Abimelech, the Son of Gideon

2022-04-11

Abimelech was the son of Gideon and his concubine from Shechem. Technically, unlike the other judges mentioned in the book of Judges, he was crowned a king. Also, unlike the other judges, there are no redeeming qualities of this man at all. He seems to do nothing but evil during his three-year reign, from his rise to power until his death.

He appealed to his mother’s family and fellow citizens of Shechem to convince them that he was one of them, and they should be subject to him rather than the sons of Gideon. They gave him money to hire mercenaries to destroy Gideon’s other sons.

Gideon’s youngest son Jotham survived and cursed them for their slaughtering of the Gideon’s sons. This same Gideon had delivered them from Midian, so these men were repaying good with evil. According to this curse, Abimelech and the men of Shechem would destroy each other, and his pronouncement came to pass.

Because of this curse, the men of Shechem, once willful subjects to Abimelech, began to follow another man, Gaal. Zebul, the ruler of the city, warned Abimelech of the treachery. Abimelech, being wise to Gaal’s plans, went up against him and lied in wait. Gaal was defeated and was evicted from the city, and Abimelech took the city. He slew all the men in the Tower of Shechem by burning it to the ground.

Abimelech also took Thebez, though this tower was stronger. A woman dropped a millstone on his head from the tower. Both the men of Shechem and Abimelech were judged because of the slaughter of Gideon’s sons.

This man Abimelech killed his own family, which shows that he is evil. It was also evil for men to kill the sons of a man that saved them from enemies. These worshipped other gods. These men lived a depraved existence, which does not happen without consequences.

Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren: And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal. (Judges 9:56-57)

This is a part of the Judges of Israel series. To go back to the table of contents, proceed here.