Judges 9:44

Judges 9:44 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Abimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and the two other companies ran upon all the people that were in the fields, and slew them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Abimelech and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city, while the two companies rushed upon all who were in the field and killed them.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Abimelech and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city; and the other two companies rushed upon all who were in the fields and killed them.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Abimelech and his group stormed the city gate to keep the men of Shechem from getting back in, while Abimelech’s other two groups cut them down in the fields.

Context of Judges 9:44

42The next day the people of Shechem went out to the fields, and this was reported to Abimelek. 43So he took his men, divided them into three companies and set an ambush in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he rose to attack them. Abimelek and the companies with him rushed forward to a position at the entrance of the city gate. Then two companies attacked those in the fields and struck them down. 45All that day Abimelek pressed his attack against the city until he had captured it and killed its people. Then he destroyed the city and scattered salt over it. 46On hearing this, the citizens in the tower of Shechem went into the stronghold of the temple of El-Berith.

Judges 9:44 word by word

וַאֲבִימֶ֗לֶךְ וְהָרָאשִׁים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עִמּ֔וֹ פָּשְׁט֕וּ וַיַּ֣עַמְד֔וּ פֶּ֖תַח שַׁ֣עַר הָעִ֑יר וּשְׁנֵ֣י הָֽרָאשִׁ֗ים פָּֽשְׁט֛וּ עַֽל־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֖ה וַיַּכּֽוּם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăbîymelek · AbimelechH40
• and the companyרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: groupH7218
• with him, rushed forwardפָּשַׁטpâshaţ · to stripH6584
• and stoodעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• in the enteringפֶּ֫תַחpethach · entranceH6607
• of the gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
• of the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• and the twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• in the fieldsשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: countryH7704
• and slewנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221

Cross-references for Judges 9:44

• Judges 9:15“The thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, then let fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’
• Galatians 5:15If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

Commentaries on Judges 9:44

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 44This verse explains the purpose of both the present and the former division of Abimelech‘s forces into several companies, namely, that while some of the companies attacked the men of Shechem in the field, another company, starting from their ambush, might occupy the approach to the city gate, and so cut off their retreat.Read the comment
• 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. 43-45Abimelech lost any right to be seen as an inspired leader. He ordered his men to attack the people of Shechem, killing them all and destroying 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 9:44

• Judge

In the dictionaries

• Abimelech
• Ambush
• Deserving
• Gaal
• Incline
• Merry
• Middle
• Mouth
• Parable
• Zebul

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