Judges 9:4

Judges 9:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baal–berith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him.
• New International Version (NIV)They gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, and Abimelek used it to hire reckless scoundrels, who became his followers.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, who followed him.
• New King James Version (NKJV)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.

Context of Judges 9:4

2“Please ask all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Is it better for you that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or just one man?’ Remember that I am your own flesh and blood.” 3And when his mother’s brothers spoke all these words about him in the presence of all the leaders of Shechem, their hearts were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.” So they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired some worthless and reckless men to follow him. 5He went to his father’s house in Ophrah, and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived, because he hid himself. 6Then all the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo gathered beside the oak at the pillar in Shechem and proceeded to make Abimelech their king.

Judges 9:4 word by word

וַיִּתְּנוּ־לוֹ֙ שִׁבְעִ֣ים כֶּ֔סֶף מִבֵּ֖יתּ בַ֣עַל בְּרִ֑ית וַיִּשְׂכֹּ֨ר בָּהֶ֜ם אֲבִימֶ֗לֶךְ אֲנָשִׁ֤ים רֵיקִים֙ וּפֹ֣חֲזִ֔ים וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ אַחֲרָֽיו׃Read the interlinear

• So they gaveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• seventyשִׁבְעִיםshib‛îym · seventyH7657
• of silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
• from the templeבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
• of Baal-berithבַּעַל בְּרִיתba‛al berîyth · Baal-berithH1170
• Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăbîymelek · AbimelechH40
• hiredשָׂכַרώâkar sâkar · to hireH7936
• some worthlessרֵיקrêyq rêq · worthlessH7386
• and recklessפָּחַזpâchaz · be recklessH6348
• menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• to followהָלַךְhâlak · to go: followH1980
• himאַחַר'achar · afterH310

Cross-references for Judges 9:4

• Judges 9:46On hearing of this, all the leaders in the tower of Shechem entered the inner chamber of the temple of El-berith.
• Judges 8:33And as soon as Gideon was dead, the Israelites turned and prostituted themselves with the Baals, and they set up Baal-berith as their god.
• Judges 11:3So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob, where worthless men gathered around him and traveled with him.
• 1 Samuel 22:2And all who were distressed or indebted or discontented rallied around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.
• 2 Chronicles 13:7Then worthless and wicked men gathered around him to resist Rehoboam son of Solomon when he was young, inexperienced, and unable to resist them.
• Job 30:8A senseless and nameless brood, they were driven off the land.
• Proverbs 12:11The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies lacks judgment.
• Acts 17:5The Jews, however, became jealous. So they brought in some troublemakers from the marketplace, formed a mob, and sent the city into an uproar. They raided Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas, hoping to bring them out to the people.

Commentaries on Judges 9:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Threescore and ten pieces of silver - Probably shekels; and this was the whole of his exchequer. As he was now usurping the government of God, he begins with a contribution from the idol temple. A work begun under the name and influence of the devil is not likely to end to the glory of God, or to the welfare of man. Hired vain and light persons - ופחזים ריקים אנשים anashim reykim uphochazim, worthless and dissolute men; persons who were living on the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4True leaders earn loyalty and appeal to the noble in society, not to reckless troublemakers like Abimelech's hired followers.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. the house of Baal-berith--either the temple, or the place where this idol was worshipped; Baal-berith, "god of the covenant," by invocation of whom the league of cities was formed. Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him--idle, worthless vagabonds, the scum of society, who had nothing to lose, but much to gain from the success of a revolutionary movement.Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 9:4

• Ambition
• Baal-Berith
• Conspiracy
• Judge
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Abimelech
• Baal
• Baal-Berith
• Baalberith
• Deserving
• Incline
• Merry
• Middle
• Mouth
• Parable

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