Abimelech in the Bible
Meaning: father of the king
Exact Match
His concubine, who lived in Shechem, also gave him a son, whom he named Abimelech.
Now Abimelech son of Jerub-Baal went to Shechem to see his mother's relatives. He said to them and to his mother's entire extended family,
His mother's relatives spoke on his behalf to all the leaders of Shechem and reported his proposal. The leaders were drawn to Abimelech; they said, "He is our close relative."
They paid him seventy silver shekels out of the temple of Baal-Berith. Abimelech then used the silver to hire some lawless, dangerous men as his followers.
All the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo assembled and then went and made Abimelech king by the oak near the pillar in Shechem.
"Now, if you have shown loyalty and integrity when you made Abimelech king, if you have done right to Jerub-Baal and his family, if you have properly repaid him --
But you have attacked my father's family today. You murdered his seventy legitimate sons on one stone and made Abimelech, the son of his female slave, king over the leaders of Shechem, just because he is your close relative.
So if you have shown loyalty and integrity to Jerub-Baal and his family today, then may Abimelech bring you happiness and may you bring him happiness!
But if not, may fire blaze from Abimelech and consume the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo! May fire also blaze from the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo and consume Abimelech!"
Then Jotham ran away to Beer and lived there to escape from Abimelech his half-brother.
Abimelech commanded Israel for three years.
God sent a spirit to stir up hostility between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem. He made the leaders of Shechem disloyal to Abimelech.
He did this so the violent deaths of Jerub-Baal's seventy sons might be avenged and Abimelech, their half-brother who murdered them, might have to pay for their spilled blood, along with the leaders of Shechem who helped him murder them.
The leaders of Shechem rebelled against Abimelech by putting bandits in the hills, who robbed everyone who traveled by on the road. But Abimelech found out about it.
They went out to the field, harvested their grapes, squeezed out the juice, and celebrated. They came to the temple of their god and ate, drank, and cursed Abimelech.
Gaal son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerub-Baal, and is not Zebul the deputy he appointed? Serve the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem! But why should we serve Abimelech?
If only these men were under my command, I would get rid of Abimelech!" He challenged Abimelech, "Muster your army and come out for battle!"
He sent messengers to Abimelech, who was in Arumah, reporting, "Beware! Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers are coming to Shechem and inciting the city to rebel against you.
So Abimelech and all his men came up at night and set an ambush outside Shechem -- they divided into four units.
When Gaal son of Ebed came out and stood at the entrance to the city's gate, Abimelech and his men got up from their hiding places.
Zebul said to him, "Where now are your bragging words, 'Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?' Are these not the men you insulted? Go out now and fight them!"
So Gaal led the leaders of Shechem out and fought Abimelech.
Abimelech chased him, and Gaal ran from him. Many Shechemites fell wounded at the entrance of the gate.
Abimelech went back to Arumah; Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem.
The next day the Shechemites came out to the field. When Abimelech heard about it,
So he took his army, divided it into three separate companies, and laid in ambush out in the field. When Abimelech noticed the people coming out from the city, his army attacked them and killed them.
Abimelech and his units attacked and blocked the entrance to the city's gate. Two units then attacked all the people in the field and struck them down.
Abimelech fought against the city all that day. He captured the city and killed all the people in it. Then he leveled the city and spread salt over it.
Abimelech heard that all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem were in one place.
So Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees, picked it up, and laid it on his shoulder. And he said to the people with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry and do just as I have done.”
So each of his men also cut off a branch and followed Abimelech. They put the branches against the stronghold and set fire to it. All the people of the Tower of Shechem died -- about a thousand men and women.
Abimelech moved on to Thebez; he besieged and captured it.
Abimelech came and attacked the tower. When he approached the entrance of the tower to set it on fire,
But a certain woman threw an upper millstone [down] on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull.
Then Abimelech called hastily unto the young man that bare his harness, and said unto him, "Draw thy sword and slay me, that men say not of me, 'A woman slew him.'" And his lad thrust him through and he died.
When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they went home.
God repaid Abimelech for the evil he did to his father by murdering his seventy half-brothers.
