Judges 9:52

Judges 9:52 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
• New International Version (NIV)Abimelek went to the tower and attacked it. But as he approached the entrance to the tower to set it on fire,
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it and drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So Abimelech came as far as the tower and fought against it; and he drew near the door of the tower to burn it with fire.

Context of Judges 9:52

50Then Abimelech attacked the town of Thebez and captured it. 51But there was a strong tower inside the town, and all the men and women—the entire population—fled to it. They barricaded themselves in and climbed up to the roof of the tower. Abimelech followed them to attack the tower. But as he prepared to set fire to the entrance, 53a woman on the roof dropped a millstone that landed on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull. 54He quickly said to his young armor bearer, “Draw your sword and kill me! Don’t let it be said that a woman killed Abimelech!” So the young man ran him through with his sword, and he died.

Judges 9:52 word by word

וַיָּבֹ֤א אֲבִימֶ֙לֶךְ֙ עַד־הַמִּגְדָּ֔ל וַיִּלָּ֖חֶם בּ֑וֹ וַיִּגַּ֛שׁ עַד־פֶּ֥תַח הַמִּגְדָּ֖ל לְשָׂרְפ֥וֹ בָאֵֽשׁ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăbîymelek · AbimelechH40
• cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• unto the towerמִגְדָּלmigdâl migdâlâh · towerH4026
• and foughtלָחַםlâcham · to fightH3898
• against it, and went hardנָגַשׁnâgash · to approach: approachH5066
• unto the doorפֶּ֫תַחpethach · entranceH6607
• to burnשָׂרַףώâraph · to burnH8313
• it with fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784

Cross-references for Judges 9:52

• Judges 9:48so he led his forces to Mount Zalmon. He took an ax and chopped some branches from a tree, then put them on his shoulder. “Quick, do as I have done!” he told his men.
• 2 Kings 14:10“You have indeed defeated Edom, and you are proud of it. But be content with your victory and stay at home! Why stir up trouble that will only bring disaster on you and the people of Judah?”
• 2 Kings 15:16At that time Menahem destroyed the town of Tappuah and all the surrounding countryside as far as Tirzah, because its citizens refused to surrender the town. He killed the entire population and ripped open the pregnant women.

Commentaries on Judges 9:52

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 52Went hard unto the door … - i. e. went close to the door. An act of manifest danger, seeing the roof was covered with persons who would be likely to throw down missiles of all sorts on the heads of their assailants. But the hatred of Abimelech, and his thirst for revenge, made him despise danger.Read the comment
• 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 9:52

• Judge
• Judgments
• Thebez

In the dictionaries

• Abimelech
• City
• Deserving
• Incline
• Merry
• Middle
• Mouth
• Parable
• Thebez
• Abdon (1)

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