Spoiled Riddler

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study meeting October 19 to study Judges 14.  This is the first marriage of Samson.  It sets up much of what later gets Samson in so much trouble.

Read through the chapter using a few translations.  Modern translations have a field day using different English idioms for the Hebrew equivalents.  Some literal translations will simply use the Hebrew idioms, but not very many.

Make notes and jot down questions for yourself from what you read.  After you have some notes and questions, go back through with a commentary or study Bible notes.  Once you revise your notes and questions, go back through with the questions below:

• Read the articles on "Timnah".  Considering it's on the frontier between the Sons of Israel and the Philistines, why do you think Samson was headed down there?
• Samson sees a woman and goes to his parents to arrange a marriage with her.  What do you think if Samson's attitude with his parents?
• His father and mother want Samson to marry from among his tribe.  What do you think of the explanation provided by the author in verse 4?
• It seems like Samson is walking with his parents when the lion attacks, but then we're told that he didn't tell his parents.  How do you imagine this scene?
• Samson is overpowered by the Spirit of Yahweh, and he tears the lion with his bare hands.  What do you think Samson thought of that?
• The woman "is pleasing in Samson's eyes".  So, he returns to "take her", but stops along the way to look at the dead lion.  This reads like the author is leaving stuff out.  We can connect the dots without him writing it, but why do you think he is leaving things out?
• Why do you think Samson wanted to look at the dead lion on his way back to Timnah?
• The way the Hebrew reads, the presence of the honey is surprising.  Why do you think bees and honey would be so unexpected in a dead lion carcass?  Why do you think the bees and honey were there?
• Samson scoops out some honey and eats it on his way into town.  And then he gives some to his parents without telling them where it came from.  How does this detail make you feel?  What do you think of Samson? What sort of person do you think he is at this point?
• Why might Samson hide the source of the honey from his parents?
• Samson's father goes down to the woman, and Samson throws a feast. Why do you think the writer is, again, skipping details?
• Where do the "thirty friends" come from?  Who arranged for them?
• What's more fun with your friends than riddles, so Samson asks one.  Where was the lion killed again? (verse 6).  So, why has no one from Timnah found it and the honey yet?
• What do you think might be significant about the clothes in this wager?
• The wager doesn't seem fair since they only have to come up with a change of clothes apiece, but he would have to come up with thirty.  Why do you think Samson does this?
• Read the riddle in a few translations.  This is a unique circumstance where the English actually rhymes.  So, the wording in nearly ever translation is the same, except where the KJV has "sweetness", ruining the rhyme.  What do you think of a "poetic" Samson?
• The 30 "friends" can't come up with an answer in 3 days, and then, on the fourth day...or was it the "seventh day"?  Look up verse 15 in the KJV.  The Greek version of the Hebrew Scriptures has fourth day.  Which makes more sense to you?
• The friends accuse Samson's woman of bringing them here to "impoverish" them.  How would a suit of clothes apiece impoverish the "ruling" people?
• They threaten to burn down her father's house if she doesn't get Samson to give her the answer.  What do you think of these "friends" of Samson?
• Samson's woman resorts to weeping.  Okay, so how old is this cliche?  What do you think of her?
• How long does she "weep" before him?  How long was this feast anyway?  The men didn't even ask her until the fourth day.  So, why has she been weeping the whole seven days to know the riddle?
• On the seventh day he tells her, and she tells the people of the "sons of her people".  What do you think of Samson for giving in to his woman?  What do you think of her for ratting out the answer to "her people"?
• Why do you think it's significant that they tell Samson the answer before the sun goes down?
• This through Samson's response to them.  Nearly all translations preserve the Hebrew idiom.  Why do you think it needs no interpretation?  What does it seem to imply about Samson's view of his woman?
• Samson doesn't buy 30 sets of clothes, he kills thirty men from Ashdod for them.  What do you think of Samson's solution?  Remember, he's under the influence of the "Spirit of Yahweh" as he does it.
• Do you think he had the clothes of the dead men "dry cleaned" first, or just gave the clothes to them "as is"?  What do you think it would have meant either way?
• He's angry so he goes back to his father's house.  And the woman is given to one of his friends...So, is Samson married or not?

