Judges 9:4

² “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.”

³ And when his mother’s brothers spoke all these words about him in the presence of all the leaders of Shechem, their hearts were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.”

So they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired some worthless and reckless men to follow him.

⁵ He went to his father’s house in Ophrah, and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived, because he hid himself.

⁶ Then all the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo gathered beside the oak at the pillar in Shechem and proceeded to make Abimelech their king.

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: So they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired some worthless and reckless men to follow him.
KJV: 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.
WEB: They gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal Berith, with which Abimelech hired vain and reckless fellows who followed him.
ASV: And they gave him threescore and ten [pieces] of silver out of the house of Baal-berith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light fellows, who followed him.
DARBY: And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-Berith, and Abimelech hired with them vain and wanton men, and they followed him.
BLB: And they gave to him seventy [shekels] of silver from the temple of Baal-berith, and Abimelech hired with them worthless and reckless men, and they followed him.

ÅB: Så gav de ham sytti sekel sølv fra Ba'al-Berits tempel; for dem leide Abimelek noen løse og frekke menn, og de fulgte ham.
OTB: De ga ham sytti sølvstykker fra tempelet til Baal-Berit, og med dem leide Abimelek verdiløse og hensynsløse menn som ble hans tilhengere.
B1930: Så gav de ham sytti sekel sølv fra Ba'al-Berits tempel; for dem leide Abimelek nogen løse og frekke menn, og de fulgte ham.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Judges 8:33
And as soon as Gideon was dead, the Israelites turned and prostituted themselves with the Baals, and they set up Baal-berith as their god.
Read in context
2 Chronicles 13:7
Then worthless and wicked men gathered around him to resist Rehoboam son of Solomon when he was young, inexperienced, and unable to resist them.
Read in context
Proverbs 12:11
The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies lacks judgment.
Read in context
Acts 17:5
The Jews, however, became jealous. So they brought in some troublemakers from the marketplace, formed a mob, and sent the city into an uproar. They raided Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas, hoping to bring them out to the people.
Read in context
Judges 11:3
So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob, where worthless men gathered around him and traveled with him.
Read in context
Judges 9:46–49
On hearing of this, all the leaders in the tower of Shechem entered the inner chamber of the temple of El-berith.
Read in context
Job 30:8
A senseless and nameless brood, they were driven off the land.
Read in context
1 Samuel 22:2
And all who were distressed or indebted or discontented rallied around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.
Read in context