Judges 9:29
in Judges 9If only this people were under my authority, I would remove Abimelech; I would say to him, ‘Muster your army and come out!’”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And would that this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.
KJV
And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.
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This verse in Judges 9
Commentary
6 notes on this verseWould to God this people were under my hand - The very words and conduct of a sly, hypocritical demagogue. Increase thine army, and come out - When he found his party strong, and the public feeling warped to his side, then he appears to have sent a challenge to Abimelech, to come out and fight him.
This site's exposition
Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem
on Judges 9:28-29
Gaal tells the town to go back to its old line, serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem, which names Genesis 33:19 and Genesis 34 out loud. Hamor's house is the family Simeon and Levi destroyed after Dinah, so the appeal reaches past Israel altogether to the Canaanite city Jacob camped beside. He also calls Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal, the Baal-fighting name given at 6:32, and turns it into a reason for a Baal-berith town to be rid of him.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
My hand - That is, under my command; I wish you would unanimously submit to me, as your captain and governor; for he found them divided; and some of them hearkening after Abimelech, whom they had lately rejected, according to the levity of the popular humour.
(2.) Of his good father likewise, Gideon: Is not he the son of Jerubbaal? So he calls him, perhaps in an impious indignation at his name and memory for throwing down the altar of Baal, turning that to his reproach which was his praise.
And would to God this people were under my hand,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
The consequence was that he allowed himself to be drawn into an ambush, was defeated, the city of Shechem destroyed and strewn with salt. The people took refuge in the stronghold, which was set on fire, and all in it perished.
The words behind it
14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּמִ֨י | umi | and who? | H4310 → | 423 times |
| יִתֵּ֜ן | yiten | will he give | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָעָ֤ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| הַזֶּה֙ | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| בְּיָדִ֔י | beyadi | in hand my | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| וְאָסִ֖ירָה | veasirah | and I will remove | H5493 → | 299 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ | ʾavimelekh | Abimelech | H40 → | 66 times |
| וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לַאֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ | laavimelekh | of Abimelech | H40 → | 66 times |
| רַבֶּ֥ה | rabeh | make numerous | H7235 → | 227 times |
| צְבָאֲךָ֖ | tzevaakha | army your | H6635 → | 485 times |
| וָצֵֽאָה׃ | vatzeah | and come out ! | H3318 → | 1067 times |
וּמִ֨יand who?
umiH4310 →423 times
יִתֵּ֜ןwill he give
yitenH5414 →2011 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הָעָ֤םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
הַזֶּה֙<the> this
hazehH2088 →1180 times
בְּיָדִ֔יin hand my
beyadiH3027 →1618 times
וְאָסִ֖ירָהand I will remove
veasirahH5493 →299 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְAbimelech
ʾavimelekhH40 →66 times
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙and he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
לַאֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְof Abimelech
laavimelekhH40 →66 times
רַבֶּ֥הmake numerous
rabehH7235 →227 times
צְבָאֲךָ֖army your
tzevaakhaH6635 →485 times
וָצֵֽאָה׃and come out !
vatzeahH3318 →1067 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
Psalms 10:3For the wicked man boasts in the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.
it leads to
- Psalms 94:4
They pour out arrogant words; all workers of iniquity boast.
- Luke 12:19
Then I will say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry!”’
- Zechariah 11:5–8
whose buyers slaughter them without remorse. Those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the LORD, for I am rich!’ Even their own shepherds have no compassion on them.
- Micah 6:10–12
Can I forget any longer, O house of the wicked, the treasures of wickedness and the short ephah, which is accursed?
- Job 31:24
If I have put my trust in gold or called pure gold my security,
- Psalms 94:4
Through
2 Kings 14:8Then Amaziah sent messengers to the king of Israel Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu. “Come, let us meet face to face,” he said.
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 25:17–24
Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and sent word to the king of Israel Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu. “Come, let us meet face to face,” he said.
- 2 Kings 14:11
But Amaziah would not listen, and Jehoash king of Israel advanced. He and King Amaziah of Judah faced each other at Beth-shemesh in Judah.
- 2 Samuel 2:14–17
Then Abner said to Joab, “Let us have the young men get up and compete before us.” “Let them get up,” Joab replied.
- 2 Chronicles 25:17–24
About Judges
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.