The death of Abimelech at the siege of Thebez (Judg 9:50-9:57)

“Then Abimelech went to Thebez. He encamped against Thebez and then took it. But there was a strong tower within the city. All the men and women with all the lords of the city fled to it. They shut themselves in. They went to the roof of the tower. Abimelech came to the tower. He fought against it. He came near to the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire. But a certain woman threw an upper millstone upon Abimelech’s head that crushed his skull. Immediately he called to the young man who carried his armor and said to him. ‘Draw your sword and kill me, so people will not say about me, ‘a woman killed him.’ So the young man thrust him through, and he died. When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they all went home. Thus God repaid Abimelech for the crime he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers. God also made all the wickedness of the people of Shechem fall back on their heads. On them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.”

Thebez was about 11 miles northeast of Shechem. The people had a tower in the middle of town. Notice that he did want to be killed by a woman, which would have been a disgrace. The evilness of Abimelech and the people of Shechem, who killed and condoned the murder of the sons of Gideon, were turned back on them with the curse of Jotham, the remaining son of Gideon.

One thought on “The death of Abimelech at the siege of Thebez (Judg 9:50-9:57)

  1. Abimelech was trying to kill her, it was never shameful for a man to be killed by a woman that he was trying to kill. Abimelech was a misogynist, Our Heavenly Father never said what Abimelech said to his armourbearor. What the woman did was brave and rightouse! Because SHE WAS DEFENDING HERSELF!

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