That should be plenty to keep us discussing into the wee hours of the evening.  Bring your questions and notes with you.

Annunciating Samson

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting October 12 to study Judges 13.  This chapter almost sounds like Luke 1, with Zechariah, Elizabeth, and Mary.

You will want a few translations for this chapter.  I recommend at least a King James in addition to the NIV favorite.  The NASB and ESV are also very good for this chapter.  If you can, try to review all four.

All those should get you reading the chapter through a few times.  Make sure you jot down questions and insights.  Once you have your own notes, review a commentary or two.  Revise your questions and notes, and then go through the questions below:

• The new "bad guy" is the Philistines.  Look at a map of Canaan and see where this particular enemy is located.  Where is the "Tribe of Dan"?  What do you see that's odd about that?
• Manoah is named, but his wife is not.  Yet the Angel only goes to meet the mother.  Why do you think that might be?  Which of the parents is the "primary" character?
• Look up the "Nazarite" vow here.  From the article, we find that the vow was unusual to be a 'lifetime' vow, and never by the individual.  So, what do you think this lifetime vow meant for Samson growing up and during his adulthood?
• Notice that his mother also has to follow the "Nazarite" life during her pregnancy.  Why do you think that is, and what difference do you think this is supposed to make?
• The woman goes to tell her husband immediately.  From her description, who do you think she thinks came to visit her?
• Why do you think she would include the detail about where the "man of God" was from or his name?
• Manoah entreats (literally, prays) Yahweh to send back the "man of God".  And God does so.  Why do you think Yahweh listens to such a request?  Why is this in God's best interest?
• The Angel of Yahweh (v.3) and the Angel of God (v.9) are the same person.  Why do you think the writer uses different references here?
• The Angel of God appears to the woman sitting in a field.  What do you think she was doing there?  Why "sitting"?
• The woman runs to get Manoah, and he "gets up" to follow her?  Why do these two spend so much time "sitting"?  What do you think he's doing?
• Manoah begins to question the Angel of God.  He asks two questions, and the Angel seems perturbed and refers to the woman obeying what he has said.  What is the writer doing here, naming Manoah, but clearing putting the woman in front as the focus of Yahweh's attention?
• Then Manoah wants to be hospitable (prepare a goat).  But the Angel will not eat, why do you think that might be?
• The Angel suggests an offering to Yahweh, and the writer adds, "for Manoah did not know that he was the Angel of the Lord."  What difference do you think that would have made for what Manoah suggests?
• Verse 17 is weird.  It harkens back to the woman's comment about where the "man of God" was from and his name.  Why do you think that would be so important to Manoah? What do you think he means by, "honor" (and this is the normal Hebrew word for "honor")?
• What does the response of the Angel of God to Manoah tell you about how Yahweh feels about Manoah's request?
• Notice the Angel doesn't address the point about "honoring" him once the child happens.  Why do you think the name is a problem, but honoring him isn't?
• Verse 19 is difficult to translate, because the writer wasn't specific about who performed wonders.  So, the NIV has one view, the King James another, and the ESV yet another.  Other modern translations opt for the literal, "He performed wonders", avoiding the issue almost entirely.  So, who do you think performed the wonders before Manoah and his wife?
•  The Angel of Yahweh ascends in the flame to heaven.  From Manoah's and his wife's reaction, who do you think they think the Angel was?
• The Angel disappears, and Manoah knows he is the Angel of Yahweh (v. 21). From what he says to his woman, what seems to be the prevailing view about this Angelic Character?
• The nameless woman has a very different view from her husband, Manoah.  What does this tell you about this woman?  Why do you think she remains nameless?  What could be the writer's point?
• This term, "the Spirit of the Lord began to stir in him..." isn't found often (if at all) elsewhere in Scripture.  What do you think it means here?  Read ahead, do you still think that?

That should be enough oddities for our discussion.  It's a short chapter, but a fascinating beginning to one of the best Judges stories so far.  Remember to ask yourself what our Master is revealing to you about Himself, and your relationship with Him?

Fatal Jealousy and 3 More Judges

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting September 28 to study Judges 12.  This is the last note on Jephthah's life as a judge, and is yet another lesson of the ridiculous people of the time.

