seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Judges 9:22 After Abimelek had governed Israel three years, 23 God stirred up animosity between Abimelek and the citizens of Shechem so that they acted treacherously against Abimelek. 24 God did this in order that the crime against Jerub-Baal’s seventy sons, the shedding of their blood, might be avenged on their brother Abimelek and on the citizens of Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers. 25 In opposition to him these citizens of Shechem set men on the hilltops to ambush and rob everyone who passed by, and this was reported to Abimelek.
26 Now Gaal son of Ebed moved with his clan into Shechem, and its citizens put their confidence in him. 27 After they had gone out into the fields and gathered the grapes and trodden them, they held a festival in the temple of their god. While they were eating and drinking, they cursed Abimelek. 28 Then Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelek, and why should we Shechemites be subject to him? Isn’t he Jerub-Baal’s son, and isn’t Zebul his deputy? Serve the family of Hamor, Shechem’s father! Why should we serve Abimelek? 29 If only this people were under my command! Then I would get rid of him. I would say to Abimelek, ‘Call out your whole army!’”(b)
26 Now Gaal son of Ebed moved with his clan into Shechem, and its citizens put their confidence in him. 27 After they had gone out into the fields and gathered the grapes and trodden them, they held a festival in the temple of their god. While they were eating and drinking, they cursed Abimelek. 28 Then Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelek, and why should we Shechemites be subject to him? Isn’t he Jerub-Baal’s son, and isn’t Zebul his deputy? Serve the family of Hamor, Shechem’s father! Why should we serve Abimelek? 29 If only this people were under my command! Then I would get rid of him. I would say to Abimelek, ‘Call out your whole army!’”(b)
b. Judges 9:29 Septuagint; Hebrew him.” Then he said to Abimelek, “Call out your whole army!”
Wow, that Gaal... he's a big talker!
This is from the easy English site.
The men in Shechem did not obey their agreement with Abimelech. They hid. And then they attacked travellers that were going through his country. This meant that he would not get any tax money from them. God changed things to suit his own plans.
At the time when the people harvested grapes, they were excited. During that time, Ebed’s son Gaal opposed Abimelech’s authority. Gaal said that he himself still followed the old customs. And he invited the people to serve the ‘men of Hamor’. These people had lived in that area before Israel’s people came. So to ‘serve the men of Hamor’ meant to follow the old customs again. Hamor was the name of the ruler who had started the city. He had a son called Shechem, and so the city too was called Shechem.
Gaal said also that Abimelech was the son of Jerubbaal and this was the most important thing. Because Jerubbaal was not from Shechem, then Abimelech was not really from Shechem. So Abimelech was not a ‘man of Hamor’ in that meaning. Although his mother was from Shechem, that was not so important. So, in Gaal’s opinion, the people should not serve Abimelech. Gaal said that if he himself could be the leader, then he would remove Abimelech!
At the time when the people harvested grapes, they were excited. During that time, Ebed’s son Gaal opposed Abimelech’s authority. Gaal said that he himself still followed the old customs. And he invited the people to serve the ‘men of Hamor’. These people had lived in that area before Israel’s people came. So to ‘serve the men of Hamor’ meant to follow the old customs again. Hamor was the name of the ruler who had started the city. He had a son called Shechem, and so the city too was called Shechem.
Gaal said also that Abimelech was the son of Jerubbaal and this was the most important thing. Because Jerubbaal was not from Shechem, then Abimelech was not really from Shechem. So Abimelech was not a ‘man of Hamor’ in that meaning. Although his mother was from Shechem, that was not so important. So, in Gaal’s opinion, the people should not serve Abimelech. Gaal said that if he himself could be the leader, then he would remove Abimelech!
Well of all the Gaal! This guy has come to upset Abimelech's apple cart! Verse 23 says this development has God's hand all over it.
