Judges Chapter 9

The Rise and Fall of Abimelech
A. Abimelech’s Rise to Power

Judges 9:1-3 (New King James Version):
Then Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem, to his mother’s brothers, and spoke with them and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying, “Please speak in the hearing of all the men of Shechem: ‘Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal reign over you, or that one reign over you?’ Remember that I am your own flesh and bone.” And his mother’s brothers spoke all these words concerning him in the hearing of all the men of Shechem; and their heart was inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.”

Abimelech was the son of Jerubbaal, a name given to Gideon after he tore down the altar of Baal (see Judges 6:32). However, unlike his father, Abimelech was driven not by a calling from God but by ambition and manipulation. He was the son of Gideon by a concubine from Shechem (Judges 8:31), and thus was not considered a legitimate heir by traditional standards. He exploited his maternal lineage to secure political support, appealing to tribal loyalty among his mother’s kin in Shechem. His argument was strategic, playing on fear and preference for centralized power: it would be better, he said, for one ruler—himself, a local and blood relative—to rule rather than seventy sons of Gideon, which would lead to chaos and division.

This episode marks a dramatic shift in Israel’s leadership structure. God had not authorized a monarchy in Israel. In fact, Gideon himself had rejected such a system when offered kingship in Judges 8:23, saying, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you.” Yet Abimelech sought to forcefully reverse that precedent. His self-appointment was not based on divine calling or national consensus but on blood ties and political intrigue.

The men of Shechem responded favorably to Abimelech’s proposition, not because of any divine mandate or righteous character, but because he was "their brother." This reflects the deteriorating condition of Israel’s spiritual discernment during the era of the judges. Loyalty was shifting away from God-ordained leadership and toward carnal, tribal, and pragmatic concerns. This set the stage for tyranny, fratricide, and judgment.

It is also notable that the word translated “men of Shechem” in some manuscripts is literally “baals of Shechem,” meaning “lords” or “owners,” which may reflect the Canaanite influence in their political and religious structures. This further implies that Abimelech was aligning himself with pagan power structures rather than submitting to Yahweh’s theocratic design. His political strategy was rooted in manipulation, fearmongering, and raw ambition rather than faith, service, or obedience.

This episode begins a tragic chapter in Israel’s history, where personal ambition and spiritual compromise open the door to destruction. It serves as a cautionary tale: when leadership is seized rather than received from God, and when the people follow a man simply because he is familiar or convenient rather than faithful and called, the result is ruin.

Judges 9:4–5 (New King James Version):
So they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men; and they followed him. Then he went to his father’s house at Ophrah and killed his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, because he hid himself.

Abimelech’s political ascent was not built on merit, character, or divine calling, but on bloodshed financed by idolatry. The seventy shekels of silver given to him were taken from the temple of Baal-Berith, meaning “lord of the covenant.” This was an outright act of apostasy—God’s covenant people financing a usurper’s political ambitions through funds from a pagan shrine. This sets the theological tone for the entire chapter: Abimelech is not merely a misguided ruler, he is a man in open rebellion against the covenant God of Israel. His rule is born from idolatry, sustained by violence, and destined for judgment.

The silver was used to hire a band of “worthless and reckless men.” These were mercenaries, criminals, thugs with no conscience—men who would kill without hesitation for money. The Hebrew phrase here is literally “empty and turbulent men,” a term often used to describe lawless individuals who live without restraint (cf. 1 Samuel 2:12, where the sons of Eli are called “sons of Belial”). These were not men of valor or righteousness, but unprincipled instruments of tyranny. When a leader surrounds himself with such men, it speaks volumes about his character and intentions.

Abimelech used these hired murderers to slaughter his seventy brothers—sons of Gideon—“on one stone.” This gruesome detail suggests a ritualistic mass execution, possibly mimicking a pagan sacrificial rite. It was systematic, cold-blooded murder designed to eliminate all rivals in one fell swoop. This action reveals both his paranoia and his cruelty. He had no intention of sharing power, nor would he allow any potential future resistance to rise from within his own household.

The text also tells us that “Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, because he hid himself.” This lone survivor will later become a prophetic voice of judgment against Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem. His survival introduces a biblical pattern: in the midst of mass apostasy and violence, God preserves a remnant.

This entire episode highlights the spiritual decay of Israel during the time of the Judges. Instead of opposing this atrocity, the people of Shechem supported it with their money and silence. Their actions demonstrate a total lack of moral discernment. They were not driven by what was right, but by what was politically advantageous. A society that values power and convenience over righteousness always invites destruction.

