April 21, 2025 • 40 mins
# 132 - Abimelech: King of Trees - In this episode of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein, Abimelech, the son of Gideon, seizes power through betrayal and bloodshed, murdering his brothers to claim a crown never meant to be. In this haunting tale of thorns and ambition, Israel learns the cost of choosing a king without fruit—only fire.
Episode 132 of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein is inspired by the Book of Joshua.
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For more information about Yael Eckstein and IFCJ visit https://www.ifcj.org/
Today's opening prayer is inspired by Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.”
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Show Notes:
(01:13) Intro with Yael Eckstein
(02:03) Abimelech: King of Trees
(35:03) Reflection with Yael Eckstein
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Previously on the chosen people.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
I will not be your king.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
I will not rule over you.
Speaker 3 (00:07):
And my sons will not rule over you.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
For only God is your king. Gideon knew his answer
would make them love him even more. People love false
humility in their leaders. They ate it up and ironically
fed his pride even further. Gideon pondered for a moment
the opportunity before him.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
The king.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
No, no, no, I shouldn't be a king. I shall
be more than a king. The once fearful and timid
Judge had taken on the mantle of ruler, priest and
commander of God's people. He reigned for forty years, amassing wealth,
concubines and descendants. He was honored as a redeemer of
(00:52):
Israel and proclaimed as a savior. But he was a
compromised hero. His heart was easily taken captive by the
pride of life. The faithfulness of Israel matched the faithfulness
of their hero. They puffed themselves up with pride. Do this,
they pleased, and gave into their desires.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
Ultimate power ultimately corrupts. This is the warning of history.
This is the warning of the Bible. Shelloh, my friends,
from here in the Holy Land of Israel i'm l
Extein with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, and
welcome to the Chosen People. What happens to a people
when they lose sight of their true king? Israel, a
(01:40):
people chosen and called to be different, now stands at
a crossroads, a kingdom without a ruler, searching desperately for
someone to lead them. But in their search they're about
to find something strange. A man seizing power through blood
and betrayal. In Judge's nine Week Counterparable and a Warning,
a story of kings and thorns.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
Sin lingers like the taste of bitter wine staining the
tongues of generations. The misdeeds of the Father lie in weight, patient,
as a wolf in the brush, eager to pounce upon
the heart of the Sun, without repentance, without yielding to
the higher grace of God's spirit. Such sin festus, seeping
(02:30):
like wroth through the foundation of a house once sturdy.
This was the legacy of Gideon, a mighty man chosen
by the Lord himself to lead his people into triumph,
brought low by the creeping specter of his own pride
and lust. Gideon, who had been hailed as the lord's
(02:52):
champion succumbed not on the battlefield, but to the subtler
temptations of power. In his later days, the mantle of
humility slipped from his shoulders, replaced by the gilded trappings
of a conqueror. He claimed treasures and glory, and in
his halls the laughter of wives and concubines echoed endlessly.
(03:16):
Over seventy sons bore his name, a testament not to
the strength of his legacy, but to the reckless spreading
of his seed. Yet, even as Gideon's hair turned to
silver and his body withered with age, his pride remained unbroken.
When he finally passed, leaving the earth, he once defended.
(03:39):
His unchecked Hubris began its slow cruel work upon Israel. Blood,
innocent and undeserving, would one day flow for the sins
of one man. The streets of Shechem lay hushed beneath
a heavy pall of mourning. The dusty thorough affairs, so
(04:01):
often bustling with the cries of merchants and the laughter
of children, were eerily still. No trader hawked wares, no
housewives gossiped at wells. For all Gideon's flaws, his death
had stilled the heart of the city. The Mighty Man's
name had been a shield against foreign threats, his deeds
(04:23):
a reminder that the Lord fought on behalf of his chosen. Now,
with Gideon gone, unease took root. Anxious whispers passed among
the elders, their faces creased with lines of worry as
they met in clandestine councils.
Speaker 5 (04:41):
He has seventy sons. Surely they possessed the same wisdom
and leadership as their father let them rule.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
A murmur of agreement rippled through the gathering. Yet in
the shadows, leaning against a cold stone wall, one man
remained unmoved. His fa was shrouded by the hood of
a dark linen cloak, though the faint flicker of torchlight
revealed his narrow jaw, trimmed beard, and the unmistakable curls
(05:11):
of his father. Abimelech, Bastard, son of Gideon, listened with
growing ire. He was a man of keen intellect and
sharper ambition, known in Shechem for his wit and cunning.
Though illegitimately born, Abimelek's mother's family granted him standing among
(05:31):
the people, a foothold. He had spent years cultivating. As
the elders debated, his thoughts churned like a storm at sea.
Speaker 6 (05:41):
All of Gideon's sons, I'll be damned by share my
power with those buffoons.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
The council's deliberations continued, but Abemelek had already slipped into
the night. The streets of Shechem were cloaked in darkness,
and the cool air carried the promise of schemes yet
to unfold. Abimelek moved with purpose, his steps deliberate as
he made his way to the homes of his mother's kin.
(06:08):
At each threshold, he donned a mask of concern, his
voice soft as silk, his words barbed with intention.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
It's foolishness to entrust a nation to seventeen men. Some
are mere boys, others are weaklings.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Do you think they.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Will rule as one?
Speaker 1 (06:27):
No, they were bicker.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
And tear one another apart.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
And when they do, who will pay the price?
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Not them, but you, my kin, my flesh.
Speaker 7 (06:37):
Surely we can't leave our fate to children and fools.
A bimli like you're close to the situation. What do
you suggest we do?
Speaker 6 (06:46):
Is it better for you to be ruled by seventy strangers?
