Judges 9:16
New International Version
“Have you acted honorably and in good faith by making Abimelek king? Have you been fair to Jerub-Baal and his family? Have you treated him as he deserves?

New Living Translation
Jotham continued, “Now make sure you have acted honorably and in good faith by making Abimelech your king, and that you have done right by Gideon and all of his descendants. Have you treated him with the honor he deserves for all he accomplished?

English Standard Version
“Now therefore, if you acted in good faith and integrity when you made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house and have done to him as his deeds deserved—

Berean Standard Bible
Now if you have acted faithfully and honestly in making Abimelech king, if you have done well by Jerubbaal and his family, and if you have done to him as he deserves—

King James Bible
Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands;

New King James Version
“Now therefore, if you have acted in truth and sincerity in making Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him as he deserves—

New American Standard Bible
“Now then, if you have acted with honesty and integrity in making Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have dealt with him as he deserved—

NASB 1995
“Now therefore, if you have dealt in truth and integrity in making Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have dealt with him as he deserved—

NASB 1977
“Now therefore, if you have dealt in truth and integrity in making Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have dealt with him as he deserved—

Legacy Standard Bible
“So now, if you have dealt in truth and integrity and made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house and have dealt with him according to the bountiful works of his hands—

Amplified Bible
“Now then, if you acted in truth and integrity when you made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have dealt with him as he deserved—

Christian Standard Bible
“Now if you have acted faithfully and honestly in making Abimelech king, if you have done well by Jerubbaal and his family, and if you have rewarded him appropriately for what he did—

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Now if you have acted faithfully and honestly in making Abimelech king, if you have done well by Jerubbaal and his family, and if you have rewarded him appropriately for what he did—

American Standard Version
Now therefore, if ye have dealt truly and uprightly, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands

English Revised Version
Now therefore, if ye have dealt truly and uprightly, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"If you acted with sincerity and integrity when you made Abimelech king, [be happy.] If you treated Jerubbaal and his family well, if you treated him as he deserved, be happy.

Good News Translation
"Now then," Jotham continued, "were you really honest and sincere when you made Abimelech king? Did you respect Gideon's memory and treat his family properly, as his actions deserved?

International Standard Version
"Now then, if you have been acting in good faith and integrity by making a king out of Abimelech, if you have treated Jerubbaal and his household appropriately by acting toward him as he deserved —

Majority Standard Bible
Now if you have acted faithfully and honestly in making Abimelech king, if you have done well by Jerubbaal and his family, and if you have done to him as he deserves?

NET Bible
"Now, if you have shown loyalty and integrity when you made Abimelech king, if you have done right to Jerub-Baal and his family, if you have properly repaid him--

New Heart English Bible
"Now therefore, if you have dealt truly and righteously, in that you have made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him according to the deserving of his hands

Webster's Bible Translation
Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him according to the deserving of his hands:

World English Bible
“Now therefore, if you have dealt truly and righteously, in that you have made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him according to the deserving of his hands
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And now, if you have acted in truth and in sincerity when you make Abimelech king; and if you have done good with Jerubba‘al, and with his house; and if you have done to him according to the deed of his hands—

Young's Literal Translation
'And, now, if in truth and in sincerity ye have acted, when ye make Abimelech king; and if ye have done good with Jerubbaal, and with his house; and if according to the deed of his hands ye have done to him --

Smith's Literal Translation
And now if in truth and in uprightness ye did and ye shall make Abimelech king, and if ye did good with Jerubbaal and with his house, and if according to the desert of his hands ye did to him:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Now therefore if you have done well, and without sin in appointing Abimelech king over you, and have dealt well with Jerobaal, and with his house, and have made a suitable return for the benefits of him, who fought for you,

Catholic Public Domain Version
So now, if you are upright and without sin in appointing Abimelech as a king over you, and if you have acted well with Jerubbaal, and with his house, and if you have repaid, in turn, the benefits of him who fought on your behalf,

New American Bible
“Now then, if you have acted in good faith and integrity in appointing Abimelech your king, if you have acted with good will toward Jerubbaal and his house, and if you have treated him as he deserved—

New Revised Standard Version
“Now therefore, if you acted in good faith and honor when you made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him as his actions deserved—
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Now therefore, if you have done truly and sincerely, in that you have made Abimeleck king, and if you have dealt well with Nedo-baal and his household, and have rewarded him according to the deeds of his hands;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And now if in righteousness and in the truth you have acted and you have crowned Abimelek and if you have done good with NeduBayl and with his house, or you have rewarded him according to the work of his hands
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Now therefore, if ye have dealt truly and uprightly, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands--

