Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, April 27th, 2025
Second Sunday after Easter
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

Christian Standard Bible ®

Judges 9:18

and now you have attacked my father’s family today, killed his seventy sons on top of a large stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his slave woman, king over the citizens of Shechem ‘because he is your brother’—

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Homicide;   Ingratitude;   Jotham;   Judge;   Orphan;   Sarcasm;   Thompson Chain Reference - Gratitude-Ingratitude;   Ingratitude;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Fatherless;  

Dictionaries:

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

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Reign of the Judges;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
and you are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, seventy persons, on one stone, and have made Avimelekh, the son of his maid-servant, king over the men of Shekhem, because he is your brother);
King James Version
And ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;)
Lexham English Bible
but today you have risen against the house of my father and killed his sons, seventy men on one stone, and you have made Abimelech, the son of his slave woman, a king over the lords of Shechem, because he is your relative—
English Standard Version
and you have risen up against my father's house this day and have killed his sons, seventy men on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the leaders of Shechem, because he is your relative—
New Century Version
But now you have turned against my father's family and have killed his seventy sons on one stone. You have made Abimelech, the son of my father's slave girl, king over the leaders of Shechem just because he is your relative!
New English Translation
But you have attacked my father's family today. You murdered his seventy legitimate sons on one stone and made Abimelech, the son of his female slave, king over the leaders of Shechem, just because he is your close relative.
Amplified Bible
but you have risen against my father's house today and have murdered his sons, seventy men, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, son of his maidservant, king over the people of Shechem, because he is your relative—
New American Standard Bible
but in fact you have risen against my father's house today and have killed his sons, seventy men, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his female slave, king over the leaders of Shechem, because he is your relative—
Geneva Bible (1587)
And yee are risen vp against my fathers house this day, and haue slayne his children, about seuentie persons vpon one stone, and haue made Abimelech the sonne of his mayde seruant, King ouer the men of Shechem, because hee is your brother)
Legacy Standard Bible
that they were saying to you, "In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts."
Complete Jewish Bible
and now you are rebelling against my father's household. You've killed his seventy sons on a single stone and made Avimelekh, the son of his slave-girl, king over the men of Sh'khem, because he's your brother.
Darby Translation
but ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, seventy men, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his handmaid, king over the citizens of Shechem, because he is your brother;
Easy-to-Read Version
But now you have turned against my father's family. You have killed 70 of his sons all at the same time. You made Abimelech the new king over the city of Shechem. He is only the son of my father's slave girl. But you made him king because he is your relative.
George Lamsa Translation
And you have risen up against my fathers house this day, and have slain his sons, seventy men, upon one stone, and have made Abimeleck, the son of his maidservant, king over the lords of Shechem, because he is your brother;)
Good News Translation
But today you turned against my father's family. You killed his sons—seventy men on a single stone—and just because Abimelech, his son by his servant woman, is your relative, you have made him king of Shechem.
Literal Translation
and you have today risen against my father's house and have killed his sons, seventy men on one stone, and have made Abimelech the son of his slave-girl king over the leaders of Shechem, because he is your brother,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
eue you, which are rysen vp this daye agaynst my fathers house, & haue slaine his childre, thre score personnes & ten vpon one stone, and haue made you a kynge (euen Abimelech the sonne of his handmaide) ouer the men at Sichem, for so moch as he is youre brother.
American Standard Version
and ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maid-servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother);
Bible in Basic English
And you have gone against my father's family this day, and have put to death his sons, even seventy men on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his servant-wife, king over the townsmen of Shechem because he is your brother;)
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And ye are rysen vp agaynst my fathers house this day, and haue slayne his children, beyng threescore & ten persones vpon one stone, and haue made Abimelech the sonne of his mayde seruaunt, king ouer the men of Sichem, because he is your brother.)
JPS Old Testament (1917)
and ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maid-servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother--
King James Version (1611)
And yee are risen vp against my fathers house this day, and haue slaine his sonnes, threescore aud ten persons, vpon one stone, and haue made Abimelech the sonne of his maidseruant, king ouer the men of Shechem, because he is your brother.)
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
and ye are risen up this day against the house of my father, and have slain his sons, being seventy men, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech the son of his bondwoman king over the men of Sicima, because he is your brother:
English Revised Version
and ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;)
Berean Standard Bible
but you have risen up against my father's house this day and killed his seventy sons on a single stone, and you have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the leaders of Shechem because he is your brother-
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and ye han rise now ayens the hows of my fadir, and han slayn hyse sones, seuenti men, on o stoon, and `han maad Abymelech, sone of his handmayde, kyng on the dwelleris of Sichem, for he is youre brother;
Young's Literal Translation
and ye have risen against the house of my father to-day, and slay his sons, seventy men, on one stone, and cause Abimelech son of his handmaid to reign over the masters of Shechem, because he [is] your brother --
Update Bible Version
and you have risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, seventy persons, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his female slave, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother);
Webster's Bible Translation
And ye have risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, seventy persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maid-servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he [is] your brother:)
World English Bible
and you are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, seventy persons, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maid-servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother);
New King James Version
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--
New Living Translation
But today you have revolted against my father and his descendants, killing his seventy sons on one stone. And you have chosen his slave woman's son, Abimelech, to be your king just because he is your relative.
New Life Bible
But you have gone against my father's house today. You have killed seventy of his sons on one stone. Abimelech is the son of my father's woman servant. And you have made him king over the people of Shechem, because he is your brother.
New Revised Standard
but you have risen up against my father's house this day, and have killed his sons, seventy men on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his slave woman, king over the lords of Shechem, because he is your kinsman—
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
yet have, ye, risen up against the house of my father, to-day, and slain his sons - seventy men, upon one stone, - and made Abimelech, son of his maidservant, king over the owners of Shechem, because he is, your brother;
Douay-Rheims Bible
And you are now risen up against my father’s house, and have killed his sons, seventy men, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his handmaid, king over the inhabitants of Sichem, because he is your brother:
Revised Standard Version
and you have risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, seventy men on one stone, and have made Abim'elech, the son of his maidservant, king over the citizens of Shechem, because he is your kinsman--
New American Standard Bible (1995)
but you have risen against my father's house today and have killed his sons, seventy men, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your relative—

