Judges 9 33

Judges 9:33 kjv

And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, thou shalt rise early, and set upon the city: and, behold, when he and the people that is with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to them as thou shalt find occasion.

Judges 9:33 nkjv

And it shall be, as soon as the sun is up in the morning, that you shall rise early and rush upon the city; and when he and the people who are with him come out against you, you may then do to them as you find opportunity."

Judges 9:33 niv

In the morning at sunrise, advance against the city. When Gaal and his men come out against you, seize the opportunity to attack them."

Judges 9:33 esv

Then in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, rise early and rush upon the city. And when he and the people who are with him come out against you, you may do to them as your hand finds to do."

Judges 9:33 nlt

In the morning, as soon as it is daylight, attack the city. When Gaal and those who are with him come out against you, you can do with them as you wish."

Judges 9 verses

Judges 9 33 Meaning

This verse conveys Zebul's precise tactical instruction to Abimelech on how to ambush and decisively defeat Gaal and his followers in Shechem. It advises a dawn assault, emphasizing surprise, and then directs Abimelech to exploit every opportunity once Gaal's forces are lured outside the city walls, ensuring their complete defeat. It is a counsel of strategic deception and decisive action.

Judges 9 33 Context

Judges chapter 9 recounts the brief, violent, and illegitimate kingship of Abimelech, the son of Gideon's concubine. Having murdered 69 of his 70 half-brothers to secure power (only Jotham escaped), Abimelech was declared king by the citizens of Shechem, his mother's family, and the inhabitants of Beth-millo. The chapter highlights Jotham's parable of the trees and the thornbush, a prophecy of the mutual destruction awaiting Abimelech and the Shechemites due to their treachery. After three years, discord grew between Abimelech and Shechem, fostered by God, as stated in verse 23. Gaal son of Ebed, a newcomer, leveraged this unrest, openly defying Abimelech. Zebul, Abimelech's loyal officer in charge of Shechem, learned of Gaal's boasting and conspiracy. Zebul, using cunning and strategy rather than direct confrontation, sends messengers to Abimelech with intelligence and this specific military counsel (vv. 30-33), urging an ambush at dawn. This verse therefore is a pivotal tactical instruction from Zebul to Abimelech, setting the stage for the climactic confrontation that follows, orchestrated to trap Gaal and eliminate his rebellion against Abimelech.

Judges 9 33 Word analysis

• And you shall rise early: Hebrew: shaḵam (שָׁכַם). This verb implies diligent action taken at the first light of day, often before sunrise. In military contexts, it highlights the element of surprise, catching the enemy unaware and unready. It reflects a strategic understanding of opportune timing in warfare.
• in the morning: Hebrew: bab·bōʹ·qe̠r (בַּבֹּקֶר). This phrase specifies the precise timing – dawn or early morning. It is a critical component of the surprise attack, allowing Abimelech to deploy his forces under the cover of approaching light, but before the city's inhabitants are fully active and organized.
• and break upon: Hebrew: pāšaṭ (פָּשַׁט). This verb carries the sense of spreading out, raiding, or attacking suddenly and with force. It suggests a swift and overwhelming incursion rather than a slow approach or siege. The aim is to quickly overwhelm and disorient, not just engage.
• the city: Refers to Shechem. This is the immediate geographical target for Abimelech's surprise military movement, with the ultimate goal being Gaal's forces within or exiting it.
• and, behold: Hebrew: wə·hin·nêh (וְהִנֵּה). An emphatic interjection used to draw attention to something significant, often marking an impending or certain event. Here, it underscores Zebul's confident prediction of Gaal's response.
• when he and the people that are with him: Refers specifically to Gaal and the forces, primarily the Shechemites, who had aligned with him in his rebellion against Abimelech. Zebul's strategy targets Gaal's leadership and the contingent loyal to him.
• come out against you: This anticipates Gaal's reaction to Abimelech's presence and initial maneuver. Rather than staying inside the city walls, Zebul predicts Gaal's strategic error of venturing out to confront Abimelech in open ground, thereby becoming vulnerable. This is crucial for Zebul's tactical plan to work.
• then may you do to them as you shall find occasion: This is an idiom indicating the freedom to act decisively, to capitalize on every advantage that presents itself, or literally, "what your hand finds" to do. It grants Abimelech full operational discretion and encourages him to execute a decisive, perhaps brutal, victory once Gaal's forces are vulnerable outside the city's defenses. It suggests opportunistic, adaptive warfare, striking where and when the enemy is weakest.

Words-group analysis:

• "And you shall rise early in the morning, and break upon the city": This phrase encapsulates the core ambush strategy. It highlights precise timing (early morning) for maximum surprise and aggressive execution ("break upon the city") to initiate the conflict and draw the enemy out. It signifies a calculated, pre-emptive strike leveraging the elements of darkness and unpreparedness.
• "and, behold, when he and the people that are with him come out against you": This section details Zebul's tactical foresight and predicted reaction from Gaal. It's a key strategic prediction – luring Gaal and his contingent out of the protective city walls where they would be exposed. Zebul correctly anticipates that Gaal, in his overconfidence or sense of duty, would confront the perceived threat outside the fortified position.
• "then may you do to them as you shall find occasion": This concluding phrase empowers Abimelech with tactical flexibility and decisive authority. It’s an authorization to inflict maximum damage and secure a complete victory by seizing every opportunity the chaotic battlefield presents. It signifies that the precise methods of destruction are left to Abimelech's discretion, underscoring the ruthlessness inherent in ancient warfare to eliminate all resistance.

Judges 9 33 Bonus section

• The military precision in Zebul's advice reflects the common practices of warfare during the Judges period, where swift, unexpected actions often determined victory, demonstrating the importance of strategic planning even in a decentralized societal structure.
• Zebul's deep knowledge of Gaal's impulsive and boastful character (demonstrated earlier in the chapter) is implicitly leveraged here. He knew Gaal would not likely stay cooped up, but would defiantly "come out," thus playing directly into the ambush.
• The entire sequence from verses 30-34 highlights Zebul as an active participant in Abimelech's machinations, illustrating the web of political loyalty, deception, and ambition that characterized Abimelech's short, violent reign. Zebul's action here serves Abimelech, ensuring the internal rebellion is quelled effectively and mercilessly.

Judges 9 33 Commentary

Judges 9:33 serves as the culminating piece of strategic counsel from Zebul to Abimelech, revealing a chillingly effective plan to crush the rebellion in Shechem led by Gaal. The instruction focuses on a classic military maneuver: the surprise dawn attack. By advising Abimelech to "rise early in the morning" and "break upon the city," Zebul intends for Abimelech's forces to gain the critical advantage of initiating hostilities while the city is least prepared. The true brilliance of Zebul's plan, however, lies not merely in the initial assault, but in its predicted outcome: drawing Gaal and his men out from behind their protective city walls. Once outside, exposed and perhaps in disarray, they become vulnerable to a full assault. The concluding directive, "then may you do to them as you shall find occasion," grants Abimelech complete tactical freedom and encourages him to capitalize ruthlessly on every advantage, ensuring a decisive and comprehensive victory. This brief verse underscores Zebul’s loyalty and shrewdness, Abimelech’s pragmatic ruthlessness, and the chaotic, violent nature of the period of the Judges, where human treachery and strategic cunning, rather than divine guidance, often dictated outcomes. This particular encounter paves the way for the eventual destruction prophesied by Jotham in this very chapter, highlighting the self-destructive consequences of a leadership built on murder and manipulation.