Bible Commentaries
Judges 9

Verse 1

brethren. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Species) for other relatives.

Verse 2

men = masters, lords, or owners. Hebrew. baalim.

Verse 4

light = rash.

persons. Hebrew. 'enosh. App-14 .

Verse 6

plain = oak.

of the pillar. Genitive of Apposition = that is to say, the pillar made of oak. See Joshua 24:26 . Compare Genesis 28:18 , Genesis 28:22 ; Genesis 31:13 , Genesis 31:45 ; Genesis 35:14 , Genesis 35:20 ; 2 Samuel 18:18 .

Verse 7

God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 . Not Jehovah in covenant.

Verse 8

The trees. This is pare allegory ( App-6 ). The interpretation is local and historical. The application is dispensational.

went forth. Verb, duplicated by Figure of speech Polyptoton ( App-6 ). Very emphatic = " a going forth they went forth", or went forth with great earnestness of purpose.

the olive tree = Israel's religious privileges. Romans 11:0 .

Verse 9

honour. Compare Exodus 27:20 , Exodus 27:21 .Leviticus 2:1 . The interpretation of these three "honour", &c. is clear from the context. An application may be made as to what should be seen in Israel and in ourselves.

go = march about, instead of fulfilling my mission.

Verse 10

the fig tree. Israel's national privileges (Matthew 21:19 , Matthew 21:20 . Mark 11:13 , Mark 11:20 , Mark 11:21 .Luke 13:6-9; Luke 13:6-9 ).

Verse 11

forsake. Same Hebrew as "leave" in Judges 9:9 and Judges 9:13 .

Verse 12

the vine = Israel's spiritual privileges (Isaiah 5:0 .John 15:0 ).

Verse 13

leave. Same Hebrew as "forsake" (Judges 9:11 ).

wine = new wine. Hebrew. tirosh. App-27 .

Verse 14

the bramble. This is prophetic of the false nation under the rule of Antichrist, which will devour the nation as foreshown in Judges 9:20 .

Verse 15

put your trust = flee for refuge. Hebrew. hasah . App-69 .

Verse 17

Note the parenthesis of verses: Judges 9:17 , Judges 9:18 .

life = soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 .

Verse 22

reigned = exercised power over. Hebrew. sur, Occurs only here, and Hosea 8:4 ; Hosea 12:4 .

three years. A usurpation, and therefore not included in Anno Dei reckoning. See App-50 . They are concurrent with Tola's first three.

Verse 23

God = Elohim. Not Jehovah.

an evil spirit = an evil ruach. App-9 .

Verse 28

Shechem. Some codices, with Septuagint, read "the son of Shechem".

Verse 29

would to God = would that. Figure of speech Ecphonesis. App-6 .

And he said. The Septuagint reads "and say".

Verse 31

privily = deceitfully or craftily.

Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos.

Verse 33

as = according as.

Verse 37

plain = oak.

Verse 38

now. A special various reading called S evir has "thou" (emphatic) instead of "now" = I pray thee, thou, &c.

Verse 41

dwelt = waited, or sat down.

Verse 44

ran = rushed

Verse 46

Berith = covenant = a sanctuary.

Verse 48

trees = brushwood.

Verse 52

hard = close.

Verse 53

a piece of a = an upper.

all to brake = altogether brake. (Obsolete.)

Verse 54

A woman slew. See note on Judges 4:21 .

Verse 56

rendered = requited. Hebrew brought back.

wickedness. Hebrew. ra'a'.