Read Judges 11.1-11
In 11.1-11: Jephthah becomes leader of Gilead.
Jephthah's career as a brigand parallels David's early history (1 Sam 22.2).
In verse 6: The elders fist offer the apparently temporary position of military commander.
In verse 8: Jephthah holds out for a better offer: permanent head or ruler over all the inhabitants of Gilead (10.18).
In verse 11: He validates the agreement by reciting it in the witnessing presence of the Lord at the shrine at Mispah.
Comments or Questions..
Saturday, December 14, 2019
Friday, December 13, 2019
Reading for December 21st
Read Judges 10.1-18
In verses 1-5: Minor judges: Tola and Jair.
In verse 1-2: Tola is the only minor judge credited with a military role (rose to deliver Israel).
Tradition preserves the names Tola and Puah (as Puvah) as clans of Issachar (Gen 46.13).
In verses 3-5: Jair was remembered as a pioneer in the settlement of Gilead (Josh 13.30; 1 Kings 4.13).
Hav-voth-jair means "tent villages of Jair."
In verses 6-18: Oppression by Ammon.
In verse 6: A long catalog of gods emphasizes the magnitude of Israel's infidelity.
In verses 7-8: The Ammonites lived to the east and south of Israel's territory in Gilead.
In verse 12: Traditions of deliverance from the Sidonians or the otherwise known Maonites are not preserved elsewhere.
In verse 13:The Lord has fulfilled the threat made in 2.3.
In verse 16: To put away the foreign gods may reflect an established ceremony (Gen 35.2-4; Josh 24.23).
The Lord's relationship to Israel is described as an emotional attachment.
Comments or Questions..
In verses 1-5: Minor judges: Tola and Jair.
In verse 1-2: Tola is the only minor judge credited with a military role (rose to deliver Israel).
Tradition preserves the names Tola and Puah (as Puvah) as clans of Issachar (Gen 46.13).
In verses 3-5: Jair was remembered as a pioneer in the settlement of Gilead (Josh 13.30; 1 Kings 4.13).
Hav-voth-jair means "tent villages of Jair."
In verses 6-18: Oppression by Ammon.
In verse 6: A long catalog of gods emphasizes the magnitude of Israel's infidelity.
In verses 7-8: The Ammonites lived to the east and south of Israel's territory in Gilead.
In verse 12: Traditions of deliverance from the Sidonians or the otherwise known Maonites are not preserved elsewhere.
In verse 13:The Lord has fulfilled the threat made in 2.3.
In verse 16: To put away the foreign gods may reflect an established ceremony (Gen 35.2-4; Josh 24.23).
The Lord's relationship to Israel is described as an emotional attachment.
Comments or Questions..
Thursday, December 12, 2019
Reading for December 20th
Read Judges 9.50-57
In 9.50-57: The death of Abimelech.
In verses 51-52: This narrative begins as a replay of his assault on Shechem.
In verse 53: An upper millstone was commonly used by women.
It was of a size to be picked up in two hands and thrown.
In verse 54: Although Abimelech seeks to avoid the notoriety of being killed by a woman (compare 4.9), he became a proverbial example of such a death (2 Sam 11.21).
In verses 56-57: God's retributive justice (v. 24) and Jotham's curse (v. 20) have worked together to achieve a satisfying conclusion.
Comments or Question's
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Reading for December 19th
Read Judges 9.34-49
In 9.34-49: Abimelech defeats Shechem.
In verse 34: By dividing his troops into four companies, Abimelech improves their chance of approaching unobserved.
In verse 39: Gaal leads out Shechem's aristocrats (the lords of Shechem), who are driven back into the city with heavy losses.
In verse 41: Although Abimlech does not storm the city at this point, Zebul, is able to expel Gaal and his supporters.
In verse 42: The ordinary farmers go out to work their fields, perhaps to harvest (v. 27).
In verse 44: The detachment under Abimelech's direct command blocks escape back into Shechem, while the other two contingents trap and slaughter the common folk.
In verse 45: This is total war.
Abimelech pulls down buildings and blocks resettlement by sowing Shechem with salt as a symbolic curse.
Inverse 46: Although the identity of the lords of the Tower or Shechem in unclear, they are an aristocratic group who seek safety in the city's last citadel.
Ancient temples were often constructed as strongholds.
Comments or Questions..
In 9.34-49: Abimelech defeats Shechem.
In verse 34: By dividing his troops into four companies, Abimelech improves their chance of approaching unobserved.
In verse 39: Gaal leads out Shechem's aristocrats (the lords of Shechem), who are driven back into the city with heavy losses.
In verse 41: Although Abimlech does not storm the city at this point, Zebul, is able to expel Gaal and his supporters.
