Judges 9:26

GAAL STIRS UP REBELLION (Judges 9:26-29)

"And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their trust in him. And they went out into the field, and gathered their vineyards, and trod the grapes, and held festival, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech. And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is he not the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve ye the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: but why should we serve him? And would that this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out."

"Gaal the son of Ebed" (Judges 9:26). Nothing is known of this freebooter who suddenly appeared in Shechem. "He was evidently a Canaanite leader of a band of roving relatives."[20]

"And the men of Shechem put their trust in him" (Judges 9:26). This is an amazing reflection upon foolishness of the men of Shechem. What an incredible lapse of ordinary intelligence it was which prompted the lords of Shechem to trust this itinerant marauder whose only purpose was to exploit other people in the interests of himself and his accompanying relatives. Perhaps that `evil spirit' had blinded them for the purpose of their destruction.

"They ... held a festival ... went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech" (Judges 9:27). Gaal chose that drunken orgy in the House of Baal as the occasion to announce his insurrection. "Such celebrations could easily degenerate into a carousal with excessive drinking, when inhibitions previously effective, would have been replaced by boisterous deeds."[21]

Gaal's appeal to the Shechemites was quite logical. Hamor was a powerful figure in Shechem when Jacob bought that piece of ground from him, but whether or not he was the "father of Shechem," as alleged by Gaal is not known. The rabble-rouser's argument was, "Why should we serve these Jews? They were once inferior to the great founders of our city!"

"Would this people were under my hand, then would I remove Abimelech" (Judges 9:29). The fatal flaw in this insurrection was that Zebal, Abimelech's deputy governor of Shechem, was present and reported the whole affair to Abimelech.

"And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out (Judges 9:29). The marginal reading here substitutes "of Abimelech," for "to Abimelech." However, it appears that Gaal's words were actually shouted to Abimelech as if he were present.