Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be 14 promoted over the trees?* Then said all the trees unto the

bramble, Come thou [and] reign over us. The bramble, or thistle, was like Abimelech, a worthless, troublesome thing, fie only to be burned; but it accepted the proposal without hesita15 tion, and began to look big. And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, [then] come [and] put your trust in my shadow; give up yourselves wholly to my conduct, and rely on my protection, and I will be sure to secure you. A fine arbour truly more likely to tear and wound, than shelter them. And if not, if you will not submit to me, and do as I would have you, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon, that is, the greatest of those who oppose him; hereby denoting the pride, folly, and cruelty of Abimelech. Then follows the moral or application of 16 the fable. 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; if ye have done righteous acts, and behaved gratefully to Gideon and his house, 17 (For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian, when ye were 18 sorely oppressed, and could not help yourselves: And ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, all except myself who escaped from you, but whose death you designed, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maid servant, king over the men of Shechem, not over all Israel, but only over Shechem, though he has no good quality, only because he 19 [is] your brother ;) If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, [then] rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you; much cause of rejoicing and mutual satisfaction and delight may you havein cach 20 other! But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech; may a spirit of dissension and revenge prevail: and you mutually destroy each other! This is not a prediction, but an execration, called in v. 57, 21 his curse. And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, in the tribe of Judah, near Jerusalem, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.t

Wine was used in sacrifices: it was part of the provisions of God's house and altar, with which he was delighted, and men were cheered. Thus all these noble trees, that is, Gideon and his sons, much better men than Abimelech, had refused the dignity of which he was so ambitious.

+ If all Gideon's sons were like this, we cannot help lamenting the fall of such a num ber of fine men, who might have been public blessings; but such a spare was the ephod to Gideon's house. The Greeks claim the honour of being the inventors of fables and para. bles, but this, and Nathan's, and others, show them to be much more ancient.

22

When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel, over some part of Israel, who had come in afterward, but not over Judah, or else Jotham would not have been safe there ; 23 Then God sent an evil spirit, a spirit of discord and revenge, jealousy and distrust, between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech; he slighted them, and they rebelled against him: 24 That the cruelty [done] to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren; all was intended by Providence to make their punishment re25 markable. 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; there were no open hostilities, but, on` the dissension, he left the city and went to Arumah, (v. 41.) his country seat, and they lay in wait to seize his person as he returned, and plundered all of his party and friends that they met with and it was told Abimelech, their whole plot was discov26 ered to him. And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, his allies and friends; perhaps, being bold men, they were sent for to encourage and strengthen the conspiracy, and went over to Shechem and the men of Shechem put their con27 fidence in him, put themselves under his protection. And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, which they durst not do before, because of Abimelech's forces, and trode [the grapes,] and made merry, with songs, and went into the house of their god with their first fruits, and did eat and drink, that is, feast on their sacrifice, and cursed Abimelech, prayed 28 their god to confound and destroy him. And Gaal the son of Ebed, when he and the people were elevated with wine, began to insult Abimelech, and take measures to make himself their king; and he said, Who [is] Abimelech, and who [is] Shechem, that we should serve him? the son of a woman of your city, and she but a concubine and servant; why should we submit to one so basely descended? [is] not [he] the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? who defied your gods and threw down your altars; if ye must be in subjection, restore your old lords, and serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem : for why should we serve him? this upstart, famous for nothing but pride and cruelty ? Gaal was a Gentile, perhaps a descend29 ant of Hamor, and therefore insists upon this, adding, And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech, I would make him flee his country. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out; he sent him a formal challenge to collect his forces and meet him in the field.

1.

WE

REFLECTIONS.

E may observe, in the instance of Abimelech, the mischief which pride and ambition occasion. What monstrous steps did he take to gain royal dignity! First he flattered the men of Shechem; then bribed a number of villains to assist him; and at last embrued his hands in the blood of his brethren. This is the way by which many ambitious men have arrived at government, and have for a time supported themselves in it. All sin will easily go down with those who are resolved at any rate to rise; such men will break through all the ties of natural affection, and of conscience too, to secure honour and power for themselves. Let us all guard against an ambitious spirit. Let not our hearts be haughty, nor our eyes lofty; for pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

2. Let us learn to be content with an humble station, as being the most secure. Jotham, in his parable, intimates the danger of being great, as the reason why Gideon and others declined it. A man in power must lose a great deal of ease and comfort, subject himself to much toil and labour, and expose himself to the malice and ill will of others. This is so common a case, that it should make us content with inferior stations, and bring down all our aspiring thoughts. Give us neither poverty nor riches but hav ing food and raiment, may we be therewith content.