Ultimately, this is more than a story of political ambition—it is a spiritual indictment. Israel was supposed to be a covenant nation ruled by God. Instead, they financed a murderer from a Baal temple, cheered him on, and watched silently as covenant blood was spilled. The consequences of this rebellion would soon come, not only for Abimelech, but also for the very people who enabled him.

Judges 9:6 (New King James Version):
And all the men of Shechem gathered together, all of Beth Millo, and they went and made Abimelech king beside the terebinth tree at the pillar that was in Shechem.

The people of Shechem, including those from Beth Millo, publicly and ceremonially made Abimelech king. This was not a covert or reluctant arrangement—it was a full civic endorsement of a man who had just murdered his own brothers in cold blood. The depravity of this moment lies not just in Abimelech’s actions, but in the people's collective approval. In doing so, the city of Shechem revealed its moral bankruptcy. They were not merely tolerating evil, they were enthroning it. Abimelech did not seize the crown by force against their will. Rather, they anointed him by choice, revealing that the people were as corrupt as the leader they installed.

The phrase “all of Beth Millo” likely refers to a particular fortress or ruling district within Shechem. The Hebrew word millo comes from a root meaning “to be filled,” and refers either to a rampart or stronghold. Some scholars suggest that Beth Millo was a strategic military or administrative location—perhaps the same structure later called the “tower of Shechem” (see Judges 9:46–49). This reinforces the idea that both the civil and military arms of Shechem were unified in support of Abimelech’s rule.

The site of the coronation is telling. It occurred beside the terebinth tree at the pillar that was in Shechem, the very location where Joshua had renewed the covenant with Israel and written a copy of the Law (see Joshua 24:25–26). That covenantal ceremony had been a solemn act of national consecration to the Lord. Now, in a dramatic display of apostasy, the people crowned a murderer under the same tree, trampling the memory of that covenant underfoot. This is a powerful picture of how quickly a people can abandon their spiritual heritage when God's Word is no longer honored. The very symbols of their faith became the backdrop for their rebellion.

Abimelech’s kingship is particularly notable in that he was the first man to be declared king over Israel. However, his kingship was not the fulfillment of any divine promise or prophetic calling—it was the fruit of ambition, violence, and idolatry. It ignored the qualifications God had already laid down for kingship in passages such as Deuteronomy 17:14–20. Abimelech ruled not as a servant of God, but as a tyrant whose authority was rooted in bloodshed and covenant betrayal. His coronation symbolized Israel’s increasing drift from the theocracy God intended, toward a corrupt and self-serving monarchy established on human terms.

This moment also sets the stage for future political tragedies in Israel. Just as the people here chose a king for convenience and tribal loyalty rather than righteousness, so too would Israel later clamor for a king “like all the nations” (see 1 Samuel 8:5), rejecting God's rule in favor of human authority. The coronation of Abimelech becomes a prophetic warning of the dangers of carnal leadership—when a people reject God, He gives them what they ask for, and often to their ruin.

Judges 9:7–15 (New King James Version):
Now when they told Jotham, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted his voice and cried out. And he said to them:

"Listen to me, you men of Shechem,
That God may listen to you!
The trees once went forth to anoint a king over them.
And they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us!’
But the olive tree said to them,
‘Should I cease giving my oil,
With which they honor God and men,
And go to sway over trees?’
Then the trees said to the fig tree,
‘You come and reign over us!’
But the fig tree said to them,
‘Should I cease my sweetness and my good fruit,
And go to sway over trees?’
Then the trees said to the vine,
‘You come and reign over us!’
But the vine said to them,
‘Should I cease my new wine,
Which cheers both God and men,
And go to sway over trees?’
Then all the trees said to the bramble,
‘You come and reign over us!’
And the bramble said to the trees,
‘If in truth you anoint me as king over you,
Then come and take shelter in my shade;
But if not, let fire come out of the bramble
And devour the cedars of Lebanon!’”

After narrowly escaping Abimelech’s massacre, Jotham—Gideon’s youngest surviving son—delivered a bold prophetic warning from Mount Gerizim. This was the same mountain where Israel had once stood to hear the covenant blessings read aloud (see Deuteronomy 11:29 and Joshua 8:33). The setting is deliberate and symbolic. Jotham is essentially calling them to remember the covenant, to contrast their current corruption with God’s former faithfulness, and to pronounce judgment upon their rebellion. His method is the parable—a timeless means of exposing truth through metaphor.