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And now, if ye have done it in truth and integrity, and have made Abimelech king, and if ye have wrought well with Jerobaal, and with his house, and if ye have done to him according to the reward of his hand,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jotham's Parable
15But the thornbush replied, ‘If you really are anointing me as king over you, come and find refuge in my shade. But if not, may fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’ 16Now if you have acted faithfully and honestly in making Abimelech king, if you have done well by Jerubbaal and his family, and if you have done to him as he deserves— 17for my father fought for you and risked his life to deliver you from the hand of Midian,…

Cross References
1 Samuel 12:3-5
Here I am. Bear witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox or donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated or oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe and closed my eyes? Tell me, and I will restore it to you.” / “You have not cheated us or oppressed us,” they replied, “nor have you taken anything from the hand of man.” / Samuel said to them, “The LORD is a witness against you, and His anointed is a witness today, that you have not found anything in my hand.” “He is a witness,” they replied.

2 Samuel 7:18-19
Then King David went in, sat before the LORD, and said, “Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far? / And as if this was a small thing in Your eyes, O Lord GOD, You have also spoken about the future of the house of Your servant. Is this Your custom with man, O Lord GOD?

1 Kings 2:5-6
Moreover, you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether, the two commanders of the armies of Israel. He killed them in peacetime to avenge the blood of war. He stained with the blood of war the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet. / So act according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace.

1 Kings 12:16-19
When all Israel saw that the king had refused to listen to them, they answered the king: “What portion do we have in David, and what inheritance in the son of Jesse? To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, O David!” So the Israelites went home, / but Rehoboam still reigned over the Israelites living in the cities of Judah. / Then King Rehoboam sent out Adoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death. And King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste and escaped to Jerusalem. ...

2 Kings 11:14-17
And she looked out and saw the king standing by the pillar, according to the custom. The officers and trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and screamed, “Treason! Treason!” / And Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of hundreds in charge of the army, “Bring her out between the ranks, and put to the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest had said, “She must not be put to death in the house of the LORD.” / So they seized Athaliah as she reached the horses’ entrance to the palace grounds, and there she was put to death. ...

2 Chronicles 23:13-16
And she looked and saw the king standing by his pillar at the entrance. The officers and trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets, while the singers with musical instruments were leading the praises. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and screamed, “Treason, treason!” / And Jehoiada the priest sent out the commanders of hundreds in charge of the army, saying, “Bring her out between the ranks, and put to the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest had said, “She must not be put to death in the house of the LORD.” / So they seized Athaliah as she reached the entrance of the Horse Gate on the palace grounds, and there they put her to death. ...

Hosea 8:4
They set up kings, but not by Me. They make princes, but without My approval. With their silver and gold they make themselves idols, to their own destruction.

Hosea 10:3-4
Surely now they will say, “We have no king, for we do not revere the LORD. What can a king do for us?” / They speak mere words; with false oaths they make covenants. So judgment springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field.

Jeremiah 22:13-17
“Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms without justice, who makes his countrymen serve without pay, and fails to pay their wages, / who says, ‘I will build myself a great palace, with spacious upper rooms.’ So he cuts windows in it, panels it with cedar, and paints it with vermilion. / Does it make you a king to excel in cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He administered justice and righteousness, and so it went well with him. ...

Ezekiel 17:15-19
But this king rebelled against Babylon by sending his envoys to Egypt to ask for horses and a large army. Will he flourish? Will the one who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant and yet escape?’ / ‘As surely as I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘he will die in Babylon, in the land of the king who enthroned him, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke. / Pharaoh with his mighty army and vast horde will not help him in battle, when ramps are built and siege walls constructed to destroy many lives. ...

Matthew 7:15-20
Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. / By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? / Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ...

Matthew 12:33-37
Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is known by its fruit. / You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. / The good man brings good things out of his good store of treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil store of treasure. ...

Matthew 23:28-33
In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. / Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous. / And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ ...

Luke 6:43-45
No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. / For each tree is known by its own fruit. Indeed, figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor grapes from brambles. / The good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart. For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

Luke 19:41-44
As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it / and said, “If only you had known on this day what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden from your eyes. / For the days will come upon you when your enemies will barricade you and surround you and hem you in on every side. ...


Treasury of Scripture

Now therefore, if you have done truly and sincerely, in that you have made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him according to the deserving of his hands;

according

Judges 8:35
Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.

Jump to Previous
Abimelech Abim'elech Acted Dealt Deeds Deserved Deserves Deserving Hands Honor House Integrity Jerubbaal Jerub-Baal Jerubba'al Making Reward Righteously Sincerely Treated Truth Uprightly Work
Jump to Next
Abimelech Abim'elech Acted Dealt Deeds Deserved Deserves Deserving Hands Honor House Integrity Jerubbaal Jerub-Baal Jerubba'al Making Reward Righteously Sincerely Treated Truth Uprightly Work
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.














