Ebed (Father of Gaal who challenged Abimelech in Shechem)

Father of Gaal

Domartiden?

Ebed is known only from the Bible as the father of Gaal, who led a revolt against Abimelech in Shechem. He is mentioned in the book of Judges chapter 9, where his son Gaal attempted to challenge Abimelech's rule over Shechem. Beyond this, there is no further information about Ebed's life or deeds in Scripture.

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Nyckelhändelser

Gaal, son of Ebed, comes to Shechem

Gaal, son of Ebed, came to Shechem with his brothers, and the people of Shechem placed their trust in him.

26Now Gaal son of Ebed came with his brothers and moved into Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem put their trust in him.
וַיָּבֹ֞א גַּ֤עַל בֶּן־עֶ֙בֶד֙ וְאֶחָ֔יו וַיַּעַבְר֖וּ בִּשְׁכֶ֑ם וַיִּבְטְחוּ־ב֖וֹ בַּעֲלֵ֥י שְׁכֶֽם׃ ‬

Gaal challenges Abimelech

Gaal, son of Ebed, spoke openly against Abimelech during a festival at the temple of the god of Shechem and urged the people to rise up against him.

28And Gaal son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, with Zebul as his deputy? Serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem! Why should we serve him?
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ גַּ֣עַל בֶּן־עֶ֗בֶד מִֽי־אֲבִימֶ֤לֶךְ וּמִֽי־שְׁכֶם֙ כִּ֣י נַעַבְדֶ֔נּוּ הֲלֹ֥א בֶן־יְרֻבַּ֖עַל וּזְבֻ֣ל פְּקִיד֑וֹ עִבְד֗וּ אֶת־אַנְשֵׁ֤י חֲמוֹר֙ אֲבִ֣י שְׁכֶ֔ם וּמַדּ֖וּעַ נַעַבְדֶ֥נּוּ אֲנָֽחְנוּ׃ ‬
29If only this people were under my command, I would get rid of Abimelech!" And he said to Abimelech, "Muster your army and come out!"
וּמִ֨י יִתֵּ֜ן אֶת־הָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ בְּיָדִ֔י וְאָסִ֖ירָה אֶת־אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לַאֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ רַבֶּ֥ה צְבָאֲךָ֖ וָצֵֽאָה׃ ‬

Zebul warns Abimelech

Zebul, the governor of Shechem, became angry when he heard the words of Gaal, son of Ebed, and sent word to Abimelech warning him of the revolt.

30When Zebul, the ruler of the city, heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed, his anger burned.
וַיִּשְׁמַ֗ע זְבֻל֙ שַׂר־הָעִ֔יר אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֖י גַּ֣עַל בֶּן־עָ֑בֶד וַיִּ֖חַר אַפּֽוֹ׃ ‬
31He sent messengers secretly to Abimelech, saying, "Look, Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem, and they are stirring up the city against you.
וַיִּשְׁלַ֧ח מַלְאָכִ֛ים אֶל־אֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ בְּתָרְמָ֣ה לֵאמֹ֑ר הִנֵּה֩ גַ֨עַל בֶּן־עֶ֤בֶד וְאֶחָיו֙ בָּאִ֣ים שְׁכֶ֔מָה וְהִנָּ֛ם צָרִ֥ים אֶת־הָעִ֖יר עָלֶֽיךָ׃ ‬
32Now then, set out by night, you and the troops with you, and lie in wait in the fields.
וְעַתָּה֙ ק֣וּם לַ֔יְלָה אַתָּ֖ה וְהָעָ֣ם אֲשֶׁר־אִתָּ֑ךְ וֶאֱרֹ֖ב בַּשָּׂדֶֽה׃ ‬
33In the morning, at sunrise, set out early and sweep down on the city. And when Gaal and the men with him come out against you, do to him whatever your hand finds to do.
וְהָיָ֤ה בַבֹּ֙קֶר֙ כִּזְרֹ֣חַ הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ תַּשְׁכִּ֖ים וּפָשַׁטְתָּ֣ עַל־הָעִ֑יר וְהִנֵּה־ה֞וּא וְהָעָ֤ם אֲשֶׁר־אִתּוֹ֙ יֹצְאִ֣ים אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְעָשִׂ֣יתָ לּ֔וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר תִּמְצָ֥א יָדֶֽךָ׃ ס ‬

Gaal sees Abimelech's forces approaching

Gaal, son of Ebed, stood at the city gate as Abimelech and his men rose from ambush, and Zebul confronted Gaal with his own words.

