Judges 9:1-3 Sibling Rivalry

 1Now Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to his mother’s brothers at Shechem and said to them and to all the clan of his mother, 2“Please ask all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Is it better for you that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or just one man?’ Remember that I am your own flesh and blood.”

3And when his mother’s brothers spoke all these words about him in the presence of all the leaders of Shechem, their hearts were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.”

“Abimelech was the son of Jerubbaal (another name for Gideon given in Judges 8:35), but he was not the clear successor to his father’s place of leadership. This was for two reasons: God had not established a hereditary monarchy in Israel, and there were sixty-nine other sons of Gideon (Judges 8:30) who might also want to succeed their father.”

“At the city of Shechem, Abimelech convinced his brothers on his mother’s side to support him as king over his brothers on his father’s (Gideon’s) side. So, the men of Shechem agreed to accept Abimelech as the new leader - perhaps even the king - of Israel.” (Guzik)

“The reference to the men of Shechem (Judges 9:2) is literally ‘the baals of Shechem’, the word having here its original meaning of ‘lord’ or ‘owner’.” (Cundall)

Sibling Rivalry 

In just three verses we study the beginnings of a murder plot to become king! Look back to this verse:

Judges 8: 30Gideon had seventy sons of his own, since he had many wives. 31His concubine, who dwelt in Shechem, also bore him a son, and he named him 

Abimelech.

It’s difficult enough for two brothers from one mother to see eye to eye let alone seventy brother’s from many mothers!

Have you ever experienced sibling rivalry?

Blessings