By the man of your own blood.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
The seed of his ambition was planted, and it took
root quickly. Word of Abimelek's proposals spread like wild fire,
drawing his mother's kin and others to his cause. Within days,
a crowd gathered in the square to hear him speak. Abimelech. Ever,
the showman stepped forward with a silver chalice in hand.
Speaker 6 (07:15):
I am prepared to sacrifice for the people of Israel
and to continue my father's legacy.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
But I cannot do this alone.
Speaker 6 (07:23):
The question is simple, will you act now or wait
for seventy squabbling.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Children to fight over a throne they are unfit to hold.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
The crowd roared its approval. One by one, the elders
came forward, dropping coins into the chalice. The silver rang
like music, and Abimelek's heart swelled with triumph. He bowed
his head, masking his glear with a veneer of solemnity.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
You've chosen wisely others.
Speaker 8 (07:55):
Oh hell, king of Bibolak, Oh hell, I'll.
Speaker 7 (07:58):
No qu e.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
Abiemelek's grin widened as the chance rose to a fevered pitch.
He raised his arms in mock humility, his eyes gleaming
with the promise of power.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Yes, I will be your king first.
Speaker 6 (08:17):
I shall sure our kingdom will not be corrupted from within.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
And so the bastard son of Gideon set his plans
into motion, his ambitions leading him down a path stained
with the blood of his own brothers. The breath of
the horses rose in ghostly plumes, twisting and vanishing into
the chill of the night air. They poured at the
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frost ardened ground, their who striking like drumbeats in the stillness.
At their head sat Abemelek Astride, a black steed, a
torch blazing in his hand. The firelight cast wild shadows
on his face, and his eyes burned with a fury
that seemed drawn from the very pits of the earth.
(09:04):
Before him loomed the House of Gideon, a sprawling stronghold
in offer. It was a place of comfort and prosperity,
built by a conqueror who had once knelt before God,
but laid a bowed to his own desires. Within those walls,
the sons of Gideon lived in ease, surrounded by the
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spoils of their father's victories. Abimelek's lips curled in contempt,
and he spat on to the frozen earth those fools deserve.
The bitterness in his voice matched the bitterness in his heart.
Born of a concubine, Abemelek had always been an outsider
in his father's house. His cunning and charm, which might
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have earned him admiration, were instead overlooked, dismissed as tricks
of a rejected son's ambition. His mother, no more than
a servant in the eyes of the others, had borne
the weight of his shame. Abie Malek clenched the reins
tighter and turned to the men and assembled behind him.
(10:09):
Hundreds of mercenaries awaited his command. They were coarse, brutal men,
their faces illuminated by the flickering light of torches that
dotted the hillsides. Their grims were wicked, their eyes glinting
with malice. They were men who lived for silver and
savored blood. Drawn to a Beamelek by promises of both,
(10:32):
Abimelek's gaze shifted to the great stone beside the well.
His breath called for a moment as memories clawed their
way to the surface, Memories of being pinned there as
a boy, held down by the stronger sons, of Gideon.
They had jeered at him, calling him a bastard, until
he fled to his mother's arms in tears. The corner
(10:54):
of his mouth twitched upward, and a cold smile took shape.
Speaker 6 (11:00):
Bring every son of Gideon here to me, one by one.
They shall be executed here. Every man that brings me
a sun will be paid extra.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
The mercenaries wore their approval, their laughter harsh and jagged
like shattered glass. They descended on the property, tearing through
the gates and torches, set to work, and soon the
night was alive with the orange glow of flames. The
cruel joy of the raiders filled the air, mingling with
(11:29):
the crackle of fire and the screams of the helpless.
To a beamelech, it was music. Jotham woke to the
sound of doors splintering and the shrieks of women. His
heart pounded as he climbed from his bed. Creeping to
the edge of the stairwell, he saw them, mercenaries, swarming
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like locusts. Jotham turned and darted back to his robe,
his breath quick and shallow. Peering out the window, he
called sight of a grim scene illuminated by firelight at
the weld. His brothers were being dragged one by one.
Abemelek stood there, his sword gleaming, as if hungry for
the blood it was about to taste. Chothan watched in
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horror as one of his brothers was pinned to the
great stone works, held his head in place, and with
a swift, brutal stroke, Abemelek brought his sword down. The
head rolled to the ground, and Abemelek raised his arms.
With gore caked onto his face. Jothan clenched his fists
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his knuckles. White tears streamed down his face as he
watched his brother's fall. He wanted to scream, to fight,
but he was no match for the mercenaries. He was
only a boy, no older than fourteen. He was powerless,
forced to bear witness to the slaughter, the cries of
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maid servants and sisters as the godless men took what
they pleased, heedless of the lives they shattered. How does
that happened?
Speaker 9 (13:05):
How could it belt gather sawny men in such a
short amount of time.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
The pieces of the puzzle gnawed at him, but there
was no time for answers. Smoke began to curl into
his womb, and the heap beneath his feet grew unbearable.
The flames had reached the house, and the roof above
groaned under the stream. Chothan looked around desperately. Below, a
single horse stoodd heathered near the stable. Next to it
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a cistern filled with barley. With a deep breath, Chothan
ran to the window and left. He landed in a
barley with a muffled thud. The heavy system and toppling
of the impact the sound was deafening, and the mercenaries turned.
Chothan untied the horse and frantically mounted it. The animals
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surged forward, and Jothan clung to its back as it
galloped away from the caves. He could hear the shower
of pursuit, the pounding of hooves behind him that the
horse was fast and nimble. It carried him into the
wooded hills, where the mercenaries lost his trail. There, hidden
beneath the boughs of the forest, Jotham slid from the
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horse and collapsed. He wept his tears, carving passed through
the soot on his cheeks. Lifting his face to the heavens,
he called out to the Lord, his voice trembling with
sorrow and desperation. The blood of his brothers stained Abemelek's robes,
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the warmth of it clinging to his skin. He stood
amid the carnage, panting, his gaze sweeping over the bodies.