The parable of the trees is deeply layered with symbolism. In it, the trees seek a king to reign over them, and they first approach the olive tree. The olive tree, known for its precious oil which was used in anointing priests and kings, responds that it will not abandon its God-given function just to rule over others. Next, the fig tree, valued for its sweetness and nourishment, likewise declines. Then the vine, which produces wine that cheers both God and man, also refuses. Each of these fruitful trees represents a righteous, productive leader—one who finds satisfaction and divine purpose in service, not in seeking power for its own sake. Their refusal highlights a principle: those who are truly fruitful and honorable often do not clamor for power.

Finally, the trees turn to the bramble—a low, thorny weed known for producing nothing of value and posing a fire hazard. Unlike the noble trees, the bramble is eager to reign. It boasts a ridiculous promise: “Take shelter in my shade.” A bramble, by nature, offers no real shade. Its promise is empty, and worse, its reign comes with a threat: “If not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.” The bramble is not only useless, it is destructive. This represents Abimelech perfectly—a man who provides no covering, no benefit, no nourishment, but only bloodshed and eventual judgment.

The parable reveals a stark truth: when a people reject the fruitful for the flamboyant, when they discard the wise for the willing, they are choosing destruction. The leaders of Shechem had chosen a bramble over better men, not because he was worthy, but because he was convenient, aggressive, and available. Jotham warns that such a choice would inevitably lead to fire—that is, to ruin not only for Abimelech, but for the men of Shechem who enabled him.

Jotham’s prophetic fable teaches several theological and moral truths. First, godly leadership must not be sought for its own sake but must be the product of divine calling and humble service. Second, there is a great danger when leadership is granted to those with no character, only ambition. Third, those who support evil rulers become complicit in their downfall. And finally, the fire of judgment is inevitable for those who abandon covenant principles in favor of power politics.

This parable remains as timely now as it was then. Leadership devoid of godliness is always a threat to the people it governs, and when the people choose the bramble over the olive tree, they must be prepared to face the fire.

Judges 9:16–21 (New King James Version):
"Now therefore, if you have acted in truth and sincerity in making Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him as he deserves— for my father fought for you, risked his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian; but you have risen up against my father’s house this day, and killed his seventy sons on one stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother— if then you have acted in truth and sincerity with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you. But if not, let fire come from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem and Beth Millo; and let fire come from the men of Shechem and from Beth Millo and devour Abimelech!” Then Jotham ran away and fled; and he went to Beer and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.

Jotham’s prophetic parable is now followed by a direct and bold application. Standing atop Mount Gerizim, he turns from metaphor to moral indictment. His statement begins with a conditional “if,” but it is clearly rhetorical and sarcastic. Jotham did not believe that the people of Shechem had acted in “truth and sincerity” when they crowned Abimelech as king. He brings them face to face with their treachery and betrayal of his father Gideon (Jerubbaal), the man who had risked everything to deliver them from the oppression of Midian. That deliverance had been an act of divine mercy and covenantal faithfulness, yet the people responded with bloodshed and apostasy.

Jotham points out their gross injustice: the execution of seventy innocent sons of Gideon on a single stone. This phrase underscores the premeditated and ritualized nature of the slaughter. Then, in an act of tribal favoritism, they chose Abimelech—whose mother was a concubine from Shechem—to rule over them. The basis of his leadership was not righteousness or merit, but simple kinship and political convenience. The mention of his mother being a maidservant or slave-girl further reveals Abimelech’s illegitimate claim to authority, and highlights the perversion of the people’s priorities. They elevated a man of flawed character and dubious lineage while silencing the house of a national deliverer.

Jotham then delivers a curse in the form of a conditional blessing. He says, “If you have acted in truth and sincerity...then rejoice in Abimelech.” But the unspoken implication is that they had not. What follows is a prophetic warning: if they have acted unjustly—and they have—then fire would come from Abimelech to destroy the men of Shechem, and fire would also come from Shechem to destroy Abimelech. In other words, their alliance would implode in mutual destruction. The very man they crowned would become their judgment, and they would in turn be the means of his downfall.

This mutual destruction is described metaphorically as “fire,” which is fitting given that Abimelech, like the bramble in the parable, can only bring harm, not fruit. Jotham’s prophecy predicts internal division, betrayal, and civil collapse—an unholy alliance consuming itself. The curse would not be fulfilled immediately. As later verses show, it would smolder for three years before erupting into full judgment. The Word of God often works that way: not in haste, but in precision, waiting for the fullness of iniquity before judgment falls.