Read through the whole chapter (it's short), making notes and jotting down questions.  Once you have your notes, read it in a few different translations, NIV and ESV, or Holman Christian Standard, or New American Standard.  You can start with one that's easy to read, but be sure to also use one that's more literal (NASB, ESV, HCSB).  Think through the differences in meaning, if any.  You're not looking for different ways to say the same thing, you're looking for where they seem to say different things.

Once you have done your own study, use commentaries, study Bible notes, and whatever else you have or can find online.  Revise your notes and questions from this additional information (or opinion), and then go through the questions below:

• Look back at Judges 10:9.  Those tribes were in the west, and Gilead is east of the Jordan.  It would appear the men of Ephraim were summoned together to confront Jephthah, but they crossed over to go meet him.  Ephraim was entirely west of the Jordan, so where do you think the battle with the sons of Ammon from the previous chapter happened?
• The quarrel Ephraim has with Jephthah is that he didn't summon them to battle against the Ammonites (v.1).  Looking back at 11:29, Ephraim isn't mentioned.  Only eastern tribes are mentioned (Manasseh).  In fact, the cities mentioned in the battle (v.33) are east of the Jordan.  So, if the fight was entirely outside the tribal region of Ephraim, why do you think they're so upset?
• Jephthah claims he did call them.  Just because it's not recorded, doesn't mean it didn't happen. Still, he also flips the complaint around on them saying they failed to show up.  This is his justification for taking matters into his own hands (literally, "I placed my soul in my palm").  What do you think an angry mob of slighted Ephraimites is going to hear in that?
• Jephthah asks the rhetorical "Hebrew" idiomatic question, "Why then have you come up to me to fight?"  It's rhetorical because doesn't give any sort of time for an answer, he knows.  This is also a cultural idiom (even down to Jesus' day).  What do you think it means for them to ask this question as they do?  What would you think if you were asked this question rhetorically?
• The battle is joined, and now the reason given is a slight of Ephraim against Gilead.  Only the NIV has "renegades", all other versions have "fugitives".  But, either way, what do you think Ephraim means by this?  Look at the map above, what's their deal here?  They're not even close to Gilead, so why claim them as wayward peoples?
• The people of Gilead cut off Ephraim's retreat, and then control who crosses over.  They use a difference in pronunciation to differentiate between the men of Ephraim, and who?  Who are the ones saying shebboleth correctly and want to cross over to the west?
• Ephraim looses 42,000 people that day.  What do you think is the point of the author of Judges for his audience in this account?  Why do you think this is an important element of Israel's history for his audience?
• Jephthah only judges for six years.  This is a short term as judge so far.  Why do you think he may have lasted such a short time?
• He dies and is said to be buried in the cities of Gilead.  Whatever that means, he was not buried in his father's tomb.  What do you think that might mean (look back over the beginning of Judges 11)?
• Next a man from Bethlehem judges Israel for seven years.  His "claim-to-fame" are his 60 kids.  Look up verse 9 in several translations.  The word "marriage" which occurs in nearly every translation (except KJV), isn't in the Hebrew.  Basically is says he sent the daughters to the outside, and he brought daughter from the outside to his sons.  We get the idea, but look up the word used here on the Blue Letter Bible site.  What, if anything, sounds odd about this terminology to you?
• The account of Ibzan is that he was buried in Bethlehem.  So, what might that tell you about Jephthah's burial?  Or, what might that tell you about Ibzan's?
• Next, Elon judges for ten years.  Nothing of note happens?  So, why do you think this judge is included?
• Abdon judges from Pirathon in Ephraim.  His "claim-to-fame" is, again, his kids.  He has 40 sons and 30 grandsons.  Why do you think that might be significant?  Look back at Jair (10:3-5), and remember the possible significance of the jackasses (the ones they rode, not the kids).  So, who is more "prosperous"? Or is that even the point here?
• Abdon is buried in the "hill country of the Amalekites".  What are they doing there?  They were part of the fight of Gideon over 40 years prior.  Shouldn't they be gone?  What do you think this reference might mean?
• Abdon, Elon, and Ibzan all judge short terms, as does Jephthah.  What do you think might be going on during this time in Israel that the judges are so brief?

That's probably way too much detail to think about.  We should actually get through the chapter pretty quick next week.