In verse 42: The ordinary farmers go out to work their fields, perhaps to harvest (v. 27).
In verse 44: The detachment under Abimelech's direct command blocks escape back into Shechem, while the other two contingents trap and slaughter the common folk.
In verse 45: This is total war.
Abimelech pulls down buildings and blocks resettlement by sowing Shechem with salt as a symbolic curse.
Inverse 46: Although the identity of the lords of the Tower or Shechem in unclear, they are an aristocratic group who seek safety in the city's last citadel.
Ancient temples were often constructed as strongholds.
Comments or Questions..
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Reading for December 18th
Read Judges 9.22-33
In 9,22-33: The plot against Abimelech.
In verse 23: An evil spirit creates a relationship of mutual mistrust (1 Sam 16.14).
In verse 24: Israel believed that evil deeds spontaneously brought on their own appropriate penalty.
Violence and blood (bloodshed) would naturally rebound on the culprits.
In verse 25: A breakdown in civil order (compare 5.6) undermines Abimlech's authority and diminishes the collection of royal tolls.
In verse 26: Gaal and his relatives relocate to Shechem, but his nationalistic rhetoric (vv. 28-29).
In verse 27: Talk would be loose and emotions would run high at this celebration of the wine harvest.
In verse 28: Gaal's argument appeals to ethic pride: Abimelech is an upstart outsider.
Both Jerubbaal and Zebul (Abimelech's deputy, v. 30) once served the authentic native leadership of Shechem, the men of Humor.
Hamor was a renowned character from Shechem's past (Gen 33.19).
In verse 33: Zebul intends to make sure that Gaal and his troops come out against Abimelech (v. 38).
Comments or Questions..
In 9,22-33: The plot against Abimelech.
In verse 23: An evil spirit creates a relationship of mutual mistrust (1 Sam 16.14).
In verse 24: Israel believed that evil deeds spontaneously brought on their own appropriate penalty.
Violence and blood (bloodshed) would naturally rebound on the culprits.
In verse 25: A breakdown in civil order (compare 5.6) undermines Abimlech's authority and diminishes the collection of royal tolls.
In verse 26: Gaal and his relatives relocate to Shechem, but his nationalistic rhetoric (vv. 28-29).
In verse 27: Talk would be loose and emotions would run high at this celebration of the wine harvest.
In verse 28: Gaal's argument appeals to ethic pride: Abimelech is an upstart outsider.
Both Jerubbaal and Zebul (Abimelech's deputy, v. 30) once served the authentic native leadership of Shechem, the men of Humor.
Hamor was a renowned character from Shechem's past (Gen 33.19).
In verse 33: Zebul intends to make sure that Gaal and his troops come out against Abimelech (v. 38).
Comments or Questions..
Monday, December 9, 2019
Reading for December 17th
Read Judges 9.7-21
In 9.7-21: Jotham's fable.
This fable displays a cynicism about kingship similar to 1 Samuel 8.
The useful plants (representing Gideon; 8.22-23) refuse kingship as a waste of their valuable aptitudes.
In verses 14-15: The worthless bramble (Abimelech) accepts.
But beware!
The bramble's shade is prickly and meager, and its potential for fire threatens.
In verse 16: The rest of Jotham's speech is an extended curse that culminates in vv. 19-20.
In verses 17-18: The curse is interrupted to demonstrate that the leaders of Shechem have not acted fairly.
In verse 20: Fire represents the dissension that is soon to unfold..
Jotham's curse matches fulfillment in vv. 56-57.
Comments or Questions..
In 9.7-21: Jotham's fable.
This fable displays a cynicism about kingship similar to 1 Samuel 8.
The useful plants (representing Gideon; 8.22-23) refuse kingship as a waste of their valuable aptitudes.
In verses 14-15: The worthless bramble (Abimelech) accepts.
But beware!
The bramble's shade is prickly and meager, and its potential for fire threatens.
In verse 16: The rest of Jotham's speech is an extended curse that culminates in vv. 19-20.
In verses 17-18: The curse is interrupted to demonstrate that the leaders of Shechem have not acted fairly.
In verse 20: Fire represents the dissension that is soon to unfold..
Jotham's curse matches fulfillment in vv. 56-57.
Comments or Questions..
Sunday, December 8, 2019
Reading for December 16th
Read Judges 9.1-6
In 9.1-6: Abimelech seizes royal power.
In verse 1-3: Abimelech's mother belong to a clan of Shechem (8.31).
In verse 5: On one stone may indicate a parody of sacrifice (1 Sam 14.33-34), but clearly communicates that the killing was deliberate and cold-blooded.
In verse 6: Beth-millo indicates a building (literally "House on Filled-Up Ground"), but here must refer to a group in Shechem's system of government (v. 20; compare "White House").
Comments or Questions..
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