Then Jotham ran away, escaping to Beer, and he lived there for fear of his brother Abimelech. Then Jotham ran away,Jotham escaped after publicly declaring God’s judgment against Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem. As the only surviving son of Gideon after Abimelech murdered his brothers, he had every reason to expect Abimelech’s violence to continue against him. Gen 27:43 So now, my son, obey my voice and flee at once…
Exo 2:15 When Pharaoh heard about this matter, he sought to kill…
1Sa 19:18 So David ran away and escaped. And he went to Samuel…
escaping to Beer, Beer (meaning “well” in Hebrew) was a place of refuge whose precise location is now unknown. Its distance from Shechem placed Jotham beyond Abimelech’s immediate reach while preserving his life as a witness to the crimes committed against Gideon’s house. Num 21:16 From there they went on to Beer, the well where the LORD…
Num 21:18 The princes dug the well; the nobles of the people…
Num 21:19 and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth,
and he lived there Jotham remained in hiding rather than attempting to seize power for himself. His withdrawal left Abimelech’s rule to reveal its true character and allowed the judgment he announced to unfold in God’s time. 1Sa 27:5-7 Then David said to Achish, “If I have found favor…
1Ki 17:5-6 So Elijah did what the LORD had told him,…
1Ki 19:9 There Elijah entered a cave and spent the night.…
for fear of his brother Abimelech. Abimelech had shown that family ties would not restrain his ambition. Jotham’s fear was justified, yet Abimelech could not escape the divine judgment pronounced at Mount Gerizim; the conflict between Abimelech and Shechem eventually brought destruction upon both. Gen 27:41-45 Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing…
Gen 32:7-11 In great fear and distress, Jacob divided his people…
Gen 33:1-4 Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming toward him.…
Persons / Places / Events 1. JothamThe youngest son of Gideon (also known as Jerubbaal), who survived the massacre of his brothers by Abimelech. He is known for his parable of the trees, which he delivered from Mount Gerizim. 2. AbimelechThe son of Gideon and a concubine from Shechem, who killed his seventy brothers to become king. His rule is marked by treachery and violence. 3. BeerA location where Jotham fled to escape Abimelech. The name "Beer" means "well" in Hebrew, indicating a place with a water source, possibly a refuge or a place of safety. 4. Mount GerizimThe mountain from which Jotham delivered his parable. It holds historical and religious significance in Israelite history. 5. ShechemA city of great historical importance, where Abimelech was made king. It is a central location in the account of Judges 9. Teaching Points The Consequences of AmbitionAbimelech's account warns against unchecked ambition and the lengths to which people might go to achieve power. It serves as a reminder to seek God's will rather than personal gain. The Power of WordsJotham's parable is a powerful example of using words to convey truth and warn others. Believers are encouraged to speak truth courageously, even in the face of danger. Seeking Refuge in GodJotham's flight to Beer symbolizes seeking refuge and safety. In times of trouble, believers are reminded to find their refuge in God, who is our ultimate protector. The Importance of Righteous LeadershipThe account highlights the need for leaders who are righteous and just. It challenges believers to pray for and support godly leadership in their communities. God's Justice PrevailsDespite the temporary success of the wicked, God's justice ultimately prevails. This encourages believers to trust in God's timing and justice. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Jotham's response to Abimelech's actions reflect a godly approach to dealing with injustice? 2. In what ways can unchecked ambition lead to destructive outcomes in our personal lives and communities? 3. How can we use our words to speak truth and bring about positive change, as Jotham did with his parable? 4. What are some practical ways we can seek refuge in God during times of fear or uncertainty? 5. How does the account of Abimelech and Jotham challenge us to evaluate the leadership we support and the qualities we value in leaders? Connections to Other Scriptures Genesis 4The account of Cain and Abel parallels the fratricide committed by Abimelech, highlighting the destructive nature of jealousy and ambition. 1 Samuel 8The Israelites' desire for a king, despite God's warnings, connects to the account of Abimelech, illustrating the dangers of human leadership when it is not aligned with God's will. Matthew 23Jesus' lament over Jerusalem reflects the consequences of rejecting God's messengers, similar to how the people of Shechem rejected Jotham's warning. | Strength in Weakness | A.F. Muir | Judges 9:21 | | Abimelech, the Adventurer | R. A. Watson, M. A. | Judges 9:1-22 | | Ambition Destroys the Finer Feelings of Men | H. E. Channing. | Judges 9:1-22 | | Bramble Rule; Or, the People and Their Leaders | Homilist | Judges 9:1-22 | | Forms of Usefulness in Life | Marcus Dods, D. D. | Judges 9:1-22 | | Jotham's Parable | R. A. Watson, M. A. | Judges 9:1-22 | | King Bramble and His Subjects | A. F. Vedder. | Judges 9:1-22 | | Misleading Self-Judgments | A. Rowland, B. A. | Judges 9:1-22 | | Pulpit Brambles | Homilist | Judges 9:1-22 | | Self-Fulfilment | E. G. Murphy. | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Bramble | H. Whittaker. | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Election of the Usurper to be King | J. P. Millar. | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Faithful Olive-Tree | Spurgeon, Charles Haddon | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Parable of Jotham | A London Minister | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Parable of the Trees | J. Bayley, Ph. D. | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Parable of the Trees | A. Raleigh, D. D. | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Refusing of Leadership | W. Morison, D. D. | Judges 9:1-22 |
People Abimelech, Ebed, Gaal, Hamor, Jerubbaal, Jotham, Ophrah, Zalmon, ZebulPlaces Arumah, Beer, Beth-millo, Diviners' Oak, Lebanon, Midian, Mount Gerizim, Mount Zalmon, Ophrah, Shechem, Thebez, Tower of ShechemTopics Abimelech, Abim'elech, Afraid, Beer, Brother, Dwelleth, Dwelt, Escaped, Escaping, Face, Fear, Fled, Fleeth, Flight, Hasteth, Jotham, Ran, StraightDictionary of Bible Themes Judges 9:21 5319 fugitives
8754 fear Judges 9:1-21 5356 irony Library Here, by Way of Objection, Several Questions are Raised. ...
