Judges 9:2
1 And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother’s brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying,
Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.
3 And his mother’s brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.
4 And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him.
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- “Please ask all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Is it better for you that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or just one man?’ Remember that I am your own flesh and blood.”
- KJV
- Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.
- WEB
- “Please speak in the ears of all the men of Shechem, ‘Is it better for you that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are seventy persons, rule over you, or that one rule over you?’ Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.”
- ASV
- Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are threescore and ten persons, rule over you, or that one rule over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.
- DARBY
- Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the citizens of Shechem, Which is better for you, that seventy persons, all sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or that one man rule over you? And remember that I am your bone and your flesh.
- BLB
- “Speak, please, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, ‘What [is] better for you⁺, [that] seventy men reign over you⁺, all sons of Jerubbaal, or [that] one man reigns over you⁺?’ And remember that I [am] your⁺ bone and your⁺ flesh.”
- ÅB
- Tal til alle Sikems menn og si: Hva er best for dere, at sytti menn, alle Jerubba'als sønner, hersker over dere, eller at én mann hersker over dere? Og kom i hu at jeg er av samme kjød og blod som dere!
- OTB
- "Tal til alle lederne i Sikem: 'Hva er best for dere: å ha sytti menn, alle Jerubbaals sønner, som hersker over dere, eller bare én mann?' Husk, jeg er deres eget kjøtt og blod."
- B1930
- Tal til alle Sikems menn og si: Hvad er best for eder, at sytti menn, alle Jerubba'als sønner, hersker over eder, eller at én mann hersker over eder? Og kom i hu at jeg er av samme kjød og blod som I!
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Genesis 29:14
And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.
Read in contextJudges 8:30
And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
Read in context1 Chronicles 11:1
Then all Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.
Read in contextHebrews 2:14
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Read in context2 Samuel 19:13
And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.
Read in contextEphesians 5:30
For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Read in context