* Abimelech governed Israel for three years but he was not well liked by the citizens of Shechem. Yahweh is said to have caused animosity between them on purpose as a punishment for the slaughter of Gideon's 70 other sons. The men of Shechem terrorized anyone who passed through their land. The people of Shechem began to put their confidence in a newcomer by the name of Gaal.
*At a festival celebrating the grape harvest, Gaal, probably in an alcoholic haze, declared that he would get rid of Abimelech and serve an ancestor of the city's founder if he were them. Zebul, the governor of the city, and Abimelech's deputy, reported this to Abimelech. He advised that Abimelech's men should conduct a surprise attack on Gaal in the morning. When Gaal went out to the city gate in the morning he saw people coming from different directions in attack. Zebul mocked him and said, "Where is your big talk now."
*Gaal led men of Shechem against Abimelech's army. Gaal was defeated and driven out of the city. The next day Abimelech ambushed men of Shechem who came out to work in the fields. Abimelech's men killed all the people of Shechem, destroyed the city and sprinkled salt over it.
*Apparently there were still some of Shechem's people left in a religious stronghold of their temple on mount Zalmon. Abimelech and his men cut branches, laid them against the walls of the stronghold and set fire to it, burning all the people inside alive. About a thousand died. Next, Abimelech captured the city of Thebez. All the people of the city fled and locked themselves into a strong tower . Abimelech stormed the tower and was going to set it on fire. However, a woman in the tower dropped a millstone down on his head and broke his skull. Abimelech begged his servant to kill him with his sword so that no one could say he had been killed by a woman. It was done as he asked. The Israelites were without a leader, so they went home.
*This was supposed to prove that Yahweh had paid back Abimelech and the Shechemites for their slaughter of Gideon's sons, plus the curse of Jotham had come true.
*I still want to know what happened to the supposed city of refuge and the Levites who were supposed to be living in Shechem. Also, why did Abimelech attack Thebez? Wikipedia says it is because they were revolting against Abimelech, along with Shechem. But the Bible doesn't actually say that. This serves as a reminder that Wikipedia can be wrong. If you have questions about the validity of an article that I link, or anything I post, please do some personal research. Wikipedia is merely a convenience for general info.
Showing posts with label Shechem. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shechem. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Thursday, May 19, 2016
Judges chapter 9 part 1
After reading chapter 9:
*Now Gideon had a son named Abimelech by a concubine from Shechem. Abimelech went to Shechem and spoke to his uncles and the rest of his mother's clan. He asked them if they were more inclined to have Gideon's 70 other sons rule over them, or him, one man of their own flesh and blood.
When put like that, they were in favor of Abimelech. They gave him silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, and he used it to hire some mercenaries. Abimelech went to Gideon's home in Orphah and murdered his seventy brothers except one who hid, Jotham the youngest.
*Then the citizens of Shechem gathered at their great tree to crown Abimelech King. During the ceremony, Jothan yelled at them from the top of Mount Gerizim. He told them a story in which an olive tree, a fig tree, and a vine, were each asked to be king. They each turned down the honor, stating that they already had good jobs. When a thorn bush (representing Abimelech) was asked to be king, it said the people must take refuge in its shade or fire would come out of it and consume the cedars of Lebanon, presumably meaning "if you make your bed, you must lie in it." Next, Jotham said that if they have acted honorably toward Gideon's family, may Abimilech be their joy. (I think he was being facetious.) If they have not acted honorably, may fire come out of Abimelech and consume them all. In other words, he cursed them. Then Jotham fled to hide from Abimelech.
*A bit of review about Shechem: The great tree there is where Abraham had built an altar, sacrificed to Yahweh, and recieved confirmation of the covenant. (Genesis 12) Shechem is where Joseph's bones were buried after the exodus, on a piece of land that had been previously purchased by Jacob. (Genesis 33- 34) There Jacob had also built an altar and sacrificed to Yahweh. That is also where Jacob's sons, Dinah's brothers, had massacred the inhabitants after demanding their circumcision. In Joshua 20, Shechem was in the territory of Ephraim and designated as one of the cities of refuge. It was given to the Kohathite Levites in Joshua 21. There Joshua renewed Israel's covenant with Yahweh. He took a large stone and set it up under the oak, near the holy place of Yahweh. ( Joshua 24) Now, combine that with the mention that the god Baal-Berith, which means "Lord of the covenant" was worshipped in Shechem. (Judges 8) My study bible calls this ironic and says that the covenant probably referred to a treaty between Canaanite cities. I'm more inclined to think it was an example of religious syncretism. Does anyone else wonder what happened to the Levites?
*Now Gideon had a son named Abimelech by a concubine from Shechem. Abimelech went to Shechem and spoke to his uncles and the rest of his mother's clan. He asked them if they were more inclined to have Gideon's 70 other sons rule over them, or him, one man of their own flesh and blood.
When put like that, they were in favor of Abimelech. They gave him silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, and he used it to hire some mercenaries. Abimelech went to Gideon's home in Orphah and murdered his seventy brothers except one who hid, Jotham the youngest.
*Then the citizens of Shechem gathered at their great tree to crown Abimelech King. During the ceremony, Jothan yelled at them from the top of Mount Gerizim. He told them a story in which an olive tree, a fig tree, and a vine, were each asked to be king. They each turned down the honor, stating that they already had good jobs. When a thorn bush (representing Abimelech) was asked to be king, it said the people must take refuge in its shade or fire would come out of it and consume the cedars of Lebanon, presumably meaning "if you make your bed, you must lie in it." Next, Jotham said that if they have acted honorably toward Gideon's family, may Abimilech be their joy. (I think he was being facetious.) If they have not acted honorably, may fire come out of Abimelech and consume them all. In other words, he cursed them. Then Jotham fled to hide from Abimelech.
*A bit of review about Shechem: The great tree there is where Abraham had built an altar, sacrificed to Yahweh, and recieved confirmation of the covenant. (Genesis 12) Shechem is where Joseph's bones were buried after the exodus, on a piece of land that had been previously purchased by Jacob. (Genesis 33- 34) There Jacob had also built an altar and sacrificed to Yahweh. That is also where Jacob's sons, Dinah's brothers, had massacred the inhabitants after demanding their circumcision. In Joshua 20, Shechem was in the territory of Ephraim and designated as one of the cities of refuge. It was given to the Kohathite Levites in Joshua 21. There Joshua renewed Israel's covenant with Yahweh. He took a large stone and set it up under the oak, near the holy place of Yahweh. ( Joshua 24) Now, combine that with the mention that the god Baal-Berith, which means "Lord of the covenant" was worshipped in Shechem. (Judges 8) My study bible calls this ironic and says that the covenant probably referred to a treaty between Canaanite cities. I'm more inclined to think it was an example of religious syncretism. Does anyone else wonder what happened to the Levites?
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