Blood Laid upon Abimelech - Judges 9:24

In the book of Judges we learned, “When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel, then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech”, and in chapter nine and verse twenty-four of Judges, we learn how, “their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them” where we read,

That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren.

The verse reads, “That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them;” The writer began with the words, “then the cruelty” which means “so the violence, wrong and injustice” “done to the threescore and ten sons” which means “accomplished, performed and produced upon the seventy male offspring and progeny” “of Jerubbaal” or “belonging to Jerubbaal whose name means ‘let Baal contend’ and was the name given to Gideon by his father when he destroyed the altar of Baal” “might come” which means “may enter, be attained and enumerated”, “and their blood be laid upon Abimelech” or “and their, the seventy sons of Gideon’s, bloodshed be set and put on Abimelech whose name means ‘Melek is father or my father is king” “their brother” which means “their, the men of Shechem’s male sibling and family”, “which slew them” or “who beat, struck, killed and murdered them, the seventy sons of Gideon”. The writer shared how the “evil spirit” dispatched by Jehovah God was sent in between “Abimelech” and the “men of Shechem” so the violence and injustice “Abimelech” performed upon “Gideon’s” seventy sons would arrive and their bloodshed be put upon “Abimelech” who was the male sibling of the men of “Shechem”. 

The verse goes on to say, “and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren.” The writer continued with the words “and upon the men of Shechem” which means “and on the male human beings belonging to Shechem whose name means “back or shoulder”, “which aided him” or “who helped and assisted him, Abimelech” “in the killing of his brethren” which means “in the murder and destruction pertaining to his, Abimelech’s, brothers”. The writer shared how the “bloodshed” that was performed upon “Abimelech” was also performed on the male human beings from “Shechem” who helped “Abimelech” murder the seventy sons of “Gideon”. 

When we consider the words in this verse, we see how the principle of reciprocity was applied to both “Abimelech” and the “men of Shechem” who assisted him in murdering the seventy sons of “Gideon”. God set this pattern in order as the Paul the apostle wrote, “be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap”, (See Galatians 6:7) and there is a day of reckoning for everyone. For this reason Jehovah God sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and when He rose from the dead after three days, He made the way through faith and trust in Him as our “Savior and Lord” to be forgiven of our sins, granted everlasting life and to be given His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and empower us to live in a manner that relies upon Jesus to have received the reciprocation that we deserved because He took stood in our place. (See 2 Corinthians 5:17)

Next time we learn how, “the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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