Contextual Overview

7When they told Jotham, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim, raised his voice, and called to them: 8The trees decidedto anoint a king over themselves.They said to the olive tree, “Reign over us.” 9But the olive tree said to them,“Should I stop giving my oilthat people use to honor both God and men,and rule over the trees?” 10Then the trees said to the fig tree,“Come and reign over us.” 11But the fig tree said to them,“Should I stop givingmy sweetness and my good fruit,and rule over trees?” 12Later, the trees said to the grapevine,“Come and reign over us.” 13But the grapevine said to them,“Should I stop giving my winethat cheers both God and man,and rule over trees?” 14Finally, all the trees said to the bramble,“Come and reign over us.” 15The bramble said to the trees,“If you really are anointing meas king over you,come and find refuge in my shade.But if not,may fire come out from the brambleand consume the cedars of Lebanon.” 16“Now if you have acted faithfully and honestly in making Abimelech king, if you have done well by Jerubbaal and his family, and if you have rewarded him appropriately for what he did—

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

are risen: Judges 9:5, Judges 9:6, Judges 8:35, Psalms 109:4

Abimelech: Judges 9:6, Judges 9:14, Judges 8:31

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 12:12 - Nay Psalms 12:8 - when

Cross-References

Genesis 9:23
Then Shem and Japheth took a cloak and placed it over both their shoulders, and walking backward, they covered their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father naked.
Genesis 9:25
he said:
Genesis 9:27
Let God extend Japheth;let Japheth dwell in the tents of Shem;let Canaan be Shem’s slave.
Genesis 10:1
These are the family records of Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. They also had sons after the flood.
Genesis 10:6
Ham’s sons: Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.
1 Chronicles 1:4
Noah, Noah’s sons:

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And ye are risen up against my father's house this day,.... Which was an instance of great ingratitude in them, after such services done for them, and favours received by them:

and have slain his sons, seventy persons on one stone; excepting one, himself, and he was intentionally slain, their design was to cut off everyone; and all being slain but one, the round number is given, and this being so large, is the rather observed; and though Abimelech committed the fact, the men of Shechem were accessory to it, they gave him money, with which he hired men to assist him in it, see Judges 9:20 and it is very probable they were privy to his intention, and encouraged him to it; and certain it is they showed their approbation of it, by making Abimelech king after it, and therefore they are justly charged with it:

and have made Abimelech, the son of his handmaid, king over the men of Shechem; which was both to the disgrace of Gideon, and his family, and of themselves too, that a base son of his should be made their king; when it would have been more to the credit of Gideon, and his family, that he had lived in obscurity, and had not been known as a son of his; and this was to the reproach of the men of Shechem, and especially to the princes thereof; for, by the men of Shechem are meant the lords, and great men thereof, as Kimchi observes; and great contempt is cast on Abimelech himself, who is here represented as making a very poor figure, being by extraction the son of an handmaid, and king only over the men of Shechem; and who made him so for no other reason but this,

because he is your brother; not because he had any right to the kingdom, or had any qualification for it, but because his mother lived among them, and her family belonged to them, and so he was related to many of them, and they hoped on that account to have preferment and favours from him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

This fable and that noted in the marginal reference are the only two of the kind found in Scripture. Somewhat different are the parables of the Old Testament, 2 Samuel 12:1-4; 2 Samuel 14:5-11; 1 Kings 20:39-40.

Judges 9:9

Honour God and man - Alluding to the constant use of oil in the meat-offerings Leviticus 2:1-16, and in the holy ointment Exodus 30:24-25. In like manner, the allusion in Judges 9:13 is to the drink-offerings of wine. See Leviticus 23:13; Numbers 15:10.

Judges 9:14

The bramble - Said to be the Rhamnus Paliurus of Linnaeus, otherwise called Spina-Christi, or Christ’s Thorn, a shrub with sharp thorns. The application is obvious. The noble Gideon and his worthy sons had declined the proffered kingdom. The vile, base-born Abimelech had accepted it, and his act would turn out to the mutual ruin of himself and his subjects.

Judges 9:15

If in truth - i. e. consistently with truth, honor, and uprightness, as explained in the interpretation in Judges 9:16, Judges 9:19.

Let fire come out ... - The propriety of the image is strictly preserved, for even the thorns of the worthless bramble might kindle a flame which would burn the stately cedars to the ground. See Psalms 58:9.

Judges 9:16-20

These verses contain the interpretation of the fable. In them Jotham points out the base ingratitude of the people in raising Abimelech upon the ruin of Gideon’s house, and foretells the retribution which would fall upon both parties.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile