Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 9:41
And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
41. Arumah ] Unknown; el-‘rme (the initial letter is different), 2 m. S.E. of Nblus, has been suggested. This verse evidently brings the narrative to an end.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Abimelech did not prosecute his victory, but retreated to Arumah, partly to see the effect of this fight, and whether the Shechemites would not of themselves return to his government, being either persuaded by Zebul upon this occasion, or terrified by his strength and valour, or now by his clemency in proceeding no further against them; and partly that, being hereby grown more secure, he might have the greater advantage against them, which accordingly he here makes use of.
Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren; which he was enabled to do, because the multitude, which is generally light and unstable, and judgeth of all things by events, were now enraged against Gaal, suspecting him guilty either of treachery, or cowardice, or ill conduct; and besides, they thought the expulsion of Gaal would sweeten and satisfy Abimelech, and make him give over the war against them. But though they were offended with Gaal, yet Zebuls interest was not so considerable with them, that he could prevail with them either to kill Gaal and his brethren, or to yield themselves to Abimelech; and therefore he still complies with the people, and waits for a fairer opportunity, though in vain.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah,…. Called also Aarima as Jerom l says, and in his time called Remphtis; it seems to be not far off from Shechem, he returned to the place where he was before, see Jud 9:31 contenting himself with the advantage he had got, and waiting when another opportunity would offer, which quickly did, to be revenged on the Shechemites:
and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem; there seems to have been two parties in Shechem before, one that hated Abimelech, and another more friendly to his interest; by which means Zebul his officer kept his post, and Gaal could not get the government into his hand; and now by the loss in the late battle, who were Abimelech’s sworn enemies, and the disgrace Gaal fell into by being beaten, Zebul was able, so far able to carry his point, as to drive Gaul and his brethren out of the city; though he had not strength to put him to death, or to seize him and deliver him into the hands of Abimelech.
l De loc. Heb. fol. 94. B.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Abimelech did not force his way into the city, but remained ( , lit. sat down) with his army in Arumah, a place not mentioned again, which was situated, according to Jdg 9:42, somewhere in the neighbourhood of Shechem. It cannot possibly have been the place called in the Onom. of Eusebius, which was named in his day, and was situated in the neighbourhood of Diospolis (or Lydda). Zebul, however, drove Gaal and his brethren (i.e., his retinue) out of Shechem.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(41) Dwelt at Arumah.Eusebius and Jerome identify Arumah with Remphis or Arimathea, near Lydda, which is most improbable on every ground. It is clearly some place at no great distance from Shechem which he was still determined to punish.
Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren.Josephus seems here to supply us with the proper clue, for he says that Zebul accused Gaal to the Shechemites of military cowardice and mismanagement. He seems to have been a deep dissembler. Gaal, however, escaped the fate of the Shechemites by their expulsion of him.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
41. Arumah A city evidently near to Shechem, but now unknown. Van de Velde proposes to identify it with the ruin El-ormah, on the brow of a mountain southeast of Shechem. To this place Abimelech retired after the fight before the gates of Shechem.
Zebul thrust out Gaal By taking advantage of his defeat and confusion. After his failure to defend them, the people opposed to Abimelech would not care to have Gaal dwell in Shechem.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And Abimelech waited at Arumah, and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brothers, that they should not dwell in Shechem.’
Having gained his first victory Abimelech now withdrew to Arumah to await events until he had heard from Zebul. And meanwhile Zebul was rallying those who were loyal to Abimelech (probably increased since the battle) and fought with Gaal and his brothers, their supporters having deserted them, and managed to drive them out of the city.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jdg 9:41 And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
Ver. 41. And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah. ] a Concealing his ill-will against the Shechemites, as though he had meant it to Gaal only. It is said of Tiberius the Emperor, that the farther off he threatened, the heavier the stroke fell. And of our Richard III, that he would use most compliment and courtesy to him in the morning whose throat he had taken order to be cut that evening.
a Jerome saith that Arumah is the same with Arimathea.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
dwelt = waited, or sat down.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the Burning of the Bramble
Jdg 9:41-57
Terrible deeds like these give tokens of the power of the god of this world, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. Alas, similar atrocities are being perpetrated still, after all these centuries of what is called Christian civilization. But this Christianity is only a very shallow veneer, and when national passions break loose, there is little to choose between war today and in pre-Christian ages.
Men have no right to attribute the sins, cruelties, barbarities and enormities of the present day to Christianity. They are due to its absence. The whole Gospel of the Son of man protests against them. We must sadly admit that His enemy hath done this. And there will be no real cessation of the evils beneath which the world groans until the King comes to His own and sets up His everlasting Kingdom. What has happened of late in Europe, notwithstanding all the efforts toward arbitration and peace, proves that something new must be brought to pass before the Fathers kingdom can come and His will be done on earth.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
Arumah: This place appears from the next verse to have been near Shechem; and is perhaps the same as Ruma, a village of Galilee, mentioned by Josephus, Bell. 1. iii. c. 7.
Zebul: Jdg 9:28, Jdg 9:30
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jdg 9:41. Abimelech dwelt at Arumah He did not prosecute his victory, but retreated to Arumah, to see whether the Shechemites would not, of themselves, return to his government, or in expectation that they would hereby grow secure, and so give him the greater advantage against them. And Zebul thrust out Gaal Finding the spirit of Gaals party a little cooled, perhaps through their suspecting him of cowardice, or ill conduct, he took the opportunity of expelling him and his brethren from the city; but seems to have shut the gates against Abimelech also. His interest, it seems, was not so considerable with the people that he could prevail with them either to kill Gaal and his brethren, or to yield themselves to Abimelech; and therefore he still complies with them, and waits for a fairer opportunity.