Judges 9:36

Jdg 9:36 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.

Ver. 36. He said to Zebul.] Who had hitherto played on both hands, and seemed to side with Gaal, that he might bring him into the hands of Abimelech’s ambuscado. Huiusmodi homines instructi arte Pelasga, &c. Fair words make fools fain.

Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.] Either thine eyes are not matches or thy fear hath blinded thee: -

“ Pessimus in dubiis augur timor. ” - Statius Theb., lib. iii.

The Burgundians, once expecting a battle, thought long thistles were lances. So saith Zebul here, in a jeer, thou takest mountains for men, shadows for substances.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Thou art afraid of a shadow.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(36) He said to Zebul.—The narrative is too brief to enable us to understand clearly the somewhat anomalous position of Zebul. He seems to have been deposed from his office, and yet to have retained the confidence of Gaal and the Shechemites.

Thou seest the shadow of the mountains.—The shadow advancing as the sun rose. It was, of course, Zebul’s object to keep Gaal deceived as long as possible. But it is evident that Gaal’s suspicions were by no means lulled. Zebul treats him almost as if he were still suffering from the intoxication of his vaunting feast.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Gaal spake again, and said,.... Looking towards the mountains, and taking another view of what he before saw, for further satisfaction:

see, there come people down by the middle of the land; either in the valley between the two mountains; or rather those he first saw on the top of the mountains were now come down about the middle of them, called in the Hebrew text the navel, from the prominence of the mountains thereabout, or because the navel is in the middle of the body, as this part of them was the middle on which he saw them. R. Isaiah interprets it, between the two cities:

and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim; of which we read nowhere else. Montanus renders it, "the oak of Meonenim"; or of the soothsayers; oaks being had in great esteem with idolaters for their oracles and divinations; and perhaps this was a place, whether an oak or, a plain, where such persons used to meet to make their divinations.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

To Zebul. It seems the latter had acted with such dissimulation, that Gaal supposed he had come over to his party. Zebul laughs at him, as if he were disturbed with groundless fears, (Haydock) in order that Abimelech may take him unawares. (Menochius)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Zebul concealed the anger which he had conceived, Jdg 9:30, and pretended compliance with him in this expedition, that he might draw him forth into the field, where Abimelech might have the opportunity of lighting with him, and overthrowing him.

Thou seest the shadow of the mountains; for in the morning, as this was, and in the evening, the shadows are longest, and move most quickly. He intimates that he was afraid of shadows.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

36. Shadow of the mountains — Zebul speaks to him in deceit; that is, for the purpose of deceiving him, just as he had sent to Abimelech. Jdg_9:31. He wishes to gain time for Abimelech, and pretends that the advancing forces are but the moving shadows of the heights of Ebal, which in the early morning always spread themselves upon the landscape of Shechem.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Saw the people, i.e. Abimelech"s followers. He said to Zebul, whom he looked upon as a friend and confederate. Zebul said to him, etc. Partly to give Abimelech time, and partly to conceal his own complicity in Abimelech"s movements, Zebul affected not to see the men, and explained the appearance as being merely the shadows of the mountains cast before the rising sun.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

To Zebul - Who concealed the anger which he had conceived, ver. 30, and pretended compliance with him in this expedition, that he might draw him forth into the field where Abimelech might have the opportunity of fighting with him, and overthrowing him. The shadow - For in the morning, as this was, and in the evening, the shadows are longest, and move quickest.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Gaal

This is the name of a man. See how you translated this in Judges 9:26.

Zebul

This is the name of a man. See how you translated this in Judges 9:28.

You are seeing the shadows on the hills like they are men

Zebul is trying to confuse Gaal and keep him from preparing for battle. AT: "That is not people, it is only shadows on the hills"

one unit

"1 group" or "1 troop" (See: Numbers)

translationWords

oak

divination

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.