Judges 9:48
New International Version
he and all his men went up Mount Zalmon. He took an ax and cut off some branches, which he lifted to his shoulders. He ordered the men with him, “Quick! Do what you have seen me do!”

New Living Translation
so he led his forces to Mount Zalmon. He took an ax and chopped some branches from a tree, then put them on his shoulder. “Quick, do as I have done!” he told his men.

English Standard Version
And Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him. And Abimelech took an axe in his hand and cut down a bundle of brushwood and took it up and laid it on his shoulder. And he said to the men who were with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry and do as I have done.”

Berean Standard Bible
he and all his men went up to Mount Zalmon. Abimelech took his axe in his hand and cut a branch from the trees, which he lifted to his shoulder, saying to his men, “Hurry and do what you have seen me do.”

King James Bible
And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.

New King James Version
Then Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him. And Abimelech took an ax in his hand and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it and laid it on his shoulder; then he said to the people who were with him, “What you have seen me do, make haste and do as I have done.

New American Standard Bible
So Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees, and lifted it and put it on his shoulder. Then he said to the people who were with him, “What you saw me do, hurry and do likewise.”

NASB 1995
So Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees, and lifted it and laid it on his shoulder. Then he said to the people who were with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry and do likewise.”

NASB 1977
So Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees, and lifted it and laid it on his shoulder. Then he said to the people who were with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry and do likewise.”

Legacy Standard Bible
So Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees and lifted it and laid it on his shoulder. Then he said to the people who were with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry and do likewise.”

Amplified Bible
So Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees, picked it up, and laid it on his shoulder. And he said to the people with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry and do just as I have done.”

Christian Standard Bible
So Abimelech and all the troops who were with him went up to Mount Zalmon. Abimelech took his ax in his hand and cut a branch from the trees. He picked up the branch, put it on his shoulder, and said to the troops who were with him, “Hurry and do what you have seen me do.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So Abimelech and all the people who were with him went up to Mount Zalmon. Abimelech took his ax in his hand and cut a branch from the trees. He picked up the branch, put it on his shoulder, and said to the people who were with him, “Hurry and do what you have seen me do.”

American Standard Version
And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it up, and laid it on his shoulder: and he said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Abimelek came up to the Mountain of Tsalmun and all the people that were with him and Abimelek took the axe in His hand and cut off a branch of a tree and he took it and he placed it on his shoulder and said to the people that were with him: “What you have seen I have done, you do also quickly like me!”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Abimelech went up to the mount of Selmon, and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a branch of a tree, and took it, and laid it on his shoulders; and said to the people that were with him, What ye see me doing, do quickly as I.

Contemporary English Version
He led his troops to Mount Zalmon, where he took an ax and chopped off a tree branch. He lifted the branch onto his shoulder and shouted, "Hurry! Cut off a branch just as I did."

Douay-Rheims Bible
Went up into mount Selmon he and all his people with him: and taking an axe, he cut down the bough of a tree, and laying it on his shoulder and carrying it, he said to his companions: What you see me do, do you out of hand.

English Revised Version
And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it up, and laid it on his shoulder: and he said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
he and all his men went to Mount Zalmon. Abimelech took an ax, cut some brushwood, and carried it on his shoulder. He told his men, "Hurry and do what you've seen me do!"

Good News Translation
so he went up to Mount Zalmon with his men. There he took an ax, cut a limb off a tree, and put it on his shoulder. He told his men to hurry and do the same thing.

International Standard Version
So he went up to Mount Zalmon, accompanied by his entire army. Abimelech had an axe in his hand, so he cut down a branch from a tree, lifted it up, and laid it on his shoulder. Then he told the army that had accompanied him, "You've seen what I just did. Hurry up! Do the same thing!"

JPS Tanakh 1917
And Abimelech got him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it up, and laid it on his shoulder; and he said unto the people that were with him: 'What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.'

Literal Standard Version
and Abimelech goes up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who [are] with him, and Abimelech takes the great axe in his hand, and cuts off a bough of the trees, and lifts it up, and sets [it] on his shoulder, and says to the people who [are] with him, “What you have seen me do—hurry, do as I [have done].”

Majority Standard Bible
he and all his men went up to Mount Zalmon. Abimelech took his axe in his hand and cut a branch from the trees, which he lifted to his shoulder, saying to his men, “Hurry and do what you have seen me do.”

New American Bible
So he went up Mount Zalmon with all his soldiers, took his ax in his hand, and cut down some brushwood. This he lifted to his shoulder, then said to the troops with him, “Hurry! Do just as you have seen me do.”

NET Bible
He and all his men went up on Mount Zalmon. He took an ax in his hand and cut off a tree branch. He put it on his shoulder and said to his men, "Quickly, do what you have just seen me do!"

New Revised Standard Version
So Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the troops that were with him. Abimelech took an ax in his hand, cut down a bundle of brushwood, and took it up and laid it on his shoulder. Then he said to the troops with him, “What you have seen me do, do quickly, as I have done.”

New Heart English Bible
So Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a branch from the trees, and took it up, and laid it on his shoulder. And he said to the people who were with him, "What you have seen me do, do quickly, and do as I have done."

Webster's Bible Translation
And Abimelech ascended mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an ax in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said to the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.

World English Bible
Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took an ax in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it up, and laid it on his shoulder. Then he said to the people who were with him, “What you have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done!”

Young's Literal Translation
and Abimelech goeth up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people who are with him, and Abimelech taketh the great axe in his hand, and cutteth off a bough of the trees, and lifteth it up, and setteth it on his shoulder, and saith unto the people who are with him, 'What ye have seen I have done -- haste, do ye like it.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Fall of Shechem
47And when Abimelech was told that all the leaders in the tower of Shechem were gathered there, 48he and all his men went up to Mount Zalmon. Abimelech took his axe in his hand and cut a branch from the trees, which he lifted to his shoulder, saying to his men, “Hurry and do what you have seen me do.” 49So each man also cut his own branch and followed Abimelech. Then they piled the branches against the inner chamber and set it on fire above them, killing everyone in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women.…

Cross References
Judges 9:47
And when Abimelech was told that all the leaders in the tower of Shechem were gathered there,

Judges 9:49
So each man also cut his own branch and followed Abimelech. Then they piled the branches against the inner chamber and set it on fire above them, killing everyone in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women.

Psalm 68:14
When the Almighty scattered the kings in the land, it was like the snow falling on Zalmon.


Treasury of Scripture

And Abimelech got him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an ax in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said to the people that were with him, What you have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.

Zalmon

Psalm 68:14
When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was white as snow in Salmon.

What ye

Judges 7:17,18
And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do…

Proverbs 1:11,12
If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: …

me do.

Jump to Previous
Abimelech Ascended Ax Axe Bough Branch Cut Hand Haste Hurry Laid Mount Shoulder Trees Zalmon
Jump to Next
Abimelech Ascended Ax Axe Bough Branch Cut Hand Haste Hurry Laid Mount Shoulder Trees Zalmon
Judges 9
1. Abimelech by conspiracy with the Shechemites, and murder of his brothers, is made king
7. Jotham by a parable rebukes them, and foretells their ruin
22. Gaal conspires with the Shechemites against him
30. Zebul reveals it
34. Abimelech overcomes them, and sows the city with salt
46. He burns the hold of the god Berith
50. At Thebez he is slain by a piece of a millstone
56. Jotham's curse is fulfilled.














(48) To mount Zalmon.--Evidently the nearest spot where he could get wood for his hideous design. Zalmon means shady. In Psalm 68:14 we find "as white as snow in Zalmon," but whether the same mountain is referred to we cannot tell. It may be any of the hills near Gerizim.

An axe.--Literally, the axes--i.e., he took axes for himself and his army.

Cut down a bough.--The word for "a bough" is socath, which does not mean "a bundle of logs," as the LXX. render it. Every one will recall the scene in Macbeth where Malcolm says:--

"Let every soldier hew him down a bough,

And bear't before him; thereby shall we shadow

The numbers of our host, and make discovery

Err in report of us."--Acts 5, sc. 4.

But Abimelech merely wanted combustible materials.

What ye have seen me do.--Comp. what Gideon says in Judges 7:17. . . .

Verse 48. - Mount Zalmon, i.e. the shady mount, so called from the thick wood which grows upon it. It was in the neighbourhood of Shechem, and is perhaps the same as that mentioned in Psalm 68:14 as famous for its snow-storms. An axe. The Hebrew has axes. If this is right, the phrase in his hand must be rendered with him, as 1 Samuel 14:34: Each one his ox in his hand, i.e. with him; Jeremiah 38:10: Take thirty men in thy hand, i.e. with thee; and elsewhere.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
he
אֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ (’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 40: Abimelech -- 'father is king', a Philistine name, also an Israelite name

and all
וְכָל־ (wə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

his men
הָעָ֣ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

went up
וַיַּ֨עַל (way·ya·‘al)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively

to Mount
הַר־ (har-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2022: Mountain, hill, hill country

Zalmon.
צַלְמ֗וֹן (ṣal·mō·wn)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 6756: Zalmon -- a mountain near Shechem

Abimelech
אֲבִימֶ֨לֶךְ (’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 40: Abimelech -- 'father is king', a Philistine name, also an Israelite name

took
וַיִּקַּח֩ (way·yiq·qaḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

his ax
הַקַּרְדֻּמּ֜וֹת (haq·qar·dum·mō·wṯ)
Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 7134: An axe

in his hand
בְּיָד֗וֹ (bə·yā·ḏōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3027: A hand

and cut
וַיִּכְרֹת֙ (way·yiḵ·rōṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3772: To cut, to destroy, consume, to covenant

a branch
שׂוֹכַ֣ת (śō·w·ḵaṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 7754: Branch, brushwood

from the trees,
עֵצִ֔ים (‘ê·ṣîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6086: Tree, trees, wood

which he lifted
וַיִּ֨שָּׂאֶ֔הָ (way·yiś·śā·’e·hā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

to
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

his shoulder,
שִׁכְמ֑וֹ (šiḵ·mōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7926: The neck, as the place of burdens, the spur of a, hill

saying
וַיֹּ֜אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

his men,
הָעָ֣ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

�Hurry
מַהֲר֖וּ (ma·hă·rū)
Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 4116: To be liquid, flow easily, to hurry, promptly

and do
עָשִׂ֔יתִי (‘ā·śî·ṯî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

what
מָ֤ה (māh)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

you have seen
רְאִיתֶם֙ (rə·’î·ṯem)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 7200: To see

me do.�
עֲשׂ֥וּ (‘ă·śū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 6213: To do, make


Links
Judges 9:48 NIV
Judges 9:48 NLT
Judges 9:48 ESV
Judges 9:48 NASB
Judges 9:48 KJV

Judges 9:48 BibleApps.com
Judges 9:48 Biblia Paralela
Judges 9:48 Chinese Bible
Judges 9:48 French Bible
Judges 9:48 Catholic Bible

OT History: Judges 9:48 Abimelech got him up to Mount Zalmon (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 9:47
Top of Page
Top of Page