Judges 9:23

Judges 9:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:
• New International Version (NIV)God stirred up animosity between Abimelek and the citizens of Shechem so that they acted treacherously against Abimelek.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech,
• New King James Version (NKJV)God sent a spirit of ill will between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech,

Context of Judges 9:23

21Then Jotham fled, escaping to Beer, and lived there because of his brother Abimelech. 22When Abimelech had ruled over Israel three years, God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem. They treated Abimelech deceitfully, 24so that the crime against the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come to justice and their blood would be avenged on their brother Abimelech, who killed them, and on the citizens of Shechem, who had helped him kill his brothers. 25The citizens of Shechem rebelled against him by putting men in ambush on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed everyone who passed by them on the road. So this was reported to Abimelech.

Judges 9:23 word by word

וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח אֱלֹהִים֙ ר֣וּחַ רָעָ֔ה בֵּ֣ין אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ וּבֵ֖ין בַּעֲלֵ֣י שְׁכֶ֑ם וַיִּבְגְּד֥וּ בַעֲלֵי־שְׁכֶ֖ם בַּאֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• an evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• spiritרוּחַrûach · spiritH7307
• between Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăbîymelek · AbimelechH40
• and the menבַּעַלba‛al · masterH1167
• of Shechemשְׁכֶםshekem · ShechemH7927
• dealt treacherouslyבָּגַדbâgad · to act treacherouslyH898

Cross-references for Judges 9:23

• Judges 9:15The bramble said to the trees, “If you really are anointing me as king over you, come and find refuge in my shade. But if not, may fire come out from the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon.”
• 1 Samuel 16:14Now the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, and an evil spirit sent from the Lord began to torment him,
• 1 Samuel 18:9So Saul watched David jealously from that day forward.
• 1 Kings 12:15The king did not listen to the people, because this turn of events came from the Lord to carry out his word, which the Lord had spoken through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.
• 1 Kings 22:22“The Lord asked him, ‘How?’ “He said, ‘I will go and become a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ “Then he said, ‘You will certainly entice him and prevail. Go and do that.’
• 2 Chronicles 10:15The king did not listen to the people because the turn of events came from God, in order that the Lord might carry out his word that he had spoken through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.
• 2 Chronicles 18:19And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice King Ahab of Israel to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? ’ So one was saying this and another was saying that.
• Isaiah 19:2I will provoke Egyptians against Egyptians; each will fight against his brother and each against his friend, city against city, kingdom against kingdom.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:11For this reason God sends them a strong delusion so that they will believe the lie,
• Judges 9:16“Now if you have acted faithfully and honestly in making Abimelech king, if you have done well by Jerubbaal and his family, and if you have rewarded him appropriately for what he did —
• Isaiah 33:1Woe, you destroyer never destroyed, you traitor never betrayed! When you have finished destroying, you will be destroyed. When you have finished betraying, they will betray you.
• Matthew 7:2For you will be judged by the same standard with which you judge others, and you will be measured by the same measure you use.

Commentaries on Judges 9:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23God sent an evil spirit - He permitted jealousies to take place which produced factions; and these factions produced insurrections, civil contentions, and slaughter.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. 22-23It took three years to fulfill what God had planned. The spirit that caused trouble found people ready to listen. Those punished for their foolishness actively contributed to their downfall; they caused it themselves.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem--In the course of providence, jealousy, distrust, secret disaffection, and smothered rebellion appeared among his subjects disappointed and disgusted with his tyranny; and God permitted those disorders to punish the complicated crimes of the royal fratricide and idolatrous usurper.Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 9:23

• Conspiracy
• Demons
• Judge
• Treachery
• Treason

In the dictionaries

• Abimelech
• God
• Shechem
• Evil Spirit
• 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