3. See what a vain thing popular applause is. The men of Shechem made Abimelech king one day, and almost the next they were for dethroning and murdering him: they cursed him in the house of their god, from whence they so lately took money to support him. How little is the clamour of the multitude to be depended upon, especially the fame that is gained by evil arts! Let us learn to be mortified to human applause, and act as pleas ing God, who searches the heart. Men may, and often do, prove like these Shechemites, false and perfidious. But whoso is approved of God shall be safe; they who are blessed of him, shall inherit greater honour than any earthly crown can give, and de light themselves in the abundance of peace.

CHAP. IX. 30, to the end.

We have here an account of the destruction of the men of Shechem by Abimelech, and also of his destruction by a woman, with a stone, from the tower of Thebez.

30

AN

ND when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled. He waited for an opportunity to restore Abimelech ; but finding iş in vain to oppose a popular tumult, he behaved in a fair way to 31 Gaal; And, being roused by this insult, he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem; and, behold, they fortify the city against thee; there is no sign that he 32 will venture out, but only provide for his own defence. Now therefore up by night, for fear of discovery, thou and the 33 people that [is] with thee, and lie in wait in the field: And it shall be, [that] in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, thou shalt rise early, and set upon the city: and, behold, [when] he and the people that [is] with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to them as thou shalt find occasion, and as prudence may direct.

34 And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that [were] with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies, the better to surprise and distract the Shechem85 ites. And Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entering of the gate of the city, to see that all was safe, and the guards in their proper stations; and Zebul, as governor of the city, accompanied him, to see that all did their duty: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that [were] with him, from lying 36 in wait. And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains, from Gerizim and Ebal, between which mountains the city lay. And Zebul said unto him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as [if they were] men; the mountains and trees cast a long shadow, and deceive you. Zebul said this to detain Gaal, and make him more secure; he was an artful man, and 37 concealed his resentment well. And Gaal spake again and said, See, there come people down by the middle of the land, and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim; as they came nearer, Gaal plainly perceived that they were men, who were got to the middle of the mountain, and 38 another party were coming along the plain. Then said Zebul unto him, Where [is] now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, Who [is] Abimelech, that we should serve him? [is] not this the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them. Here Zebul throws off the mask, upbraids him with his insolent language, and charges him with cowardice :

39 And upon this Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and 40 fought with Abimelech. And Abimelech chased him, and he, being disheartened by Zebul, and perceiving his own party weaker than he expected, fled before him, and many were overthrown, [and] wounded, [even] unto the entering of the gate, the rest 41 got into the city. And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah; he abode there with his forces, waiting for some fit opportunity to surprise Shechem; and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem. Having lost the victory, he lost his popularity, and was forced to leave the city; 42 perhaps he was not suffered to enter it again. And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field about their business, or upon some solemn occasion in honour of 43 their idol; and they told Abimelech. And he took the people who were with him, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field, and looked, and, behold, the people [were] come forth out of the city; and he rose up against 44 them, and smote them. And Abimelech, and the company that [was] with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city, to slay those who ran to secure themselves in the city: and the two [other] companies ran upon all 45 [the people] that [were] in the fields, and slew them. And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and, being joined by Zebul and his men, he took the city, and slew the people that [was] therein, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.

46

And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard [that,] they did not think themselves safe, and therefore they 47 entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.

And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem 48 were gathered together in the temple of their god.

And

Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that [were] with him; and Abimelech took an ax in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid [it] on his shoulder, and said unto the people that [were] with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, [and] do as I [have done.] And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put [them] to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women; being either burnt to death, or suffocated by the smoke. And thus, according to Jotham's declaration, fire came out from Abimelech, and devoured the men of Shechem and

This was the canse and sign of barrenness in those hot countries. It denoted his desire to have it made a perpetual desolation; but it was rebuilt. Rehoboam was crowned there, and it was called Sychar.

+ A strong fortress, in the temple of their god, like the capitol at Rome, or the temple at Jerusalem, which were reckoned impregnable places; or, which they hoped might he spared as sacred places.

« AnteriorContinuar »