Reference: Gaal
American
Jg 9:26-41, son of Ebed, perhaps a descendant of Hamor, the father of Shechem, Ge 34:2-6. He joined the Shechemites when revolting against Aimelech, son of Gideon, inflamed their passions, and led them to battle, but was defeated, and excluded from the city.
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And Shechem, son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the lend, saw her, - so he took her, and lay with her, and humbled her. And his soul clave unto Dinah, daughter of Jacob, - and he loved the young woman, and spake to the heart of the young woman. read more. Then spake Shechem unto Hamor his father, saying, - Take me this girl to wife! Now, Jacob, had heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter, but, his sons, happened to be with his cattle in the field, - so Jacob kept quiet until they came in. Then came forth Hamor, father of Shechem, unto Jacob, - to speak with him.
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. read more. 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.
Easton
(1.) loathing, the son of Ebed, in whom the Shechemites "placed their confidence" when they became discontented with Abimelech. He headed the revolution, and led out the men of Shechem against Abimelech; but was defeated, and fled to his own home (Jg 9:26-46). We hear no more of him after this battle.
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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. read more. 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.
Fausets
Ebed's son. He emboldened the Shechemites to rebel against Abimelech (Jg 9:26). "Gaal came with his brethren and went over to Shechem, and the lords of Shechem (Hebrew) put their confidence in him." He apparently was captain of a band of freebooters; and the Shechemites who were dissatisfied with Abimelech's rule hoped Gaal would help them against him. Already they had "set liers in wait for Abimelech in the tops of the mountains" (Ebal and Gerizim, between which Shechem was situated), who robbed all passers by. By organized robbery they brought Abimelech's government into discredit, and probably sought to waylay and kill himself. Gaal developed their brigandage into open revolt.
At the vintage ingathering feast they made praise offerings" (hillulim), KJV made merry, margin songs; compare Isa 15:9) of their fruits, which newly planted vineyards bore in the fourth year, eating and drinking in the house of their god Baal-berith ("Baal in covenant"), answering to Jehovah's feast (Le 19:2;Le 19:3-35). At the feast Gaal said, "Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem that we should serve him? is not he son of Jerubbaal?" i.e., he is son of the man who pulled down Baal's altar at Shechem and restored Jehovah's worship, for which the Shechemites themselves had tried to slay him (Jg 6:27-32). Who is "Zebul his officer"? explains the previous "who is Shechem?"
The might of Shechem does not consist in the might of Zebul its prefect, Abimelech's officer. To the one officer of Abimeleeh Gaal opposes, "serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem " the patricians of the ancient line whom the Shechemites should serve; Humor was the Hivite prince who founded Shechem (Ge 33:19; 34:2; Jos 24:32). The rebellion sought to combine the aboriginal Shechemites with the idolatrous Israelites against the anti-Baalite family of Gideon. Heated with wine Gaal vaunted that he, if made leader of the Shechemites, would soon overcome and "remove Abimelech."
Zebul, jealous of Gaal, privately (literally, with deceit, i.e. feigning assent to Gaal while planning his overthrow) sent information to Abimelech, who (margin, Jg 9:37) came "by way of the wizards' terebinths," and "chased Gaal" in battle; and "Zebul thrust out him and his brethren that they should not dwell in Shechem." In Jg 9:39 it is translated: "Gaal went out in the sight of the lords of Shechem," not at their head, but leading his own men; not until the "morrow" did the Shechemites go out. (For the issue, see ABIMELECH.) We know no more of Gaal. Foolhardy boasting, which he failed to make good in action, was his fault.
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And he bought the portion of the field where he had spread out his tent, at the hand of the sons of Hamor, father of Shechem, - for a hundred kesitahs.
And Shechem, son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the lend, saw her, - so he took her, and lay with her, and humbled her.
