Judges 9:29
New International Version
If only this people were under my command! Then I would get rid of him. I would say to Abimelek, ‘Call out your whole army!’”

New Living Translation
If I were in charge here, I would get rid of Abimelech. I would say to him, ‘Get some soldiers, and come out and fight!’”

English Standard Version
Would that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech. I would say to Abimelech, ‘Increase your army, and come out.’”

Berean Standard Bible
If only this people were under my authority, I would remove Abimelech; I would say to him, ‘Muster your army and come out!’ ”

King James Bible
And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.

New King James Version
If only this people were under my authority! Then I would remove Abimelech.” So he said to Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out!”

New American Standard Bible
If only this people were under my authority! Then I would do away with Abimelech.” And he said to Abimelech, “Enlarge your army and come out!”

NASB 1995
“Would, therefore, that this people were under my authority! Then I would remove Abimelech.” And he said to Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out.”

NASB 1977
“Would, therefore, that this people were under my authority! Then I would remove Abimelech.” And he said to Abimelech, “Increase your army, and come out.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Would, therefore, that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech.” And he said to Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out.”

Amplified Bible
If only this people were under my authority! Then I would remove Abimelech and say to him, ‘Increase [the size of] your army and come out [to fight].’”

Christian Standard Bible
If only these people were in my power, I would remove Abimelech.” So he said to Abimelech, “Gather your army and come out.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
If only these people were in my power, I would remove Abimelech.” So he said to Abimelech, “Gather your army and come out.”

American Standard Version
And would that this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But who has delivered this people into my hands, and I would remove Abimelek?” And he said to Abimelek, “Increase your army and come out!”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And would that this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech, and I would say to him, Multiply thy host, and come out.

Contemporary English Version
If I were the ruler of Shechem, I'd get rid of that Abimelech. I'd tell him, "Get yourself an even bigger army, and we will still defeat you."

Douay-Rheims Bible
Would to God that some man would put this people under my hand, that I might remove Abimelech out of the way. And it was said to Abimelech: Gather together the multitude of an army, and come.

English Revised Version
And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
How I wish I controlled these people! Then I'd get rid of Abimelech. I would tell him, 'Get yourself a big army and come out.' "

Good News Translation
I wish I were leading this people! I would get rid of Abimelech! I would tell him, 'Reinforce your army, come on out and fight!'"

International Standard Version
If only authority over this people were given to me. Then I would remove Abimelech!" Then he challenged Abimelech: "Build up your army and then come out and fight!"

JPS Tanakh 1917
And would that this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech.' And he said to Abimelech: 'Increase thine army, and come out.'

Literal Standard Version
And oh that this people were in my hand—then I turn Abimelech aside”; and he says to Abimelech, “Increase your host, and come out.”

Majority Standard Bible
If only this people were under my authority, I would remove Abimelech; I would say to him, ‘Muster your army and come out!’”

New American Bible
Would that these troops were entrusted to my command! I would depose Abimelech. I would say to Abimelech, ‘Get a larger army and come out!’ ”

NET Bible
If only these men were under my command, I would get rid of Abimelech!" He challenged Abimelech, "Muster your army and come out for battle!"

New Revised Standard Version
If only this people were under my command! Then I would remove Abimelech; I would say to him, ‘Increase your army, and come out.’”

New Heart English Bible
Would that this people were under my hand. Then I would remove Abimelech. I would say to Abimelech, "Increase your army, and come out."

Webster's Bible Translation
And would that this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thy army, and come out.

World English Bible
I wish that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech.” He said to Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out!”

Young's Literal Translation
and oh that this people were in my hand -- then I turn Abimelech aside;' and he saith to Abimelech, 'Increase thy host, and come out.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Gaal Conspires with the Shechemites
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
Judges 9:30
When Zebul the governor of the city heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed, he burned with anger.

2 Samuel 15:4
And he would add, "If only someone would appoint me judge in the land, then everyone with a grievance or dispute could come to me, and I would give him justice."


Treasury of Scripture

And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase your army, and come out.

would to God.

2 Samuel 15:4
Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!

1 Kings 20:11
And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.

Psalm 10:3
For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.

And he said.

2 Samuel 2:14-17
And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise…

2 Kings 14:8
Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face.

2 Kings 18:23
Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.

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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.














(29) Would to God this people were under my hand !--Comp. 2Samuel 15:4.

And he said to Abimelech.--The "he said" may be the impersonal idiom (comp. Joshua 7:26, &c.), meaning "it was told" (Vulg., Dictum est). It is less likely that "he" means Zebul, or that it is Gaal's drunken vaunt to the absent Abimelech. Another reading is, "And I would say to Abimelech," &c.

Verse 29. - And would to God, etc., i.e. "If you will only trust me as your leader, I will soon remove Abimelech, and then you can have a national government." It seems that the people at once closed with his offer, and, thus emboldened, he sent a challenge to Abimelech to come out and fight him.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
If only
וּמִ֨י (ū·mî)
Conjunctive waw | Interjection
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

this
הַזֶּה֙ (haz·zeh)
Article | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

people
הָעָ֤ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

were under my authority,
בְּיָדִ֔י (bə·yā·ḏî)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 3027: A hand

I would remove
וְאָסִ֖ירָה (wə·’ā·sî·rāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular
Strong's 5493: To turn aside

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

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

to [him],
לַאֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ (la·’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 40: Abimelech -- 'father is king', a Philistine name, also an Israelite name

‘Muster
רַבֶּ֥ה (rab·beh)
Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 7235: To be or become much, many or great

your army
צְבָאֲךָ֖ (ṣə·ḇā·’ă·ḵā)
Noun - common singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6635: A mass of persons, reg, organized for, war, a campaign

and come out!’”
וָצֵֽאָה׃ (wā·ṣê·’āh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim


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OT History: Judges 9:29 Would that this people were under my (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 9:28
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