Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 9:31
And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem; and, behold, they fortify the city against thee.
31. craftily ] The form of the Hebr. word is suspicious and the meaning unsuitable; read in Arumah, mentioned as Abimelech’s dwelling-place in Jdg 9:41.
they constrain the city ] An attempt to translate the unusual construction of the Hebr. verb, which means besiege (so Verss.). But the text is at fault; perhaps we should read they are stirring up.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Privily – See the margin. The word is probably the name of a place in Tormah, some think the same as Arumah Jdg 9:41. Zebul was faithful to Abimelech, but dissembled his sentiments, from being too weak to oppose Gaal, until Abimelech came with his army Jdg 9:38.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 31. They fortify the city against thee.] Under pretence of repairing the walls and towers, they were actually putting the place in a state of defence, intending to seize on the government as soon as they should find Abimelech coming against them. Fortifying the city may mean seducing the inhabitants from their loyalty to Abimelech.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Privily, so as Gaal and his confederates might not know it. Or, in Tormah; or, who was in Tormah; for some make it the name of the place where Abimelech was, which is called with some variation Arumah, Jdg 9:41.
They fortify the city against thee; they besiege or guard the city of Shechem, so as none may go out to thee, nor come in from thee.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily,…. In a secret manner, unknown to Gaal and the men of Shechem; or “craftily”, as Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it, still dissembling, notwithstanding his anger, to be in the interest of Gaal, and the men of Shechem, as appears indeed afterwards by a show of friendliness with Gaal, Jud 9:36 though, according to Joseph Kimchi and Ben Gersom, Thormah is the name of the place where Abimelech was, the same with Arumah, Jud 9:41 and the sense is, that he sent messengers to Abimelech at Thormah or Arumah:
saying, Gaal the son of Ebal, and his brethren, be come to Shechem; a family that Abimelech well knew, and if they were of the race of the old Canaanites, he would easily perceive their design:
and, behold, they fortify the city against thee; by repairing its fortifications, or adding new works; or “besiege” i it, which, as that is done by placing an army around it without, that none can come out of it, so by setting a watch within, and upon the walls, and at the gates of it, that none can come in, which is here meant; though some interpret it of their design to besiege the city Thormah, where Abimelech was, of which he gives him notice; or rather they set the city against thee, make the inhabitants thine enemies.
i “obsident”, Pagninus, Munster, Drusius; “obsidere cogitant”, Piscator.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(31) Privily.The Hebrew is betormah, which may mean to Tormah, or Arumah, where Abimelech was living (Jdg. 9:41). The word occurs nowhere else, and the versions differ (LXX., in secret; Cod. B, with gifts; Cod. A reading batherumah). Whether craftily be the right rendering or not, it is clear that the message was a secret one, for Zebul dissembled his anger until he was strong enough to throw off the mask.
They fortify.Rather, perhaps, they tyrannise over the city because of thee.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
31. Sent messengers unto Abimelech Who was dwelling at Arumah. Jdg 9:41.
Privily Literally, in deceit; that is, so as to deceive and blind Gaal, who might have been led to infer from his silence that Zebul would not oppose him in his war with the king.
They fortify the city against thee Rather. according to Gesenius and Keil, they urge on, or stir up, the city against thee.
‘ And he sent messengers to Abimelech secretly, saying, “Gaal the son of Ebal, and his brothers have come to Shechem, and behold they are constraining the city against you.” ’
Gaal and his brothers were probably well known as troublemakers, possibly as Habiru, always seeking to stir up trouble and obtain rich pickings for themselves. So Zebul let Abimelech know that they were there and what they were doing. The word translated ‘constrain’ usually means ‘besiege’ but here it is used metaphorically to describe the besieging of the mind.
Abimelech appears before Shechem. Gaals defeat and expulsion.
Jdg 9:31-41
31And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed, and his brethren, be come to Shechem; and behold, they fortify [excite] the city against thee. 32Now therefore up by night, thou, and the people that is with thee, and lie in wait in the field: 33And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, thou shalt rise early, and set [move] upon the city; and behold, when [omit: when] he and the people that is with him [will] come out against [to] thee, [and] then mayest [shalt] thou do to them as thou shalt find occasion. 34And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against [near] Shechem in four companies. 35And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering [at the entrance] of the gate of the city: and [lo!] Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from lying in wait 36[from their place of ambush]. And when [omit: when] Gaal saw the people, [and] he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the top [tops] of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men. 37And Gaal spake again, and said, See, there [also] come people down by the middle [from the height] of the land, and another [one] company come along by the plain of Meonenim [cometh from the way of the Magicians Grove]. 38Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them. 39And Gaal went out before [at the head of]the men [lords] of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. 40And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded 41[many fell slain], even unto the entering [entrance] of the gate. And Abimelech dwelt [remained] at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
EXEGETICAL AND DOCTRINAL
Jdg 9:31. And he sent secretly, . Although the form (cf. ) is an unusual one, the connection suggests, not the name of a place, but the fact that Zebul, though prefect of the city, concealed his measure from the citizens. The messengers whom he sent must have gone secretly (as the Sept. and Targum translate), since Gaal had not learned of their going (Jdg 9:36). How were such intercourse, as Jdg 9:36 implies, possible between Zebul and Gaal, if Zebuls coperation with Abimelech against Gaal had been publicly known? Nor is Zebul to be regarded as one of Abimelechs generals, but as a Shechemite magistrate, who is incensed because Gaal plots his own overthrow. It may be confidently assumed that if were the name of a place, Jdg 9:34 would read: And Abimelech rose up, , from Tormah. , however, conveys not only the idea of secrecy, but of secrecy combined with deceit, secret deceit; and such was certainly the character of Zebuls Acts 20 It is also to be noticed that in his message Zebul does not accuse the city, but only Gaal as exciting the city against Abimelech. As magistrate, he does not wish to bring the wrath of Abimelech upon the city, but only upon his rival. Very graphic is the expression , commonly used of besiegers. Gaal and his brethren, says Zebul, press the city like besiegers, to induce it to rise against thee. Their expulsion is therefore all that is necessary. But since this is not the whole truthfor Shechem, as we have seen, first elected Gaal because it had already offended against Abimelechit is evident that Zebul s policy of exciting Abimelech against Gaal only, is dictated by regard to his own interests.
