Chapter 9:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Joshua Ruth
Judges 9
Concise Complete
Abimelech murders his brethren, and is made king. (1-6)
Jotham rebukes the Shechemites. (7-21) The Shechemites conspire against
Abimelech. (22-29) Abimelech destroys Shechem. (30-49) Abimelech slain. (50-57)
Verses 1-6 The men
of Shechem chose Abimelech king. God was not consulted whether they should have
any king, much less who it should be. If parents could see what their children
would do, and what they are to suffer, their joy in them often would be turned
into sorrow: we may be thankful that we cannot know what shall happen. Above
all, we should fear and watch against sin; for our evil conduct may produce
fatal effects upon our families, after we are in our graves.
Verses 7-21 There
was no occasion for the trees to choose a king, they are all the trees of the
Lord which he has planted. Nor was there any occasion for Israel to set a king
over them, for the Lord was their King. Those who bear fruit for the public
good, are justly respected and honoured by all that are wise, more than those
who merely make a figure. All these fruit-trees gave much the same reason for
their refusal to be promoted over the trees; or, as the margin reads it, to go
up and down for the trees. To rule, involves a man in a great deal both of toil
and care. Those who are preferred to public trust and power, must forego all
private interests and advantages, for the good of others. And those advanced to
honour and dignity, are in great danger of losing their fruitfulness. For which
reason, they that desire to do good, are afraid of being too great. Jotham
compares Abimelech to the bramble or thistle, a worthless plant, whose end is to
be burned. Such a one was Abimelech.
Verses 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.
Verses 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.
Verses 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, though praised of men, fully explain
the Scripture doctrine of the deceitfulness and desperate wickedness of the
human heart, the force of men's lust, and the effect of Satan's influence. Lord,
thou has given us thy word of truth and righteousness, O pour upon us thy spirit
of purity, peace, and love, and write thy holy law in our hearts.
Chapter 9:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Joshua Ruth
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