Tragic Faithfulness

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting September _ to study Judges 11.  This is about the judge who's scene was set in chapter 10.

Read this chapter very critically, and by that I mean ask a lot of questions.  Why do Jephthah and the elders do the things they do, say the things they do, and so on?  Read through a couple of times at least.  Some things won't jump out at you the first time through.  As always, jot down questions and notes.  One question to be constantly asking about this chapter is, "What is important to the author?"

After doing your own study, go back through with a commentary or two.  There are some points that every commentary will comment on, they can't avoid it.  The commentaries may bring more questions to your mind as well.  Make more notes, and jot down more questions as you continue your study.

After you have your own notes and questions, go back through with the questions below:

• Gilead was the father of Jephthah, but this is the first time we hear of Gilead as anything but a place.  Why do you think we're hearing of him now, and what sort of person do you think he would be to give his name to an entire region covering several tribal areas?
• Jephthah starts out tragic in that he's cut off from his family by his brothers, and then gains a band of vagabonds around him.  Of which characters does this Jephthah begin to remind you?
• The sons of Ammon are doing battle with Israel, but specifically in Gilead.  In the previous chapter, they crossed the Jordan and fought against Ephraim, Benjamin, and Judah.  Look at a map to find where Ammon would be.  What do you think the sons of Ammon are trying to do with their fights with Israel?
• Tob means "good".  So, having been driven out of his fathers house, Jephthah finds a "good land".  Why do you think he would give that up to go back and help the people who drove him out before?
• Look at verses 6 through 11 in a few translations.  What do you think they offer Jephthah if he leads them into battle at first?  And what are they offering at the end?  Keeping in mind that nobody else in Gilead wants that position (see chapter 10), what does that tell you about Jephthah, that he would want that?
• Jephthah begins his campaign with the sons of Ammon by sending them messengers to talk over the problem.  He's the only judge to have done that so far.  Why do you think a great and mighty warrior would want to discuss this problem first?
• This process goes back and forth a few times, but what is Ammon's complaint about the people of Gilead?
• Jephthah recounts the time of Israel coming into the land east of the Jordan.  And he is pretty detailed in his account.  What does that tell you about Jephthah that he's able to recount back over 300 years?
• Jephthah is willing to discuss, able to describe the events 300 years ago, and tries to dissuade Ammon without giving any concessions (i.e. he's not negotiating).  Consider what he tells them about the fact Israel didn't take land from Moab or Ammon.  Look up that period in the Exodus in Deuteronomy 2, where the reason is given by God for not harassing Moab and Ammon.  What do you think it means that Jephthah is still following that instruction?
• As Jephthah goes to battle, he makes his tragic oath.  This is where commentators begin to hedge, hem, hah, and really become distressed.  Why do you think Jephthah makes such a vow?
• Jephthah marches through the tribes east of the Jordan to fight Ammon.  But consider the description of the battle.  What do you think the focus of this author is with this chapter?  Where does he spend most of his "ink"?
• The Hebrew term, consistently translated as "burnt offering" in verse 31, means an offering where the entirety of it is burned (dedicated to God), as opposed to a sacrifice where part of the offering is eaten and shared at a meal.  What do you think a "whole burnt offering" is for?
• Jephthah succeeds. But there are very few details of the battle given other than the location.  Within an entire chapter about Jephthah delivering Israel, why do you think the actual battle is given so little space?
• Jephthah returns home, and out runs his daughter, dancing in celebration.  Consider the culture, and the practice of vows.  If it's common to word the vow in such a way that the sacrifice is "chosen by God", then who's fault is it that Jephthah's daughter runs out?  Consider the daughter knows exactly what will happen to her without further explanation.
• Jephthah is devastated seeing his only child run out to meet him.  Consider his daughter's response.  We're never given her name, but what do you think of her character and faith?
• She takes two months to mourn the fact she will die a virgin.  What does that tell you about her age?
• After two months, Jephthah "kept the vow he had made".  What do you think it was like for Jephthah for those two months?
• This is an example of "human sacrifice", of which we don't have another example.  In fact, Yahweh condemns the practice (Ezekiel 20:31, 2 Kings 17:31).  Yet Jephthah is included in the "roll call of faith" in Hebrews 11 (v.32), and so, is traditionally considered faithful.  So, why do you think God accepts this vow?
• Nowhere does it say that Jephthah received his daughter back or had another child. In Hebrews 11, this belief was what was ascribed to Abraham as he offers Isaac, but is stopped.  God doesn't stop Jephthah.  What does this tell you about God's character?  This is the place commentaries truly struggle to make God come out looking good.  Since this passage is inspired by the Holy Spirit, perhaps the best way to phrase this question is, how does God describe His character here?
• If the writer and his audience live in the times of the Kings of Judah, then what do you think of this "custom" to which he refers?  It implies that his audience is well aware of Jephthah and his daughter.  How does that help you understand how God has used Jephthah down through the history of Israel?

That should take well over a week to get through.  Remember to keep seeking what these discoveries and questions mean for your walk with God.  What does this tell you about your relationship with Jesus, His character, and how you should relate to Him?

Two Judges and Repentance

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting September 7 to study Judges 10.  This is a "linking" or transition to the account of Jephthah.  In setting the scene, the author of Judges passes through some very interesting history of Israel.

Read through the chapter slowly making notes.  Other versions will be helpful because the grammar is kind of odd in places.  This is a weird chapter, but a different weird than we've seen so far.  Ask yourself questions about what is going on, and why the author puts it the way he does.  You may find some expected elements missing.  Don't assume they're there, but not mentioned.  Think through why the author would leave them out, or why were they not necessary in this time of Israel's history?

After you've gone through your own study, look through some commentaries, various study Bibles, or other study materials you may have. Adjust your questions and notes accordingly, and then go back through with the questions below:

• Why do you think "a man of Isachar" might live, serve, die, and be buried in Ephraim?
• The number of years seems precise, where his family is from is given, and where he lives, dies, and is buried is precises.  Why do you think no other details the "sin cycle" of Israel is present?
• Jair also has some weirdly precise detail, but also a Hebrew pun lost in translation.  The word for "jackass" is spelled much like the word for "city".  Other than the specific number of years, the thirty sons, jackasses, and cities, we are told nothing of any achievements.  Why do you think the author just includes this "pun" and really nothing else about Jair?
• What is the author's point with this account of Tola and Jair?  Why these details?  What do you think he wanted his audience to know or learn about their own relationship with God and their king(s)?
• Starting with verse 6, we find the expected "formula" for Judges.  The "roll call" of nations is different, with some new additions.  Why do you think the people would leave Yahweh and go after these other national deities?
• Yahweh "sells" the people into the hands of Philistines and the "sons of Ammon".  Why do you think the author puts it that way, Yahweh "sells" them?
• There a lots of ways to read verse 8, and translations vary.  What do you think it means?  Was there 1 year of damage for the country and 18 for Gilead?  Or 18 years of damage for everyone? Or 18 years for everyone, but that one year was "smashing" or worse somehow?
• The sons of Ammon oppress Ephraim, Benjamin, and Judah.  But the story happens in Gilead.  What do you think it means that Gilead is where deliverance comes from, but the people cry out in Ephraim, Benjamin, and Judah?  Why isn't everyone involved in the deliverance?
• The people cry out to Yahweh, which happens, but then a dialogue ensues.  Why do you think there is no "prophet" or angel mentioned in this dialogue?
• What do you notice that is included in the people's cry to Yahweh that has been missing so far?
• Yahweh responds with an "it's too late" sort of response.  What does this tell you about God's character and how He deals with His people?
• The people persist in crying out, but there is a difference in what they say to Yahweh.  What do you think of their response to Yahweh's refusal to rescue?
• In addition to saying something, the people also do something different.  We haven't seen the people put away the foreign gods on their own before.  There's always been someone to make them do it, or force them to not worship them.  What do you think it means for this people at this time that they do this on their own?  What's happening?  What does it mean?
• Read verse 16 in several translations.  To what do you think God is responding?  What part of His character moves Him to respond?
• The battle is formed against Gilead, and the people look for a leader.  Why do you think there isn't a wrestling match to see who gets to be in charge?  What do you think it means for the people that people don't really want to be in charge?

That should take care of our time together, an hour of it at least.  Remember to be asking yourself what you learn of God from this, and what you learn about how He relates to you.  How does that change how you relate to Him?