Jdg 9:32-41. And move upon the city. The place of Abimelechs abode is not given; but he was in the midst of his army. He must have been some distance from Shechem, since he needed a part of the night (Jdg 9:32) to get within easy reach of it. He is to place himself in ambush, so as not to be prematurely observed. Abimelech follows the counsel. In the morning, Gaal and Zebul naturally betake themselves to the gate of the city: Gaal, because it had become his business to watch over Shechem; Zebul, because of his office as magistrate. Gaal, who has no misgivingsfor he has slept away the effects of the winesees troops descending from the mountains. Zebul thinks it yet too soon to tell him the truth; he will give Abimelech time first to bring up all his forces; and therefore deceives and at the same time mocks Gaal by saying, It is the shadow of the mountains that thou seest. Immediately, however, a body of troops is seen advancing whose identity as such cannot be mistaken. By the tops of the mountains we are to understand the more distant mountains; by the height () of the land,; a nearer hill, in the immediate vicinity of the city (the navel of the land); and by the Elon Meonenim, a dusky forest (Magicians Grove), against the near horizon. From all these points commanding the avenues to the city troops of soldiers advanced, to the consternation of Gaal and the surprise of the citizens. Now Zebul throws off his mask, and reminds Gaal of his previous audacity. The latter is compelled to try his fortunes in battle. At the head of the lords of Shechem, he marches out against Abimelech. But he is far from being a match for him. He is utterly unable to stand his ground. A terrible rout begins. Gaal saves himself through the open gate; but the road, up to the very threshold of the gate, is covered with the slain. His boasting has a miserable end. His authority is gone. Zebul, who previously did not dare insist on his expulsion, now carries it through. He persuades the timid and terrified Shechemites that they will thus allay the anger of Abimelech. He believes it himself; for he has, carefully thrown the whole blame on Gaal. Abimelechs conduct seems to favor this persuasion; for he does not prosecute the attack, but retires to Arumah.21 But what a delusion! The banished Gaal is the only one who escapes destruction.
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
[Bp. Hall: Never any man was so ill, as not to have some favorers: Abimelech hath a Zebul in the midst of Shechem. Lightly all treasons are betrayed, even with some of their own.Henry: Proud and haughty people are often made, in a little time, to dread those whom they had most despised. Justly are the insolent thus insulted over.The same: Most people judge of mens fitness for business by their success, and he that does not speed well, is concluded not to do well. Gaals interest in Shechem is soon at an end, nor do we ever hear of him any more.Tr.]
Footnotes:
[20][Keil : either with deceit (, from ), i. e. exercising deceit, inasmuch as he had listened quietly and apparently with approbation to the speech of Gaal; or, in Tormah,noting a locality,in which case would be an error of transcription for = (ver 41). The LXX. and the Targum take the word as a common noun: , secretly; so Raschi, and most of the older expositors, while R. Kimchi. the Elder, decides for its being a nom. propr. No certain decision can be arrived at.Tr.]
[21]The site of Arumah cannot be definitely determined. The probability, however, is that it was somewhere on the hills, not in the immediate vicinity of Shechem, but yet near enough for the sudden assault on Shechem which followed.
Jdg 9:31 And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem; and, behold, they fortify the city against thee.
Ver. 31. Behold, Gaal and, behold, they fortify.] Abimelech was but a usurper, yet Gaal, his prefect or lieutenant, sticketh to him. So did John, Duke of Norfolk, to Richard III, though the night before Bosworth-field he had this distich fastened to his tent-door –
“Jocky of Norfolk, be not too bold:
For Dicky, thy master, is bought and sold.”
– Hollinsh.
So Sir Ralph Percy, slain upon Hegely moor, in Northumberland, by the Lord Mountacute, General for Edward IV, would in nowise depart the field, though defeated; but in dying said, “I have saved the bird in my breast,” meaning his oath to King Henry VI. a
a Speed, 869.
privily = deceitfully or craftily.
Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos.
privily: Heb. craftily, or, to Tormah
they fortify: Under pretence of repairing the walls and towers, they were actually putting the place in a state of defence, intending to seize on the government as soon as they found Abimelech coming against them. Jdg 9:31
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge