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Judges 9:4

Abimelech
SinMoney and wealth

2 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.

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.

5 And he went unto his father’s house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.

6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.

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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 it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god.

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  • 2 Chronicles 13:7

    And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them.

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  • Proverbs 12:11

    He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.

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  • Acts 17:5

    But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.

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  • Judges 11:3

    Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him.

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  • Judges 9:46–49

    And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.

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  • Job 30:8

    They were children of fools, yea, children of base men: they were viler than the earth.

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  • 1 Samuel 22:2

    And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.

    Read in context