Again we see the Isrealites messing up, but this time their usual pattern doesn’t follow…
We don’t see the “Sin > Punishment > Cry for help > Rescue.”
Abimelek, the leading figure in this chapter hasn’t been raised up by God to rescue…quite the opposite.

[Read Judges 9]

• Abimelek stands as quite a contrast to Gideon. How?
• Verse 5 mentions the place Abimelek killed his brothers as “one stone”, what could this mean?
• Judges 9:1-6 stands in stark contrast to Joshua 24:1 & 16. How?
• Verse 8-15 tells a strange story. What does this remind you of?

[Activity] > Take some time to discect this strange story in verses 8-15 and write down what you think it means.

• What does verse 26 tell us about the people of Schechem?
• In verse 45 we see that Abimelek, after capturing the city, scattered salt over it. Why?
• Verse 49 was a fulfilment of something that had been promised earlier in this chapter. What is it?
• While men used weapons like spears, bows and arrows to defend towers, women helped by dropping stones. Why?
• What does this part of the story remind you of?
• Grinding grain was seen as women’s work. Too lowly for men to perform. But, defending your city, fighting and killing pagan tyrants and enemies was definately a man’s job. How is this story significant?
• In verse 54 what’s going on with the armour-bearer and this whole “a woman killed him” business?
• From chapter 8:34 – 9:55 God isn’t mentioned at all. What could this tell us about Abimelek’s story?

The last 2 verses in chapter 9 wrap up this story and give a good “God conclusion”. How and why?