Gaal Driven Out Series

Chapter 43

Gaal Driven Out [Judges 9.34-9.41]

Scripture: Judges 9:34-41 (KJV)

34 And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.

35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from lying in wait.

36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.

37 And Gaal spake again and said, See there come people down by the middle of the land, and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim.

38 Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now and fight with them.

39 And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.

40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate.

41 And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.

Commentary

34 And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.—Judges 9.34 (KJV)

34 Abimelech and all his troops started out at night. He used four companies to set ambushes around Shechem.—Judges 9.34 (GW)

And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night…

Abimelech, acting upon Zebul's advice and intelligence, brought all his forces—that is, those that were with him at the time—down upon Shechem by night.

and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies;

He divided his army into four parts, and that night he moved them forward so that they occupied all the heights around Shechem. There they waited in ambush on the four sides of the city.

35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from lying in wait.–Judges 9:35 (KJV)

35 Gaal (son of Ebed) went out and stood at the entrance to the city. Then Abimelech and his troops rose from their ambush.–Judges 9:35 (GW)

This would be a good time to reflect upon this man Gaul the son of Ebed. We don’t know any more about him than what is recorded in this passage. He was probably one of the descendants of the Canaanites, who hoped to take advantage of the public’s dissatisfaction with Abimelech, by causing a revolution, and thereby to restore the ancient government as it existed under Hamor, the founder of Shechem. Josephus says he was a man of authority, who lived with them for a short time, along with his armed mercenaries and kinsmen; and that the Shechemites asked him to guard them from an attack by Abemilech while they were harvesting their vineyards.

And went out…

He rose up early that morning, being a vigilant man, and perhaps he had received some intelligence concerning the preparations Abimelech was making, and that he intended to attack the city, although he did not expect he was so close by.

and stood in the entering of the gate of the city;

In the morning, Gaal stood at the main gate to the city; there he met with Zebal, the ruler of the city, who pretended to be a friend. He asked if there was any news. He may have got some intimation of the plans of Zebul and Abimelech. There, just inside the gate, he got his forces in order and made preparations to lead them against Abimelech, whom he supposed was still a great distance from Shechem. He has the same spirit of boastfulness as he exhibited at the festival of the previous night.

According to Bible Commentary; F.F. Bruce: “At the time of Shechem’s destruction (1200-1150 BC) only the eastern gate would have been in use. Gall would have been facing away from the mountains.”

and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from lying in wait;

Abimelech and his forces came out of their ambush positions and began to move towards the city, and appeared just as Gaul was at the gate.

36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.—Judges 9:36 (KJV)