URC Daily Devotion Thursday 23 April 2026
Reading Judges 9:1-7, 16-21, 50-57
Now Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s kinsfolk and said to them and to the whole clan of his mother’s family, ‘Say in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem, “Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal rule over you, or that one rule over you?” Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.’ So his mother’s kinsfolk spoke all these words on his behalf in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem; and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, ‘He is our brother.’ They gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the temple of Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, who followed him. He went to his father’s house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone; but Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived, for he hid himself. Then all the lords of Shechem and all Beth-millo came together, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar at Shechem. When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and cried aloud and said to them, ‘Listen to me, you lords of Shechem, so that God may listen to you…‘Now therefore, if you acted in good faith and honour when you made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him as his actions deserved — for my father fought for you, and risked his life, and rescued you from the hand of Midian; but you have risen up against my father’s house this day, and have killed his sons, seventy men on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his slave-woman, king over the lords of Shechem, because he is your kinsman — if, I say, you have acted in good faith and honour towards Jerubbaal and towards his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you; but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the lords of Shechem, and Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the lords of Shechem, and from Beth-millo, and devour Abimelech.’ Then Jotham ran away and fled, going to Beer, where he remained for fear of his brother Abimelech…Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it. But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men and women and all the lords of the city fled to it and shut themselves in; and they went to the roof of the tower. Abimelech came to the tower, and fought against it, and came near to the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire. But a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, and crushed his skull. Immediately he called to the young man who carried his armour and said to him, ‘Draw your sword and kill me, so people will not say about me, “A woman killed him.”’ So the young man thrust him through, and he died. When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they all went home. Thus God repaid Abimelech for the crime he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers; and God also made all the wickedness of the people of Shechem fall back on their heads, and on them came the curse of Jotham son of Jerubbaal.
Reflection
Abimelech is one of the seventy (or more) sons of Gideon/Jerubbaal (8:31) but he is also identified with the people of Shechem who worship Baal and not the God of Israel. His massacre of his brothers in a desire to claim ‘kingship’ in succession to his father, results in him being elevated as leader over what might be called a petty Canaanite City State.
However, one Israelite brother, Jotham, survived and he speaks out against the leaders of Shechem, questioning the wisdom of their support for Abimelech. He then flees in fear for his own safety. The seeds of discord are sown and the omitted section of text states that God furthered the breakdown in relationships in Shechem. The ensuing treachery and rivalry is better understood as the consequences of human dissatisfaction and suspicion; but the end result is more conflict, death and destruction.
Abimelech’s actions are all about self-preservation and he shows no regard for people or property as he fights for survival.
The final verses illustrate his final rampage against Thebez and record how he got his come-uppance. He approaches the tower, intending to burn it down; but a resourceful, unnamed, woman throws down a mill-stone from its ramparts that lands on Abimelech’s head. The text suggests that with his final breath, to avoid a dishonourable death, Abimelech asks a servant to kill him with a sword (although his death is attributed to the woman in 2 Samuel 11:6).
Abimelech wasn’t raised up by God, he didn’t deliver Israel and his failed attempt to take control of God’s people has to be seen as a relatively short-lived period of upheaval; after which the Israelites return home while Shechem learned the error of their ways.
What happened to Jotham we are never told. He is the unsung hero in the story, for he had the courage to speak truth to power and then patience to wait, trusting that ultimately God’s will would prevail.
Prayer
Transcendent God,
remind us that we don’t always have to be centre stage as your people
but give us the courage to be outspoken truthtellers against the powers of evil.
Grant us patience if your presence and activity are hard to discern
while human power struggles lead people away from trust in you.
Work your miracles of grace by your Spirit
and reveal yourself anew through the body of Christ
as you transform this world into your kingdom. Amen.