The Meaning of Judges 9:25 Explained

Judges 9:25

KJV: And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech.

YLT: And the masters of Shechem set for him ambushes on the top of the hills, and rob every one who passeth over by them in the way, and it is declared to Abimelech.

Darby: And the men of Shechem put men in ambush against him on the mountain tops, and they robbed all who passed by them along that way; and it was told Abim'elech.

ASV: And the men of Shechem set liers-in-wait for him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the men  of Shechem  set  liers in wait  for him in the top  of the mountains,  and they robbed  all that came  along that way  by them: and it was told  Abimelech. 

What does Judges 9:25 Mean?

Context Summary

Judges 9:22-40 - The Kindling Fire
Although this is a sordid story, it is set out at length to teach us that God's judgments upon sin are not reserved for some future date, but are continually being administered. The Father hath committed all judgment to the Son, and throughout the ages of human history, he has been dividing men and nations, as the shepherd divides the sheep from the goats. Peter tells us, for instance, that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were condemned to destruction, as an example to those who lived "ungodly," 2 Peter 2:6. Adonibezek bore witness to the same great law, Judges 1:7. The Psalms are full of it-see Psalms 7:15-17. Here it is also. Shechem rued the evil compact with Abimelech, the fratricide. Contention and bloodshed were their plentiful reward.
Let us keep calm and quiet, when wicked men attain to great power and spread themselves as "a green tree in its native soil." We need not fret ourselves to do evil. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him, for the Lord loveth judgment and forsaketh not His saints. They are preserved forever, but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. See Psalms 37:1-40. [source]

Chapter Summary: Judges 9

1  Abimelech by conspiracy with the Shechemites, and murder of his brothers, is made king
7  Jotham by a parable rebukes them, and foretells their ruin
22  Gaal conspires with the Shechemites against him
30  Zebul reveals it
34  Abimelech overcomes them, and sows the city with salt
46  He burns the hold of the god Berith
50  At Thebez he is slain by a piece of a millstone
56  Jotham's curse is fulfilled

What do the individual words in Judges 9:25 mean?

And set against him the men of Shechem men in ambush on the tops of the mountains and they robbed - all who passed by them along that way and it was told Abimelech -
וַיָּשִׂ֣ימוּ לוֹ֩ בַעֲלֵ֨י שְׁכֶ֜ם מְאָרְבִ֗ים עַ֚ל רָאשֵׁ֣י הֶהָרִ֔ים וַיִּגְזְל֗וּ אֵ֛ת כָּל־ אֲשֶׁר־ יַעֲבֹ֥ר עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ וַיֻּגַּ֖ד לַאֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ פ

וַיָּשִׂ֣ימוּ  And  set 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
לוֹ֩  against  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
בַעֲלֵ֨י  the  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בָּעַל 
Sense: owner, husband, lord.
שְׁכֶ֜ם  of  Shechem 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: שְׁכֶם 
Sense: son of Hamor, the chieftain of the Hivites at Shechem at the time of Jacob’s arrival.
מְאָרְבִ֗ים  men  in  ambush 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine plural
Root: אָרַב  
Sense: to lie in wait, ambush, lurk.
רָאשֵׁ֣י  the  tops 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
הֶהָרִ֔ים  of  the  mountains 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
וַיִּגְזְל֗וּ  and  they  robbed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: גָּזַל  
Sense: to tear away, seize, plunder, tear off, pull off, rob, take away by force.
אֵ֛ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יַעֲבֹ֥ר  passed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם  by  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ  along  that  way 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
וַיֻּגַּ֖ד  and  it  was  told 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hofal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.
לַאֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ  Abimelech 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִימֶלֶךְ  
Sense: king of Gerar in Abraham’s time.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation

What are the major concepts related to Judges 9:25?

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