After delivering this scorching rebuke, Jotham fled to Beer. His departure was not cowardice, but prudence. He understood the ruthless nature of Abimelech and the people’s complicity. Like many prophets, Jotham delivered the Word and withdrew, entrusting the outcome to God. His speech serves as a warning to all generations: when people enthrone evil for the sake of comfort, identity, or power, they are kindling their own destruction. Righteousness, not tribalism, is the only safe foundation for leadership.

Judges 9:22–25 (New King James Version):
After Abimelech had reigned over Israel three years, God sent a spirit of ill will between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, that the crime done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might be settled and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who aided him in the killing of his brothers. And the men of Shechem set men in ambush against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who passed by them along that way; and it was told Abimelech.

After three years of uneasy peace, Jotham’s prophetic warning began to take form. Though it appeared for a time that Abimelech’s rule would stand unchallenged, the Lord intervened. Scripture says, “God sent a spirit of ill will” between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem. This was not merely a political rift or natural development—it was a divine judgment. The Lord, who sees all and does not forget innocent blood, actively stirred up discord between these co-conspirators so that justice would be done for the massacre of Gideon’s seventy sons.

The Hebrew term behind “reigned” here is unique and subtly communicates that Abimelech’s rule was not legitimate in the eyes of God. He was not a Spirit-empowered judge raised up by the Lord, but a self-exalting despot, tolerated by men and permitted for a time by God. His “kingdom” was limited, both in reach and in character—he ruled only a small region in western Manasseh, including Shechem, Beth Millo, Arumah, and Thebez. He never had national influence or divine approval.

The spirit of ill will led to treachery. The leaders of Shechem, once eager to install Abimelech because he was their brother, now turned against him. They were not innocent victims. The text explicitly says that this division arose “that the crime done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might be settled.” In other words, God orchestrated this division to bring justice. Abimelech’s hands were soaked in innocent blood, and the men of Shechem had been willing accomplices. God was not content to let this sin go unanswered.

The treachery of Shechem took a strategic form: “They set men in ambush… and they robbed all who passed by them along that way.” The mountain roads around Shechem were part of important trade routes, and now these were being disrupted by banditry. This was likely intended to undermine Abimelech’s authority by attacking his reputation and cutting off revenue. A ruler who cannot ensure the safety of roads is a weak ruler. This not only challenged his sovereignty, but also publicly exposed his failure to bring order and protection to his territory.

Though Abimelech had ascended through cunning and violence, he could not maintain his rule by those same means. God sovereignly turned the hearts of men, introduced division among the wicked, and began the process of unraveling Abimelech’s illegitimate kingdom. As Psalm 7:14–16 declares:
"Behold, the wicked brings forth iniquity;
Yes, he conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood.
He made a pit and dug it out,
And has fallen into the ditch which he made.
His trouble shall return upon his own head,
And his violent dealing shall come down on his own crown."

Jotham’s warning had not been forgotten by heaven. Though it took time, judgment was now in motion.

Judges 9:26–29 (New King James Version):
Now Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him. So they went out into the fields, and gathered grapes from their vineyards and trod them, and made merry. And they went into the house of their god, and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech. Then Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? If only this people were under my authority! Then I would remove Abimelech.” So he said to Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out!”

As the political alliance between Abimelech and the men of Shechem deteriorated under God’s judgment, a new figure emerged: Gaal the son of Ebed. The name Ebed means “slave,” and while this may reflect a family of low social status or foreign origin, Gaal was charismatic and bold. Seeing an opportunity in Shechem’s unrest, he and his brothers arrived at a time when the people were desperate for a new leader. The phrase “the men of Shechem put their confidence in him” is a telling indictment of their continuing moral blindness. Rather than repenting and turning back to the Lord, they simply exchanged one unworthy ruler for another, placing their trust in yet another man of flesh rather than in God.

This transition of loyalty was celebrated with a harvest festival. The people “went out into the fields, and gathered grapes from their vineyards and trod them, and made merry.” The Hebrew suggests a revelry or celebration—worldly, carnal, and godless in nature. They entered the house of “their god”—likely Baal-Berith, the same pagan shrine that had funded Abimelech’s rise—and they “ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech.” This behavior is both religious apostasy and political rebellion. Their confidence in Gaal emboldened them to desecrate themselves further, mocking their former king through drunken speech within the very temple of their false god.

Gaal’s speech is laced with arrogance and tribal provocation. He derides Abimelech as an outsider, referencing that he is “the son of Jerubbaal,” thereby reminding the crowd of Abimelech’s link to Gideon—a man who tore down the altar of Baal. Gaal is appealing to the Baal-worshipping loyalties of the Shechemites, calling Abimelech an enemy to their cause. He also slights Zebul, the governor of Shechem under Abimelech, mocking his legitimacy and effectiveness.

