Judges 9:34

Judges 9:34 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.
• New International Version (NIV)So Abimelek and all his troops set out by night and took up concealed positions near Shechem in four companies.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So Abimelech and all the men who were with him rose up by night and set an ambush against Shechem in four companies.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So Abimelech and all the people who were with him rose by night, and lay in wait against Shechem in four companies.

Context of Judges 9:34

32Now, come up at night with your men and set an ambush in the field outside the city. 33In the morning at sunrise quickly attack the city. When he and his men come out to fight you, do what you can to him.” So Abimelech and all his men came up at night and set an ambush outside Shechem – they divided into four units. 35When Gaal son of Ebed came out and stood at the entrance to the city’s gate, Abimelech and his men got up from their hiding places. 36Gaal saw the men and said to Zebul, “Look, men are coming down from the tops of the hills.” But Zebul said to him, “You are seeing the shadows on the hills – it just looks like men.”

Judges 9:34 word by word

וַיָּ֧קָם אֲבִימֶ֛לֶךְ וְכָל־הָעָ֥ם אֲשֶׁר־עִמּ֖וֹ לָ֑יְלָה וַיֶּאֶרְב֣וּ עַל־שְׁכֶ֔ם אַרְבָּעָ֖ה רָאשִֽׁים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăbîymelek · AbimelechH40
• rose upקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
• and all the peopleעַם‛am · people: soldiersH5971
• with him, by nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
• and they laid waitאָרַב'ârab · to ambushH693
• against Shechemשְׁכֶםshekem · ShechemH7927
• in fourאַרְבַּע'arba‛ 'arbâ‛âh · fourH702
• companiesרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: groupH7218

Commentaries on Judges 9:34

• 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 9:34

• Ambush
• Armies
• Conspiracy
• Ebed
• Gaal
• Judge
• Zebul

In the dictionaries

• Abimelech
• Shechem
• Ambush
• 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