Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Judges 9:22
(22) Had reigned.—The verb is here sûr, not malak, as in Judges 9:6; but whether the change of word is meant to be significant we cannot say.Over Israel—i.e., over all the Israelites who would accept his authority—mainly the central tribes. read more
John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 9:1-57
The Story of AbimelechThis chapter breaks the regular order of the book, since Abimelech is not thought of as a judge, and the Canaanites are not here regarded as oppressors. The story, however, throws a valuable light on the way in which Israel fell into unfaithfulness, when free from the yoke of foreign oppression.1-6. The rise of Abimelech.1. As being born out of regular wedlock, Abimelech would be brought up at first in his mother’s family, and reckoned as belonging to it (Judges 9:2). It... read more