Bad Leaders Gone Worse

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting August 10 to study further into Judges 9.  Let the weirdness begin!  The people of this chapter are amazingly bizarre and stupid.  There's really very little sense to what they do or why, at least on a strategic level.

Read through the rest of the chapter.  We left off at verse 21, so 22 through 57 is what remains.  We may not get through it all, but you should be familiar with it anyway.  At this point, the writer/editor of Judges slows back down, and goes into agonizing detail, and possible repetition.  Read the verses in several different versions.  There will be some plot elements repeated but with some possibly glaring inconsistencies.

Once you have gone through the passage on your own, read through some commentaries.  They will most likely ignore the inconsistent repetition, but not always.  Be sure to revise your notes and questions before going back through with the questions below.

• Verse 22 sounds a little like the "King Formula" found in Samuel and Kings, but is missing some things.  For an example look at 2 Kings 8:26, and see what's missing in Judges 9:22.  Why do you think the writer/editor would leave out those elements?
• God sends an "evil spirit".  We sort of dealt with this in Samuel with Saul, but there are other places where this seems to happen as well.  Why do you think God would operate using "evil spirits"?
• The "baals" of Shechem deal treacherously with Abimelech, by setting bandits in the hills to rob people passing by.  And it was told to Abimelech.  Why do you think it makes good sense to leaders of a city to encourage bandits around your city?
• Now another character, Gaal, shows up.  He has a lot in common with Abimelech in character.  They have a grape-harvest festival in the temple, and Gaal tells them to "Serve the men of Hamor, father of Shechem!"  But where is Gaal from?  How did he get to Shechem?
• Verse 28 is the first time we hear of Zebul.  It turns out he runs Shechem for Abimelech, or is at least supportive of Abimelech.  So, why do you think he's active on behalf of Abimelech now, but lets the "baals" of Shechem set ambushes in the hills before?  Doesn't he run the show there?
• Zebul sends messengers to Abimelech "deceitfully" or "secretly" or whatever.  If you have access to one, read verse 31 in the NLT or New Revised Standard Version.  If not, look at footnotes in any version except NIV.  You will need a commentary for this one.  If Zebul is being secretive, why do you think he would feel the need?
• Zebul gives Abimelech instruction about how to ambush the people of the city.  Why do you think Abimelech would need that?
• In verse 34, the people with Abimelech are in four companies.  In verse 41, they're in Arumah, and in verse 43, they come back and divide into 3 companies.  This is a confusing description of battle.  What do you think is happening, how do you work it out in your mind?
• One of the problems with the battle description in verses 31 through 49 is the leaving and returning. Why would Abimelech care if the people went out of the city about their business?
• How do you think the people going out into the fields in verse 42 is different from what was supposed to happen back up at verse 34 and following?
• How is it that Shechem can be razed and sowed with salt, but the "Tower of Shechem" and the stronghold of the temple of Baal Berith are missed?  The baals of Shechem aren't even in the city?  What do you think is going on here?
• The tactic used by Abimelech is to set the stronghold on fire, and it works.  All the people in the stronghold of the Temple of Baal Berith die in it.  Shechem is thoroughly destroyed, and by fire.  Considering the curse of Jotham, why do you think this is an important detail?
• Abimelech turns his attention to Thebez.  Why do you think he considered Thebez at all?
• This fight goes well, except for the stronghold.  Notice this stronghold is inside the city.  Abimelech tries the same tactic with this stronghold that he used on the temple in Shechem.  How do you think a woman was able to get a "millstone" to the roof (and why would she), and then throw it over the side, and actually hit Abimelech? 
• Abimelech is actually struck in the head, his skull crushed, and he still calls for his "bearer of stuff" to kill him.  What does that tell you about his head wound?
• If Abimelech's death reminds you of anyone else's, whose death does it remind you of?
• Notice the "ending formula" for kings is missing here as well.  Abimelech is not buried in the tomb of his father, as Gideon was.  And no son of Abimelech reigned in his place.  What do you think this missing piece (no succession linkage) might have meant to the initial audience of Judges in the time of the kings of Judah?
• The writer/editor of Judges concludes with the dissolution of the army after Abimelech's death, and with the tying together of Jotham's curse and the results of Shechem and Abimelech.  What do you think is the writer/editor's point for his 600 BC audience?

