John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 1. And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem, unto his mother’s brethren , etc.] It seems that though the mother of Abimelech lived at Shechem, he was taken and brought up in his father’s house at Ophrah, where he was when he died; and from hence he came to Shechem, to pay a visit to his uncles there; whether his mother was now living, is not certain: and communed with them ; about the death of his father, the state of his family, and the government of Israel: and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father ; that descended from his grandfather, the several branches of them, and of the family, the heads of them at least: saying , as follows.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-6 - The men of Shechem chose Abimelech king. God was not consulted whethe they should have any king, much less who it should be. If parents coul see what their children would do, and what they are to suffer, their joy in them often would be turned into sorrow: we may be thankful tha we cannot know what shall happen. Above all, we should fear and watc against sin; for our evil conduct may produce fatal effects upon ou families, after we are in our graves.
Original Hebrew וילך1980 אבימלך40 בן1121 ירבעל3378 שׁכמה7927 אל413 אחי251 אמו517 וידבר1696 אליהם413 ואל413 כל3605 משׁפחת4940 בית1004 אבי1 אמו517 לאמר׃559