Satisfaction gleamed in his eyes as he tilted his head
back to the heavens. He felt no divine rebuke, no
stirring of guilt. That voice had been silenced in him
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long ago. Turn to his men, he raised his bloodied arms.
Speaker 6 (15:02):
High, Well done, brothers, Now with his time for our coronation.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
The mercenaries cheered a vicious sound that echoed through the
valley as they roamed back towards Shechem. On the outskirts
of the city, a great oak crowned at hill. Its
roots seemed to grasp at the earth like fingers. Its
massive trunk entwined as if woven from smaller trees. Beneath
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its shade rested a flat stone, its surface scarred with
ancient carvings worn by time. Here abe Malenk stood basking
in the worship of the crowd gathered to anoint him.
Hundreds of voices sang his praises, treating him as a savior.
Towering over the scene was Mount Gerrizone, its jagged cliffs
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casting a brooding shadow over the hill high above. Jumped
and watched the ceremony unfold, his stomach turning as he
saw Abemelek pream before the people for all Gideon's faults.
Jothan knew his father had never claimed a crowd, refusing
to dishonor the god who had delivered him. Now, the
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youngest of Gideon's sons could bear it no longer. Something
stirred within him, a quiet, commanding presence. Jothan rose, stepping
into the light. Standing tall atop the mountain, he clenched
his fists and shouted, his voice, carrying like the call
of a prophet.
Speaker 5 (16:35):
Listen to me, Leaders of Sachem, hear my voice.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
The crowd turned, startled by the booming cry. Abimelek squinted up,
his expression twisting with mockery.
Speaker 6 (16:48):
Ha ha ha, Come down, baby, brother, before you slip.
The sons of Gideon have not had much luck lately.
You made a mistake in coming here.
Speaker 5 (16:59):
The only mistake is crowning a fool for a king.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
Careful how you speak.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
Child, Although Jotham was still young. The spirit of God
gave him words of power and authority. He took some
strides closer so they could hear him clearly.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
This child has a story to tell.
Speaker 9 (17:19):
Humor me momentarily while I tell this tale of the
King of trees.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Intrigued, the crowd fell silent abe Malek hesitated, unwilling to
risk their ire by silencing him.
Speaker 9 (17:32):
The trees once went out to anoint a king over them.
They searched for the perfectly noble tree to rule them
and give them refuge in its shade. So they went
to the noble olive tree first and said, reign over
us and be king of trees. The olive tree refused,
he did not want to leave the abundance of people
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enjoying his olives. So they went to the vibrant fig
tree and said, reign over us and be king of
the tree.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
But the fig tree refused, where he.
Speaker 9 (18:03):
Did not want to leave the sweetness of his good
fruit to be with the trees.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
So the trees went to.
Speaker 9 (18:09):
The elegant grapevine and begged him, saying, please rule and
rain over us as the king of trees. But the
vine also refused because he cheered God and.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
Men with his fruit.
Speaker 9 (18:20):
Finally desperate him. Without options, they went to the pathetic
Bramble with an abundance of thorns and little fruit, and
they said, we reign over us and be our king
of trees. The bramble pondered the question and said, if
you truly desire me as your king, prove it by.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Taking refuge in my shade.
Speaker 9 (18:42):
If not, let fire come out of me and devour
the trees in flames.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
The people were silent, and Jotham knew he had their attention.
He pointed to Abemelech.
Speaker 5 (18:55):
You have crowned this bramble, a king with no shade
to give, no refuge to offer.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
He will devour you.
Speaker 5 (19:05):
He has devoured Gideon's sons.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
You are the pathetic one.
Speaker 5 (19:10):
I My father bled for you, delivered you from Midian and.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
Never claimed a throne.
Speaker 5 (19:16):
Yet here you are his son's blood on your hands,
bowing to a murderer because he.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
Is your kin. You believe this is justice, then celebrate.
Speaker 5 (19:27):
But if you have sinned, let fire rise from among
you and consume a biolac.
Speaker 7 (19:34):
I've had enough of this.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Shoot him down.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
The mercenaries loosed their arrows. Jotham ducked behind the rocks
as shafts clattered against the stone. Spotting a narrow crevice,
he slipped through and fled into the wilderness. Though Abimelech's
men searched, they did not find him. Chotham escaped to Beer,
never to be seen by his brother again. Free years,
(20:00):
Abemelek ruled Shechem with cruelty and greed. The blood of
Gideon's sons cried out, and God's justice stirred. Resentment brood
among the people who whispered against Abimelek. They sabotaged his rule,
choking his wealth by robbing traders at the city's gates.
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All the while Jotham's words lingered, sewing doubt and discontent. Abiemelech, seething,
plotted his revenge. The hatred between king and city grew
like a smoldering fire, each side waiting for the moment
it would erupt and consume them. Are Gharl leaned back
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in his chair, the firelight casting shadows across his face.
He stretched lazily and reached for his goblet, his lips
curling into a sneer.
Speaker 7 (20:55):
Who is this ab Bimalakain and what right does he
have over the people of Sachem.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
A newcomer to the city, Gahl had quickly won favor.
He and his kin brought wealth, foreign gods, and their
debauched ways, all of which the people of Shechem embraced. Eagerly,
tall and broad shouldered, with a commanding voice and a
face that seemed carved from myth, Gahl was the very
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image of a leader. The elders of Shechem admired him,
and his charisma had already begun to outshine a Beameleg's shadow.
