Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights that Abimelech's most egregious sin wasn't just the bloodshed, but the profound disloyalty to his own father, Gideon, by eradicating his family line. This act, described as "wickedness against his father," underscores a deeper betrayal than mere fratricide.
Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse marks the conclusion of Abimelech's brutal rise to power and his subsequent downfall. After his violent actions in Shechem and his final, failed siege on Thebez, where he himself was struck by a stone, the narrator reflects on the divine justice served. The text emphasizes that God repaid Abimelech for his cruelty, particularly the fratricide against his seventy brothers, and also brought judgment upon the treacherous men of Shechem who aided him.
Does God always punish evil? Abimelech's story seems to suggest a resounding 'yes,' but how does that play out when we see wickedness prospering?
This verse is a powerful statement from the author of Judges, clarifying that Abimelech's gruesome end wasn't just a random tragedy.
A Divine Reckoning
Abimelech's actions were horrific. But what made them particularly heinous in the eyes of God and the writer of Judges?
The verse specifically highlights the brutal murder of Abimelech's seventy brothers. This wasn't just any act of violence; it was an attempt to completely eradicate his father Gideon's lineage.
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A Sin Against Family and Father
Abimelech's end was brutal and ironic. How did God use seemingly ordinary events to enact His judgment?
The narrative of Abimelech's downfall, as summarized here, is a powerful illustration of how God can use the actions of people and even inanimate objects to bring about His justice.
The Cycle of Violence and Judgment
Understand the original words
ra'ah · Hebrew Noun
An act of moral wrongness, wickedness, or injury that stands in opposition to the character and commands of God. It often carries the consequence of divine judgment or retribution.
Elohim · Hebrew Noun
The sovereign Creator and Ruler of the universe who is just, holy, and the ultimate judge of all human actions. In this context, He acts as the executor of divine justice.
harag · Hebrew Verb
The act of causing death, specifically used here to describe the violent, unlawful, or intentional taking of a human life. In Scripture, murder is a violation of the sanctity of life established by God.
This verse highlights a core biblical principle: God's justice, even when delayed, is certain. Abimelech's brutal act of fratricide, aimed at securing power, ultimately leads to his own violent and ignominious end, demonstrating that wickedness, especially when directed against family and innocent blood, carries severe consequences.
c. 1115 BC
Gideon's Death and Abimelech's Rise
After Gideon's death, his son Abimelech, born to a concubine, uses a mercenary army to kill his seventy half-brothers, establishing himself as ruler over Israel.
c. 1115-1112 BC
Abimelech's Reign in Shechem
Abimelech rules from Ophrah but quickly alienates the people of Shechem, who revolt and set up Gaal. Abimelech eventually destroys the city.
c. 1112 BC— this verse
Abimelech Attacks Thebez
Seeking to consolidate his power, Abimelech attacks the city of Thebez, which had also rebelled. He lays siege to the city's stronghold.
c. 1112 BC
Abimelech's Death
While Abimelech attempts to set fire to a tower where people had fled, a woman drops a millstone, striking and killing him. This fulfills the curse Jotham laid upon Abimelech and the people of Shechem.
This passage shows the very first instance of fratricide, highlighting the profound sin of Cain killing his brother Abel, which echoes the evil found in Abimelech's actions.
1 Samuel 15:3This verse describes God's command through Samuel to utterly destroy the Amalekites and everything they had, showing a divine principle of judgment for wickedness that parallels God's justice on Abimelech.
Proverbs 11:31This proverb states that the righteous will be repaid on earth, and how much more the wicked and the sinner. This directly supports the idea that Abimelech received just recompense for his evil deeds.
Matthew 27:25The people cry, 'His blood be on us and on our children!' This demonstrates how the consequences of sin and the shedding of innocent blood can have a far-reaching impact, similar to the ripple effect of Abimelech's actions.
Romans 6:23This verse clearly states that the wages of sin is death. It provides the theological foundation for why God rendered wickedness back upon Abimelech, as it is the just consequence of his profound sin.
clarkeJudges 9:56: "Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:"
Thus God rendered, etc. - Both the fratricide Abimelech, and the unprincipled men of Shechem, had the iniquity visited upon them of which they had been guilty. Man's judgment may be avoided; but there is no escape from the judgments of God. I Have said that the fable of Jotham is the oldest, and perhaps the best, in the world; and referred for other particulars to the end…
bensonJudges 9:56: "Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:"
Jdg 9:56 . Thus God rendered, &c. — This and the following verse conclude the history of Abimelech with a divine admonition, that no man might think such things come to pass by chance. We see God, the judge of all, punished both Abimelech and the men of Shechem according to their deserts, and made them the instruments of each other’s destruction. And it is remarkable that…
The verse highlights that Abimelech's most egregious sin wasn't just the bloodshed, but the profound disloyalty to his own father, Gideon, by eradicating his family line. This act, described as "wickedness against his father," underscores a deeper betrayal than mere fratricide.
This verse marks the conclusion of Abimelech's brutal rise to power and his subsequent downfall. After his violent actions in Shechem and his final, failed siege on Thebez, where he himself was struck by a stone, the narrator reflects on the divine justice served. The text emphasizes that God repaid Abimelech for his cruelty, particularly the fratricide against his seventy brothers, and also brought judgment upon the treacherous men of Shechem who aided him.
This verse marks the conclusion of Abimelech's brutal rise to power and his subsequent downfall. After his violent actions in Shechem and his final, failed siege on Thebez, where he himself was struck by a stone, the narrator reflects on the divine justice served. The text emphasizes that God repaid Abimelech for his cruelty, particularly the fratricide against his seventy brothers, and also brought judgment upon the treacherous men of Shechem who aided him.
"Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers." — The verse highlights that Abimelech's most egregious sin wasn't just the bloodshed, but the profound disloyalty to his own father, Gideon, by eradicating his family line. This act, described as "wick…
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Last reviewed October 2026