Chapter 92. Judges 9:22-57. Abimelech.
FOR three years Abimelech reigned over the Shechemites. But they soon tired of their cruel king. God remembered all that Abimelech had done to his brothers, and He could not let him go unpunished. The people of Shechem rebelled, and tried to kill him. They set men to hide and wait for him in the mountains, and they would rob anybody who passed that way.
A man named Gaal went to live with the Shechemites and won their confidence. One day when they had gone to the vineyards to gather the grapes and tread them down to make wine, they were merry, and having a good time. They went into the house of their god, ate and drank and cursed Abimelech. And Gaal said: “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem that we should serve him? Is not he the son of Jerubbaal (Gideon) and is not Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? Would to God this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech. Increase thine army and come out.”
When Zebul, the ruler of the city heard these words, he became very angry and sent, secretly some messengers to Abimelech, to tell him of Gaal’s coming, and that they were fortifying the city against their king. He also advised Abimelech to come during the night with his army and lie in wait in the field and at the break of day, to fall upon the city. Abimelech followed Zebul’s advice and came against Shechem, with his men divided into four companies.
In the morning Gaal saw them and said to Zebul: These are men coming down from the mountain; but Zebul said: They are shadows of the mountains. After a while Gaal said: There are more people coming by the high land, others by the plains. Then Zebul answered: Where is now thy mouth which said: Who is Abimelech that we should serve him? Is not this the people thou hast despised? Go out now, and fight against him.
Gaal went, and fought with Abimelech but the latter chased him, and he fled; and many were killed and wounded, even to the gate of the city. Zebul drove them away from the city, so that they could not live there anymore. The next day, the Shechemites went into the fields, and Abimelech, hearing of it, went out against them. Those who had been left in the city rushed out, and fought with him all that day; but they were slain, and Abimelech took the city, beat it down and sowed it with salt.
The Shechemites who escaped, ran to their idol’s temple, but Abimelech and his soldiers, followed them there. They cut down boughs of trees and put them around the temple and set fire to them. All those in the tower died—one thousand men and women. Then Abimelech went to a city named Thebez and tried to take it. The people all fled to a strong tower within the city. Abimelech pursued them there, fighting against it. Then a woman on the top of the tower took a large mill stone and threw it down upon his head. He was badly wounded by it, and knew he could not live, and he cried to his armor bearer, “Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew me.” The soldier did so and Abimelech fell dead. And when the Israelites saw that he was dead, they returned each man to his house.
So was fulfilled Jotham’s prophecy that Abimelech would destroy the Shechemites, and they him. And so did God punish him for his dreadful crimes. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God,” for He must punish sin. Happy, indeed, those whose sin is covered, to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity. (Ps. 32:1-2). The blood of Jesus Christ alone can blot out our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness, “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.
ML 05/19/1912