John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO Judges 9 This chapter contains an account of the craft and cruelty of Abimelech, by which he got himself made king of the Shechemites, Judges 9:1 of the parable of Jotham, the youngest son of Gideon, concerning the trees, in which he exposes their folly in making Abimelech king, and foretells the ruin of them both, Judges 9:7 of the contentions which arose between Abimelech, and...
John Gill
Now therefore up by night,.... The night following, that no time might be lost: and the people that is with thee; the troops he had with him; not only such he had for his own guards, but what he had been raising, having intelligence before this of the revolt of the Shechemites from him: and lie in wait in the fields; he thought it most advisable for him to march with the forces he had, from the...
Matthew Henry
The apostasy of Israel after the death of Gideon is punished, not as the former apostasies by a foreign invasion, or the oppressions of any neighbouring power, but by intestine broils among themselves, which in this chapter we have the story of; and it is hard to say whether their sin or their misery appears most in it. It is an account of the usurpation and tyranny of Abimelech, who was base son...