Abimelech was a son of Gideon, the King of Israel, and his concubine from Shechem. 46 When all the leading men in the fort at Shechem heard about this, they sought safety in the stronghold of the temple of Baal-of-the-Covenant. Please explain. Really? Abimelech (Heb. Your legacy? After receiving financial support from those who controlled the treasury of the shrine of Baal-berith, he hired a band… To get from Gibeah to Gath, David would have to walk more than 40 miles (60 kilometres). Abimelech then became the King of Shechem, ruling for three years before a conspiracy arose against him. Commentators speculate that David probably lied in order to protect Ahimelech from any charges of conspiracy if Saul were to later find out the priest had helped David. This Abimelech/Ahimelech was a priest who served in the time of King David. Abimelech captured the city, killed its people, tore it down, and covered the ground with salt. It is a warning about the blindness and ruthlessness of sin. Leave a Reply Cancel reply. The Ligonier Ministries site requires Javascript, but you’ve got Javascript disabled. The title says Abimelech rather than Achish because Abimelech was the traditional dynastic name for title for Philistine kings … The outcome should make clear that even mild dishone… Then they would go through the hills to Gath, which was in Philistia. 15:7–8). He sought to rule over Shechem by killing all other sons of Gideon, who were all slain except for Gideon's youngest son, Jotham. David Pretended to be Insane Before Abimelech Psalm 34: 1-22 . Ahimelech, the chief priest, was very worried about this. Today we would say that they were refugees. 24:5–9). Abimelech would have taken Sarah, Abraham’s wife, into his harem, but learning that she was the wife of another, returned her uninjured. “The priest gave him the holy bread, for there was no bread there but the bread of the Presence, which is removed from before the Lord, to be replaced by hot bread on the day it is taken away” (v. 6). 1 Priest at Nob, brother of, or perhaps the same as, Ahijah (2.) Abimelech = "Melek is father" or "my father is king" 1) king of Gerar in Abraham's time 2) king of Gath in David's time; maybe title of Philistine kings 3) son of Gideon by a concubine 4) priest, son of Abiathar 40 'Abiymelek ab-ee-mel'-ek from 1 and 4428; father of (the) king; Abimelek, the name of The future king might have reasoned that Ahimelech could not legitimately be prosecuted for treason if he did not know David was on an unapproved mission. There is more than one Abimelech in the Bible, but he is most commonly referred to as the King of Gerar. David had to escape for his life. Jesus later appealed to this incident to justify His practice of ignoring those Pharisaic traditions that put safeguarding religious ritual above helping the hungry (Mark 2:23–28). The events in 1 Samuel chapter 21 probably happened on the day when David left Jonathan (20:35-42). He would do that again when he reached Gath (21:12-13). Judges 9 – The Rise and Fall of Abimelech A. Abimelech’s rise to power. In addition, the story clarifies the difference in an undisputable lie and what we may call a “half-truth”. First published in Tabletalk Magazine, an outreach of Ligonier. 1 Samuel Commentary > chapter 21. Clearly this is a reference to 1 Samuel 21:10-15 ():And David rose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath. Clearly however, David�s words were untrue. He asked David a series of questions to try to find out what David was doing. 9:2–3 et al.) (3) The title of Psalm 34 mentions another Abimelech, who in all probability is the same as Achish king of Gath (1 Samuel 21:10-22:1); with whom David sought refuge when fleeing from Saul, and with whom he was dwelling at the time of the Philistine invasion of Israel, which cost Saul his kingdom and his life (1 Samuel 27). i. Psalm 34 begins beautifully: I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. He befriended David, and Saul had him killed. The Man Who Rebuked Another for Lying. c. Psalm 34 is David’s declaration of joy when he escaped from Gath with his life. In some passages his name is reversed with that of his son, Abiathar. The NAS, KJV, and NET Bibles put the name as Abimelech. Other articles where Abimelech is discussed: biblical literature: The roles of Deborah, Gideon, and Jephthah: Abimelech, one of the 70 sons of the wives and concubines of Gideon, went to Shechem to solicit support for his attempt to establish a monarchy. In any case, David asked for food, and the only thing that was present at the tabernacle was the bread of the Presence, which was normally reserved only for the priests (21:3–4; see Lev. in all its fullness to as many people as possible. In the parallel passage, 2 Samuel 8:17, the name is given as Ahimelech; most authorities consider this the more correct reading. You can download all our articles if you go to the download page for our free 450 page course book. (1-3) Abimelech forces his brothers to submit to