be, when the LORD your God has brought you into the land which you go to possess, that you shall put the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal.
    Deuteronomy 27:12
    These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you have crossed over the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin.
    Joshua 8:33
    Then all Israel, with their elders and officers and judges, stood on either side of the ark before the priests, the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, the stranger as well as he who was born among them. Half of them were in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel.
    John 4:20
    "Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship."
  10. Cross References
    2 Kings 14:9
    And Jehoash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, "The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, 'Give your daughter to my son as wife'; and a wild beast that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle.
  11. Cross References
    Judges 8:22
    Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, "Rule over us, both you and your son, and your grandson also; for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.
    Judges 8:23
    But Gideon said to them, "I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the LORD shall rule over you.
  12. Cross References
    John 5:23
    That all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
  13. Cross References
    Psalms 104:15
    And wine that makes glad the heart of man, Oil to make his face shine, And bread which strengthens man's heart.
  14. Cross References
    Isaiah 30:2
    Who walk to go down to Egypt, And have not asked My advice, To strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, And to trust in the shadow of Egypt!
    Daniel 4:12
    Its leaves were lovely, Its fruit abundant, And in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, The birds of the heavens dwelt in its branches, And all flesh was fed from it.
    Hosea 14:7
    Those who dwell under his shadow shall return; They shall be revived like grain, And grow like a vine. Their scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon.
  15. Cross References
    Numbers 21:28
    For fire went out from Heshbon, A flame from the city of Sihon; It consumed Ar of Moab, The lords of the heights of the Arnon.
    Judges 9:20
    "But if not, let fire come from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem and Beth Millo; and let fire come from the men of Shechem and from Beth Millo and devour Abimelech!"
    Ezekiel 19:14
    Fire has come out from a rod of her branches And devoured her fruit, So that she has no strong branch - a scepter for ruling.' " This is a lamentation, and has become a lamentation.
  16. Cross References
    2 Kings 14:9
    And Jehoash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, "The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, 'Give your daughter to my son as wife'; and a wild beast that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle.
    Isaiah 2:13
    Upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up, And upon all the oaks of Bashan.
    Ezekiel 31:3
    Indeed Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon, With fine branches that shaded the forest, And of high stature; And its top was among the thick boughs.
  17. Cross References
    Judges 8:35
    Nor did they show kindness to the house of Jerubbaal (Gideon) in accordance with the good he had done for Israel.
  18. Cross References
    Judges 7:1
    Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the well of Harod, so that the camp of the Midianites was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley.
  19. Cross References
    Judges 8:22
    Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, "Rule over us, both you and your son, and your grandson also; for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.
  20. Cross References
    Judges 8:30
    Gideon had seventy sons who were his own offspring, for he had many wives.
    Judges 8:35
    Nor did they show kindness to the house of Jerubbaal (Gideon) in accordance with the good he had done for Israel.
    Judges 9:2
    "Please speak in the hearing of all the men of Shechem: 'Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal reign over you, or that one reign over you?' Remember that I am your own flesh and bone."
    Judges 9:5
    Then he went to his father's house at Ophrah and killed his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, because he hid himself.
    Judges 9:6
    And all the men of Shechem gathered together, all of Beth Millo, and they went and made Abimelech king beside the terebinth tree at the pillar that was in Shechem.
  21. Cross References
    Judges 8:31
    And his concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.
  22. Cross References
    Isaiah 8:6
    Inasmuch as these people refused The waters of Shiloah that flow softly, And rejoice in Rezin and in Remaliah's son.
    Philippians 3:3
    For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
  23. Cross References
    Judges 9:15
    And the bramble said to the trees, 'If in truth you anoint me as king over you, Then come and take shelter in my shade; But if not, let fire come out of the bramble And devour the cedars of Lebanon!
    Judges 9:45
    So Abimelech fought against the city all that day; he took the city and killed the people who were in it; and he demolished the city and sowed it with salt.
    Judges 9:56
    Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father by killing his seventy brothers.
    Judges 9:57
    And all the evil of the men of Shechem God returned on their own heads, and on them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
  24. Cross References
    Numbers 21:16
    From there they went to Beer, which is the well where the LORD said to Moses, "Gather the people together, and I will give them water.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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