Judges 9:29

Judges 9:29 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.
• New International Version (NIV)If only this people were under my command! Then I would get rid of him. I would say to Abimelek, ‘Call out your whole army!’ ”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Would that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech. I would say to Abimelech, 'Increase your army, and come out.'"
• New Living Translation (NLT)If I were in charge here, I would get rid of Abimelech. I would say to him, ‘Get some soldiers, and come out and fight!’”

Context of Judges 9:29

27So they went out into the fields, and gathered grapes from their vineyards and trod them, and made merry. And they went into the house of their god, and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech. 28Then Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? If only this people were under my authority! Then I would remove Abimelech.” So he said to Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out!” 30When Zebul, the ruler of the city, heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was aroused. 31And he sent messengers to Abimelech secretly, saying, “Take note! Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem; and here they are, fortifying the city against you.

Judges 9:29 word by word

וּמִ֨י יִתֵּ֜ן אֶת־הָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ בְּיָדִ֔י וְאָסִ֖ירָה אֶת־אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לַאֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ רַבֶּ֥ה צְבָאֲךָ֖ וָצֵֽאָה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And would to God this peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• were underנָתַןnâthan · to give: if only!H5414
• my handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• then would I removeסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: removeH5493
• Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăbîymelek · AbimelechH40
• And he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Increaseרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
• thine armyצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · armyH6635
• and come outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318

People and places in Judges 9:29

• Abimelech

Cross-references for Judges 9:29

• 2 Samuel 15:4Moreover Absalom would say, “Oh, that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would come to me; then I would give him justice.”
• 1 Kings 20:11So the king of Israel answered and said, “Tell him, ‘Let not the one who puts on his armor boast like the one who takes it off.’ ”
• Psalms 10:3For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire; He blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord.
• Romans 1:30backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
• 2 Samuel 2:14Then Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men now arise and compete before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.”
• 2 Kings 14:8Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us face one another in battle.”
• 2 Kings 18:23Now therefore, I urge you, give a pledge to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses—if you are able on your part to put riders on them!
• Isaiah 36:8Now therefore, I urge you, give a pledge to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses—if you are able on your part to put riders on them!

Commentaries on Judges 9:29

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 29Would to God this people were under my hand - The very words and conduct of a sly, hypocritical demagogue. Increase thine army, and come out - When he found his party strong, and the public feeling warped to his side, then he appears to have sent a challenge to Abimelech, to come out and fight him.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 27-29Verses 27-29 Seditious and lawless acts Judges 9:25-26 now broke out into open rebellion. It was at an idolatrous feast in the house of Baal-berith, on occasion of the vintage, and when they were excited with wine, that the rebellion was matured. Those present began to “curse Abimelech,” to speak insultingly of him, and to revile him (compare Leviticus 20:9; 2 Samuel 19:21; Isaiah 8:21). Gaal, the son of Ebed, who was watching the opportunity, immediately…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. 27-29People were unhappy with Abimelech, and there was social unrest. With plenty of wine and careless talk, Gaal easily gained initial support.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 9:29

• Conspiracy
• Ebed
• Gaal
• Judge
• Zebul

In the dictionaries

• Abimelech
• God
• 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