Consider the life and choices of Abimelech, but also of the leaders of Shechem.  Where have you made some wrong choices or followed some flawed leaders?  And, how can we keep this sort of stuff from happening to us?

Brotherly Hatred

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study meeting August 3 to study Judges 9:1-21.  This is the account of how Israel treated the house of Gideon.  It's another sad tale, I'm sorry to say.

Read the whole chapter to get a sense of the entirety.  We're only looking at the first part, which accounts for only a third of the chapter.  It's a long, convoluted story.  But one of the things which we'll be looking at is the only "fable" in Scripture.  A fable is like a parable which Jesus used, except plants and/or animals are used in the story for people as the characters. 

For this one, I encourage you to find a good commentary, if only because it will be humorous to see how they struggle with this (if they even mention that).  Matthew Henry is available on the Blue Letter Bible site, and has a long article on this.  But he doesn't distinguish between a parable and a fable.

After you have gone through this passage with various translations, made your own notes and questions, read through a commentary or two; then go back through with the questions below:

• Abimelech goes to his mother's relatives in Shechem.  Read about its history within Israel, but keep this in mind, it was never conquered by the people when they entered the land, but simply made the seat of Joshua's government.  It seems it was already Israelite before the exodus.  With such a good history, why do you think it was after the people gain Canaan that it falls to idolatry?
• Abimelech goes to the whole clan of the father of his mother, and he asks them some odd questions.  Why would they believe that Gideon's seventy sons would rule over them?  Gideon has said they wouldn't, and there's no indication that any of them, but Abimelech, has any interest in doing so.  What do you think is going on here?
• The family of Abimelech passes on this question to those of Shechem.  There seems to be some difference of opinion in how to translate the second audience.  In the NASB and ESV, they are the "leaders" of Shechem.  In the HCSB and NRS they are the "lords of Shechem".  In the NIV and NLT they are called "citizens", and the NKJV and KJV calls them "men of Shechem".  The word can be found here on the Blue Letter Bible site.  This isn't all that uncommon a word for who these people are.  But what do you think that leaders of any sort would be called "baal"?
• These "leaders" were inclined to follow Abimelech because he was their relative.  Why do you think they would set aside what they should know for what Abimelech says?  
• They pay Abimelech with seventy silver, and with it he hires a wonderful band of quality men...not exactly.  Why do you think Abimelech hires such men?
• They execute all seventy men on one stone, a detail repeated again in verse 18.  Why do you think this detail is important?
• One escapes, the youngest, named Jotham.  He hears that Shechem is anointing Abimelech king, and goes there to pronounce a judgement over them.  Why not gather an army, blow the trumpet, go to war?  Jotham probably has a good enough story to make a good case against Shechem and Abimelech.  Why do you think he didn't?
• Jotham tells them a fable.  Look up the definition of a fable here (especially b.). Like a parable, these have a point that is supposed to help people understand a foundational truth.  But unlike a parable, fables were used to point out the folly people using plants or animals as characters.  What does it tell you about Jotham that he knew what a fable was, knew how to form one, and was so skilled at using it with Shechem and Abimelech?
• The basic element of the parable is four attempts by the trees to make one a king over them.  They ask a olive, the fig, and the vine.  Look at each response of these trees.  What do you think of the elements repeated in each response?  What is it they prefer over ruling?
• He gets to the fourth "tree", which is a thorn bush.  What is so different about this response?  There are a lot of elements different, jot down each in turn.  Why shelter in its shade?  How much shade would there be?
• If they do not "deal in truth" in making the thorn bush king, then may fire come out and consume the "cedars of Lebanon".  Why do you think this element was added at the end?  Why those trees?
• Jotham then interprets the fable to his audience.  And they let him.  Why do you think they let Jotham speak so much?
• Jotham escapes to "Beer", a place of which there is no record.  It is a desert-people's reference to a well or oasis.  Why do you think Jotham chose such a place?

That should keep us busy for a while.  Remember to look for what God is telling you through these characters.  Try and identify with each set or person.  What sorts of changes is God asking you to make?

See you Thursday!