God’s Word Translation
Judges 9:3
3His uncles repeated everything he said to all citizens of Shechem. They were persuaded to follow Abimelech because he was their relative.
Judges 9:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And his mother’s brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.
- New International Version (NIV)When the brothers repeated all this to the citizens of Shechem, they were inclined to follow Abimelek, for they said, “He is related to us.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And his mother's relatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, "He is our brother."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And his mother’s brothers spoke all these words concerning him in the hearing of all the men of Shechem; and their heart was inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.”
Context of Judges 9:3
1Abimelech, son of Jerubbaal [Gideon], went to Shechem to see the uncles on his mother’s side of the family. He spoke to them and his mother’s whole family. 2He said, “Please ask all citizens of Shechem, ‘What seems best to you? Do you really want all of Jerubbaal’s 70 sons to rule you or just one man? Remember, I’m your own flesh and blood.’ ” His uncles repeated everything he said to all citizens of Shechem. They were persuaded to follow Abimelech because he was their relative. 4So they gave him 70 pieces of silver from the temple of Baal Berith. With the silver, Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men to follow him. 5Then he went to his father’s home in Ophrah. There he executed his 70 brothers, Jerubbaal’s sons. But Jotham, Jerubbaal’s youngest son, survived because he hid.
Read all of Judges 9Judges 9:3 word by word
וַיְדַבְּר֨וּ אֲחֵֽי־אִמּ֜וֹ עָלָ֗יו בְּאָזְנֵי֙ כָּל־בַּעֲלֵ֣י שְׁכֶ֔ם אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַיֵּ֤ט לִבָּם֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ כִּ֥י אָמְר֖וּ אָחִ֥ינוּ הֽוּא׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And his mother’sאֵם'êm · motherH517
- brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-relativeH251
- spakeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- of him in the earsאֹ֫זֶן'ôzen · ear: to earsH241
- of all the menבַּעַלba‛al · masterH1167
- of Shechemשְׁכֶםshekem · ShechemH7927
- all these wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- and their heartsלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- inclinedנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
- to followאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăbîymelek · AbimelechH40
- for they saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- our brotherאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
Cross-references for Judges 9:3
- Psalms 10:3The wicked person boasts about his selfish desires. He blesses robbers, but he curses the Lord.
- Proverbs 1:11If they say, “Come with us. Let’s set an ambush to kill someone. Let’s hide to ambush innocent people for fun.
- Genesis 29:15Then Laban said to him, “Just because you’re my relative doesn’t mean that you should work for nothing. Tell me what your wages should be.”
Commentaries on Judges 9:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3He is our brother - We shall be raised to places of trust under him, and our city will be the capital of the kingdom.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3The Ephraimite pride revolted from Abi-ezrite rulers, and inclined them to one who was a Shechemite by birth. (Compare the same spirit in the time of David and Rehoboam, 2 Samuel 20:1; 1 Kings 12:16.)Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-5Abimelech asked for money from the local temple of Baal-berith, a worship center for a mixed Canaanite-Israelite religious group.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-61. Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem--The idolatry which had been stealthily creeping into Israel during the latter years of Gideon was now openly professed; Shechem was wholly inhabited by its adherents; at least, idolaters had the ascendency. Abimelech, one of Gideon's numerous sons, was connected with that place. Ambitious of sovereign power, and having plied successfully the arts of a demagogue with his maternal relatives and friends, he…Read the comment
Topics related to Judges 9:3
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries