Judges 9:23

Judges 9:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:
• New International Version (NIV)God stirred up animosity between Abimelek and the citizens of Shechem so that they acted treacherously against Abimelek.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech,
• New King James Version (NKJV)God sent a spirit of ill will between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech,

Context of Judges 9:23

21Then Jotham ran away to Beer and lived there to escape from Abimelech his half-brother. 22Abimelech commanded Israel for three years. God sent a spirit to stir up hostility between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem. He made the leaders of Shechem disloyal to Abimelech. 24He did this so the violent deaths of Jerub-Baal’s seventy sons might be avenged and Abimelech, their half-brother who murdered them, might have to pay for their spilled blood, along with the leaders of Shechem who helped him murder them. 25The leaders of Shechem rebelled against Abimelech by putting bandits in the hills, who robbed everyone who traveled by on the road. But Abimelech found out about it.

Judges 9:23 word by word

וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח אֱלֹהִים֙ ר֣וּחַ רָעָ֔ה בֵּ֣ין אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ וּבֵ֖ין בַּעֲלֵ֣י שְׁכֶ֑ם וַיִּבְגְּד֥וּ בַעֲלֵי־שְׁכֶ֖ם בַּאֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• an evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• spiritרוּחַrûach · spiritH7307
• between Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăbîymelek · AbimelechH40
• and the menבַּעַלba‛al · masterH1167
• of Shechemשְׁכֶםshekem · ShechemH7927
• dealt treacherouslyבָּגַדbâgad · to act treacherouslyH898

Cross-references for Judges 9:23

• Judges 9:15The thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to choose me as your king, then come along, find safety under my branches! Otherwise may fire blaze from the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’
• 1 Samuel 16:14Now the Spirit of the Lord had turned away from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.
• 1 Samuel 18:9So Saul was keeping an eye on David from that day onward.
• 1 Kings 12:15The king refused to listen to the people, because the Lord was instigating this turn of events so that he might bring to pass the prophetic announcement he had made through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.
• 1 Kings 22:22He replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ The Lord said, ‘Deceive and overpower him. Go out and do as you have proposed.’
• 2 Chronicles 10:15The king refused to listen to the people, because God was instigating this turn of events so that he might bring to pass the prophetic announcement he had made through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.
• 2 Chronicles 18:19The Lord said, ‘Who will deceive King Ahab of Israel, so he will attack Ramoth Gilead and die there?’ One said this and another that.
• Isaiah 19:2“I will provoke civil strife in Egypt, brothers will fight with each other, as will neighbors, cities, and kingdoms.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:11Consequently God sends on them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false.
• Judges 9:16“Now, if you have shown loyalty and integrity when you made Abimelech king, if you have done right to Jerub-Baal and his family, if you have properly repaid him –
• Isaiah 33:1The destroyer is as good as dead, you who have not been destroyed! The deceitful one is as good as dead, the one whom others have not deceived! When you are through destroying, you will be destroyed; when you finish deceiving, others will deceive you!
• Matthew 7:2For by the standard you judge you will be judged, and the measure you use will be the measure you receive.

Commentaries on Judges 9:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23God sent an evil spirit - He permitted jealousies to take place which produced factions; and these factions produced insurrections, civil contentions, and slaughter.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. 22-23It took three years to fulfill what God had planned. The spirit that caused trouble found people ready to listen. Those punished for their foolishness actively contributed to their downfall; they caused it themselves.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem--In the course of providence, jealousy, distrust, secret disaffection, and smothered rebellion appeared among his subjects disappointed and disgusted with his tyranny; and God permitted those disorders to punish the complicated crimes of the royal fratricide and idolatrous usurper.Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 9:23

• Conspiracy
• Demons
• Judge
• Treachery
• Treason

In the dictionaries

• Abimelech
• God
• Shechem
• Evil Spirit
• Deserving
• 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