Judges 9 56

Judges 9:56 kjv

Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:

Judges 9:56 nkjv

Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father by killing his seventy brothers.

Judges 9:56 niv

Thus God repaid the wickedness that Abimelek had done to his father by murdering his seventy brothers.

Judges 9:56 esv

Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers.

Judges 9:56 nlt

In this way, God punished Abimelech for the evil he had done against his father by murdering his seventy brothers.

Judges 9 verses

Judges 9 56 Meaning

Judges 9:56 declares that the calamities and death that befell Abimelech were God's righteous recompense for the horrific evil he perpetrated against his family. Specifically, it attributes his fate as a divine repayment for his treacherous murder of his seventy half-brothers, the sons of Gideon, a foundational act of violence in his pursuit of kingship. This verse encapsulates the principle of divine justice, where the wicked receive due retribution for their actions.

Judges 9 56 Context

Judges 9:56 concludes the narrative arc of Abimelech's violent and treacherous reign, presenting a theological commentary on his demise. The chapter begins with Abimelech's cunning plan to seize power by massacring his seventy half-brothers, the sons of Gideon, at Ophrah. Only Jotham, the youngest, escapes and subsequently delivers a powerful parable from Mount Gerizim, prophesying the mutual destruction of Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem who supported him (Jdg 9:7-20). The narrative then details three years of Abimelech's rule, followed by God sending a spirit of ill will between Abimelech and Shechem. This divine intervention leads to betrayal and conflict, culminating in Shechem's rebellion and Abimelech's ruthless siege and destruction of the city. Finally, as Abimelech attacks Thebez, a woman drops a millstone on his head from the city tower. Humiliated by the prospect of dying by a woman's hand, he orders his armor-bearer to kill him. Verse 56 explicitly interprets these events as God's just retribution, directly linking Abimelech's death to his earlier mass murder, thereby fulfilling Jotham's curse and affirming divine justice in a chaotic period. Historically, the era of Judges was marked by moral decay and apostasy, where the Israelites lacked a king and often "did what was right in their own eyes," leading to cycles of sin, oppression, and God's intervention, making Abimelech's story a prime example of human wickedness met with divine judgment.

Judges 9 56 Word analysis

• Thus: This adverb serves as a summary conjunction, indicating that what follows is the result or conclusion derived from the preceding events. It points to a direct cause-and-effect relationship, highlighting the clear divine logic behind Abimelech's fate.

• God: In Hebrew, Elohim (אֱלֹהִים). This term emphasizes God's sovereign power and role as the ultimate judge over all human affairs. It is not merely fate or chance, but a deliberate act of the divine being. The use of Elohim reinforces the concept that despite the moral and spiritual chaos of the Judges period, the Lord remained the active arbiter of justice.

• repaid: From the Hebrew verb va-yashév (וַיָּשֶׁב), a form of shuv (שוב). This verb means "to turn back, restore, return, pay back." In this context, it signifies an active and intentional recompense or retribution. It denotes God bringing back upon Abimelech the consequences of his own actions, a principle of divine justice, not passive observation. This act of repayment demonstrates God's consistent moral governance, even in times when His presence might seem distant to the people.

• the evil: In Hebrew, ha-ra' (הָרָע). This refers to something that is bad, wicked, or calamitous. Here, it specifically points to Abimelech's morally corrupt and harmful actions. It encompasses not just the physical act of murder but also the treachery, ambition, and disdain for kinship ties. It's the inherent moral bankruptcy of his deeds.

• which Abimelech had done: This phrase pinpoints the exact perpetrator and their actions, leaving no ambiguity. Abimelech is held directly accountable for his choices and their severe consequences.

• to his father: This phrase is somewhat interpretively layered. Abimelech did not directly harm Gideon (his father), who was already dead. Rather, "to his father" here signifies the destruction and dishonor brought upon Gideon's legacy, his house, and his numerous family. Abimelech’s murderous act eradicated the potential leaders and successors from Gideon’s lineage, undermining Gideon’s achievements and honor, in stark contrast to Gideon’s rejection of kingship. Thus, the "evil" was against the patrimony and memory of Gideon, and all that he stood for.

• by murdering: From the Hebrew be-hargó (בְּהָרְגוֹ), meaning "in his killing" or "by his slaying." This clarifies the specific manner of Abimelech's evil deed—not just harm, but premeditated and violent taking of life. It highlights the atrocity.

• his seventy brothers: This emphasizes the vast scale of Abimelech's brutality. The number seventy, often a symbolic number for completeness or totality in ancient Israel, underscores the near-complete extermination of Gideon's other sons. This detail highlights the extreme depravity and ruthlessness of Abimelech’s ambition, aiming to eliminate all potential rivals to his self-appointed throne. The severity of the crime perfectly justifies the severity of the divine recompense.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "Thus God repaid the evil": This phrase functions as the main theological statement of the verse. It asserts that the ultimate source of Abimelech's downfall was not mere human rebellion or chance, but divine intervention, a direct act of justice from the Almighty. This reiterates the sovereignty of God over human sin and its consequences. It implies an exact measure of retribution fitting the offense, illustrating the principle often described as "measure for measure" or lex talionis.
  • "which Abimelech had done to his father by murdering his seventy brothers": This descriptive clause explicitly identifies the specific horrific crime for which God's repayment was given. It ties the consequence directly to the original sin of family annihilation for power, emphasizing the precise nature of the judgment's basis. The combination of ambition, betrayal, and mass murder of kinsmen represented a profound violation of natural, moral, and potentially Mosaic law (Ex 20:13).

Judges 9 56 Bonus section

• The timing of this verse, placed immediately after Abimelech's death and before the final details of his overall defeat in verse 57, underscores its climactic theological significance. It provides the divine interpretation of the entire preceding narrative.
• This verse links directly back to Judges 9:24, where Jotham’s curse implies that God will ensure "the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be on Abimelech." Verse 56 confirms this fulfillment.
• Abimelech's story serves as a powerful illustration of the consequences of unbridled ambition and ruthlessness. His self-serving attempt to establish a kingdom, devoid of God's anointing and built on a foundation of bloodshed, ultimately led to his ignominious end. It stands as a negative example in Israel's history, showing what human leadership looks like when it is completely estranged from divine principles.

Judges 9 56 Commentary

Judges 9:56 serves as a definitive statement on the theological significance of Abimelech's rise and fall within the book of Judges. It categorically declares that his demise was not an accident or a stroke of bad luck, but a precise act of divine justice. God's "repayment" is shown to be meticulously proportionate to Abimelech's "evil." This verse confirms the working out of the covenant principle that actions, especially heinous sins like mass murder for personal gain, carry inevitable divine consequences. It reinforces the idea that even in the lawless period of the Judges, God remained sovereign over human affairs, actively orchestrating the outcome to reflect righteous judgment. Abimelech, whose name ironically means "my father is king," sought to usurp authority through the shedding of innocent blood. His violent seizure of power led to an equally violent end, directly mirroring the principle of reaping what one sows. His death at the hand of a woman (Jdg 9:53) and his subsequent suicide by his own servant, parallels the shame and dismemberment of Gideon's legacy, representing a divinely ordained, humiliating downfall. The verse encapsulates the fulfilling of Jotham's prophetic curse, underscoring that while people may plan wickedness, God’s ultimate purposes of justice will prevail.