John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 2. Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem , etc.] Which, though the Targum calls the inhabitants of the place, Ben Melech better interprets it the lords of Shechem, as the phrase will bear to be rendered; for it is more likely he would have this first whispered and suggested to the principal men of the city, before the common people were acquainted with it, and indeed in order to use their influence with them: whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, [which are] seventy persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you ? intimating thereby, that though Gideon his father had refused the regal government when offered him, it was but reasonable that his sons, or some one of them, should be tried, whether it would be acceptable to them; nay, he would insinuate, that the sons of Gideon, who were seventy in number, were either contending with one another about it, or contriving to divide the government among them, and therefore desired it might be moved to consideration, whether it would not be more eligible to fix upon some one person to be their ruler, than to be under the government of seventy; or, in other words, whether it was not better to have one king than seventy kings; but in reality there was no necessity for any consultation about this matter, the sons of judges never succeeded their fathers in government; nor does it appear that any of Gideon’s sons had any thought about it, nor any desire to be made kings, as appears from Jotham’s parable; and this was only a wicked insinuation of this man’s, with an ambitious view of getting the kingdom to himself, as follows: remember also that I am your bone and your flesh ; was of the same tribe and city with them, born among them, his mother always living with them, and he having now many near relations by his mother’s side that dwelt there; and therefore while they had this affair of government under consideration, he would have them think of him to be their king, which would be to their honour, and to their advantage, to have one so nearly related to them on the throne, from whom they might expect many favours.
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 דברו1696 נא4994 באזני241 כל3605 בעלי1167 שׁכם7927 מה4100 טוב2896 לכם המשׁל4910 בכם שׁבעים7657 אישׁ376 כל3605 בני1121 ירבעל3378 אם518 משׁל4910 בכם אישׁ376 אחד259 וזכרתם2142 כי3588 עצמכם6106 ובשׂרכם1320 אני׃589
