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

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. 28Gaal said, ‘Why does Abimelech think he is so great? There is no reason why the people of Shechem should serve him! He is a son of Gideon and he does not really belong here. Zebul only serves Abimelech as his officer. Instead we should be faithful to Hamor's descendants. He is the ancestor of Shechem's clan. If I were the leader of these people, I would remove Abimelech as king. I would say to him, “Make your army strong and try to fight against us!” ’ 30Some people told Zebul, the town's officer, what Gaal had said. Zebul was very angry when he heard this. 31He sent men secretly to Abimelech with a message. They told him, ‘Ebed's son Gaal and his brothers have come to live in Shechem. They are causing the people of the city to turn 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• And would to God this peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• were underנָתַןnâthan · to give: if only!H5414
• my handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• then would I removeסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: removeH5493
• Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăbîymelek · AbimelechH40
• And he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Increaseרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
• thine armyצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · armyH6635
• and come outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318

Cross-references for Judges 9:29

• 2 Samuel 15:4Absalom would also say, ‘I think that I should have authority to be a judge in Israel. Then when people have a problem to take to court, they could come to me. I would make sure that they receive justice.’
• 1 Kings 20:11The king of Israel replied, ‘Tell King Ben-Hadad, “Do not boast when you are preparing for a battle. Wait until the battle has finished and you know that you have won.” ’
• Psalms 10:3Not only do wicked people boast because they get the things that they want. They also praise robbers, and they curse the Lord.
• Romans 1:30They tell lies about people. They hate God. They insult other people. They are proud and they say how important they are. They think of many ways to do bad things. They do not obey their parents.
• 2 Samuel 2:14Then Abner said to Joab, ‘Some young men from each of our groups should fight against each other. Then we can watch them.’ Joab agreed.
• 2 Kings 14:8Then Amaziah sent men with a message to King Jehoash of Israel. He was the son of Jehoahaz and the grandson of Jehu. Amaziah's message said, ‘Come here and meet me.’
• 2 Kings 18:23So you should make an agreement with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you 2,000 horses if you have enough riders to put on them.
• Isaiah 36:8So you should make an agreement with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you 2,000 horses, if you have enough riders to put 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
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Deserving
• Gaal
• 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