Major themes associated with the narrative related to Jotham’s censure of people of Shechem for killing off Jotham’s full brothers in Judges Book
( Related question posting: What deeper understanding/What can we infer when we read the account of Jotham’s censure of people of Shechem for killing off Jotham’s full brothers? )
What are some of the Major themes associated with the narrative related to Jotham’s censure of people of Shechem for killing off Jotham’s full brothers in Judges Book?
( Judges 9:1-21)
And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s [a]relatives, and spoke to them and to the
whole clan of the household of his mother’s father, saying, 2 “Speak,
now, in the hearing of all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Which is better
for you, that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you,
or that one man rule over you?’ Also, remember that I am your bone and
your flesh.” 3 And his mother’s [b]relatives spoke all these words on
his behalf in the hearing of all the leaders of Shechem; and [c]they
were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our
[d]relative.” 4 They gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house
of Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless
fellows, and they followed him. 5 Then he went to his father’s house
at Ophrah and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men,
on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for
he hid himself. 6 All the men of Shechem and all [e]Beth-millo
assembled together, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the
[f]oak of the pillar which was in Shechem.…………………..scripture…..scripture………………………
16 “Now therefore, if you have dealt in [j]truth and integrity in making Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and
his house, and [k]have dealt with him [l]as he deserved— 17 for my
father fought for you and [m]risked his life and delivered you from
the hand of Midian; 18 but you have risen against my father’s house
today and have killed his sons, seventy men, on one stone, and have
made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of
Shechem, because he is your [n]relative— 19 if then you have dealt in
[o]truth and integrity with Jerubbaal and his house this day, rejoice
in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you. 20 But if not, let fire
come out from Abimelech and consume the men of Shechem and
[p]Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem and from
[q]Beth-millo, and consume Abimelech.” 21 Then Jotham escaped and
fled, and went to Beer and remained there because of Abimelech his
brother.
