Judges 9:41

Jdg 9:41 And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.

Ver. 41. And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah.] {a} Concealing his ill-will against the Shechemites, as though he had meant it to Gaal only. It is said of Tiberius the Emperor, that the farther off he threatened, the heavier the stroke fell. And of our Richard III, that he would use most compliment and courtesy to him in the morning whose throat he had taken order to be cut that evening.

{a} Jerome saith that Arumah is the same with Arimathea.

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.

Jdg 9:41. Abimelech dwelt at Arumah — He did not prosecute his victory, but retreated to Arumah, to see whether the Shechemites would not, of themselves, return to his government, or in expectation that they would hereby grow secure, and so give him the greater advantage against them. And Zebul thrust out Gaal — Finding the spirit of Gaal’s party a little cooled, perhaps through their suspecting him of cowardice, or ill conduct, he took the opportunity of expelling him and his brethren from the city; but seems to have shut the gates against Abimelech also. His interest, it seems, was not so considerable with the people that he could prevail with them either to kill Gaal and his brethren, or to yield themselves to Abimelech; and therefore he still complies with them, and waits for a fairer opportunity.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(41) Dwelt at Arumah.—Eusebius and Jerome identify Arumah with Remphis or Arimathea, near Lydda, which is most improbable on every ground. It is clearly some place at no great distance from Shechem which he was still determined to punish.

Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren.—Josephus seems here to supply us with the proper clue, for he says that Zebul accused Gaal to the Shechemites of military cowardice and mismanagement. He seems to have been a deep dissembler. Gaal, however, escaped the fate of the Shechemites by their expulsion of him.

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

41. Arumah] Unknown; el-‘Örme (the initial letter is different), 2 m. S.E. of Nâblus, has been suggested. This verse evidently brings the narrative to an end.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And it came to pass on the morrow,.... The day after the battle:

that the people went out into the field; some think to fight, and try the event of another battle, in order to be freed from Abimelech, but that seems not so likely: rather to finish their vintage, as Josephus (l), or to till their ground, to plough and sow, which quickly came on after the vintage was ended; find this they might do the more securely, since Abimelech had withdrawn himself and his forces to his place of habitation, and so concluded he would not soon at least return to them; and the rather they might think he would be more easy, with then, since Gaal was thrust out from among them:

and they told Abimelech; or it was told Abimelech, that the people came out into the field, and so an opportunity offered to him to come and cut them off, as they were at their business unarmed.

(l) Antiqu. l. 5. c. 7. sect. 4.

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

Ruma may be the same place as Arimathea, between Joppe and Lidda. (St. Jerome) (Menochius) --- But this seems to be too remote from Sichem, (Haydock; Bonfrere) in the neighbourhood of which Abimelech halted, to give the citizens time to enter into themselves, (Calmet) and to open their gates to him without farther resistance. Gaal entered the city after his defeat: but was forced the next day to leave it by Zebul. Whereupon he was met by two divisions of Abimelech’s army, which routed him, and pursued the fugitives, while the king marched straight to the city; and though he had a party within the walls, headed by Zebul, (Haydock) unless he was slain, (Calmet) the rest of the inhabitants made such a stout resistance, that the tyrant resolved to demolish the city, when he took it, at night. (Haydock)

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).

Abimelech did not prosecute his victory, but retreated to Arumah, partly to see the effect of this fight, and whether the Shechemites would not of themselves return to his government, being either persuaded by Zebul upon this occasion, or terrified by his strength and valour, or now by his clemency in proceeding no further against them; and partly that, being hereby grown more secure, he might have the greater advantage against them, which accordingly he here makes use of.

Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren; which he was enabled to do, because the multitude, which is generally light and unstable, and judgeth of all things by events, were now enraged against Gaal, suspecting him guilty either of treachery, or cowardice, or ill conduct; and besides, they thought the expulsion of Gaal would sweeten and satisfy Abimelech, and make him give over the war against them. But though they were offended with Gaal, yet Zebul’s interest was not so considerable with them, that he could prevail with them either to kill Gaal and his brethren, or to yield themselves to Abimelech; and therefore he still complies with the people, and waits for a fairer opportunity, though in vain.

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

41. Arumah — A city evidently near to Shechem, but now unknown. Van de Velde proposes to identify it with the ruin El-ormah, on the brow of a mountain southeast of Shechem. To this place Abimelech retired after the fight before the gates of Shechem.

Zebul thrust out Gaal — By taking advantage of his defeat and confusion. After his failure to defend them, the people opposed to Abimelech would not care to have Gaal dwell in Shechem.

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

Arumah. A place not otherwise known, but apparently (ver. 42) very near Shechem, and possibly the same place as Rumah, the birthplace of Queen Zebudah, (2Ki_23:36) and, from its name, apparently among the mountains. Zebul thrust out, etc. Gaal was so much weakened by his defeat that Zebul was now strong enough to expel him and the remainder of "his brethren from the city.

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

Dwelt at Arumah - He did not prosecute his victory, but retreated to Arumah, to see whether the Shechemites would not of themselves return to his government, or else, that being hereby grown secure, he might have the greater advantage against them. Thrust out - It seems the same night. Probably the multitude, which is generally light and unstable, were now enraged against Gaal, suspecting him of cowardice or ill-conduct. Zebul's interest was not so considerable with them, that he could prevail with them either to kill Gaal and his brethren, or to yield themselves to Abimelech; and therefore he still complies with the people, and waits for a fairer opportunity.

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

Abimelech did not force his way into the city, but remained (ישׁב, lit. sat down) with his army in Arumah, a place not mentioned again, which was situated, according to Jdg 9:42, somewhere in the neighbourhood of Shechem. It cannot possibly have been the place called Ῥουμὰ ἡ καὶ Ἄριμα in the Onom. of Eusebius, which was named Ῥέμφις in his day, and was situated in the neighbourhood of Diospolis (or Lydda). Zebul, however, drove Gaal and his brethren (i.e., his retinue) out of Shechem.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

Arumah

This is the name of a city. (See: How to Translate Names)

Zebul

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

Gaal

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

this was reported to Abimelech

This can be stated in active form. AT: "someone reported this to Abimelech" (See: Active or Passive)

divided them into three units

"separated them into 3 groups" (See: Numbers)

they set an ambush in the fields

"they hid in the fields to attack the people by surprise"

he attacked

Here "he" refers to Abimelech who represents himself and all of his soldiers. AT: "they attacked" (See: Synecdoche)

translationWords

Abimelech

Shechem

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