Gahl had planted vineyards outside the city and often hosted
feasts where the wine flowed freely. At one such gathering,
surrounded by the city's elders, Gahl's voice rang out, dripping
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with scorn.
Speaker 7 (21:50):
Why is this petty man, considered king? What has he
done for you?
Speaker 6 (21:55):
Ah?
Speaker 7 (21:56):
I were king, things would be different. The people were
under my hand and horses degenimate armies out.
Speaker 1 (22:07):
The elders exchanged knowing smiles, their hearts Stirred by his boldness,
they shouted their approval, proclaiming Gall a better king than
Abi Malek. Ghl laughed and waved them off, feigning humanity,
even as their adoration fed his ambitions. The crowd conspired eagerly,
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blind to the fact that their treachery was already known.
In the corner of the room, cloaked in shadow, a
spy for Zebel. Abimelex, governor in Shechem, sipped his wine.
Slipping out unnoticed, he made his way to Zebel, who
wasted no time riding to inform his master. Abimelek sat
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in the dimly lit hall of his crumbling palace, the
ivy covered walls bearing the scars of neglect. His soldiers
gambled in the courtyard, their laughter echoing faintly through the
heavy doors. Zebel entered swiftly, his face grinned the lemen.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
There is dreadery in shaping a less spurt the people.
The hids too, even now they canspire to leave.
Speaker 7 (23:19):
These room cowards. I'll destroy them all.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
All has many men at his disposal. You will need
to attack him.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
The Holy watches a hiast.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
Go by night in dreading, ambushing the eels. Then as
soon as the sun is up rise and rush upon
the city.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
The plan pleased Abimelek. That night, he led his mercenaries
down the mountains. Their march silent as death. They move
like shadows, torches unlit, hunger for blood driving their steps.
Speaker 7 (23:56):
What do you see over there?
Speaker 3 (24:00):
I don't see much. Shepherds perhaps leading their flocks. You've
drunk too much, my lord.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
At dawn, Gall stood near the city gate, speaking with Zebel.
His eyes flicked toward the hills, catching a flicker of
movement among the shadows. No, no, I.
Speaker 7 (24:21):
I see people coming from down from the mountaintops. See
their shadows scaling down the path leading down the field.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
I consider myself to have a keen eye. My lord,
I believe you are mistaking the shadows of the mountains
for men. You must be weary from all the celebrations.
Speaker 7 (24:42):
Aye, I suppose I must be.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
Garl frowned, uncertainty clouding his face. He returned to his conversation,
But as the first rays of sunlight crept over the horizon,
the truth was revealed. A mass of soldiers emerged from
the hills, the glint of steel unmistakable.
Speaker 7 (25:04):
It is people, an entire company is coming from the
direction of the oak of Schachum. But it's an army,
A bitter lackers here.
Speaker 1 (25:13):
Panic seized him as Zebel's expression twisted into a mocking grin.
Speaker 3 (25:19):
Didn't you pass time out o yourself worthy.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
Garl stammered, his confidence shaken, he summoned his men, their
preparation hurried and chaotic. Mounting his horse, he tried to
rally them.
Speaker 7 (25:36):
Now now's the time, brother, Now there's the time. Partake
I city back from the tirant.
Speaker 1 (25:43):
But his voice lacked its usual strength, and the men
sensed his fear. Abima Lex army came swiftly, converging on
the defenders like wolves on his sheep. Habima Ex spotted
Garl in the fray and charged directly for him. With
a single blow, he struck Gar's horse to sending the
man sprawling to the ground. As the two armies clashed,
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Abby went out the smoot girl relentlessly, his sword cutting
through anyone who stood.
Speaker 5 (26:13):
In his way. Do you think I was speaking?
Speaker 7 (26:16):
Because we sheer blood forms on you.
Speaker 1 (26:21):
The battlefield was chaos, clashing steel, screams, and the stench
of death. Garl fled toward the hills, but his retreat
was covered by the defenders, who threw themselves at a beam.
Alex merceriies. When the dust settled, Abeam Alex stood victorious
of his enemies, cowering at the gates of Shechem.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
Let them fee.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
The battlefield fell silent as the survivors stumbled back into
the city. Zebel approached, Confusion etched on his face.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
Why let them go, I king? They are broken? Finish
him now? Would you show them mercy?
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Abemelek turned his bloodied sword pointed at Zebel's throat. A
thin trickle ran down its edge, crimson against the steel.
Abemelek grinned madly, his menacing face reflected in the sheen
of his blade.
Speaker 8 (27:17):
Mercy, oh nosable, I'll not be crowned as the king
of mercy. They will burn for their defiance, but vengeance
must be savored.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
Abe Male's laughter echoed over the field, chilling as the
wind that carried it a dawn. Abemelek stood at the ridge,
gazing down at the field where Shechem's soldiers gathered for
their final stand. The bruised, battered remnants of their army
looked pitiful. The defiance glinted in their eyes. He sighed deeply,
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rolling his shoulders as if shaking off the weight of
the man.
Speaker 5 (28:01):
They have forced my head.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
He turned to his men and called for them to
wake rise. Today we finished. Would we have started his
ruthless band of mercenaries rose quickly and mounted their horses.
They descended the hills like wolves on a hunt. Sheckun
soldiers barely had time to organize before adema Ex force
(28:26):
had struck out. Blood pulled into the furrows of the
fellow earth. Screams of terror were quickly silenced by the
clash of steel and the gurgle of dying man at
the gates and the bee where that let the charge personally,
his company trampled the defenders like insects. He swung his
sword with unrelenting fury, cutting down anyone who dared oppose him.
(28:51):
Dismounting his horse, he waded into the frame with calculated brutality.