Now if you have acted faithfully and honestly
The phrase "acted faithfully and honestly" is a call to integrity and righteousness. In Hebrew, "faithfully" (בֶּאֱמוּנָה, be'emunah) conveys a sense of steadfastness and trustworthiness, while "honestly" (בְּתוֹם, betom) implies completeness and sincerity. This sets a standard for the Israelites' actions, urging them to reflect on their motives and the truthfulness of their deeds. In a broader biblical context, these virtues are foundational to a covenant relationship with God, who desires His people to mirror His own faithfulness and truth.

in making Abimelech king
The act of "making Abimelech king" is significant in the historical context of Israel's governance. Abimelech's rise to power was not through divine appointment, as was customary for leaders like Moses or Joshua, but through manipulation and violence. This phrase challenges the legitimacy of his kingship, highlighting the deviation from God's intended order. Archaeologically, this period reflects a time of tribal confederation rather than centralized monarchy, making Abimelech's kingship an anomaly and a cautionary tale of self-serving ambition.

and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house
"Dealt well" (עֲשִׂיתֶם טוֹב, asitem tov) implies a moral obligation to repay kindness and loyalty. Jerubbaal, also known as Gideon, was a judge who delivered Israel from Midianite oppression. The mention of "his house" underscores the importance of honoring familial and covenantal relationships. Historically, this reflects the tribal and familial loyalties that were crucial in ancient Israelite society. The failure to honor Gideon's legacy is a breach of social and divine justice.

and have done for him as he deserves—
The phrase "as he deserves" (כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה, ka'asher asah) speaks to the principle of retributive justice, a common theme in biblical law. It suggests that actions should be reciprocated in kind, reflecting the biblical concept of "measure for measure." This principle is rooted in the character of God, who is just and fair. The Israelites' failure to honor Gideon's contributions and legacy is a moral failing that invites divine scrutiny and judgment.

(16) Now therefore.--Here follows the epimuthion. or application of the fable. Judges 9:16-18 are the protasis of the sentence, which is a long and parenthetic series of premisses; the conclusion, or apodosis, follows in Judges 9:19.

If ye have done truly and sincerely.--A bitterly ironical supposition with a side glance at the phrase used by the bramble (see Judges 9:15).

Verses 16-20. - Now therefore, etc. The fable being ended, now comes the forcible and bitter application. The simple reference to Gideon's great actions, and the juxtaposition of the base and bloody deed in which the Shechemites and the men of the house of Millo had made themselves accomplices by choosing Abimelech for their king, formed an indictment which could not be answered. With lofty scorn and irony he wishes well to them if they had acted honourably; but if not, he predicts the inevitable Nemesis of an alliance founded in bloodshed and treachery and wrong, viz., the mutual hatred and destruction of the contracting parties. Observe how "the house of Millo" is consistently spoken of as a separate community from "the men of Shechem."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Now
וְעַתָּ֗ה (wə·‘at·tāh)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 6258: At this time

if
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

you have acted
עֲשִׂיתֶ֔ם (‘ă·śî·ṯem)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 6213: To do, make

faithfully
בֶּאֱמֶ֤ת (be·’ĕ·meṯ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 571: Stability, certainty, truth, trustworthiness

and honestly
וּבְתָמִים֙ (ū·ḇə·ṯā·mîm)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 8549: Entire, integrity, truth

in making Abimelech
אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ (’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 40: Abimelech -- 'father is king', a Philistine name, also an Israelite name

king,
וַתַּמְלִ֖יכוּ (wat·tam·lî·ḵū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 4427: To reign, inceptively, to ascend the throne, to induct into royalty, to take counsel

if
וְאִם־ (wə·’im-)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

you have done well
עֲשִׂיתֶם֙ (‘ă·śî·ṯem)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 6213: To do, make

by
עִם־ (‘im-)
Preposition
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

Jerubbaal
יְרֻבַּ֣עַל (yə·rub·ba·‘al)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3378: Jerubbaal -- 'let Baal contend', a name of Gideon

and his family,
בֵּית֔וֹ (bê·ṯōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1004: A house

and if
וְאִם־ (wə·’im-)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

you have done
עֲשִׂ֥יתֶם (‘ă·śî·ṯem)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 6213: To do, make

to him
לֽוֹ׃ (lōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

as he
יָדָ֖יו (yā·ḏāw)
Noun - fdc | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3027: A hand

deserves—
כִּגְמ֥וּל (kiḡ·mūl)
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1576: Treatment, an act, service, requital


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OT History: Judges 9:16 Now therefore if you have dealt truly (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 9:15
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