The Church Fathers on this verse

Judges 9:20Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

But if unjustly: let fire come out from him, and consume the inhabitants of Sichem, and the town of Mello: and let fire come out from the men of Sichem and from the town of Mello, and devour Abimelech.

Douay-Rheims

וְאִם־אַ֕יִן תֵּ֤צֵא אֵשׁ֙ מֵאֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ וְתֹאכַ֛ל אֶת־בַּעֲלֵ֥י שְׁכֶ֖ם וְאֶת־בֵּ֣ית מִלּ֑וֹא וְתֵצֵ֨א אֵ֜שׁ מִבַּעֲלֵ֤י שְׁכֶם֙ וּמִבֵּ֣ית מִלּ֔וֹא וְתֹאכַ֖ל אֶת־אֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ׃

Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

One Church Father comments on this verse

Theodoret of Cyrus

5th centuryChurch Father

The narrative involving Abimelech and the Shechemites illustrates that the collusion of individuals who engage in wrongdoing ultimately results in ruin and conflict. The perpetrators responsible for the deaths of Gideon's offspring met their demise at each other's hands.

Cross references

Passages read together with this verse.