Lesson 12 Judges 8 & 9

Gideon Kills other Midianite Leaders Judg. 8:4-21 When Gideon and his men came to Jordan they were exhusted They came to Succoth Gideon ask for food for him and his men We are in pursuit of Zebah and Zalmunna the kings of Midian The leaders of Succoth ask if they had them in custody? They were afraid if they did not that they might escape and come later against Succoth

Gideon Kills other Midianite Leaders Judg. 8:4-21 Karkor

Gideon Kills other Midianite Leaders Judg. 8:4-21 Gideon told them since you will give us no food When the Lord delivers them into our hand I will return and thresh your hides with the thorns of the wilderness Gideon goes on to Penuel and ask for food They gave a similar answer as Succoth Gideon said in like manner I will return and break down this tower Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor over 100 miles east of the Jordan

Gideon Kills other Midianite Leaders Judg. 8:4-21 They only had 15,000 men left of the 135,000 Gideon used the roads of the nomads to find Zebah and Zalmunna He captured them and destroyed the army Gideon returns to Penuel and Succoth He had not forgotten their response to his appeal for food

Gideon Kills other Midianite Leaders Judg. 8:4-21 Gideon shows them he has captured the enemies Zebah and Zalmunna Gideon destroyed the tower in Penuel and slew the men of the city In Succoth he took thorns and briers and did as he said (threshed their hide). We are not sure how he did it but I am sure it hurt The problem of these cities was they did not believe Gideon could win the battle

Gideon Kills other Midianite Leaders Judg. 8:4-21 Gideon turns to Zebah and Zalmunna and ask “What were the men like that you killed at Mt. Tabor?” Their answer was “they were like you” They looked like the offspring of a king Gideon’s reply “they were my brothers If you had not killed them I would have saved your alive Gideon told his son to kill them

Mt. Tabor

Gideon Kills other Midianite Leaders Judg. 8:4-21 He was afraid to kill them being a boy Zebah and Zalmunna said “You kill us yourself it is a man’s task Gideon slew both of them He took the crescents that hung around the necks of their camels as spoils of war

The flight of Midianites started in the Jezreel Valley to the Jordan Valley down to the Jabbok River where they crossed. Continued Eastward until they thought they were safe from Gideon and his army. The tribe of Ephraim had hurried to the fords of the Jordan and captured as many as they could. Gideon went on to Succoth and Penuel after this. Karkor ? Jabbok River Yarmuk River Arnon River

Ephod becomes an Item of worship Judges 8:22-28 Gideon was ask to become the king of Israel and rule over them Gideon refused Neither I nor my son will rule over you The Lord is ruler over you I will make one request Each one give me the gold earrings you took as loot

Ephod becomes an Item of worship Judges 8:22-28 There was much gold, because these men were Ishmaelites Ishmaelites were desert-dwellers Gen.37:25ff These warriors usually took their wealth with them everywhere they went even to war Many time they would decorate their camels with fine jewels and expensive coverings

Ephod becomes an Item of worship Judges 8:22-28 The men were glad to give Gideon these items he requested A cloth was spread and each came and cast their rings on it The weight was 1700 shekels of gold or about 50 pounds Gideon took the gold and made an ephod and put it in his city of Ophrah Israel began to worship the ephod as a god or used it in worship

Ephod becomes an Item of worship Judges 8:22-28 An ephod is basically a front and back flap made of linen worn over another garment (2 Samuel 6:14) There may have been some type of idol the ephod was placed on (we are not sure) This worship could have been at the altar that Gideon built (6:24) Israel went whoring after it 8:27 It became a snare to Gideon and his family

The last days of Gideon Judges 9:29-35 Israel had quietness for 40 years Gideon had 70 sons and many wives He had a concubine in Shechem who bare him a son named Abimelech (which means My father is king or father of kings) Gideon died in a good old age After his death Israel turned to Baal Israel turned from Jehovah who had delivered them from their enemies

Abimelech Judges 9: 1-57 This story is very unusual Many consider him a judge and he is listed among the judges because he was a leader during that period. Abimelech is never called a judge in the Bible, nor was God with him. He was a unscrupulous, ambitious man who was determined to be king of Israel He and the men of Shechem decided he would be king

Abimelech becomes King Judges 9:1-6 Abimelech was the son of Gideon by his concubine He went to Shechem and ask his brothers which had you rather have as ruler me or all 70 sons of Gideon Remember I am of your flesh and blood We have no indication that any of his brothers even desired to rule over Israel

