Judges 9:25

Judges 9:25 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech.
• New International Version (NIV)In opposition to him these citizens of Shechem set men on the hilltops to ambush and rob everyone who passed by, and this was reported to Abimelek.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the leaders of Shechem put men in ambush against him on the mountaintops, and they robbed all who passed by them along that way. And it was told to Abimelech.
• New King James Version (NKJV)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.

Context of Judges 9:25

23Then God caused the leaders of Shechem to turn against Abimelech. They were no longer friends. 24God did this to punish Abimelech because he had killed his brothers, Gideon's 70 sons. The leaders of Shechem were also guilty for their murder, because they had helped Abimelech. The leaders of Shechem no longer obeyed Abimelech. They sent men to hide in the hills near Shechem. Those men robbed everyone who travelled on that road. But someone told Abimelech about this. 26Ebed's son Gaal went to live in Shechem with his brothers. The leaders of Shechem started to trust Gaal as their leader. 27They went out of the city to pick grapes in their fields. They squeezed the grapes to make wine. They went to the temple of their god and they had a party. They ate a lot of food and they drank a lot of wine. At their party, they cursed Abimelech.

Judges 9:25 word by word

וַיָּשִׂ֣ימוּ לוֹ֩ בַעֲלֵ֨י שְׁכֶ֜ם מְאָרְבִ֗ים עַ֚ל רָאשֵׁ֣י הֶהָרִ֔ים וַיִּגְזְל֗וּ אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲבֹ֥ר עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ וַיֻּגַּ֖ד לַאֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the menבַּעַלba‛al · masterH1167
• of Shechemשְׁכֶםshekem · ShechemH7927
• setשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
• liers in waitאָרַב'ârab · to ambushH693
• for him in the topרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: topH7218
• of the mountainsהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
• and they robbedגָּזַלgâzal · to plunderH1497
• all that cameעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
• along that wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: roadH1870
• by them: and it was toldנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
• Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăbîymelek · AbimelechH40

Cross-references for Judges 9:25

• Joshua 8:4He said to them, ‘Listen carefully. Go and hide behind the city. Stay near to it. Be ready to attack!
• Proverbs 1:11They may say, ‘Come with us. We will find someone to murder. We will attack any helpless person that we choose.

Commentaries on Judges 9:25

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 25The men of Shechem set liers in wait - It pleased God to punish this bad man by the very persons who had contributed to his iniquitous elevation. So God often makes the instruments of men's sins the means of their punishment. It is likely that although Abimelech had his chief residence at Shechem, yet he frequently went to Ophrah, the city of his father; his claim to which there was none to oppose, as he had slain all his brethren. It was probably in his…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. 25An informer stopped the plot against Abimelech, but society was getting worse as God's curse unfolded.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22-4922. When Abimelech had reigned three years--His reign did not, probably at first, extend beyond Shechem; but by stealthy and progressive encroachments he subjected some of the neighboring towns to his sway. None could "reign" in Israel, except by rebellious usurpation; and hence the reign of Abimelech is expressed in the original by a word signifying "despotism," not that which describes the mild and divinely authorized rule of the judge.Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 9:25

• Ambush
• Armies
• Conspiracy
• Judge
• Robbery
• Treason

In the dictionaries

• Abimelech
• Shechem
• Liers-in-Wait
• Deserving
• Incline
• Merry
• Middle
• Mouth
• Parable
• Robbery

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