Tree of Life Version
Judges 9:2
2“Speak now, in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem: Which is better for you, that 70 men—all the sons of Jerubbaal—rule over you, or that a single man rules over you? Remember also that I am your flesh and bone.”
Judges 9:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.
- New International Version (NIV)“Ask all the citizens of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you: to have all seventy of Jerub-Baal’s sons rule over you, or just one man?’ Remember, I am your flesh and blood.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Say in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, 'Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal rule over you, or that one rule over you?' Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh."
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Please speak in the hearing of all the men of Shechem: ‘Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal reign over you, or that one reign over you?’ Remember that I am your own flesh and bone.”
Context of Judges 9:2
1Now Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem, to his mother’s brothers, and spoke to them and the whole clan of his mother’s father’s household saying, “Speak now, in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem: Which is better for you, that 70 men—all the sons of Jerubbaal—rule over you, or that a single man rules over you? Remember also that I am your flesh and bone.” 3When his mother’s brothers discussed all these words of his in the ears of all Shechem’s leaders, their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.” 4So they gave him 70 pieces of silver from the temple of Baal-berith. Abimelech then hired idle and reckless fellows, who followed him.
Read all of Judges 9Judges 9:2 word by word
דַּבְּרוּ־נָ֞א בְּאָזְנֵ֨י כָל־בַּעֲלֵ֣י שְׁכֶם֮ מַה־טּ֣וֹב לָכֶם֒ הַמְשֹׁ֨ל בָּכֶ֜ם שִׁבְעִ֣ים אִ֗ישׁ כֹּ֚ל בְּנֵ֣י יְרֻבַּ֔עַל אִם־מְשֹׁ֥ל בָּכֶ֖ם אִ֣ישׁ אֶחָ֑ד וּזְכַרְתֶּ֕ם כִּֽי־עַצְמֵכֶם וּבְשַׂרְכֶ֖ם אָנִֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- I pray you, in the earsאֹ֫זֶן'ôzen · ear: to earsH241
- of all the menבַּעַלba‛al · masterH1167
- of Shechemשְׁכֶםshekem · ShechemH7927
- betterטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- for you, either that all the sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Jerubbaalיְרֻבַּ֫עַלyerûbba‛al · JerubbaalH3378
- threescore and tenשִׁבְעִיםshib‛îym · seventyH7657
- personsאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- reignמָשַׁלmâshal · to ruleH4910
- over you, or that oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- over you? rememberזָכַרzâkar · to rememberH2142
- your boneעֶ֫צֶם‛etsem · boneH6106
- and your fleshבָּשָׂרbâώâr · fleshH1320
Cross-references for Judges 9:2
- Judges 8:30Now Gideon had 70 sons of his own issue, for he had many wives.
- Genesis 29:14Laban said to him, “Surely you are my own bone and flesh.” And he stayed with him for a month.
- 2 Samuel 19:13‘You are my kinsmen, my bone and my flesh! Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?’
- 1 Chronicles 11:1Then all Israel gathered to David at Hebron, saying: “Behold, we are your own flesh and blood.
- Ephesians 5:30because we are members of His body.
- Hebrews 2:14Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared the same humanity—so that through death He might break the power of the one who had the power of death (that is, the devil)
Commentaries on Judges 9:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Whether is better for you, either that all the sons - This was a powerful argument: Whether will you have seventy tyrants or only one? For, as he had no right to the government, and God alone was king at that time in Israel; so he must support his usurped rule by whatever means were most likely to effect it: a usurped government is generally supported by oppression and the sword.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2The men of Shechem - literally, “the masters.” Compare Joshua 24:11; 1 Samuel 23:11-12.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-3Abimelech, the son of a concubine (Judges 8:31; see study note on Judges 19:1), claimed he could create the royal dynasty that his father had rejected. The absence of any record of a conquest of Shechem, despite Israel’s covenant activities in the city (Joshua 24), suggests that Shechem’s people became part of Israel. Abimelech’s uncles and his mother might have been of non-Israelite origin.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, ... or that one reign over you--a false insinuation, artfully contrived to stir up jealousy and alarm. Gideon had rejected, with abhorrence, the proposal to make himself or any of his family king, and there is no evidence that any of his other sons coveted the title.Read the comment
Topics related to Judges 9:2
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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