Here, by way of objection, several questions are raised. Scripture relates that God sometimes complied with certain prayers which had been dictated by minds not duly calmed or regulated. It is true, that the cause for which Jotham imprecated on the inhabitants of Shechem the disaster which afterwards befell them was well founded; but still he was inflamed with anger and revenge (Judges 9:20); and hence God, by complying with the execration, seems to approve of passionate impulses. Similar fervour …
John Calvin—Of Prayer--A Perpetual Exercise of FaithTrials of the Christian
AFFLICTION--ITS NATURE AND BENEFITS. The school of the cross is the school of light; it discovers the world's vanity, baseness, and wickedness, and lets us see more of God's mind. Out of dark afflictions comes a spiritual light. In times of affliction, we commonly meet with the sweetest experiences of the love of God. The end of affliction is the discovery of sin; and of that, to bring us to a Saviour. Doth not God ofttimes even take occasion, by the hardest of things that come upon us, to visit …
John Bunyan—The Riches of Bunyan Hence is Also that which Thou Hast Mentioned that they Speak Of...
28. Hence is also that which thou hast mentioned that they speak of, that the Lord Jesus, after He was risen, walked in the way with two disciples; and upon their drawing near to the village whither they were going, He made as though He would have gone farther: where the Evangelist, saying, "But He Himself feigned that He would go further," [2435] hath put that very word in which liars too greatly delight, that they may with impunity lie: as if every thing that is feigned is a lie, whereas in a truthful …
St. Augustine—Against Lying The Hebrew Sages and their Proverbs
[Sidenote: Role of the sages in Israel's life] In the days of Jeremiah and Ezekiel (Jer. xviii. 18; Ezek. vii. 26) three distinct classes of religious teachers were recognized by the people: the prophets, the priests, and the wise men or sages. From their lips and pens have come practically all the writings of the Old Testament. Of these three classes the wise men or sages are far less prominent or well known. They wrote no history of Israel, they preached no public sermons, nor do they appear …
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament Sovereignty of God in Administration
"The LORD hath prepared His Throne In the heavens; and His Kingdom ruleth over all" (Psa. 103:19). First, a word concerning the need for God to govern the material world. Suppose the opposite for a moment. For the sake of argument, let us say that God created the world, designed and fixed certain laws (which men term "the laws of Nature"), and that He then withdrew, leaving the world to its fortune and the out-working of these laws. In such a case, we should have a world over which there was no intelligent, …
Arthur W. Pink—The Sovereignty of God Seasonable Counsel: Or, Advice to Sufferers.
BY JOHN BUNYAN. London: Printed for Benjamin Alsop, at the Angel and Bible in the Poultry, 1684. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. THIS valuable treatise was first published in a pocket volume in 1684, and has only been reprinted in Whitfield's edition of Bunyan's works, 2 vols. folio, 1767. No man could have been better qualified to give advice to sufferers for righteousness' sake, than John Bunyan: and this work is exclusively devoted to that object. Shut up in a noisome jail, under the iron hand of …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 The Greater Prophets.
1. We have already seen (Chap. 15, Nos. 11 and 12) that from Moses to Samuel the appearances of prophets were infrequent; that with Samuel and the prophetical school established by him there began a new era, in which the prophets were recognized as a distinct order of men in the Theocracy; and that the age of written prophecy did not begin till about the reign of Uzziah, some three centuries after Samuel. The Jewish division of the latter prophets--prophets in the more restricted sense of the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible An Exhortation to Love God
1. An exhortation. Let me earnestly persuade all who bear the name of Christians to become lovers of God. "O love the Lord, all ye his saints" (Psalm xxxi. 23). There are but few that love God: many give Him hypocritical kisses, but few love Him. It is not so easy to love God as most imagine. The affection of love is natural, but the grace is not. Men are by nature haters of God (Rom. i. 30). The wicked would flee from God; they would neither be under His rules, nor within His reach. They fear God, …
Thomas Watson—A Divine Cordial Of Prayer --A Perpetual Exercise of Faith. The Daily Benefits Derived from It.
1. A general summary of what is contained in the previous part of the work. A transition to the doctrine of prayer. Its connection with the subject of faith. 2. Prayer defined. Its necessity and use. 3. Objection, that prayer seems useless, because God already knows our wants. Answer, from the institution and end of prayer. Confirmation by example. Its necessity and propriety. Perpetually reminds us of our duty, and leads to meditation on divine providence. Conclusion. Prayer a most useful exercise. …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion Judges
For the understanding of the early history and religion of Israel, the book of Judges, which covers the period from the death of Joshua to the beginning of the struggle with the Philistines, is of inestimable importance; and it is very fortunate that the elements contributed by the later editors are so easily separated from the ancient stories whose moral they seek to point. That moral is most elaborately stated in ii. 6-iii. 6, which is a sort of programme or preface to iii. 7-xvi. 31, which constitutes …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Judges 9:21 NIVJudges 9:21 NLTJudges 9:21 ESVJudges 9:21 NASBJudges 9:21 KJV
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