Jotham and Abimilech

Gideon had many wives and 70 sons as a result. This NEVER ends well in the Bible, and rightly so. It was not God's plan that siblings be divided by allegiance to various mothers, nor that the children of certain mothers would be given preferential treatment over others. It's highly dysfunctional to the family dynamic! So is the case with Abimilech, who was the illegitimate son of one of Gideon's concubines. And one day after his father had died, and his ostracision was probably intensified, he decided to seek revenge on his brothers by supplanting the natural succession to Gideon's rule. He hired some "reckless troublemakers" to go with him to Shechem and execute all 70 of his half brothers. He ascended to the role of king but was later challenged by the only half brother who had escaped the mass execuion.

In his parable, Jotham (the aforementioned half-brother) referred to the olive tree, fig tree, and grapevine all refusing to abandon the roles for which they were created in order to be king. But the thornbush (much less noble in character and form) had no such compunction. He agrees to be king and then threatens the lives of other trees who would not submit to his rule. This is an obvious reference to Gideon and his "real" sons who had refused the position of King back in verse 8:22-23. The people had been so enamored of him after his victory against the Midianites, that they said "Be our ruler! You and your son and your grandson will be ou rulers, for you have rescued us from Midian". But Gideon had replied "I will not rule over you, nor will my son. The Lord will rule over you!" But for every man of integrity, there are a handful of "thornbushes" who are more than willing to seize opportunity. Abimelech was such a man, and as punsihment for his crimes, was later humiliated by being killed by a woman!

Tomorrow's reading: Judges 11:29-15:20