Judges 9:28
New International Version
Then Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelek, and why should we Shechemites be subject to him? Isn’t he Jerub-Baal’s son, and isn’t Zebul his deputy? Serve the family of Hamor, Shechem’s father! Why should we serve Abimelek?

New Living Translation
“Who is Abimelech?” Gaal shouted. “He’s not a true son of Shechem, so why should we be his servants? He’s merely the son of Gideon, and this Zebul is merely his deputy. Serve the true sons of Hamor, the founder of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech?

English Standard Version
And Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who are we of Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him?

Berean Standard Bible
Then Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? You are to serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech?

King James Bible
And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serve him?

New King James Version
Then Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him?

New American Standard Bible
Then Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is Zebul not his governor? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him?

NASB 1995
Then Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is Zebul not his lieutenant? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him?

NASB 1977
Then Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is Zebul not his lieutenant? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him?

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is Zebul not his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him?

Amplified Bible
Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not [merely] the son of Jerubbaal and is Zebul not his lieutenant? Serve the men of Hamor the father (founder) of Shechem. Why then should we serve Abimelech?

Christian Standard Bible
Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem that we should serve him? Isn’t he the son of Jerubbaal, and isn’t Zebul his officer? You are to serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem that we should serve him? Isn’t he the son of Jerubbaal, and isn’t Zebul his officer? You are to serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech?

American Standard Version
And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve ye the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: but why should we serve him?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Gael son of Aphar said: “Who is Abimelek and who is Shekeem that we would serve him? Is he not son of NeduBaal? And Zabal, who changed his commandment, served the men of Khamor, the father of Shekeem, why would we serve him?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Gaal the son of Jobel said, Who is Abimelech, and who is the son of Sychem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerobaal, and is not Zebul his steward, his servant with the son of Emmor the father of Sychem? and why should we serve him?

Contemporary English Version
Gaal said: Hamor was the founder of Shechem, and one of his descendants should be our ruler. But Abimelech's father was Gideon, so Abimelech isn't really one of us. He shouldn't be our king, and we shouldn't have to obey him or Zebul, who rules Shechem for him.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Gaal the son of Obed cried: Who is Abimelech, and what is Sichem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerobaal, and hath made Zebul his servant ruler over the men of Emor the father of Sichem? Why then shall we serve him?

English Revised Version
And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve ye the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: but why should we serve him?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Gaal (son of Ebed) said, "Who's Abimelech, and who are we, the people of Shechem, that we should serve him? Isn't he Jerubbaal's son, and isn't Zebul his officer? Serve the descendants of Hamor, Shechem's father! Why should we serve Abimelech?

Good News Translation
Gaal said, "What kind of men are we in Shechem? Why are we serving Abimelech? Who is he, anyway? The son of Gideon! And Zebul takes orders from him, but why should we serve him? Be loyal to your ancestor Hamor, who founded your clan!

International Standard Version
Then Ebed's son Gaal remarked, "Who is this Abimelech? And who is Shechem? Should we serve him? Isn't he Jerubbaal's son? Isn't Zebul his lieutenant? Serve the men of Hamor, Shechem's ancestor—but why are we serving him?

JPS Tanakh 1917
And Gaal the son of Ebed said: 'Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve ye the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him?

Literal Standard Version
And Gaal son of Ebed says, “Who [is] Abimelech, and who [is] Shechem, that we serve him? Is [he] not son of Jerubba‘al? And his commander Zebul? The men of Hamor father of Shechem serve you, and why do we serve him—we?

Majority Standard Bible
Then Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? You are to serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech?

New American Bible
Gaal, son of Ebed, said, “Who is Abimelech? And who is Shechem that we should serve him? Did not the son of Jerubbaal and his lieutenant Zebul serve the men of Hamor, father of Shechem? So why should we serve him?

NET Bible
Gaal son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerub-Baal, and is not Zebul the deputy he appointed? Serve the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem! But why should we serve Abimelech?

New Revised Standard Version
Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who are we of Shechem, that we should serve him? Did not the son of Jerubbaal and Zebul his officer serve the men of Hamor father of Shechem? Why then should we serve him?

New Heart English Bible
Gaal the son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Isn't he the son of Jerubbaal, and Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem. But why should we serve him?

Webster's Bible Translation
And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him; is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serve him?

World English Bible
Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Isn’t he the son of Jerubbaal? Isn’t Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem, but why should we serve him?

Young's Literal Translation
And Gaal son of Ebed saith, 'Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we serve him? is he not son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his commander? Serve ye the men of Hamor father of Shechem, and wherefore do we serve him -- we?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Gaal Conspires with the Shechemites
27And after they had gone out into the fields, gathered grapes from their vineyards, and trodden them, they held a festival and went into the house of their god; and as they ate and drank, they cursed Abimelech. 28Then Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? You are to serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech? 29If only this people were under my authority, I would remove Abimelech; I would say to him, ‘Muster your army and come out!’ ”…

Cross References
Genesis 34:2
When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the region, saw her, he took her and lay with her by force.

Judges 9:26
Meanwhile, Gaal son of Ebed came with his brothers and crossed into Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem put their confidence in him.

1 Samuel 25:10
But Nabal asked them, "Who is David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants these days are breaking away from their masters.


Treasury of Scripture

And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serve him?

who is Abimelech

1 Samuel 25:10
And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.

2 Samuel 20:1
And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.

1 Kings 12:16
So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.

Hamor

Genesis 34:2,6
And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her…

Jump to Previous
Abimelech Abim'elech Deputy Ebed Hamor Jerubbaal Jerub-Baal's Officer Serve Shechem Shechem's Subject Zebul
Jump to Next
Abimelech Abim'elech Deputy Ebed Hamor Jerubbaal Jerub-Baal's Officer Serve Shechem Shechem's Subject Zebul
Judges 9
1. Abimelech by conspiracy with the Shechemites, and murder of his brothers, is made king
7. Jotham by a parable rebukes them, and foretells their ruin
22. Gaal conspires with the Shechemites against him
30. Zebul reveals it
34. Abimelech overcomes them, and sows the city with salt
46. He burns the hold of the god Berith
50. At Thebez he is slain by a piece of a millstone
56. Jotham's curse is fulfilled.