Two spearmen and had glanced on him. He dodged the
firs thrust, grabbed the spear shaft, and drove his blade
deep into the soldier's stomach. The second grazed his arm,
but Abemelek twisted and his armed him with a swift
(29:11):
upward strike and slashed his neck. His fury seemed otherworldly.
With each strike, Abimelek commanded the battlefield like a maestrol
orchestrating a dark symphony. Unlike Gideon borne a coward, Abeemeleg
seemed forged for bloodshed. The screams of the dying faded
(29:33):
as the defenders were cut down or fled. Women and
children were dragged from their hiding places, but even their
cries could not escape the blanket of silence that eventually fell.
Blood soaked the streets, pulling around Abemelek's feet as he
walked through the ruins. The stillness was eerie. The only
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sound was the faint cry of a child coming from
the city's central tower. The long, fortified structure loomed over
the city like a silent sentinel. The remaining people of
Sheckel had fled there seeking refuge. Abiemelek dropped his sword,
his steps deliberate as he approached the tower. His men followed.
(30:17):
Finding the doors shout and fortified, abe Malek turned to
the stables. Retrieving an axe. In a nearby garden, he
began cutting small, dried trees for brushwood. One by one,
his men joined him, gathering wood and pining it against
the tower's base. When the buyer was ready, Abeamlect met
(30:38):
a torture, His expression devoid of emotion, he raised his
gaze to the fearful faces peering down in the tower's heights.
He spat on the wood fire. The torch dropped flames
of war to life, consuming the tower's base. The screams
of fear above turn into wales of agony. Over one
(31:03):
thousand men when an other children perished as the town
crumbled in a fiery and firm smoked spiral skywood, blotting
out the sun and painting the heavens of deep, bloody red.
Abe Malek stood transfixed, his face aligned with cruel satisfaction.
(31:23):
His lust for power was ancient, all of the same
rebellion that once consumed the angels. Unable to match God,
he turned his wealth against his people.
Speaker 2 (31:36):
Our conquest does not stop here tomorrow. Much toward Tibez,
they have also dealt treacherously with us.
Speaker 1 (31:44):
Abimelek's voice rang out over his soldiers as they prepared
for another campaign. His hunger for destruction was insatiable, his
desire for power burning brighter with each atrocity. By dawn,
they surrounded thebes, meeting fierce resistance, but the people's courage
was no match for a beemelex ruthlessness. As before, Survivors
(32:08):
fled to a central stronghold, this one larger and more
fortified than Shechem's tower.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
I will burn you all to the ground.
Speaker 3 (32:17):
You will all burn as an offering to my greatness.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
The tower's defenders could only watch in terror as a
Beameleg ordered his men to pile wood at its base.
Among the panicked crowd above was a woman, her name unknown,
her face ordinary, yet within her burned a courage born
of divine prompting. She spotted a loose millstone at the
(32:41):
edge of the tower and moved toward it, her heart pounding.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
I I have to do something, anything to stop this madness.
Speaker 1 (32:51):
Time was slipping away. The people's cries drowned out her
pleas for help. Pressing her shoulder to the stone, she
strained with all her strength, but it refused to move.
Pain shot through her arm. As she recoiled a move,
she charged the stone again, her body slamming into it. Slowly, agonizingly,
(33:16):
it began to budge. With a final desperate push, the
millstone broke free. It plummeted from the tower, like divine
justice descending from heaven. Abemeleg looked up just as the
(33:37):
stone struck him. The crack of his skull echoed over
the battlefield. He collapsed in a heap, motionless. The shock
rippled through his army, seeing their leader for the soldiers panicked,
and the citizens of Thebes surged from the tower. They
overwhelmed the mercenaries, their cries of victory filling the air.
(34:01):
Abeam out lay, dying, blood pooling beneath him. A servant
boy passed, and the fallen tyrant beckoned weakly, Oho there
going kill me?
Speaker 6 (34:15):
Take my sword and kill me lest they say I
was crushed by a woman.
Speaker 1 (34:22):
Even in death, his pride remained. The boy hesitated before
driving the blade into a bee Malek's heart. The King
of Trees fell, his fragile kingdom consumed by divine justice.
The woman with the millstone disappeared into obscurity, her name forgotten,
(34:44):
Yet her act of courage stood as a testament that
God uses the humble and the unknown to achieve his will.
One day, through another woman in a forgotten town, God
would crush the tyranny of sin itself.
Speaker 4 (35:05):
Why does Israel fall for men like this is a
question as old as the Bible itself. The desire for
a king, but not just any king, a king on
their terms, one who fits their human expectations and desires.
The tragedy here is that they had a king, not
one seated on an earthly throne, but God himself, the
God who had led them through the wilderness and war,
(35:28):
who gave them the Torah, his word. And yet here
they are looking to a thorn bush of all things,
to cover their shame and insecurity. You see, there's something
deeper here, something our sage is often say about idolatry.
It isn't just about statues or carved images. It's anything
(35:48):
that we elevate above God, anything that we trust more
than Him. And Abimelech is nothing more than an idol
dressed up as a leader, a lie, cloaked and promises.
Jewish tradition teaches that when Israel rejects God's kingship, they
reject the very purpose for which they were chosen. We'll
(36:10):
see this more when we are introduced to King Saul,
Israel's first official king. These men, with their glittering armor
and vast armies, are more like golden calves. The parable
of the trees that Jotham tells was warning wrapped in
a riddle, the olive, the fig, the vine, all noble
and fruitful they refuse the crown because they're already doing
(36:30):
the work that they were made to do. But the
thorn bush, it has no fruit, no life to offer.
It's all threat and no shelter. So here is Israel
under the rule of a man who offers nothing of life,
only the sharp edges of ambition. Do you see how
this story, in many ways speaks to all of us.