Gaal’s argument builds on tribal pride. He calls the people to “serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem,” referencing the Canaanite ancestry of the city (see Genesis 33:19; 34:2). In essence, Gaal is advocating a return to their pagan heritage and full rejection of Abimelech’s Israelite connections. His speech is more than political—it is an ethnic and spiritual insurrection. He’s not just rallying support against a tyrant, he’s fanning the flames of rebellion against any vestige of God’s covenant influence in Shechem.

With swaggering bravado, Gaal concludes his speech with a challenge: “Increase your army and come out!” This was a direct taunt to Abimelech—a call to battle from a man drunk on wine, pride, and popular support. But like many populist leaders, Gaal’s confidence was shallow and his strategy was reckless. He spoke like a warrior, but events would soon prove he was not one.

This passage illustrates how easily a people caught in rebellion will continue to choose leaders in their own image. Instead of humbling themselves and repenting, the men of Shechem dug deeper into apostasy, revelry, and defiance. They abandoned one bramble and crowned another, and in doing so, hastened their own destruction. It is a sobering reminder that a nation without spiritual discernment will continue to elect corrupt men, not because they are worthy, but because they reflect the heart of a people in rebellion against God.

Judges 9:30–33 (New King James Version):
When Zebul, the ruler of the city, heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was aroused. And he sent messengers to Abimelech secretly, saying, “Take note! Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem; and here they are, fortifying the city against you. Now therefore, get up by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field. And it shall be, as soon as the sun is up in the morning, that you shall rise early and rush upon the city; and when he and the people who are with him come out against you, you may then do to them as you find opportunity.”

Zebul, the appointed governor or military commander of Shechem under Abimelech’s authority, played the role of a loyalist embedded within a city now caught in open rebellion. Though outwardly he maintained his position in the city, Zebul’s loyalty remained with Abimelech. When he heard Gaal’s bold and inflammatory speech, his anger was stirred—not simply because Gaal mocked Abimelech, but because Gaal threatened the stability of Zebul’s own position and allegiance.

Zebul immediately took covert action. He sent messengers to Abimelech “secretly,” indicating the high risk of discovery and the presence of divided loyalties within Shechem. His report was urgent and strategic: Gaal was not merely boasting—he was actively “fortifying the city,” preparing for conflict and consolidating power. Zebul understood that this was not just a political rivalry—it was sedition, and it had to be dealt with decisively before it gained more traction.

Zebul’s military counsel to Abimelech reveals his tactical mindset. He advised a night maneuver—an ambush before dawn. The plan was to conceal forces in the fields around Shechem, and at first light, rush the city before Gaal and his supporters could properly prepare. Zebul’s plan aimed to exploit the false security of the rebels and strike while morale was high but vigilance was low. His phrase “do to them as you find opportunity” gave Abimelech tactical flexibility, granting him the freedom to execute judgment as he saw fit depending on how the enemy responded.

Zebul’s role in this account is that of a shrewd but morally compromised man. Though politically loyal, his allegiance was to a blood-stained tyrant, not to righteousness or to God. His actions served Abimelech’s cause, not justice. He played both sides until it was expedient to act, protecting his own position rather than seeking the good of the people. In this way, Zebul becomes a symbol of the political pragmatist—loyal to power, not principle. His covert actions further escalate the internal decay of Shechem, drawing the city closer to its inevitable judgment.

This passage illustrates again the chaos that results when a people reject God's leadership and operate according to their own schemes. The men of Shechem chose Abimelech for tribal reasons, then Gaal for convenience. Now Zebul betrays Gaal to preserve his standing with a murderous ruler. The entire system is corrupted, and every man is doing what is right in his own eyes—a tragic theme that dominates the book of Judges.

Judges 9:34–41 (New King James Version):
So Abimelech and all the people who were with him rose by night, and lay in wait against Shechem in four companies. When Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance to the city gate, Abimelech and the people who were with him rose from lying in wait. And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains!” But Zebul said to him, “You see the shadows of the mountains as if they were men.” So Gaal spoke again and said, “See, people are coming down from the center of the land, and another company is coming from the Diviners’ Terebinth Tree.” Then Zebul said to him, “Where indeed is your mouth now, with which you said, ‘Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?’ Are not these the people whom you despised? Go out, if you will, and fight with them now.” So Gaal went out, leading the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. And Abimelech chased him, and he fled from him; and many fell wounded, to the very entrance of the gate. Then Abimelech dwelt at Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers, so that they would not dwell in Shechem.

