“Come, Be Our King”: The Portrayal of Abimelek as an Anti-Judge in Judges 9

Abstract

The Lord said to Samuel concerning the Israelites, “It is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king” (1 Sam 8:7). The book of Judges gives evidence of this rejection prior to the life of Samuel. One sees the rejection of the Israelites even in the reign of their God-given judges. Though these judges fulfilled their roles as deliverers, many displayed personal imperfections. Amidst the accounts of the judges of Israel is the account of Abimelek. The illegitimate son of Gideon receives no assignment or directive from the Lord, but rather seizes temporal authority of his own accord. While the language surrounding Abimelek is that of kingship, his short reign functions more similarly to that of a judge. The book of Judges portrays Abimelek as a sort of anti-judge, one who embodies and amplifies the worst characteristics of the judges. This paper examines the life of Abimelek and compares and contrasts his life with the lives of the other judges.