So Gaal went out, leading the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
Parallel translations
- WEB Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
- KJV And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
- BSB So Gaal went out before the leaders of Shechem and fought against Abimelech,
- NASB So Gaal went out in the sight of the leaders of Shechem and fought Abimelech.
- NLT So Gaal led the leading citizens of Shechem into battle against Abimelech.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Gaal leads the men of Shechem out to fight Abimelech. His rebellion now moves from words to open combat.
Overview
Cornered by Zebul's taunt, Gaal marches Shechem's men into battle against Abimelech. The rash leader stakes the city's safety on his pride. The clash sets in motion the ruin of Shechem, the very city that had crowned Abimelech, demonstrating that violence sown in sin reaps destruction.
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Christ at the center
Israel's cycle of sin and rescue through flawed deliverers cries out for a Savior who never fails — the true and final Judge and Deliverer who saves his people not for a season but forever.
How Judges 9:39 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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