The Meaning of Judges 9:28 Explained

Judges 9:28

KJV: And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serve him?

YLT: And Gaal son of Ebed saith, 'Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we serve him? is he not son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his commander? Serve ye the men of Hamor father of Shechem, and wherefore do we serve him -- we?

Darby: And Ga'al the son of Ebed said, "Who is Abim'elech, and who are we of Shechem, that we should serve him? Did not the son of Jerubba'al and Zebul his officer serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem? Why then should we serve him?

ASV: And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve ye the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: but why should we serve him?

Discover Judges 9:28

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Judges 9:28?

MEANING: What does Judges 9:28 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Judges 9:28 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Judges 9:28?

What is the context of Judges 9:28?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who [is] Abimelech, and who [is] Shechem, that we should serve him? [is] not [he] the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serve him?

What does Judges 9:28 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 9:28 mean?

And said Gaal son of Ebed who [is] Abimelech and who [is] Shechem that we should serve him [is he] not the son of Jerubbaal and [is not] Zebul his officer Serve - the men of Hamor the father of Shechem but why should serve him we

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ גַּ֣עַל בֶּן־ עֶ֗בֶד מִֽי־ אֲבִימֶ֤לֶךְ וּמִֽי־ שְׁכֶם֙ כִּ֣י נַעַבְדֶ֔נּוּ הֲלֹ֥א בֶן־ ؟ יְרֻבַּ֖עַל וּזְבֻ֣ל ؟ פְּקִיד֑וֹ עִבְד֗וּ אֶת־ אַנְשֵׁ֤י חֲמוֹר֙ אֲבִ֣י שְׁכֶ֔ם וּמַדּ֖וּעַ נַעַבְדֶ֥נּוּ אֲנָֽחְנוּ

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀	And said
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: אָמַר Sense: to say, speak, utter.
גַּ֣עַל	Gaal
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular Root: גַּעַל Sense: son of Eved who aided the Shechemites in their rebellion against Abimelech.
בֶּן־	son
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct Root: בֵּן Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
עֶ֗בֶד	of Ebed
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular Root: עֶבֶד Sense: father of Gaal in the time of the judges.
מִֽי־	who [is]
Parse: Interrogative Root: מִי Sense: who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever.
אֲבִימֶ֤לֶךְ	Abimelech
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular Root: אֲבִימֶלֶךְ Sense: king of Gerar in Abraham’s time.
וּמִֽי־	and who [is]
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interrogative Root: מִי Sense: who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever.
שְׁכֶם֙	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.
כִּ֣י	that
Parse: Conjunction Root: כִּי Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
נַעַבְדֶ֔נּוּ	we should serve him
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common plural, third person masculine singular Root: עָבַד Sense: to work, serve.
הֲלֹ֥א	[is he] not
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle Root: הֲלֹא Sense: not, no.
בֶן־	the son
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct Root: בֵּן Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
؟ יְרֻבַּ֖עַל	of Jerubbaal
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular Root: יְרֻבַּעַל Sense: name given to Gideon by his father when he destroyed the altar of Baal.
וּזְבֻ֣ל	and [is not] Zebul
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular Root: זְבֻל Sense: chief man of the city of Shechem at the time of the contest between Abimelech and the native Canaanites.
؟ פְּקִיד֑וֹ	his officer
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular Root: פָּקִיד Sense: commissioner, deputy, overseer, officer.
עִבְד֗וּ	Serve
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural Root: עָבַד Sense: to work, serve.
אֶת־	-
Parse: Direct object marker Root: אֹות Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אַנְשֵׁ֤י	the men
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct Root: אִישׁ Sense: man.
חֲמוֹר֙	of Hamor
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular Root: חֲמֹור Sense: the Hivite prince of the city of Shechem when Jacob entered Palestine.
אֲבִ֣י	the father
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct Root: אָב Sense: father of an individual.
שְׁכֶ֔ם	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.
וּמַדּ֖וּעַ	but why
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interrogative Root: מַדּוּעַ Sense: why?, on what account?, wherefore?.
נַעַבְדֶ֥נּוּ	should serve him
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common plural, third person masculine singular Root: עָבַד Sense: to work, serve.

What are the major concepts related to Judges 9:28?

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Similar Scriptures for Judges 9:28

		Genesis 34:2 [5]
		1 Samuel 25:10 [4]
		Genesis 34:6 [4]
		1 Kings 12:16 [3]
		2 Samuel 20:1 [2]