Abimelech executed the surprise attack that Zebul had proposed with military precision. He and his men divided into four companies and moved under the cover of night, lying in ambush around Shechem. This tactical positioning ensured that Gaal would be caught off guard and surrounded when the time came. As dawn broke, Gaal stood at the city gate, unaware of the trap closing in. His first warning came in the form of faint movement on the ridgelines.

Gaal voiced his suspicion, but Zebul initially dismissed it as a trick of the light, saying, “You see the shadows of the mountains as if they were men.” This calculated deception bought precious moments for Abimelech’s forces to get into position. Zebul, though stationed in the city, remained loyal to Abimelech to the end and strategically delayed Gaal’s response to ensure his defeat.

But as the enemy formations became unmistakable, Gaal saw that he had been duped. At that point, Zebul no longer concealed his contempt. He rebuked Gaal publicly with biting sarcasm: “Where indeed is your mouth now, with which you said, ‘Who is Abimelech?’” Zebul’s words were not just personal—they were theological. Gaal had challenged not only Abimelech’s rule but, by extension, the consequences of divine justice foretold by Jotham. Gaal’s arrogant taunts now returned to haunt him. The man who boasted in drunken boldness now stood exposed, ill-prepared, and outmatched.

Forced to act, Gaal led the men of Shechem out to fight. However, as predicted, Abimelech’s forces routed them. Gaal and his men were chased back to the city, and many fell in retreat, slain at the very gates they had once proudly guarded. Their defeat was total, and their pride was shattered.

After securing the victory, Abimelech withdrew to Arumah, a nearby stronghold or staging point. Meanwhile, Zebul completed the purge by driving out Gaal and his brothers from Shechem. This was not merely a political move but the elimination of a rival faction. Zebul had successfully exposed, baited, and removed the internal threat to Abimelech’s rule.

This passage reveals several key theological and moral truths. First, arrogance and rebellion against God-ordained judgment always lead to humiliation. Gaal, full of boastful confidence, had no real strength to back his words. Second, the instruments of divine justice may be imperfect men—like Zebul and Abimelech—but God still sovereignly works through their actions to fulfill His purposes. Third, sin compounds: Shechem had already participated in the murder of Gideon’s sons, now they further rebelled and aligned with yet another ungodly man. Their judgment was unfolding in stages, just as Jotham had warned.

The defeat of Gaal is a partial fulfillment of that warning. But more judgment is still to come—for Abimelech, and for Shechem. What began with betrayal would soon end in fire.

Judges 9:42–45 (New King James Version):
And it came about on the next day that the people went out into the field, and they told Abimelech. So he took his people, divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the field. And he looked, and there were the people, coming out of the city; and he rose against them and attacked them. Then Abimelech and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city; and the other two companies rushed upon all who were in the fields and killed them. So Abimelech fought against the city all that day; he took the city and killed the people who were in it; and he demolished the city and sowed it with salt.

Following the expulsion of Gaal and the collapse of the initial rebellion, the people of Shechem—perhaps assuming the political tension had subsided—returned to their daily labor in the fields. But this perceived peace was an illusion. Abimelech, emboldened by his recent victory and driven by fury, was not satisfied with merely quelling dissent. He now sought to punish the entire city. His vengeance went beyond justice and became total annihilation.

The text notes that “he took his people, divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the field.” This echoes earlier military tactics used by Gideon (see Judges 7:16), but the motives here are drastically different. Where Gideon acted under divine direction to deliver Israel, Abimelech acted out of self-interest and wrath to destroy Israelites. His use of ambush and division was calculated and strategic, ensuring that no one in the fields or in the city would escape.

As the unsuspecting workers came out into the fields, Abimelech sprang the trap. His company seized the city gate, preventing escape or reinforcements, while the other two companies slaughtered the civilians in the fields. The violence was not just military—it was indiscriminate. Men, women, and children were likely among the casualties. These were not soldiers, but citizens.

The text then delivers a sobering and brutal statement: “So Abimelech fought against the city all that day; he took the city and killed the people who were in it; and he demolished the city and sowed it with salt.” To sow a city with salt was an ancient symbolic act of total destruction and desolation. It was meant to curse the ground, rendering it infertile and uninhabitable—a sign that the city was to be wiped from memory. This was the full manifestation of Jotham’s curse: fire had come from Abimelech and was now devouring Shechem.

Abimelech’s actions reveal the ultimate fruit of illegitimate, violent rule. The same violence that brought him to power now consumed the very people who once installed him. This is a divine warning embedded in history: those who support wicked leadership for personal or tribal gain often become the first victims of the ruler’s wrath once he is secure. The men of Shechem had sown the wind, and now they were reaping the whirlwind.