(28) Who is Abimelech?--This is obviously contemptuous, like "Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse?" in 1Samuel 25:10.

Who is Shechem?--The meaning of this clause is very obscure. It can hardly be a contrast between the insignificance of Abimelech and the grandeur of Shechem (Vulg., qu? est Shechem?). Some say that "Shechem" means "Abimelech;" but there is no trace of kings assuming the name of the place over which they rule, nor does the LXX. mend matters much by interpolating the words, "who is the son of Shechem?"

The son of Jerubbaal?--And, therefore, on the father's side, disconnected both with Ephraimites and Canaanites; and the Baal-fighter's son has no claim on Baal-worshippers.

And Zebul his officer?--We are not even under the rule of Abimelech, but of his underling.

Serve the men of Hamor.--Here the LXX., Vulg., and other versions adopt a different punctuation and a different reading. But there is no reason to alter the text. The Canaanites were powerful; the Ephraimites had apostatised to their religion; even Abimelech bears a Canaanite name (Genesis 26:1), and owed his power to his Hivite blood. Gaal says in effect. "Why should we serve this son of an upstart alien when we might return to the allegiance of the descendants of our old native prince Hamor, whose son Shechem was the hero eponymos of the city?" (Genesis 33:19; Joshua 24:32). . . .

Verse 28. - And Gaal, etc. Gaal now saw his opportunity, and encouraged the revolt. Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? The meaning of these words, though somewhat obscure at first, becomes plain if we compare the two similar passages, 1 Samuel 25:10; 1 Kings 12:16. In the first we have the contemptuous question, "Who is David?" and in the second the analogous one, "What portion have we in David?" but in both we have the same person described by different terms: "Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse?" and, "What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse." Here, therefore, it is clear that Shechem is merely another name for Abimelech; and it is easy to see why. Abimelech's mother was a Canaanite bond-woman, a Shechemite; and the plea for making Abimelech king was, "for he is our brother" (vers. 2, 3). Shechem, or the son of Shechem, was therefore a natural description of Abimelech. But, adds Gaal, is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and (is not) Zebul his officer? i.e. he is not a real Shechemite; he is the son of Jerubbaal; and what right has he to reign over you Shechemites? And why should Zebul lord it over you? He is only Abimelech's officer, No; serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem. Fling off the yoke of the Abi-ezrite stranger, and set up a real Canaanite government from the old race of Hamor, the true founder and head of Shechem (cf. 1 Chronicles 2:50-52).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then Gaal
גַּ֣עַל (ga·‘al)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1603: Gaal -- probably a Canaanite

son
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Ebed
עֶ֗בֶד (‘e·ḇeḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5651: Ebed -- 'servant', two Israelites

said,
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Who
מִֽי־ (mî-)
Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

is Abimelech,
אֲבִימֶ֤לֶךְ (’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 40: Abimelech -- 'father is king', a Philistine name, also an Israelite name

and who
וּמִֽי־ (ū·mî-)
Conjunctive waw | Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

is Shechem,
שְׁכֶם֙ (šə·ḵem)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 7927: Shechem -- 'ridge', a district in Northern Palestine, also a son of Hamor

that
כִּ֣י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

we should serve him?
נַעַבְדֶ֔נּוּ (na·‘aḇ·ḏen·nū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5647: To work, to serve, till, enslave

Is he not
הֲלֹ֥א (hă·lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

the son
בֶן־ (ḇen-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Jerubbaal,
יְרֻבַּ֖עַל (yə·rub·ba·‘al)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3378: Jerubbaal -- 'let Baal contend', a name of Gideon

and is not Zebul
וּזְבֻ֣ל (ū·zə·ḇul)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 2083: Zebul -- an officer of Abimelech

his officer?
פְּקִיד֑וֹ (pə·qî·ḏōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6496: Commissioner, deputy, overseer

You are to serve
עִבְד֗וּ (‘iḇ·ḏū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 5647: To work, to serve, till, enslave

the men
אַנְשֵׁ֤י (’an·šê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

of Hamor,
חֲמוֹר֙ (ḥă·mō·wr)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 2544: Hamor -- father of Shechem

the father
אֲבִ֣י (’ă·ḇî)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1: Father

of Shechem.
שְׁכֶ֔ם (šə·ḵem)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 7927: Shechem -- 'ridge', a district in Northern Palestine, also a son of Hamor

Why
וּמַדּ֖וּעַ (ū·mad·dū·a‘)
Conjunctive waw | Interrogative
Strong's 4069: Why? for what reason?

should we
אֲנָֽחְנוּ׃ (’ă·nā·ḥə·nū)
Pronoun - first person common plural
Strong's 587: We

serve Abimelech?
נַעַבְדֶ֥נּוּ (na·‘aḇ·ḏen·nū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5647: To work, to serve, till, enslave


Links
Judges 9:28 NIV
Judges 9:28 NLT
Judges 9:28 ESV
Judges 9:28 NASB
Judges 9:28 KJV

Judges 9:28 BibleApps.com
Judges 9:28 Biblia Paralela
Judges 9:28 Chinese Bible
Judges 9:28 French Bible
Judges 9:28 Catholic Bible

OT History: Judges 9:28 Gaal the son of Ebed said Who (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 9:27
Top of Page
Top of Page