Choosing A Wicked Leader

Gideon had a powerful impact on Israel.  For forty years, during his life they were at peace.  Unfortunately the next generation did not understand or appreciate what he had done, as Judges 8:33-35 tells us.  “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 Baalberith their god.  And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side: Neither showed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had showed unto Israel.”  As soon as Gideon died, the younger generation turned away from God again, and began worshipping idols. 

Gideon had refused to accept the throne and had insisted that his sons would not be kings.  Most of his seventy sons were willing to accept their father’s decision, but he had one son with a common law wife who wanted to become king, according to Judges 9:1-6.  “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.

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 Baalberith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him.  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.  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.”

Like many modern politicians, Abimelech got some of his relatives to raise money to attack potential competitors, and campaign for him.  He hired people with no other responsibilities or commitments to travel with him to give the impression he had a lot of supporters, even stooping to have his brothers murdered to eliminate any possible competition.  Like most people who crave power, he was willing to do whatever it took to get it.   The strategy worked and he was made king over two of the more powerful cities in Israel.

Based on ambition and greed, the alliance did not last long as we see in Judges 9:22-24.  “When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel, Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren.” 

God would use the ambition and greed that had led to Abimelech’s being anointed King to destroy his kingdom and avenge the murder of Gideon’s sons.  Some of Abimelech’s strongest supporters rebelled against him and chose another leader, in Judges 9:25-29.  “And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech.  And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.  And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech.  And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serve him?  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.”

Some of the people still supported Abimelech, which led to a fight.   Abimelech wiped out the rebels, but in the process, he was killed as we see in Judges 9:45-54.  “And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.  And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.  And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.  And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an ax in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.  And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.

Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.  But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower.  And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.  And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and all to brake his skull.  Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.”

While they may appear to get by with it, wicked people always end up paying for their crimes.  Judges 9:55-57 explains that this civil war was a direct result of their sin.  “And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.  Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren: And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.”  Israel would not seek a king again for over one hundred fifty years.