Judges 9:20
in Judges 9But if not, may fire come from Abimelech and consume the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo, and may fire come from the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo and consume Abimelech.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech.
KJV
But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech.
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This verse in Judges 9
Commentary
6 notes on this verseLet fire come out from Abimelech - As the thorn or bramble may be the means of kindling other wood, because it may be easily ignited; so shall Abimelech be the cause of kindling a fire of civil discord among you, that shall consume the rulers and great men of your country. A prophetic declaration of what would take place.
This site's exposition
if you have acted faithfully and honestly
on Judges 9:19-21
The curse is framed as a condition and it runs both ways, fire from Abimelech devouring Shechem and fire from Shechem devouring Abimelech. Both halves are reported by verse 49 and verse 53, and the narrator says so at verse 57. Jotham then runs to Beer and leaves the book.
This site's exposition
may fire come from Abimelech
Adam Clarke takes the line as prophecy, with Abimelech kindling civil strife as a thorn kindles other wood. John Wesley reads it as an imprecation, a curse that took effect because its cause was just. Verse 57 calls it the curse of Jotham.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Devour Abimelech - This is not so much a prediction as an imprecation, which, being grounded upon just cause, had its effect, as others in like case had.
But if not,....
We have seen the ruin of the Shechemites completed by the hand of Abimelech; and now it comes to his turn to be reckoned with who was their leader in villany. Thebez was a small city, probably not far from Shechem, dependent upon it, and in confederacy with it.
The words behind it
21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאִם־ | veim- | and if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| אַ֕יִן | ʾayin | not | H369 → | 789 times |
| תֵּ֤צֵא | tetze' | let it go out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| אֵשׁ֙ | ʾesh | a fire | H784 → | 378 times |
| מֵאֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ | meavimelekh | from Abimelech | H40 → | 66 times |
| וְתֹאכַ֛ל | vetokhal | and let it consume | H398 → | 810 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בַּעֲלֵ֥י | baalei | [the] citizens of | H1167 → | 84 times |
| שְׁכֶ֖ם | shekhem | Shechem | H7927 → | 63 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בֵּ֣ית | beit | Beth | H1037 → | 8 times |
| מִלּ֑וֹא | milo' | Millo | H1037 → | 8 times |
| וְתֵצֵ֨א | vetetze' | and let it go out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| אֵ֜שׁ | ʾesh | a fire | H784 → | 378 times |
| מִבַּעֲלֵ֤י | mibaalei | from [the] citizens of | H1167 → | 84 times |
| שְׁכֶם֙ | shekhem | Shechem | H7927 → | 63 times |
| וּמִבֵּ֣ית | umibeit | and from Beth | H1037 → | 8 times |
| מִלּ֔וֹא | milo' | Millo | H1037 → | 8 times |
| וְתֹאכַ֖ל | vetokhal | and let it consume | H398 → | 810 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ׃ | ʾavimelekh | Abimelech | H40 → | 66 times |
וְאִם־and if
veim-H518 →1069 times
אַ֕יִןnot
ʾayinH369 →789 times
תֵּ֤צֵאlet it go out
tetze'H3318 →1067 times
אֵשׁ֙a fire
ʾeshH784 →378 times
מֵאֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְfrom Abimelech
meavimelekhH40 →66 times
וְתֹאכַ֛לand let it consume
vetokhalH398 →810 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
בַּעֲלֵ֥י[the] citizens of
baaleiH1167 →84 times
שְׁכֶ֖םShechem
shekhemH7927 →63 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
בֵּ֣יתBeth
beitH1037 →8 times
מִלּ֑וֹאMillo
milo'H1037 →8 times
וְתֵצֵ֨אand let it go out
vetetze'H3318 →1067 times
אֵ֜שׁa fire
ʾeshH784 →378 times
מִבַּעֲלֵ֤יfrom [the] citizens of
mibaaleiH1167 →84 times
שְׁכֶם֙Shechem
shekhemH7927 →63 times
וּמִבֵּ֣יתand from Beth
umibeitH1037 →8 times
מִלּ֔וֹאMillo
milo'H1037 →8 times
וְתֹאכַ֖לand let it consume
vetokhalH398 →810 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
אֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ׃Abimelech
ʾavimelekhH40 →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
Psalms 140:10May burning coals fall on them; may they be thrown into the fire, into the miry pits, never to rise again.
it leads to
- Psalms 11:6
On the wicked He will rain down fiery coals and sulfur; a scorching wind will be their portion.
- Psalms 21:9
You will place them in a fiery furnace at the time of Your appearing. In His wrath the LORD will engulf them, and the fire will consume them.
- Revelation 21:8
But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This…
- Psalms 11:6
Through
Psalms 28:4Repay them according to their deeds and for their works of evil. Repay them for what their hands have done; bring back on them what they deserve.
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 4:14
Alexander the coppersmith did great harm to me. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
- Revelation 22:12
“Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done.
- Psalms 109:17–21
The cursing that he loved, may it fall on him; the blessing in which he refused to delight, may it be far from him.
- Revelation 18:6
Give back to her as she has done to others; pay her back double for what she has done; mix her a double portion in her own cup.
- 2 Timothy 4:14
Through
Judges 9:15But the thornbush replied, ‘If you really are anointing me as king over you, come and find refuge in my shade. But if not, may fire come out of the thornbush and consume the…
it leads to
- Isaiah 30:2
They set out to go down to Egypt without asking My advice, to seek shelter under Pharaoh’s protection and take refuge in Egypt’s shade.
- Isaiah 30:2
Where this verse is studied
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); 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.