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(^277) Wrongly rendered in our version "by the plain of the pillar," 9:6.
(^278) That is, the inhabitants of Millo. Millo was no doubt the castle or citadel close to
Shechem.
(^279) The Rabbis understand the three trees as referring to Othniel, Deborah, and Gideon.
(^280) So literally.
(^281) This we gather from the fact that "the trees" successively solicit the olive, the fig,
and the vine, while afterwards "all the trees" are said to turn to the thorn, as if all of
them had been successively asked, and had declined.
(^282) Seek shelter under my shadow.
(^283) That is, the noblest and the best. The thorn is easily set on fire - indeed, fit for
nothing else.
(^284) The expression in 9:22 is not that Abimelech reigned as a king, but that he lorded it.
(^285) Our Authorized Version translates wrongly 9:27: "And they went out into the
fields,.... and made merry." This last clause should be rendered, "and made Hillulim -
praise offerings."
(^286) The language is very pictorial in its contrast of young Shechem with old Shechem, or
rather Hamor; and in laying emphasis upon the name Jerubbaal. The challenge to
Abimelech is, of course, not to be regarded as delivered to himself, but, as so common
in the East, addressed to an imaginary Abimelech.
(^287) The message of Zebul (9:31) was: "they raise the city against thee," viz., in rebellion
- not, as in our Authorized Version, "they fortify the city against thee."
(^288) In the Authorized Version (ver. 37) "the plain of the Meonenim."
(^289) In the Authorized Version (ver. 53) "a piece of a millstone."
(^290) Some have translated this by the son of "his uncle," viz., the uncle of Abimelech. But
this seems unlikely, as Gideon was of Manasseh, and Tola of Issachar. The names of
Tola and Puah, or Phuvah (Genesis 46:13; Numbers 26:23), as well as that of Jair, were
tribal names.
(^)