New English Translation
Judges 9:51
51There was a fortified tower in the center of the city, so all the men and women, as well as the city’s leaders, ran into it and locked the entrance. Then they went up to the roof of the tower.
Judges 9:51 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower.
- New International Version (NIV)Inside the city, however, was a strong tower, to which all the men and women—all the people of the city—had fled. They had locked themselves in and climbed up on the tower roof.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men and women and all the leaders of the city fled to it and shut themselves in, and they went up to the roof of the tower.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But there was a strong tower in the city, and all the men and women—all the people of the city—fled there and shut themselves in; then they went up to the top of the tower.
Context of Judges 9:51
49So each of his men also cut off a branch and followed Abimelech. They put the branches against the stronghold and set fire to it. All the people of the Tower of Shechem died – about a thousand men and women. 50Abimelech moved on to Thebez; he besieged and captured it. There was a fortified tower in the center of the city, so all the men and women, as well as the city’s leaders, ran into it and locked the entrance. Then they went up to the roof of the tower. 52Abimelech came and attacked the tower. When he approached the entrance of the tower to set it on fire, 53a woman threw an upper millstone down on his head and shattered his skull.
Read all of Judges 9Judges 9:51 word by word
וּמִגְדַּל־עֹז֮ הָיָ֣ה בְתוֹךְ־הָעִיר֒ וַיָּנֻ֨סוּ שָׁ֜מָּה כָּל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֣ים וְהַנָּשִׁ֗ים וְכֹל֙ בַּעֲלֵ֣י הָעִ֔יר וַֽיִּסְגְּר֖וּ בַּעֲדָ֑ם וַֽיַּעֲל֖וּ עַל־גַּ֥ג הַמִּגְדָּֽל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But there was a strongעֹז‛ôz ‛ôz · strengthH5797
- towerמִגְדָּלmigdâl migdâlâh · towerH4026
- withinתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
- the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- and thither fledנוּסnûs · to fleeH5127
- all the menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- and womenאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
- and all theyבַּעַלba‛al · masterH1167
- and shutסָגַרsâgar · to shutH5462
- to them, and gat them upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- to the topגָּגgâg · roofH1406
Commentaries on Judges 9:51
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 50-57Verses 50-57 The Shechemites were ruined by Abimelech; now he is reckoned with, who was their leader in villany. Evil pursues sinners, and sometimes overtakes them, when not only at ease, but triumphant. Though wickedness may prosper a while, it will not prosper always. The history of mankind, if truly told, would greatly resemble that of this chapter. The records of what are called splendid events present to us such contests for power. Such scenes…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22-57Theological statements in Judges 9:23–24 and 9:56–57 frame the story of the civil conflict that caused the destruction of Abimelech and Shechem. This event fulfilled the curse that Jotham declared (Judges 9:19–20).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 51-5351-53. all the men and women, ... gat them up to the top of the tower--The Canaanite forts were generally mountain fastnesses or keeps, and they often had a strong tower which served as a last refuge. The Assyrian bas-reliefs afford counterparts of the scene here described so vivid and exact, that we might almost suppose them to be representations of the same historic events. The besieged city--the strong tower within--the men and women crowding its…Read the comment
Topics related to Judges 9:51
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
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Commentaries