The destruction of Shechem was not quickly reversed. As noted in 1 Kings 12:25, the city was not rebuilt until the reign of Jeroboam I, roughly two centuries later. Abimelech’s judgment, both political and divine, left a long-lasting scar on the land. His desire for dominance turned into indiscriminate slaughter, and in doing so, he not only obliterated a city but sealed his own fate, which would come shortly.

Theologically, this passage underscores the justice of God working even through the unrighteous. Though Abimelech was a wicked man, God allowed his hand to fulfill part of the curse pronounced by Jotham. The people of Shechem had supported murder and crowned a usurper; now that same usurper brought destruction upon their heads. The lesson is clear: when a people reject righteous leadership and enthrone wickedness, destruction is inevitable—and often comes from the very hand they once supported.

Judges 9:46–49 (New King James Version):
Now when all the men of the tower of Shechem had heard that, they entered the stronghold of the temple of the god Berith. And it was told Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. Then Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him. And Abimelech took an ax in his hand and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it and laid it on his shoulder; then he said to the people who were with him, “What you have seen me do, make haste and do as I have done.” So each of the people likewise cut down his own bough and followed Abimelech, put them against the stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire above them, so that all the people of the tower of Shechem died, about a thousand men and women.

The massacre at the tower of Shechem marks the horrifying climax of Abimelech’s campaign of bloodshed. After destroying the city itself, Abimelech turned his attention to the last pocket of resistance, the men and women who had fled to the fortified temple of Baal-Berith, known here as the “temple of the god Berith.” This was both a literal fortress and a religious sanctuary. The people believed they could find refuge there, both physically and spiritually. But this false hope would be their undoing.

Abimelech, ever ruthless and methodical, led his men up Mount Zalmon. In an act of tactical leadership, he personally cut down a bough and laid it on his shoulder, commanding his men, “What you have seen me do, make haste and do as I have done.” Here, though an evil man, Abimelech models a leadership principle rooted in imitation by example. He did not merely command from behind; he took initiative and led from the front. His forces followed his example and quickly laid their own branches at the base of the tower.

Then came the fire. The makeshift siege tactic was both brutal and effective. By setting the stronghold ablaze from underneath, Abimelech created a furnace in which no one could survive. Approximately a thousand men and women perished. This was not an act of war against armed enemies. It was mass murder, a war crime against unarmed civilians. The fact that they had taken refuge in a religious structure makes the act even more abominable. Their trust in Baal-Berith, a Canaanite deity whose name means “lord of the covenant,” could not save them. Their covenant with Baal proved to be their downfall.

Theologically, this is a direct and graphic fulfillment of Jotham’s prophetic warning in Judges 9:19–20, where he declared that fire would come out from Abimelech to consume Shechem, and vice versa. The prophecy came true with painful precision. Shechem, which once rejected God’s appointed order by siding with an illegitimate, murderous ruler, now suffered the full consequences of that choice.

Commentators point out the irony and tragedy of this moment. Matthew Henry noted the absurdity of the people seeking safety in a temple of a false god, calling it as foolish as “running into a barrel of gunpowder to escape a fire.” Their trust in idols was exposed for what it was—vain and deadly. As Trapp observed, their alliance with Baal—the so-called god of covenant—was the very cause of their ruin.

This tragic event is a stark reminder of where trust must ultimately be placed. Earthly structures, false deities, and illegitimate leaders offer no real security. Proverbs 18:10 says, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” Psalm 61:3 affirms, “For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy.” The people of Shechem sought refuge in an idol’s house. Those who are wise seek refuge in the Lord.

This narrative is not just about one man’s vengeance, it is a divine judgment on idolatry, treachery, and rebellion. Abimelech’s fire was the tool by which God’s justice fell upon a people who had forsaken Him for Baal. It demonstrates once again that idolatry is not merely a matter of personal preference or cultural tradition. It is rebellion against the living God, and it ends in destruction.

Judges 9:50–55 (New King James Version):
Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and he encamped against Thebez and took it. But there was a strong tower in the city, and all the men and women, all the people of the city, fled there and shut themselves in; then they went up to the top of the tower. So Abimelech came as far as the tower and fought against it; and he drew near the door of the tower to burn it with fire. But a certain woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull. Then he called quickly to the young man, his armorbearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest men say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” So his young man thrust him through, and he died. And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed, every man to his place.