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Thematic Bible
Abimelech » Son of gideon
Abimelech » King of gerar
But Abraham reproved Abimelech, - on account of the well of water, which the servants of Abimelech had seized. And Abimelech said, I know not, who hath done this thing, - nor hast even thou, ever told me, nor have even I, ever heard, save to-day. And Abraham took sheep and oxen, stud gave to Abimelech, - and they two solemnised a covenant So then Abram set seven young sheep of the flock by them-selves, And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What, then mean these seven young sheep here, which thou hast set by themselves? And he said, The seven young sheep, shalt thou take at my hand, - that they may serve as my witness, that I digged this well. On this account, was the name of that place called Beer-sheba, - because there, had they two sworn. And when they had solemnised a covenant in Beer-sheba, - then arose Abimelech, with Phicol chief of his host, and returned unto the land of the Philistines.
Ahuzzath » Friend » Abimelech
Ambition » Instances of » Abimelech
So they gave him seventy pieces of silver, out of the house of Baal-berith, - and Abimelech hired therewith, loose and unstable men, and they followed him. And he entered the house of his father, at Ophrah, and slew his brethren, sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, upon one stone, - but there remained Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, for he had hidden himself. Then were gathered together all the owners of Shechem, and all the house of Millo, and they went and made Abimelech king, - by the oak of the pillar, that was in Shechem.
Dreams » Mentioned in scripture, of » Abimelech
And God said unto him in a dream, I, also, knew, that in the integrity of thy heart, thou didst this, so then, even I myself, withheld thee from sinning against me, for this reason, have I not suffered thee to touch her. Now, therefore restore the man's wife, for a prophet, is he, that he may pray for thee and live thou, - But if thou art not going to restore her, know, that thou shalt die, thou - and all that are thine.
Fratricide » Instances of » Abimelech
Heathen » Divine revelations given to » Abimelech
And God said unto him in a dream, I, also, knew, that in the integrity of thy heart, thou didst this, so then, even I myself, withheld thee from sinning against me, for this reason, have I not suffered thee to touch her. Now, therefore restore the man's wife, for a prophet, is he, that he may pray for thee and live thou, - But if thou art not going to restore her, know, that thou shalt die, thou - and all that are thine.
Heathen » Instances of » Abimelech
Hittites » Remarkable persons of » Abimelech
Homicide » Instances of felonious » Abimelech
Ignorance » Instances of punishment of sins of » Abimelech
Israel » Under the judges » Abimelech
Judge » Abimelech
So they gave him seventy pieces of silver, out of the house of Baal-berith, - and Abimelech hired therewith, loose and unstable men, and they followed him. And he entered the house of his father, at Ophrah, and slew his brethren, sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, upon one stone, - but there remained Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, for he had hidden himself. Then were gathered together all the owners of Shechem, and all the house of Millo, and they went and made Abimelech king, - by the oak of the pillar, that was in Shechem. And, when it was told Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried aloud, - and said unto them - Hearken unto me, ye owners of Shechem, and may God, hearken unto you. The trees, went their way, to anoint over them, a king, - and they said unto the olive tree - Reign thou over us. But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, which, in me, gods and men do honour, - and go to wave to and fro, over the trees? Then said the trees unto the fig-tree, - Come! thou reign over us. But the fig-tree said unto them, Should I leave my sweetness, and mine excellent increase, - and go to wave to and fro, over the trees? Then said the trees unto the vine, - Come! thou, reign over us. But the vine said unto them, Should I leave my new wine, that rejoiceth gods and men, - and go to wave to and fro, over the trees? Then said all the trees, unto the bramble, - Come, thou, to reign over us. And the bramble said unto the trees, If, in truth, ye are about to anoint me to be king over you, come, take refuge in my shade, - but, if not, there shall come forth fire out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon. Now, therefore, if, in truth and sincerity, ye have acted, in making Abimelech king, - and if ye have dealt, well, with Jerubbaal and with his house, and if, according to the deserving of his hands, ye have done unto him; in that my father fought for you, and cast his soul away from before him, and rescued you out of the hand of Midian; - yet have, ye, risen up against the house of my father, to-day, and slain his sons - seventy men, upon one stone, - and made Abimelech, son of his maidservant, king over the owners of Shechem, because he is, your brother; if then, in truth and in sincerity, ye have dealt with Jerubbaal and with his house, this day, rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let, him also, rejoice in you; but, if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the owners of Shechem, and the house of Millo, - and let fire come out from the owners