35When Gaal son of Ebed came out and stood at the entrance of the city gate, Abimelech and the troops with him rose from the ambush.
וַיֵּצֵא֙ גַּ֣עַל בֶּן־עֶ֔בֶד וַיַּעֲמֹ֕ד פֶּ֖תַח שַׁ֣עַר הָעִ֑יר וַיָּ֧קָם אֲבִימֶ֛לֶךְ וְהָעָ֥ם אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֖וֹ מִן־הַמַּאְרָֽב׃ ‬
36Gaal saw the troops and said to Zebul, "Look, troops are coming down from the mountaintops!" But Zebul said to him, "You are seeing the shadows of the mountains as if they were men."
וַיַּרְא־גַּעַל֮ אֶת־הָעָם֒ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶל־זְבֻ֔ל הִנֵּה־עָ֣ם יוֹרֵ֔ד מֵרָאשֵׁ֖י הֶהָרִ֑ים וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ זְבֻ֔ל אֵ֣ת צֵ֧ל הֶהָרִ֛ים אַתָּ֥ה רֹאֶ֖ה כָּאֲנָשִֽׁים׃ ס ‬
37Gaal spoke up again, "Look, men are coming down from the center of the land, and one company is coming by way of the Diviners' Oak."
וַיֹּ֨סֶף ע֣וֹד גַּעַל֮ לְדַבֵּר֒ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הִנֵּה־עָם֙ יֽוֹרְדִ֔ים מֵעִ֖ם טַבּ֣וּר הָאָ֑רֶץ וְרֹאשׁ־אֶחָ֣ד בָּ֔א מִדֶּ֖רֶךְ אֵל֥וֹן מְעוֹנְנִֽים׃ ‬
38Then Zebul said to him, "Where is your big talk now? You said, 'Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?' Are these not the men you despised? Go out now and fight them!"
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלָ֜יו זְבֻ֗ל אַיֵּ֨ה אֵפ֥וֹא פִ֙יךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֹּאמַ֔ר מִ֥י אֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ כִּ֣י נַעַבְדֶ֑נּוּ הֲלֹ֨א זֶ֤ה הָעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר מָאַ֣סְתָּה בּ֔וֹ צֵא־נָ֥א עַתָּ֖ה וְהִלָּ֥חֶם בּֽוֹ׃ ס ‬

Gaal is Defeated and Driven Away

Gaal son of Ebed went out against Abimelech but was defeated and driven away. Zebul then drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem.

39So Gaal went out at the head of the leaders of Shechem and fought against Abimelech.
וַיֵּ֣צֵא גַ֔עַל לִפְנֵ֖י בַּעֲלֵ֣י שְׁכֶ֑ם וַיִּלָּ֖חֶם בַּאֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ׃ ‬
40Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many fell slain all the way to the entrance of the gate.
וַיִּרְדְּפֵ֣הוּ אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ וַיָּ֖נָס מִפָּנָ֑יו וַֽיִּפְּל֛וּ חֲלָלִ֥ים רַבִּ֖ים עַד־פֶּ֥תַח הַשָּֽׁעַר׃ ‬
41Abimelech stayed at Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers so they could not live in Shechem.
וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב אֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ בָּארוּמָ֑ה וַיְגָ֧רֶשׁ זְבֻ֛ל אֶת־גַּ֥עַל וְאֶת־אֶחָ֖יו מִשֶּׁ֥בֶת בִּשְׁכֶֽם׃ ‬

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