(36:54):
Whenever we reach for power that's not ours to take,
whenever we let go of God's rule in favor of
human rulers, we opened the door to every thorn and
every thistle, and we are left with what we chose,
leaders who promise security but deliver oppression. A kingdom under
(37:15):
earthly rule is never truly free. The prophet Isaiah warned,
woe to those who call evil good and good evil,
who put darkness for light and light for darkness. It's
hard to imagine that Gideon, a righteous judge, an exceptional
military and spiritual leader, would have a son like Abimeleh,
(37:36):
a cruel, murderous, power hungry individual. But we have all
seen good and honest parents who have a child that
is the exact opposite, haven't we. Although Abimeleh reigned as
a judge for three years. He met his death in
a shameful way. He had killed all of his brothers
upon a stone, and he was killed by a heavy
(37:59):
stone a woman from a tower that he was about
to set a fire. As we've already seen, and as
we'll see again and again and again. It might take
a while, but God's accounting is perfect. In Abimelech, we
see the ultimate irony Israel, a nation set apart following
a man willing to kill his own brothers for a
(38:20):
throne that the nation wasn't meant to have. And we
see a theme woven through the story of the Chosen
People from Genesis onwards. When we put our faith in
the wrong leaders, the cost is our freedom. So what
do we take from this? In the end, Abimelech's story
(38:41):
leaves us with the question what we trust with our lives?
For us today, we live in a world full of
voices clamoring to be our king. It's easy to follow
the loudest voice, to trust the one who promises the most.
But we know, my friends, Yes we know, because we've
learned and it, according to the Bible, true kingship isn't
(39:04):
about grasping for power. It's about serving, about lifting others higher,
about giving ourselves to something greater. Remember how God defined
greatness for Abram. He said that the nation born from
Abram would be a blessing to the nations. That's true greatness,
blessing others. So this is our challenge to reject pride
(39:29):
and choose love, humility, and something greater than ourselves. That's
what we always have to keep in mind and what
we have to do, and in that choice, we fulfill
our purpose as the Chosen People.
Speaker 1 (39:45):
You can listen to The Chosen People with the Isle
Eckstein ad free by downloading and subscribing to the Prey
dot Com app today. This Prey dot Com production is
only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents.
Steve Tina, Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger and Ben Gammon are
the executive producers of The Chosen People with Yil Eckstein,
(40:07):
edited by Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are
voiced by Jonathan Cotten, Aaron Salvado, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan,
Stephen Ringwald, Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland, Junior Rosanna Pilcher and
the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore. Music by
Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Aaron Salvato, bre Rosalie and
(40:32):
Chris Baig. Special thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier, Robin van Ettin,
KAYLEB Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship
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(40:53):
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Previously on the chosen people.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
I will not be your king.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
I will not rule over you.
Speaker 3 (00:07):
And my sons will not rule over you.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
For only God is your king. Gideon knew his answer
would make them love him even more. People love false
humility in their leaders. They ate it up and ironically
fed his pride even further. Gideon pondered for a moment
the opportunity before him.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
The king.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
No, no, no, I shouldn't be a king. I shall
be more than a king. The once fearful and timid
Judge had taken on the mantle of ruler, priest and
commander of God's people. He reigned for forty years, amassing wealth,
concubines and descendants. He was honored as a redeemer of
(00:52):
Israel and proclaimed as a savior. But he was a
compromised hero. His heart was easily taken captive by the
pride of life. The faithfulness of Israel matched the faithfulness
of their hero. They puffed themselves up with pride. Do this,
they pleased, and gave into their desires.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
Ultimate power ultimately corrupts. This is the warning of history.
This is the warning of the Bible. Shelloh, my friends,
from here in the Holy Land of Israel i'm l
Extein with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, and
welcome to the Chosen People. What happens to a people
when they lose sight of their true king? Israel, a
(01:40):
people chosen and called to be different, now stands at
a crossroads, a kingdom without a ruler, searching desperately for
someone to lead them. But in their search they're about
to find something strange. A man seizing power through blood
and betrayal. In Judge's nine Week Counterparable and a Warning,
a story of kings and thorns.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
Sin lingers like the taste of bitter wine staining the
tongues of generations. The misdeeds of the Father lie in weight, patient,
as a wolf in the brush, eager to pounce upon
the heart of the Sun, without repentance, without yielding to
the higher grace of God's spirit. Such sin festus, seeping
(02:30):
like wroth through the foundation of a house once sturdy.
This was the legacy of Gideon, a mighty man chosen
by the Lord himself to lead his people into triumph,
brought low by the creeping specter of his own pride
and lust. Gideon, who had been hailed as the lord's
(02:52):
champion succumbed not on the battlefield, but to the subtler
temptations of power. In his later days, the mantle of
humility slipped from his shoulders, replaced by the gilded trappings
of a conqueror. He claimed treasures and glory, and in
his halls the laughter of wives and concubines echoed endlessly.
(03:16):
Over seventy sons bore his name, a testament not to
the strength of his legacy, but to the reckless spreading
of his seed. Yet, even as Gideon's hair turned to
silver and his body withered with age, his pride remained unbroken.
When he finally passed, leaving the earth, he once defended.
(03:39):
His unchecked Hubris began its slow cruel work upon Israel. Blood,
innocent and undeserving, would one day flow for the sins
of one man. The streets of Shechem lay hushed beneath
a heavy pall of mourning. The dusty thorough affairs, so
(04:01):
often bustling with the cries of merchants and the laughter
of children, were eerily still. No trader hawked wares, no
housewives gossiped at wells. For all Gideon's flaws, his death
had stilled the heart of the city. The Mighty Man's
name had been a shield against foreign threats, his deeds
(04:23):
a reminder that the Lord fought on behalf of his chosen. Now,
with Gideon gone, unease took root. Anxious whispers passed among
the elders, their faces creased with lines of worry as
they met in clandestine councils.