of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech! And Jotham hasted away, and fled, and went to Beer, - and dwelt there, away from the face of Abimelech his brother. And Abimelech ruled over Israel three years. Then God let go a spirit of mischief between Abimelech and the owners of Shechem, - and the owners of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: that the cruel wrong to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come upon them , - and that their blood might be laid upon Abimelech their brother, who slew them, and upon the owners of Shechem who strengthened his hands, to slay his brethren. So the owners of Shechem set for him liers in wait, upon the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who crossed over them by the road, - and it was told Abimelech. And Gaal son of Ebed came, with his brethren, and they passed through to Shechem, - and the owners of Shechem put their trust in him. Then went they out into the fields, and gathered the fruit of their vineyards and trode the grapes , and held a vintage festival, - and entered the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and poured contempt on Abimelech. And Gaal son of Ebed said: Who is Abimelech - and who is the son of Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? Serve ye the men of Hamor, Shechem's father, but why should, we, serve him? Would, then, this people were in my hand! that I might set aside Abimelech, - and say to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out! And, when Zubul, governor of the city, heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, then was kindled his anger. And he sent messengers unto Abimelech, by deceit, saying, - Lo! Gaal son of Ebed, and his brethren, are coming into Shechem; and lo! are fortifying the city against thee. Now, therefore, up by night, thou and the people that are with thee, and lie in wait in the field; and it shall be, in the morning, about sunrise, thou shalt get up early, and spread thyself out against the city, - when lo! he and the people that are with him coming out against thee, so shalt thou do unto him as thy hand shall find opportunity. So Abimelech rose up,, and all the people that were with him, by night, - and they lay in wait above Shechem, in four companies. Then came forth Gaal son of Ebed, and took his stand at the opening of the gate of the city, - so Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from the place of ambush. And, when Gaal saw the people, he said unto Zebul, Lo! people coming down from the tops of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, The shadow of the mountains, thou seest, like men. Then did Gaal yet further speak, and say - Lo! people coming down from the highest part of the land, - and one company, coming in by way of the Conjurers' Terebinth. So then Zebul said unto him - Where, then, is thy mouth that kept on saying, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? Is not, this, the people which thou didst despise? Go forth, I pray thee, now, and fight with them! And Gaal went forth before the owners of Shechem, - and fought against Abimelech. And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, - and there fell a multitude of slain as far as the entering of the gate. Then dwelt Abimelech in Arumah, - and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem. And it came to pass, on the morrow, that the people went forth into the field, - and they told Abimelech. So he took the people and divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the field, - and he looked, and lo! the people coming forth out of the city, so he rose up against them, and smote them. And, Abimelech, and the companies that were with him, spread themselves out, and one of the companies took their stand at the opening of the gate of the city, - while, the two companies, spread themselves out against all that were in the field, and smote them. And, Abimelech, fought against the city, all that day, and captured the city, the people also that were therein, he slew, - and brake down the city, and sowed it with salt. And, when all the owners of the tower of Shechem heard, they entered into the basement of the house of El-berith. And it was told Abimelech, that all the owners of the tower of Shechem had gathered themselves together. So Abimelech went up Mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him, and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and lifted it, and laid it on his shoulder, - and said unto the people that were with him - What ye have seen me do, haste! do likewise. So, even all the people cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and laid them over the basement, and set it on fire over them who were therein, - even all the men of the tower of Shechem died about a thousand men and women. Then went Abimelech unto Thebez, - and encamped against Thebez, and captured it. Now, a strong tower, was in the midst of the city, and there fled thither all the men and the women, and all the owners of the city, and shut themselves in, - and went up on the roof of the tower. And Abimelech came in as far as the tower, and fought against it, - and so came near, as far as the entrance of the tower, to burn it with fire. And a certain woman cast an upper millstone upon the head of Abimelech, - and brake in pieces his skull. Then called he hastily unto the young man bearing his armour, and said unto him - Draw thy sword, and put me to death, lest they say of me, A woman, slew him! So his young man thrust him through, and he died.