After razing Shechem to the ground and burning the tower of Baal-Berith with its thousand inhabitants, Abimelech pressed forward in his violent campaign and turned his attention to Thebez. His tactical model had worked before—assault the city, trap the survivors in a tower, and burn them alive. But God's sovereign hand brought that pattern to an abrupt end.

The people of Thebez fled to a fortified tower, much like those in Shechem. Abimelech, no doubt puffed up with pride from his prior conquest, assumed that he could simply repeat the same tactic. However, in a dramatic reversal of fortune, “a certain woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull.” What Abimelech had done to the people of Shechem with calculated cruelty, the Lord now returned upon his own head—literally and poetically.

The upper millstone was a heavy, hand-held rock used in daily food preparation, often weighing between five to ten pounds. It was not a weapon of war but a tool of domestic labor. The fact that this symbol of ordinary, everyday life became the means of judgment shows God’s sovereignty in using the lowly and unexpected to bring down the proud. The woman was unnamed, a complete contrast to Abimelech’s pride and self-promotion, yet her action fulfilled God’s justice.

In a final act of arrogance, Abimelech begged his armor-bearer to kill him, “lest men say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” This last request revealed how hollow and foolish his priorities remained, even in the face of divine retribution. Rather than repenting or fearing God's judgment, Abimelech was consumed with preserving his image. But it did not work. According to 2 Samuel 11:21, his legacy was still recorded as being brought down by a woman, not by a soldier.

This death was not random but divinely appointed justice. As one commentator noted, Abimelech had killed seventy brothers on one stone, and now one stone killed him. He had usurped authority, seized power through murder, destroyed a covenant people, and led Israel into further apostasy. God's judgment came not only through a single crushing blow but in poetic irony. The head that had illegitimately worn a crown was now crushed by a millstone dropped from a tower he intended to burn.

The men of Israel, who had likely followed Abimelech out of fear or obligation rather than loyalty, disbanded immediately once he died. “And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed, every man to his place.” There was no mourning, no legacy, no honor. His death ended a bloody, self-serving rule that lacked the calling, blessing, or anointing of God. The tyrant died a coward’s death, remembered for his pride and brutality.

This passage is a sobering reminder that pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18). God opposes the proud and will repay wickedness in His time and in His way, often with precise and poetic justice.

Judges 9:56–57 (New King James Version):
Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father by killing his seventy brothers. And all the evil of the men of Shechem God returned on their own heads, and on them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.

These final verses of Judges chapter 9 serve as a theological summation and a solemn declaration of divine justice. The entire narrative of Abimelech’s rise and fall reaches its conclusion with the affirmation that God's justice is not only certain, but also precise.

Abimelech's crimes had been manifold, but the central charge Scripture lays at his feet is “the wickedness… which he had done to his father by killing his seventy brothers.” This heinous act was not only fratricide, but a betrayal of Gideon’s legacy and a mockery of God's governance over Israel. Abimelech usurped power not by divine call or national consensus but by mass murder. It is fitting that the Lord Himself repaid that wickedness directly. The poetic justice is unmistakable: Abimelech killed seventy sons of his father on one stone, and God had a single stone—dropped by a woman—bring about his demise.

But the text does not isolate Abimelech in guilt. “All the evil of the men of Shechem God returned on their own heads.” These men were complicit in the bloodshed. They had financially and politically supported Abimelech's coup. They knew what he was doing and cheered him on. They bore the curse that Jotham had prophetically spoken from Mount Gerizim (Judges 9:7–20), and now it was fulfilled in terrifying detail. Their city was burned, their leaders were slaughtered, and their stronghold became a tomb.

The phrase “on them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal” reminds us that divine warnings are not empty threats. God’s prophets do not speak in vain. Jotham, though a solitary voice, had declared the truth of God and called for accountability. The people ignored the warning, and they paid with their lives. This should compel us to consider whether there are warnings we are presently ignoring. God often sends correction, counsel, and conviction long before judgment. The tragedy is not that God fails to speak, but that men fail to listen.

God's justice is slow by human standards but sure. As Ecclesiastes 8:11 declares, “Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” But time does not diminish guilt, nor does delay erase the certainty of consequence. The account of Abimelech stands as an enduring testimony to the principle found in Galatians 6:7: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”

Ultimately, Judges 9 is a sobering reminder that no matter how powerful or popular a man may appear, if he sets himself against God's ways, ruin is certain. Whether by a millstone from a woman’s hand or civil strife among allies, God will repay the wicked in His time and by His means. The righteous would do well to trust God's timing, fear His holiness, and heed His warnings.