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Houston, Texas 77037
Tel: (281) 447-8484
SURVEY OF BIBLE HISTORY
(THE JUDGES TO THE KINGS)
Abimelech & the Men of Shechern
Written by Dr. Lester Hutson
Copyright - Lester Hutson -
1998
This material is copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced without the express
written permission of Dr. Lester Hutson.
Lesson 17
Judges 8:33 - 9:6
IX. THE RISE AND FALL OF ABIMELECH:
A. At the death of Gideon, Israel rapidly returned to idolatry Judges 8:33-35:
1. The effect of Gideon's sin in establishing the golden ephod at Ophrah is soon evident. A people who would worship an idol ephod, Judges 8:2 could easily worship other idols. The Canaanites, whom they had failed to drive from the land, Judges 1:21, 27-35, had plenty of idols. Remember that "Baalim" is plural for Baal and is synonymous with "other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them," Judges 2:12. So Judges 8:3 says, "And it come to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god." Baal-berith means "Lord of a covenant."
2. The Canaanites at Shechem had a temple to Baalberith, Judges 9:4. Judges 8:3 says the Israelites forgot the true God, who had delivered them, through Gideon; and made Baal-berith their god. And, like so many today, who receive the help of others, they also forgot Gideon (Baalfighter), and all he had done for them; and they returned to the very one from whom he delivered them.
B. In view of their sin and backsliding, this time God raised up an oppressor from their own midst. His name was Abimelech:
1. Gideon had 70 sons from his many wives, Judges 8:30. "His concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech," Verse 31.
Nowhere in scripture is polygamous marriage sanctioned of God. Everywhere it occurs, evil comes from Not only did Gideon have "many wives," he may also have had more concubines than the one at Shechem.
2. Abimelech was a very arrogant and ambitious, yet deceitful, unprincipled, and self-willed man, who sought to make himself a king. Notice from Judges 9:2 that he spoke to the men of Shechem, "Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you?" Here is Abimelech talking of reigning as a king over these people in a time when they had had only judges; not kings. When the question of rulership had arisen with Gideon after his tremendous victory over Midian, he had flatly refused saying that only God should rule over Israel. Listen to Judges 8:22-23, "Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou host delivered us from the land of Midian. And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the Lord shall rule over you." Yet Abimelech is here talking to the men of Shechem as if it is certain that some of the sons of Gideon are going to rule. There is no indication that either of the 70 other sons had any plans to rule. Although, Abimelech distorts the issue, and through insinuations, makes just the reverse of the truth seem true. He's a typical convictionless, self-willed, glory and power hungry politician. In election after election, you can observe this tactic.
3. Another sly means of welding the men of Shechem to himself was his reference to the "all the sons of Jerubbaal" in Verse 2. Jerubbaal was the Canaanite name for Gideon and it meant Baal-fighter. By referring to "the sons of Jerubbaal," Abimelech created the illusion that the 70 sons of Gideon were planning a massive, bloody campaign against all Baal worshippers in the land. Thus, he made the 70 sons of Gideon appear as threats to the Shechemites, and made himself appear to be the champion who could deliver them from the blood-thirsty sons of Gideon. The truth is there is no indication the 70 sons had any plans at all along those lines.
Furthermore, Abimelech reminded the men of Shechem that he had their blood flowing in his veins. Yes, he was half Jew, but he was also half Canaanite; and he was assuring them he was on the Canaanite side.
4. Shechem is very near the center of the land of Canaan (Israel). It is located in the center of the hill country between the Jordan and the Mediterranean just where the Tirzah Valley comes up from Damiah. From north to south, it is about half way between the Megiddo Valley and Jerusalem. It sits in a valley at the foot of Mount Ebal to the north and Mount Gerizim to the west. The area between the mountains forms a sort of saddle, and gives Shechem an amphitheater effect.
This location is very favorable. One of the major trade routes of that day followed the Tirzah Valley right through Shechem. Another ran north and south through Shechem. Literally, this city was located at a trade route crossroad, and was indeed a very strategic place.
Furthermore, Shechem was regarded as Hallowed ground by the Jews. It was the first place where God had revealed Himself to Abraham after his arrival from Haran, Gen. 12:6-7. Jacob returned with his family from the house of Laban to this spot and lived here in peace with the sons of Hamor until Simeon and Levi killed all the inhabitants it) the immediate area over the defilement of Dinah in Gen. 33:18 - 34:31. Joseph left Jacob at Hebron, and passed through Shechem in search of his brothers in Gen. 37:13-14. He was sold into slavery not far north of Shechem in the Dothan Valley, Gen. 37:17-28.
Though Joshua built an altar at Shechem and read the law there in the hearing of all the people of Israel, there is no indication that he fully conquered and killed all the inhabitants of the area, Joshua 8:30-35. He should have done so, Deut. 7:2-5, but he didn't, Judges 1 and the angel of the Lord appeared unto the children of Israel at Bochim and warned there'd be trouble as a result of this failure, Judges 2:1-5. The cohabitation of Gideon with the concubine (one-man harlot) of Shechem, the resulting half-breed Jew-Canaanite, and the misery that followed through him is proof of the folly of disobedience to God. Note Judges 9:28 where the Shechemites are still referred to as "the sons of Hamor" which is further proof of their being Canaanites.
5. Abimelech's distorted appeal, designed to foster his private ends and with no regard to what was right, succeeded in winning the men of Shechem to his side. He had spoken directly to those of his mother's household, Verse 2 but had requested them, Verse 21 to plead his case to all the men of Shechem which they did, Verse 3 Because his blood was in their veins, they inclined to follow him. They then gave him 70 pieces of silver from the temple of Baal-berith, one for each of the 70 sons of Gideon. With this money, Abimelech established a hireling army of renegade followers. Judges 9:4 says, "Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him." The designation of vain and light persons" in Hebrew literally means idle and worthless from an ethical standpoint.
6. Fortified now with the support of the men of Shechem, and backed by a group of barbaric cutthroats void of moral values, Abimelech went up to his father's house at Ophrah and murdered 69 out of his 70 brothers, Verse 5 The phrase I upon one stone" shows this was not a battle with his brothers, but rather a systematic execution. The reference to "one stone" denotes a stone for sacrificing animals. It was a customary place for sacrificed slaughter as in I Sam. 14:33. Apparently Abimelech went to his brothers without warning. They would not have suspected what he was about to do. His armed cutthroats seized and held them while Abimelech systematically executed them on the slaughter stone, one at a time. Only Gideon's youngest son, Jotham, escaped.
7. After murdering his brothers, Abimelech returned to Shechem and Millo (literally meaning "house of the fortress" and probably synonymous with the tower of Shechem) made him king. Listen to Judges 9:6 "And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, an went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem."
QUESTIONS ON ABIMELECH & THE MEN OF SHECHEM
"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"