Judges 9:30

Judges 9:30 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.
• New International Version (NIV)When Zebul the governor of the city heard what Gaal son of Ebed said, he was very angry.
• English Standard Version (ESV)When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.
• New King James Version (NKJV)When Zebul, the ruler of the city, heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was aroused.

Context of Judges 9:30

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. 29If 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!” ’ Some 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. 32So you must come here in the night with your men. Hide in the fields outside the city.

Judges 9:30 word by word

וַיִּשְׁמַ֗ע זְבֻל֙ שַׂר־הָעִ֔יר אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֖י גַּ֣עַל בֶּן־עָ֑בֶד וַיִּ֖חַר אַפּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And when Zebulזְבֻלzebûl · ZebulH2083
• the rulerשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
• of the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• the wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• of Gaalגַּ֫עַלga‛al · GaalH1603
• the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of Ebedעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · EbedH5651
• his angerאַף'aph · face: angerH639
• was kindledחָרָהchârâh · to be incensedH2734

Commentaries on Judges 9:30

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 30-49Verses 30-49 Abimelech intended to punish the Schechemites for slighting him now, but God punished them for their serving him formerly in the murder of Gideon's sons. When God uses men as instruments in his hand to do his work, he means one thing, and they another. That, which they hoped would have been for their welfare, proved a snare and a trap, as those will certainly find, who run to idols for shelter; such will prove a refuge of lies. (Jdg 9:50-57)Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 30-41The second plot, like the first (Judges 9:22–25), was stopped by an informer, likely an official appointed by the absent Abimelech. Zebul suggested a bold morning ambush, planning to lure Gaal and his followers into the open country for a confrontation. The plan succeeded. Due to his boasting and possibly Zebul’s mocking challenge, Gaal and his men ventured out, only to be driven from town by the loyal Zebul, who acted to cleanse the city.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 9:30

• Conspiracy
• Ebed
• Gaal
• Judge
• Zebul

In the dictionaries

• Ambush
• Captain
• Deserving
• Ebed
• 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