Speak unto all the assembly of the sons of Israel and thou shalt say unto them - Holy, shall ye be, - For holy, am I - Yahweh - your God Ye shall, every one, revere, his father and his mother, And my sabbaths, shall ye observe, - I - Yahweh, am your God. read more. Do not turn unto things of nought, And, molten gods, shall ye not make to yourselves, - I - Yahweh, am your God. And when ye would offer a peach-offering unto Yahweh, ye shall offer it that ye may be accepted. On the day, ye offer it, shall it be eaten, and on the morrow, - but, that which remaineth until the third day, in fire, shall be consumed. And, if it, be eaten, on the third day, unclean, it is it shall not be accepted, But he that eateth it, his iniquity, shall bear, because that which had been hallowed unto Yahweh, hath he profaned, - so then that person shall be cut off from among his kinsfolk. And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly clear the border of thy field, in reaping, - nor shalt thou gather up the gleaning of thy harvest. And, thy vineyard, shalt thou not go over again, nor gather, every single grape: for the poor and for the sojourner, shalt thou leave them, I - Yahweh, am your God. Ye shall not steal, - nor deceive nor lie one man to another; Nor swear by my name falsely, - And so profane the name of thy God: I, am Yahweh. Thou shalt not oppress thy neighbour nor rob him , - The wages of him that is hired shall not tarry with thee, until the morning. Thou shalt not curse the deaf, Nor, before the blind, place a stumbling-block, - So shalt thou stand in awe of thy God I, am Yahweh. Ye shall not act perversely in giving judgment, Thou shalt neither respect the person of the poor, Nor prefer the person of the great, - In righteousness, shalt thou judge thy neighbour. Thou shalt not go about talebearing, among thy people Thou shalt not stand by, over the blood of thy neighbour: I, am Yahweh. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart, - Thou shalt, faithfully reprove, thy neighbour, and not countenance him in sin: Thou shalt not take vengeance neither shalt thou cherish anger against the sons of thy people, So shalt thou love thy neighbour as thyself, - I, am Yahweh. My statutes, shall ye observe, Thy beasts, shalt thou not cause to breed in two kinds, Thy field, shalt thou not sow with two sorts of seed, - And a garment woven of diverse threads, shalt thou not suffer to come upon thee. And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, she being a bondmaid, acquired for a husband, and neither, redeemed, nor, freedom, given her, inquisition, shall be made they shall not be put to death, because she was not free; but he shall bring in his guilt-bearer unto Yahweh, unto the entrance of the tent of meeting, - even a ram as a guilt-bearer; and the priest shall put propitiatory-covering over him with the guilt-bearing ram before Yahweh, on account of his sin which he hath committed, - so shall he have forgiveness, from his sin which he hath committed. And when ye come into the land, and plant any manner of fruit-tree, then shall ye count as uncircumcised the fruit thereof, three years, shall it be to you as if unclean, it shall not be eaten. But, in the fourth year, all the fruit thereof shall be hallowed for a festival of thanksgiving unto Yahweh. And in the fifth year, shall ye eat the fruit thereof, that it may enrich you with its increase, - I - Yahweh, am your God. Ye shall eat nothing with the blood thereof, - Ye shall not practise divination neither shall ye use magic. Ye shall not shave in a circle around your head, - nor shalt thou disfigure the fringe of thy beard. Cuttings for a dead person, shall ye not make in your flesh. And punctures in your persons, shall ye not print, - I, am Yahweh. Do not profane thy daughter by causing her to be unchaste, - lest the land fall to unchastity, and so the land be filled with wickedness. My sabbaths, shall ye observe, And my sanctuary, shall ye revere, - I, am Yahweh. Do not turn unto mediums, Nor, for oracles, make search, To render yourselves unclean with them, I - Yahweh, am your God. Before a hoary head, shalt thou rise up, And shalt honour the presence of an elder, - So shalt thou stand in awe of thy God - I, am Yahweh. And, when there sojourneth with thee a sojourner in your land, ye shall not oppress him: As one home born from among yourselves, shall be unto you the sojourner who sojourneth with you, So shalt thou love him as thyself, For, sojourners, became ye, in the land of Egypt, - I - Yahweh, am your God. Ye shall not act perversely in giving judgment, - in measures of extent, in weights in measures of capacity:
And, the bones of Joseph - which the sons of Israel had brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in the portion of field, which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor, father of Shechem, for a hundred pieces of money, - and they belonged unto the sons of Joseph, as an inheritance.
So Gideon took ten men from among his servants, and did as Yahweh had spoken unto him, - and so it was that, as he too much feared the house of his father, and the men of the city, to do it by day, he did it by night. And the men of the city rose up early in the morning, and lo! the altar of Baal, had been overthrown, and, the sacred stem that was by it, had been cut down, and the second bullock had been caused to ascend upon the altar that had been built. read more. So they said, one to another, Who hath done this thing? And they inquired, and made search, and it was said, Gideon son of Joash, hath done this thing. So the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring forth thy son, that he may die, - because he hath overthrown the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the sacred stem that was by it. And Joash said unto all who stood by him - Will, ye, plead for Baal, or will, ye, save him? Whoso pleadeth for him, let him be put to death while it is yet morning, - if, a god, he be let him plead for himself, because one hath overthrown his altar. So he was called on that day, Jerubbaal, saying, - Let Baal, plead against him. Because he had overthrown his altar.
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 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.
And Gaal went forth before the owners of Shechem, - and fought against Abimelech.
Hastings
GAAL, son of Ebed (Jg 9:26 ff.), organized the rising against Abimelech by the discontented in Shechem. Zebul, Abimelech's officer there, warned his master, who came with a strong force, and defeated the rebels under Gaal outside the city. Gaal and his brethren were driven out of Shechem, and terrible vengeance was taken upon the disaffected city. See Abimelech, 2.
W. Ewing.
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Morish
Ga'al
Son of Ebed: he led the Shechemites against Abimelech. Jg 9:26-41.
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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. read more. 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.
Smith
Ga'al
(contempt), son of Ebed, aided the Shechemites in their rebellion against Abimelech.
... (B.C. 1206.)