Judges 9:56
in Judges 9In this way God repaid the wickedness that Abimelech had done to his father in murdering his seventy brothers.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Thus God requited the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren;
KJV
Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:
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This verse in Judges 9
Commentary
4 notes on this verseThe record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
): Thus God punished the wickedness of Abimelech, and of the men of Shechem, and fulfilled Jotham's curse, for it was not a curse causeless. Thus he preserved the honour of his government, and gave warning to all ages to expect blood for blood. The Lord is known by the judgments which he executes, when the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech which he did unto his father,.... To the disgrace of his father's character, and to the hurt of his father's family: in slaying his seventy brethren; excepting one, which was a piece of unheard of wickedness, attended with most sad aggravations; the shedding such blood required blood to be shed again, and it was righteous judgment God rendered to him; this, and the following verse contain the remarks made upon this history by the writer of it, who, as we have seen, in all probability, was the Prophet Samuel.
Of this meteor, this ignis fatuus of a prince, that was not a protector but a plague to his country, we may say, as once was said of a great tyrant, that he came in like a fox, ruled like a lion, and died like a dog. "For the transgression of a land, such are the princes thereof." The Usurpation of Abimelech.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Thus God rendered, etc. - Both the fratricide Abimelech, and the unprincipled men of Shechem, had the iniquity visited upon them of which they had been guilty. Man’s judgment may be avoided; but there is no escape from the judgments of God. I Have said that the fable of Jotham is the oldest, and perhaps the best, in the world; and referred for other particulars to the end of the chapter.
The words behind it
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיָּ֣שֶׁב | vaiyashev | and he repaid | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| אֱלֹהִ֔ים | ʾelohim | God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| אֵ֖ת | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| רָעַ֣ת | raat | [the] evil of | H7451 → | 662 times |
| אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ | ʾavimelekh | Abimelech | H40 → | 66 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֤ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עָשָׂה֙ | ʾasah | he had done | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| לְאָבִ֔יו | leaviv | to father his | H1 → | 1212 times |
| לַהֲרֹ֖ג | laharog | by killing | H2026 → | 167 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שִׁבְעִ֥ים | shivim | seventy | H7657 → | 91 times |
| אֶחָֽיו׃ | ʾechav | brothers his | H251 → | 630 times |
וַיָּ֣שֶׁבand he repaid
vaiyashevH7725 →1056 times
אֱלֹהִ֔יםGod
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
אֵ֖ת<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
רָעַ֣ת[the] evil of
raatH7451 →662 times
אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְAbimelech
ʾavimelekhH40 →66 times
אֲשֶׁ֤רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
עָשָׂה֙he had done
ʾasahH6213 →2628 times
לְאָבִ֔יוto father his
leavivH1 →1212 times
לַהֲרֹ֖גby killing
laharogH2026 →167 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
שִׁבְעִ֥יםseventy
shivimH7657 →91 times
אֶחָֽיו׃brothers his
ʾechavH251 →630 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
Galatians 6:7Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 9:6
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
- Hosea 10:12
Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of loving devotion; break up your unplowed ground. For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain.
- Job 4:8
As I have observed, those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble reap the same.
- Romans 2:6–10
God “will repay each one according to his deeds.”
- 1 Corinthians 15:33
Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
- 2 Corinthians 9:6
Through
Psalms 94:23He will bring upon them their own iniquity and destroy them for their wickedness. The LORD our God will destroy them.
it leads to
- Psalms 7:16
His trouble recoils on himself, and his violence falls on his own head.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 7:16
Through
Psalms 9:12For the Avenger of bloodshed remembers; He does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.
it leads to
- Psalms 34:6
This poor man called out, and the LORD heard him; He saved him from all his troubles.
- Exodus 3:7
The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.
- Psalms 34:6
Where this verse is studied
About Judges
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.