Speaker 5 (04:41):
He has seventy sons. Surely they possessed the same wisdom
and leadership as their father let them rule.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
A murmur of agreement rippled through the gathering. Yet in
the shadows, leaning against a cold stone wall, one man
remained unmoved. His fa was shrouded by the hood of
a dark linen cloak, though the faint flicker of torchlight
revealed his narrow jaw, trimmed beard, and the unmistakable curls
(05:11):
of his father. Abimelech, Bastard, son of Gideon, listened with
growing ire. He was a man of keen intellect and
sharper ambition, known in Shechem for his wit and cunning.
Though illegitimately born, Abimelek's mother's family granted him standing among
(05:31):
the people, a foothold. He had spent years cultivating. As
the elders debated, his thoughts churned like a storm at sea.
Speaker 6 (05:41):
All of Gideon's sons, I'll be damned by share my
power with those buffoons.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
The council's deliberations continued, but Abemelek had already slipped into
the night. The streets of Shechem were cloaked in darkness,
and the cool air carried the promise of schemes yet
to unfold. Abimelek moved with purpose, his steps deliberate as
he made his way to the homes of his mother's kin.
(06:08):
At each threshold, he donned a mask of concern, his
voice soft as silk, his words barbed with intention.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
It's foolishness to entrust a nation to seventeen men. Some
are mere boys, others are weaklings.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Do you think they.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Will rule as one?
Speaker 1 (06:27):
No, they were bicker.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
And tear one another apart.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
And when they do, who will pay the price?
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Not them, but you, my kin, my flesh.
Speaker 7 (06:37):
Surely we can't leave our fate to children and fools.
A bimli like you're close to the situation. What do
you suggest we do?
Speaker 6 (06:46):
Is it better for you to be ruled by seventy strangers?
By the man of your own blood.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
The seed of his ambition was planted, and it took
root quickly. Word of Abimelek's proposals spread like wild fire,
drawing his mother's kin and others to his cause. Within days,
a crowd gathered in the square to hear him speak. Abimelech. Ever,
the showman stepped forward with a silver chalice in hand.
Speaker 6 (07:15):
I am prepared to sacrifice for the people of Israel
and to continue my father's legacy.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
But I cannot do this alone.
Speaker 6 (07:23):
The question is simple, will you act now or wait
for seventy squabbling.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Children to fight over a throne they are unfit to hold.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
The crowd roared its approval. One by one, the elders
came forward, dropping coins into the chalice. The silver rang
like music, and Abimelek's heart swelled with triumph. He bowed
his head, masking his glear with a veneer of solemnity.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
You've chosen wisely others.
Speaker 8 (07:55):
Oh hell, king of Bibolak, Oh hell, I'll.
Speaker 7 (07:58):
No qu e.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
Abiemelek's grin widened as the chance rose to a fevered pitch.
He raised his arms in mock humility, his eyes gleaming
with the promise of power.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Yes, I will be your king first.
Speaker 6 (08:17):
I shall sure our kingdom will not be corrupted from within.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
And so the bastard son of Gideon set his plans
into motion, his ambitions leading him down a path stained
with the blood of his own brothers. The breath of
the horses rose in ghostly plumes, twisting and vanishing into
the chill of the night air. They poured at the
(08:43):
frost ardened ground, their who striking like drumbeats in the stillness.
At their head sat Abemelek Astride, a black steed, a
torch blazing in his hand. The firelight cast wild shadows
on his face, and his eyes burned with a fury
that seemed drawn from the very pits of the earth.
(09:04):
Before him loomed the House of Gideon, a sprawling stronghold
in offer. It was a place of comfort and prosperity,
built by a conqueror who had once knelt before God,
but laid a bowed to his own desires. Within those walls,
the sons of Gideon lived in ease, surrounded by the
(09:25):
spoils of their father's victories. Abimelek's lips curled in contempt,
and he spat on to the frozen earth those fools deserve.
The bitterness in his voice matched the bitterness in his heart.
Born of a concubine, Abemelek had always been an outsider
in his father's house. His cunning and charm, which might
(09:49):
have earned him admiration, were instead overlooked, dismissed as tricks
of a rejected son's ambition. His mother, no more than
a servant in the eyes of the others, had borne
the weight of his shame. Abie Malek clenched the reins
tighter and turned to the men and assembled behind him.
(10:09):
Hundreds of mercenaries awaited his command. They were coarse, brutal men,
their faces illuminated by the flickering light of torches that
dotted the hillsides. Their grims were wicked, their eyes glinting
with malice. They were men who lived for silver and
savored blood. Drawn to a Beamelek by promises of both,
(10:32):
Abimelek's gaze shifted to the great stone beside the well.
His breath called for a moment as memories clawed their
way to the surface, Memories of being pinned there as
a boy, held down by the stronger sons, of Gideon.
They had jeered at him, calling him a bastard, until
he fled to his mother's arms in tears. The corner
(10:54):
of his mouth twitched upward, and a cold smile took shape.
Speaker 6 (11:00):
Bring every son of Gideon here to me, one by one.
They shall be executed here. Every man that brings me
a sun will be paid extra.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
The mercenaries wore their approval, their laughter harsh and jagged
like shattered glass. They descended on the property, tearing through
the gates and torches, set to work, and soon the
night was alive with the orange glow of flames. The
cruel joy of the raiders filled the air, mingling with
(11:29):
the crackle of fire and the screams of the helpless.
