In the book of Judges we learned how, “it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together”, and in chapter nine and verse forty-eight of Judges, we learn what happened, “Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon”, where we read,
And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, What you have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.
The verse reads, “And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him;” The writer began with the words, “and Abimelech” whose name means ‘Melek is father or my father is king’ and was the son of Gideon by a concubine” “got him up” which means ”climbed and ascended” “to mount Zalmon” or “to the hill or rising above the plain known as Zalmon whose name means ‘shady’ and was a wooded hill in Samaria near Shechem”, “he and all the people” which means “he, Abimelech, and each, the whole and everyone of the human beings” “that were with him” or “who were alongside and accompanied him, Abimelech”. The writer shared how “Abimelech” and the “men” who accompanied him climbed the rising above the plain known as “Zalmon”.
The verse goes on to say, “… and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, …” The writer continued with the words, “and Abimelech” whose name means ‘Melek is father or my father is king’ and was the son of Gideon by a concubine” “took an axe in his hand” or “fetched, seized and lay hold of a sharpened ax within his physical hand”, “and cut down a bough” which means “and severed a branch” “from the trees” or “separate and apart from the timbers, stocks, planks and stalks”, “and took it” which means “and lifted, bore up and carried it, the branch”, “and laid it on his shoulder” or “and placed, set and established it, the branch, upon his, Abimelech’s, shoulder-blade or back”. The writer shared how “Abimelech” lay hold of an ax and severed a branch from the “trees”, bore it up and placed it upon the shoulder-blade and back of his body.
Finally the verse reads, “… and said unto the people that were with him, What you have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.” The writer concluded this verse with the words, “and said unto the people” which means “and uttered, declared and proclaimed to the human beings” “that were with him” or “who were alongside and accompanied him, Abimelech”, “what you have seen me do” which means “that which you, the men of Abimelech, have observed and watched me, Abimelech, make, fashion and produce”, “make haste” or “be quick and hurry” “and do as I have done” which means “and make, fashion and produce in a similar and like manner and I, Abimelech have made, shined and produced”. The writer concluded this verse by sharing how “Abimelech” told the men who accompanied him to hurriedly fashion and produce a branch in a similar manner and him.
When we consider the words in this verse, we learn how “Abimelech” began to prepare himself and his men for battle once again. This time he climbed to the mountain named “Zalmon”, lay hold of a sharpened ax, cut off a branch, put it upon his back and shoulder and instructed his man to follow his example. His preparation for war would be employed by Jehovah God as He worked out His purpose and plan for the deliverance of the people of Israel. God desires to rescue and save us from the power of sin and death, (See Romans 8:2) and when we yield to His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was raised from the dead after three days, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put His Holy Spirit within us to guide us into all truth and equip us for spiritual battle in keeping with His power and wisdom. (See Ephesians 6:10-18)
Next time we learn how, “all the people likewise cut down every man his bough”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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