New American Standard Bible 2020
Judges 9:2
2“Speak, now, in the hearing of all the 1leaders of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you: for 2seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, to rule over you, or for one man to rule over you?’ Also, remember that I am 3your bone and your flesh.”
Judges 9:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.
- New International Version (NIV)“Ask all the citizens of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you: to have all seventy of Jerub-Baal’s sons rule over you, or just one man?’ Remember, I am your flesh and blood.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Say in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, 'Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal rule over you, or that one rule over you?' Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh."
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Please speak in the hearing of all the men of Shechem: ‘Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal reign over you, or that one reign over you?’ Remember that I am your own flesh and bone.”
Context of Judges 9:2
1Now Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem, to his mother’s relatives, and spoke to them and to the entire family of the household of his mother’s father, saying, “Speak, now, in the hearing of all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you: for seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, to rule over you, or for one man to rule over you?’ Also, remember that I am your bone and your flesh.” 3So his mother’s relatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the hearing of all the leaders of Shechem; and they were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our relative.” 4And they gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men, and they followed him.
Read all of Judges 9Judges 9:2 word by word
דַּבְּרוּ־נָ֞א בְּאָזְנֵ֨י כָל־בַּעֲלֵ֣י שְׁכֶם֮ מַה־טּ֣וֹב לָכֶם֒ הַמְשֹׁ֨ל בָּכֶ֜ם שִׁבְעִ֣ים אִ֗ישׁ כֹּ֚ל בְּנֵ֣י יְרֻבַּ֔עַל אִם־מְשֹׁ֥ל בָּכֶ֖ם אִ֣ישׁ אֶחָ֑ד וּזְכַרְתֶּ֕ם כִּֽי־עַצְמֵכֶם וּבְשַׂרְכֶ֖ם אָנִֽי׃Read the interlinear
- Speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- nowנָאnâ' · pleaseH4994
- in the hearingאֹ֫זֶן'ôzen · ear: to earsH241
- of allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
- leadersבַּעַלba‛al · masterH1167
- of Shechemשְׁכֶםshekem · ShechemH7927
- Whichמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
- is betterטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- seventyשִׁבְעִיםshib‛îym · seventyH7657
- menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- the sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Jerubbaalיְרֻבַּ֫עַלyerûbba‛al · JerubbaalH3378
- to ruleמָשַׁלmâshal · to ruleH4910
- over you, orאִם'im · ifH518
- for oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- over you?’ Also, rememberזָכַרzâkar · to rememberH2142
- your boneעֶ֫צֶם‛etsem · boneH6106
- and your fleshבָּשָׂרbâώâr · fleshH1320
Cross-references for Judges 9:2
- Judges 8:30Now Gideon had seventy sons who were his direct descendants, for he had many wives.
- Genesis 29:14And Laban said to him, “You certainly are my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him a month.
- 2 Samuel 19:13And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? May God do so to me, and more so, if you will not be commander of the army for me continually, in place of Joab.’”
- 1 Chronicles 11:1Then all Israel gathered to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh.
- Ephesians 5:30because we are parts of His body.
- Hebrews 2:14Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, so that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,
Commentaries on Judges 9:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Whether is better for you, either that all the sons - This was a powerful argument: Whether will you have seventy tyrants or only one? For, as he had no right to the government, and God alone was king at that time in Israel; so he must support his usurped rule by whatever means were most likely to effect it: a usurped government is generally supported by oppression and the sword.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2The men of Shechem - literally, “the masters.” Compare Joshua 24:11; 1 Samuel 23:11-12.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-3Abimelech, the son of a concubine (Judges 8:31; see study note on Judges 19:1), claimed he could create the royal dynasty that his father had rejected. The absence of any record of a conquest of Shechem, despite Israel’s covenant activities in the city (Joshua 24), suggests that Shechem’s people became part of Israel. Abimelech’s uncles and his mother might have been of non-Israelite origin.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, ... or that one reign over you--a false insinuation, artfully contrived to stir up jealousy and alarm. Gideon had rejected, with abhorrence, the proposal to make himself or any of his family king, and there is no evidence that any of his other sons coveted the title.Read the comment
Topics related to Judges 9:2
In the dictionaries
Notes
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
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