When Gaal Saw the People - Judges 9:36

In the book of Judges we learned how, “Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies. And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from lying in wait”, and in chapter nine and verse thirty-six of Judges, we learn, “when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains” where we read,

And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, you see the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.

The verse reads, “And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains.” The writer began with the words, “and when Gaal” which means “and at the time and moment Gaal whose name means ‘loathing’ and was the son of Eved or Ebed who aided the Shechemites in their rebellion against Abimelech” “saw the people” which means “notice, observed and perceived the human beings”, “he said to Zebul” or “he, Gaal, uttered, declared and proclaimed to Zebul whose name means ‘exalted’ and was the chief man of the city of Shechem at the time of the contest between Abimelech and the native Canaanites”, “Behold, there were come people down” or “lo, look and consider there existed human beings descending and proceeding in a downward direction” “from the top of the mountains” which means “separate and apart from the summit, chief and upper part of the risings above the plains”. The writer shared how “Gaal” noticed the human beings and he declared to “Zebul” how he observed them descending from the summit of the rising above the plains. 

The verse continues, “And Zebul said unto him, you see the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.” The writer added the words “and Zebul” whose name means “exalted’” “said unto him” or “uttered, declared and proclaimed to him, Gaal”, “you see the shadow of the mountains” which means “you, Gaal, notice, observe and perceive the shades” “as if they were men” or “similar and in likeness to whether and in case they, the shades of the mountains, existed as male human beings”. The writer shared how “Zebul” told “Gaal” that the shades on the hilltops looked like they were male human beings. 

When we consider the words in this verse, we see how “Gaal” observed what he believed were human beings descending from the hilltops, and he told “Zebul” the same. “Zebul” told him that they were only shades upon the mountain sides, and we shall see how the truth comes out in our next verses. For now, let us keep in mind that Jehovah God was involved in these workings, and because He was going to rescue Israel from these people, He would accomplish His will. God is purposed to save us from the oppression of sin and death, and when we yield to His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and rose 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 help us to always know He is working out His plan and our part is to trust in Him. (See John 3:16; 16:13; Acts 1:8; Colossians 1:9)

Next time we learn, “Gaal spoke again and said, See there come people down by the middle of the land", so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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