Tree of Life Version
Judges 9:4
4So they gave him 70 pieces of silver from the temple of Baal-berith. Abimelech then hired idle and reckless fellows, who followed him.
Judges 9:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baal–berith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him.
- New International Version (NIV)They gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, and Abimelek used it to hire reckless scoundrels, who became his followers.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, who followed him.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men; and they followed him.
Context of Judges 9:4
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.” 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.” So they gave him 70 pieces of silver from the temple of Baal-berith. Abimelech then hired idle and reckless fellows, who followed him. 5Then he went to his father’s house at Ophrah and slew his brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, 70 men, on top of one stone. But Jotam, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived, for he hid himself. 6Then all the leaders of Shechem and all Beth-millo assembled themselves together and went and made Abimelech king at the terebinth of the pillar that was in Shechem.
Read all of Judges 9Judges 9:4 word by word
וַיִּתְּנוּ־לוֹ֙ שִׁבְעִ֣ים כֶּ֔סֶף מִבֵּ֖יתּ בַ֣עַל בְּרִ֑ית וַיִּשְׂכֹּ֨ר בָּהֶ֜ם אֲבִימֶ֗לֶךְ אֲנָשִׁ֤ים רֵיקִים֙ וּפֹ֣חֲזִ֔ים וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ אַחֲרָֽיו׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And they gaveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- him threescore and tenשִׁבְעִיםshib‛îym · seventyH7657
- of silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
- out of the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
- of Baal–berithבַּעַל בְּרִיתba‛al berîyth · Baal-berithH1170
- wherewith Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăbîymelek · AbimelechH40
- hiredשָׂכַרώâkar sâkar · to hireH7936
- vainרֵיקrêyq rêq · worthlessH7386
- and lightפָּחַזpâchaz · be recklessH6348
- personsאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- which followedיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- himאַחַר'achar · afterH310
Cross-references for Judges 9:4
- Judges 9:46Now when all the lords of Shechem’s Tower heard about it, they went into the vault of the temple of El-berith.
- Judges 8:33But it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that Bnei-Yisrael again prostituted themselves after the Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god.
- Judges 11:3Then Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob. Some worthless fellows joined with Jephthah and went out with him.
- 1 Samuel 22:2Anyone who was in distress, anyone in debt, and anyone embittered rallied around him, and he became their leader. There were about 400 men with him.
- 2 Chronicles 13:7Riffraff and scoundrels gathered around him and pressed hard on Rehoboam son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted and could not stand up to them.
- Job 30:8A senseless and nameless brood, they were cast out from the land.
- Proverbs 12:11The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases daydreams lacks sense.
- Acts 17:5But some of the Jewish people became jealous. Taking some wicked fellows of the marketplace and gathering a crowd, they stirred the city into an uproar. They attacked Jason’s house, trying to bring Paul and Silas out to the mob.
Commentaries on Judges 9:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Threescore and ten pieces of silver - Probably shekels; and this was the whole of his exchequer. As he was now usurping the government of God, he begins with a contribution from the idol temple. A work begun under the name and influence of the devil is not likely to end to the glory of God, or to the welfare of man. Hired vain and light persons - ופחזים ריקים אנשים anashim reykim uphochazim, worthless and dissolute men; persons who were living on the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4True leaders earn loyalty and appeal to the noble in society, not to reckless troublemakers like Abimelech's hired followers.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. the house of Baal-berith--either the temple, or the place where this idol was worshipped; Baal-berith, "god of the covenant," by invocation of whom the league of cities was formed. Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him--idle, worthless vagabonds, the scum of society, who had nothing to lose, but much to gain from the success of a revolutionary movement.Read the comment
Topics related to Judges 9:4
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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