Judges 9:38

Judges 9:38 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them.
• New International Version (NIV)Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your big talk now, you who said, ‘Who is Abimelek that we should be subject to him?’ Aren’t these the men you ridiculed? Go out and fight them!”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then Zebul said to him, "Where is your mouth now, you who said, 'Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?' Are not these the people whom you despised? Go out now and fight with them."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Zebul said to him, “Where indeed is your mouth now, with which you said, ‘Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?’ Are not these the people whom you despised? Go out, if you will, and fight with them now.”

Context of Judges 9:38

36When Gaal saw them, he said to Zebul, “Look, there are people coming down from the hilltops!” Zebul replied, “It’s just the shadows on the hills that look like men.” 37But again Gaal said, “No, people are coming down from the hills. And another group is coming down the road past the Diviners’ Oak.” Then Zebul turned on him and asked, “Now where is that big mouth of yours? Wasn’t it you that said, ‘Who is Abimelech, and why should we be his servants?’ The men you mocked are right outside the city! Go out and fight them!” 39So Gaal led the leading citizens of Shechem into battle against Abimelech. 40But Abimelech chased him, and many of Shechem’s men were wounded and fell along the road as they retreated to the city gate.

Judges 9:38 word by word

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלָ֜יו זְבֻ֗ל אַיֵּ֨ה אֵפ֥וֹא פִ֙יךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֹּאמַ֔ר מִ֥י אֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ כִּ֣י נַעַבְדֶ֑נּוּ הֲלֹ֨א זֶ֤ה הָעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר מָאַ֣סְתָּה בּ֔וֹ צֵא־נָ֥א עַתָּ֖ה וְהִלָּ֥חֶם בּֽוֹ׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Zebulזְבֻלzebûl · ZebulH2083
• nowאֵפוֹ'êphô 'êphô' · thenH645
• thy mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
• Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăbîymelek · AbimelechH40
• that we should serveעָבַד‛âbad · to serveH5647
• not this the peopleעַם‛am · people: soldiersH5971
• that thou hast despisedמָאַסmâ'as · to rejectH3988
• go outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• I pray nowנָאnâ' · pleaseH4994
• and fightלָחַםlâcham · to fightH3898

Cross-references for Judges 9:38

• Judges 9:28“Who is Abimelech?” Gaal shouted. “He’s not a true son of Shechem, so why should we be his servants? He’s merely the son of Gideon, and this Zebul is merely his deputy. Serve the true sons of Hamor, the founder of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech?
• 2 Samuel 2:26Abner shouted down to Joab, “Must we always be killing each other? Don’t you realize that bitterness is the only result? When will you call off your men from chasing their Israelite brothers?”
• 2 Kings 14:8One day Amaziah sent messengers with this challenge to Israel’s king Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz and grandson of Jehu: “Come and meet me in battle!”
• Jeremiah 2:28But why not call on these gods you have made? When trouble comes, let them save you if they can! For you have as many gods as there are towns in Judah.

Commentaries on Judges 9:38

• 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 9:38

• Conspiracy
• Gaal
• Judge
• Zebul

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