Gideon's Sons

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It is heartbreaking to see the tragic end of Gideon’s sons—threescore and ten persons, slain upon one stone. It seems strange, when we remember the bright beginning to the story of Gideon. Alas, we find there surely was a reason for this tragedy. It was Abimelech, “the son of his maid-servant” (Judg. 9:1818And ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;) (Judges 9:18)), who murdered his seventy brothers. We read in Judges 9:3030And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled. (Judges 9:30) that Gideon “had many wives.” This in itself was not of God, but it made it still more inexcusable that he should take his “maid-servant” as concubine. It was the gratification of this lust that caused the death of all these sons of Gideon.
But that is not quite all. We recall that after Gideon’s famous victory over the princes of Midian, “the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian. And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the Lord shall rule over you” (Judg. 8:22-2322Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian. 23And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the Lord shall rule over you. (Judges 8:22‑23)). This was a noble answer, in keeping with the faith that had won such a notable victory.
But as Gideon grew older, it seems that his faith grew more dim, and his pride increased. When his concubine, the maid-servant, bare him a son, he called him, “Abimelech” (Judg. 8:3131And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech. (Judges 8:31)). And what does Abimelech mean? It means “my father is king.” The very place he had refused in his early days, he now seeks to seize, and his son’s name betrays his sad fall. Once he had said: “I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you.” Now he seeks the place of king, and his maid-servant’s son seizes this place, at the cost of all his brothers, except the youngest. What a terrible result of their father’s self-indulgence and pride, but “whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:77Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (Galatians 6:7)).
G. C. Willis