him. אֲבִימֶלֶך; "the [Divine] Father is King" or the [Divine] King is Father), the king of Gerar, and the male offspring of Gideon the Abiezrite by his Shechemite concubine ().During the period of the Judges, Abimelech became the ruler of Shechem through the support of his mother's family and the local oligarchy ("the lords of Shechem"; Judg. David lied to Ahimelech about his reason for coming to him, for Saul had most certainly not sent him out on a special mission (v. 2). Abraham may have justified the lie in his mind classifying it as a “half-truth” (since Sarah was his half-sister) out of fear for his life. Fix that problem! The story of Abimelech was written for our example and learning (1 Cor. The story is in a Part of the Bible that we call I Samuel, chapters 21 and 22 (see below). Donate Now. The annotation of Psalm 34 reads:Of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away. 400 people went to the camp that David made in Adullum. To get from Gibeah to Gath, David would have to walk more than 40 miles (60 kilometres). Is this a contradiction? He was high priest in the time of David. But at the beginning of Psalm 34, and referring to the same event in 1 Samuel, the king’s name is Abimelech. Your gift enables our worldwide outreach. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away. The Next 500 Years: 2017 National Conference, Show Me Your Glory: Understanding the Majestic Splendor of God, La Biblia de Estudio de La Reforma, Spanish Edition, Naming Ligonier the Beneficiary of a Bank or Investment Account, Gifts That Provide Income and Tax Benefits. Of David. When Abimelech takes Sarah with Abraham’s permission, God abruptly enters into the situation to protect her, speaking to Abimelech in a dream (20:6-7). 1 Name or title of a king of Gerar who had various dealings with Abraham and Isaac.2 See Ahimelech Ahimelech, in the Bible. The mission, passion and purpose of Ligonier Ministries is to proclaim the holiness of God He was in power when Abraham was traveling through Kadesh and Shur inside Philistine territory. Abimelech (/ ə ˈ b ɪ m ə ˌ l ɛ k /; אֲבִימֶלֶךְ ’Ǎḇîmeleḵ) was the king of Shechem and a son of biblical judge Gideon.His name can best be interpreted as "my father is king", claiming the inherited right to rule. Proverbs 10:3 Hosea 6:6 Matthew 23:23–34 2 Corinthians 3:4–6. David’s untrue words to Abimelech 1 Samuel 21:2. [This article continues after a message from the authors] These Articles are Written by the Publishers of The Amazing… Abimelech in particular is shown as a counterpoint to David. Probably he wanted to know where he should go. Only by the regular study of Scripture with other godly Christians and prayer can we know the spirit of the Law well enough so as to apply God’s commandments rightly in all circumstances. At that point in his life, David was running from Saul, who was motivated to kill him out of a desire to protect his own throne (20:30–31). Thank you for supporting our Ministry. Abimelech’s story is told in Judges 8:31 – 9:57. Abimelech sent David away. Next part: Sacred bread (1 Samuel 21:3-4). This can be difficult and is fraught with peril, for it can be easy to claim to follow the spirit of the Law only because we want to justify lawlessness. 24:5–9). Menu. 47 Abimelech was told that they had gathered there, 48 so he went up to Mount Zalmon with his men. He is also mentioned in 2 Samuel 11:21. Then he passed Bethlehem, his own town. (3) The title of Ps 34 mentions another Abimelech, who in all probability is the same as Achish king of Gath (1 Sam 21:10 through 22:1); with whom David sought refuge when fleeing from Saul, and with whom he was dwelling at the time of the Philistine invasion of … He pretended that the king had secretly sent him away. A king of Gerar in the time of Abraham (Gen. 20; 21:22-32; 26:1-16, 26-31).. They were running away from a difficult life in Judah. Abimelech, son of Gideon (Judges 8:31), proclaimed king after the death of his father (Judges 9:1–6). Probably he expected to meet there the men who would go with him (see Mark 2:26). With only seconds to repent and beg God for forgiveness — Abimelech was transfixed with his legacy. So, now the question becomes, why does it say "the days of Abiathar the high priest" when clearly Ahimelech was the priest at that time (1 Sam. Abimelech, the son of Abiathar. It was a long way, even for a strong soldier like David. Useful Bible Studies > Abimelech cornered the leaders of the city in a tower and came near with the intention of burning the tower with fire. He could not save himself (Psalm 40:1-2). In the parallel passage, 2 Samuel 8:17, we have the name Ahimelech, and Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech. Today’s passage is one such place, describing a time when David came to the tabernacle looking for something to eat and a weapon with which he could defend himself (1 Sam. He went to a cave in Adullam, which was a few miles away. 10:11). He went there to inquire of God (22:10). David had to escape for his life. He thought that he had to help God by clever words and clever schemes. First of all it is important to notice that Mark does not say that David went to Abiathar the high priest, it says he went to the house of God "in the days of Abiathar the high priest.". You must be logged in to post a comment. For permissions, view our Copyright Policy. Another possible Abimelech in the Bible was a son of the high priest Abiathar, mentioned in 1 Chronicles 18:16. Jonathan had told David that Saul was plotting to kill him. Title.Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed. The Abimelech narrative is a conscious After leading Shechem for three years, a conspiracy arose against Abimelech. There is no difference. A summary and brief commentary on important aspects of these stories from the Book of Judges, by Dr. Anthony Tomasino, Bethel College (IN) There was nothing in the letter of the Law that allowed the bread to be given to anyone else, but Ahimelech knew the Law was given to further life and that the spirit of the Law demanded that feeding the needy must be put ahead of ritual if the two ever seem to conflict (Deut. Saul, however, was an unreasonable man and later slaughtered Ahimelech and all but one of his fellow priests at Nob (22:6–23). 21:1)?. In 1 Samuel 21, Achish is the king’s personal name. Abimelech [ĂbÄ­m'elĕch]— father of the king.. 1. After realizing that Saul was out to get him, David fled to Nob to meet Ahimelech, the priest who was presiding over the tabernacle (21:1a). The letter of the Law is not unimportant, but it can never be followed at the expense of the spirit of the Law. When Abraham and Sarah entered the country of King Abimelech, Abimelech inadvertently violated the rules of hospitality, and as restitution awarded Abraham free grazing rights to whatever land he wanted (Gen. 20:1-16). Civil war broke out, leading to a battle at a town called Thebez (Judges 9:50). The title of Psalm 34 reads, A Psalm of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed. However, David was too afraid of Saul to give an honest answer. But the NIV, ESV, and HCS Bibles have Ahimelech (or Ahimelek). The father of Abiathar, and high priest in the time of David (1 Chronicles 18:16). PSALM 34 OVERVIEW. He would have asked questions like the questions in 1 Samuel 23:9-12. Abimelech, the king of Gerar, reappears in today’s passage in order to seal a covenant that will prove to be very significant in the Lord’s plan of redemption. 44 Then Abimelech and the company who was with him dashed forward and stood in the entrance of the city gate; the other two companies then dashed against all who were in the field and slew them. Please use the links at the top of the page to find our other articles in this series. Of course, it was the king�s actions that forced David to leave secretly. Later David would learn that God alone could save him (Psalm 62:1-2). The monarch, described as "Achish the king of Gath", with whom David sought refuge when he fled from Saul, is called Abimelech (meaning "father of the king") in the superscription of Psalm 34. In any case, David asked for food, and the only thing that was present at the tabernacle was the bread of the Presence, which was normally reserved only for the priests (21:3–4; see Lev. “How will people remember me?” Never mind that, you are about to face God, sir! download page for our free 450 page course book. After God informs him that Sarah is really Abraham’s wife, Abimelech confronts Abraham (20:9-10). Answer: There is no contradiction. Bread is an important symbol of life in Scripture (John 6:35), so it is not surprising to see the bread of the Presence, which was put before the life-giving Creator, reappear in several significant places in the Bible. Achish is called Abimelech in the title of Psalm 34, written by David in grateful commemoration of his escape, that being the official title of the kings of Gath handed down through many successive centuries (see Genesis 26:1). 21:1–9). Ahimelech was afraid when he first saw David, and many commentators think he might have feared that the enemies of Israel would be right behind the future king, bringing destruction in their wake (v. 1b). He first passed Nob, the chief priest�s town. Isaac’s birth progresses Yahweh’s promise toward its goal: a holy nation through which the world would be blessed (Gen. 22:18). The portrayal of Gideon's son Abimelech in the book of Judges is a high point within a steady critique in Judges against the Northern Kingdom. 1. Jonathan had told David that Saul was plotting to kill him. Abimelech then became king of Shechem (verse 6). When David entered Nob, he was alone. …Zadok the son of Ahitub and Abimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, and Shavsha was secretary… —1 Chronicles 18:16 NASB. Following such traditions leads only to bondage to sin and not freedom according to the law of liberty that the Spirit enables us to obey (James 1:25). 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