Abimelech becomes King Judges 9:1-6 His relatives responded favorably and said “he is our kin” The Shechemites gave Abimelech 70 pieces of silver and he used it to hire some evil men He took them to Ophrah and killed his brothers at one place The youngest son Jotham, escaped by hiding

Abimelech becomes King Judges 9:1-6 We are not sure that the men of Sechem knew what Abimelech was going to do with the silver they gave him V.24 After this Shechem and the house of Millo made Abimelech king by the oak of the monument that was in Shechem This all happened near the city that God promised to Abraham’s descendants Gen. 12:6-7

Jotham reproves Abimelech Judges 9: 7-21 Jotham stood on Mt. Gerizim and cried out Listen to me men of Shechem The trees of the forest went out to choose a king over them They went to an olive tree Rule over us The olive said should I leave my fatness by which, people give honor to God, to go wave back and forth over the trees?

Mt. Gerizim Shechem in the valley Mt. Ebal

Jotham reproves Abimelech Judges 9: 7-21 The trees then go to the fig tree Come rule over us The fig said, “should I leave my sweetness and good fruit” to wave back and forth over the trees? A vine was ask to reign over them The reply was “should I leave my wine which cheers God and man to wave back and forth over the trees”?

Jotham reproves Abimelech Judges 9: 7-21 Last of all the trees come to the brier Come rule over us With pride the brier said “If you choose me to be your king, then come and stand in my shade from the heat If not, then let fire come out of the thorn bush and devour the cedars of Lebanon

Jotham reproves Abimelech Judges 9: 7-21 If you men of Shechem have dealt uprightly and fairly in making Abimelech king, and dealt rightly with my family Remember my father fought for you, put his life on the line, delivered you from Midian You have risen up against him and his family Executed his sons and made Abimelech king over Shechem, because he is your relative

Jotham reproves Abimelech Judges 9: 7-21 If you have dealt fairly with Jerubbaal (Gideon) and his family then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him rejoice with you If not let fire come from Abimelech and devour the citizens of Shechem Jotham turned and fled to Beer where he lived for fear of Abimelech

Relationship deteriorates Judges 9:22-25 Abimelech was prince over Israel for 3 years The Israelites involved were those tribes who lived in or near Shechem God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and those of Shechem Shechem began to not honor the agreement they made with Abimelech The men of Shechem started robbing those who came along the mountain trade route

Gaal challenges Abimelech Judges 9:26-29 Gaal the son of Ebed along with his men came to Shechem Shechem welcomed him thinking he would make a way of escape from Abimelech They had a big party and much wine was consumed Gaal challenged Abimelech to come fight while he was no where around

Zebul alerts Abimelech Judges 9:30-33 Zebul heard the words of Gaal and became angry He sent word to Abimelech about the rebelion of Gaal and Shechem Zebul tells Abimelech to come by night and hide in the field and attack the city in the morning When Gaal and his men come against you You can take care of them

Attack on Shechem Judges 9:34-49 Abimelech gathers his men and set out by night to attack Shechem The next morning Gaal was standing at the gate of the city Abimelech’s men started moving down the mountain to attack Gaal said look people are coming down the mountain

Attack on Shechem Judges 9:34-49 Zebul answered you are just seeing the shadow of the mountain top as if it were men Gaal said look there comes some from the highest point and others by the way of the oak of the soothsayer Zebul said “Where is your bragging now?” Why don’t you go out and fight as you said Gaal gathered his men to fight and went to meet Abimelech

Attack on Shechem Judges 9:34-49 Abimelech ran Gaal and his men back to the city Many fell wounded that day Abimelech took Arumah for his headquarters Zebul drove Gaal and his men from Shechem The men of Shechem went to the fields the next day Abimelech set an ambush and took the city He tore down the city and sowed salt in it

Attack on Shechem Judges 9:34-49 Others in Shechem heard what happened and went to a stronghold Abimelech was told where they went Abimelech cuts a bough from a tree and tells his men to do the same They pile the branches around the stronghold and burn it and a thousand men and women died there

Abimelech killed Judges 9:50-57 Thebez had the same mindset as Shechem Abimelech laid siege to that city They had a strong tower and all went there for safety Abimelech was going to burn it also but as he approached a woman on the tower dropped a upper millstone and hit Abimelech on the head He would have died but he had his assistant to stab him with his sword When Israel saw Abimelech dead they returned home. God rendered judgment against Shechem The curse of Jotham came upon them

End of lesson