Judges 9:29

Judges 9:29 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.
• New International Version (NIV)If only this people were under my command! Then I would get rid of him. I would say to Abimelek, ‘Call out your whole army!’ ”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Would that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech. I would say to Abimelech, 'Increase your army, and come out.'"
• New King James Version (NKJV)If only this people were under my authority! Then I would remove Abimelech.” So he said to Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out!”

Context of Judges 9:29

27And after they had gone out into the fields, gathered grapes from their vineyards, and trodden them, they held a festival and went into the house of their god; and as they ate and drank, they cursed Abimelech. 28Then Gaal 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? You are to serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech? If only this people were under my authority, I would remove Abimelech; I would say to him, ‘Muster your army and come out!’” 30When Zebul the governor of the city heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed, he burned with anger. 31So he covertly sent messengers to Abimelech to say, “Look, Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem and are stirring up the city against you.

Judges 9:29 word by word

וּמִ֨י יִתֵּ֜ן אֶת־הָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ בְּיָדִ֔י וְאָסִ֖ירָה אֶת־אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לַאֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ רַבֶּ֥ה צְבָאֲךָ֖ וָצֵֽאָה׃Read the interlinear

• If onlyמִיmîy · who?H4310
• If onlyנָתַןnâthan · to give: if only!H5414
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• were under my authorityיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• I would removeסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: removeH5493
• Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăbîymelek · AbimelechH40
• I would sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Musterרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
• your armyצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · armyH6635
• and come outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318

Cross-references for Judges 9:29

• 2 Samuel 15:4And he would add, “If only someone would appoint me judge in the land, then everyone with a grievance or dispute could come to me, and I would give him justice.”
• 1 Kings 20:11And the king of Israel replied, “Tell him: ‘The one putting on his armor should not boast like one taking it off.’”
• Psalms 10:3For the wicked man boasts in the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.
• Romans 1:30slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful. They invent new forms of evil; they disobey their parents.
• 2 Samuel 2:14Then Abner said to Joab, “Let us have the young men get up and compete before us.” “Let them get up,” Joab replied.
• 2 Kings 14:8Then Amaziah sent messengers to the king of Israel Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu. “Come, let us meet face to face,” he said.
• 2 Kings 18:23Now, therefore, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you two thousand horses—if you can put riders on them!
• Isaiah 36:8Now, therefore, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you two thousand horses—if you can put riders on them!

Commentaries on Judges 9:29

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 29Would to God this people were under my hand - The very words and conduct of a sly, hypocritical demagogue. Increase thine army, and come out - When he found his party strong, and the public feeling warped to his side, then he appears to have sent a challenge to Abimelech, to come out and fight him.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 27-29Verses 27-29 Seditious and lawless acts Judges 9:25-26 now broke out into open rebellion. It was at an idolatrous feast in the house of Baal-berith, on occasion of the vintage, and when they were excited with wine, that the rebellion was matured. Those present began to “curse Abimelech,” to speak insultingly of him, and to revile him (compare Leviticus 20:9; 2 Samuel 19:21; Isaiah 8:21). Gaal, the son of Ebed, who was watching the opportunity, immediately…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-29Verses 22-29 Abimelech is seated in the throne his father refused. But how long does this glory last? Stay but three years, and see the bramble withered and burned. The prosperity of the wicked is short and fickle. The Shechemites are plagued by no other hand than Abimelech's. They raised him unjustly to the throne; they first feel the weight of his sceptre.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 27-29People were unhappy with Abimelech, and there was social unrest. With plenty of wine and careless talk, Gaal easily gained initial support.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 28-4528-45. would to God this people were under my hand--He seems to have been a boastful, impudent, and cowardly person, totally unfit to be a leader in a revolutionary crisis. The consequence was that he allowed himself to be drawn into an ambush, was defeated, the city of Shechem destroyed and strewn with salt. The people took refuge in the stronghold, which was set on fire, and all in it perished.Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 9:29

• Conspiracy
• Ebed
• Gaal
• Judge
• Zebul

In the dictionaries

• Abimelech
• God
• Deserving
• Gaal
• Incline
• Merry
• Middle
• Mouth
• Parable
• Zebul

Commentaries on Judges 9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary