Bible Strands
Judges 9:55
And when the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they all went home.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator describes the Israelite troops at Shechem immediately after Abimelech’s armor-bearer drives his sword through him. The text states that upon witnessing his death, the men immediately break camp and return to their homes.
The words — מֵת (met) translates literally as “he was dead,” and וַ/יֵּלְכ֖וּ אִ֥ישׁ (va/i.ye.le.Khu 'ish) means “and every man went” or “they all went home.”
The thread — The dispersal of troops upon a leader’s death mirrors the halt of pursuit in 2 Samuel 18:16, while the narrative frames the event as divine retribution in Judges 9:56.
Why it lands — The verse records the immediate cessation of violence once a tyrant falls, leaving the reader to observe the hollow outcome of armed rebellion and the completion of stated judgment.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.
Cross-references
- 2 Samuel 18:16 Then Joab blew the ram’s horn, and the troops broke off their pursuit of Israel because Joab had restrained them.
- Proverbs 22:10 Drive out the mocker, and conflict will depart; even quarreling and insults will cease.
- 2 Samuel 20:21 That is not the case. But a man named Sheba son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him alone, and I will depart from the city.” “Look,” the woman replied, “his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”
- 1 Kings 22:35 The battle raged throughout that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. And the blood from his wound ran out onto the floor of the chariot, and that evening he died.