Judges 9:23
in Judges 9God sent a spirit of animosity between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem and caused them to treat Abimelech deceitfully,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:
KJV
Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:
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This verse in Judges 9
Commentary
6 notes on this verseGod sent an evil spirit - He permitted jealousies to take place which produced factions; and these factions produced insurrections, civil contentions, and slaughter.
This site's exposition
After Abimelech had reigned over Israel
on Judges 9:22-24
God sends "a spirit of animosity between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem," and in the King James the words evil spirit first stand together here, then for Saul at 1 Samuel 16:14. Some read a created spirit on an errand, while Gill and Clarke lean toward suspicion stirred among men under God's rule. Verse 24 lays the blood on the town as well, because Shechem paid for the killing.
This site's exposition
a spirit of animosity
Matthew Henry locates the evil spirit in the men's own lusts, which God gave them up to. On his reading the sin becomes the punishment, and the punishment is from God. The partners in murder turn on each other.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Their own lusts were evil spirits; they are devils in men's own hearts; from them come wars and fightings. These God gave them up to, and so might be said to send the evil spirits between them. When men's sin is made their punishment, though God is not the author of the sin, yet the punishment is from him.
Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem,....
It is not said, They repented of their sin in owning him. Had they done so, it would have been laudable to disown him; but they did it only upon some particular pique conceived against him by their pride or envy.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח | vaiyishlach | and he sent | H7971 → | 845 times |
| אֱלֹהִים֙ | ʾelohim | God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| ר֣וּחַ | ruach | a spirit | H7307 → | 378 times |
| רָעָ֔ה | raah | evil | H7451 → | 662 times |
| בֵּ֣ין | bein | between | H996 → | 407 times |
| אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ | ʾavimelekh | Abimelech | H40 → | 66 times |
| וּבֵ֖ין | uvein | and between | H996 → | 407 times |
| בַּעֲלֵ֣י | baalei | [the] citizens of | H1167 → | 84 times |
| שְׁכֶ֑ם | shekhem | Shechem | H7927 → | 63 times |
| וַיִּבְגְּד֥וּ | vaiyivgedu | and they dealt treacherously | H898 → | |
| בַעֲלֵי־ | vaalei- | [the] citizens of | H1167 → | 84 times |
| שְׁכֶ֖ם | shekhem | Shechem | H7927 → | 63 times |
| בַּאֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ׃ | baavimelekh | with Abimelech | H40 → | 66 times |
וַיִּשְׁלַ֤חand he sent
vaiyishlachH7971 →845 times
אֱלֹהִים֙God
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
ר֣וּחַa spirit
ruachH7307 →378 times
רָעָ֔הevil
raahH7451 →662 times
בֵּ֣יןbetween
beinH996 →407 times
אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְAbimelech
ʾavimelekhH40 →66 times
וּבֵ֖יןand between
uveinH996 →407 times
בַּעֲלֵ֣י[the] citizens of
baaleiH1167 →84 times
שְׁכֶ֑םShechem
shekhemH7927 →63 times
וַיִּבְגְּד֥וּand they dealt treacherously
vaiyivgeduH898 →
בַעֲלֵי־[the] citizens of
vaalei-H1167 →84 times
שְׁכֶ֖םShechem
shekhemH7927 →63 times
בַּאֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ׃with Abimelech
baavimelekhH40 →66 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 33:1Woe to you, O destroyer never destroyed, O traitor never betrayed! When you have finished destroying, you will be destroyed. When you have finished betraying, you will be betrayed.
it leads to
- Matthew 7:2
For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
- Isaiah 24:16
From the ends of the earth we hear singing: “Glory to the Righteous One.” But I said, “I am wasting away! I am wasting away! Woe is me.” The treacherous betray; the treacherous deal…
- Matthew 7:2
Through
Isaiah 19:2“So I will incite Egyptian against Egyptian; brother will fight against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.
it leads to
- Judges 7:22
And when the three hundred rams’ horns sounded, the LORD set all the men in the camp against one another with their swords. The army fled to Beth-shittah toward Zererah as far as the…
- 1 Samuel 14:20
Then Saul and all his troops assembled and marched to the battle, and they found the Philistines in total confusion, with each man wielding the sword against his neighbor.
- Matthew 10:36
A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’
- Revelation 17:12–17
The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive one hour of authority as kings, along with the beast.
- Ezekiel 38:21
And I will summon a sword against Gog on all My mountains, declares the Lord GOD, and every man’s sword will be against his brother.
- Judges 7:22
Through
Isaiah 19:14The LORD has poured into her a spirit of confusion. Egypt has been led astray in all she does, as a drunkard staggers through his own vomit.
it leads to
- 2 Thessalonians 2:11
For this reason God will send them a powerful delusion so that they believe the lie,
- 2 Thessalonians 2:11
About Judges
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.