To a beamelech, it was music. Jotham woke to the
sound of doors splintering and the shrieks of women. His
heart pounded as he climbed from his bed. Creeping to
the edge of the stairwell, he saw them, mercenaries, swarming
(11:51):
like locusts. Jotham turned and darted back to his robe,
his breath quick and shallow. Peering out the window, he
called sight of a grim scene illuminated by firelight at
the weld. His brothers were being dragged one by one.
Abemelek stood there, his sword gleaming, as if hungry for
the blood it was about to taste. Chothan watched in
(12:15):
horror as one of his brothers was pinned to the
great stone works, held his head in place, and with
a swift, brutal stroke, Abemelek brought his sword down. The
head rolled to the ground, and Abemelek raised his arms.
With gore caked onto his face. Jothan clenched his fists
(12:36):
his knuckles. White tears streamed down his face as he
watched his brother's fall. He wanted to scream, to fight,
but he was no match for the mercenaries. He was
only a boy, no older than fourteen. He was powerless,
forced to bear witness to the slaughter, the cries of
(12:56):
maid servants and sisters as the godless men took what
they pleased, heedless of the lives they shattered. How does
that happened?
Speaker 9 (13:05):
How could it belt gather sawny men in such a
short amount of time.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
The pieces of the puzzle gnawed at him, but there
was no time for answers. Smoke began to curl into
his womb, and the heap beneath his feet grew unbearable.
The flames had reached the house, and the roof above
groaned under the stream. Chothan looked around desperately. Below, a
single horse stoodd heathered near the stable. Next to it
(13:33):
a cistern filled with barley. With a deep breath, Chothan
ran to the window and left. He landed in a
barley with a muffled thud. The heavy system and toppling
of the impact the sound was deafening, and the mercenaries turned.
Chothan untied the horse and frantically mounted it. The animals
(13:53):
surged forward, and Jothan clung to its back as it
galloped away from the caves. He could hear the shower
of pursuit, the pounding of hooves behind him that the
horse was fast and nimble. It carried him into the
wooded hills, where the mercenaries lost his trail. There, hidden
beneath the boughs of the forest, Jotham slid from the
(14:15):
horse and collapsed. He wept his tears, carving passed through
the soot on his cheeks. Lifting his face to the heavens,
he called out to the Lord, his voice trembling with
sorrow and desperation. The blood of his brothers stained Abemelek's robes,
(14:36):
the warmth of it clinging to his skin. He stood
amid the carnage, panting, his gaze sweeping over the bodies.
Satisfaction gleamed in his eyes as he tilted his head
back to the heavens. He felt no divine rebuke, no
stirring of guilt. That voice had been silenced in him
(14:58):
long ago. Turn to his men, he raised his bloodied arms.
Speaker 6 (15:02):
High, Well done, brothers, Now with his time for our coronation.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
The mercenaries cheered a vicious sound that echoed through the
valley as they roamed back towards Shechem. On the outskirts
of the city, a great oak crowned at hill. Its
roots seemed to grasp at the earth like fingers. Its
massive trunk entwined as if woven from smaller trees. Beneath
(15:28):
its shade rested a flat stone, its surface scarred with
ancient carvings worn by time. Here abe Malenk stood basking
in the worship of the crowd gathered to anoint him.
Hundreds of voices sang his praises, treating him as a savior.
Towering over the scene was Mount Gerrizone, its jagged cliffs
(15:52):
casting a brooding shadow over the hill high above. Jumped
and watched the ceremony unfold, his stomach turning as he
saw Abemelek pream before the people for all Gideon's faults.
Jothan knew his father had never claimed a crowd, refusing
to dishonor the god who had delivered him. Now, the
(16:15):
youngest of Gideon's sons could bear it no longer. Something
stirred within him, a quiet, commanding presence. Jothan rose, stepping
into the light. Standing tall atop the mountain, he clenched
his fists and shouted, his voice, carrying like the call
of a prophet.
Speaker 5 (16:35):
Listen to me, Leaders of Sachem, hear my voice.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
The crowd turned, startled by the booming cry. Abimelek squinted up,
his expression twisting with mockery.
Speaker 6 (16:48):
Ha ha ha, Come down, baby, brother, before you slip.
The sons of Gideon have not had much luck lately.
You made a mistake in coming here.
Speaker 5 (16:59):
The only mistake is crowning a fool for a king.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
Careful how you speak.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
Child, Although Jotham was still young. The spirit of God
gave him words of power and authority. He took some
strides closer so they could hear him clearly.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
This child has a story to tell.
Speaker 9 (17:19):
Humor me momentarily while I tell this tale of the
King of trees.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Intrigued, the crowd fell silent abe Malek hesitated, unwilling to
risk their ire by silencing him.
Speaker 9 (17:32):
The trees once went out to anoint a king over them.
They searched for the perfectly noble tree to rule them
and give them refuge in its shade. So they went
to the noble olive tree first and said, reign over
us and be king of trees. The olive tree refused,
he did not want to leave the abundance of people
(17:53):
enjoying his olives. So they went to the vibrant fig
tree and said, reign over us and be king of
the tree.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
But the fig tree refused, where he.
Speaker 9 (18:03):
Did not want to leave the sweetness of his good
fruit to be with the trees.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
So the trees went to.
Speaker 9 (18:09):
The elegant grapevine and begged him, saying, please rule and
rain over us as the king of trees. But the
vine also refused because he cheered God and.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
Men with his fruit.
Speaker 9 (18:20):
Finally desperate him. Without options, they went to the pathetic
Bramble with an abundance of thorns and little fruit, and
they said, we reign over us and be our king
of trees. The bramble pondered the question and said, if
you truly desire me as your king, prove it by.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Taking refuge in my shade.
Speaker 9 (18:42):
If not, let fire come out of me and devour
the trees in flames.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
The people were silent, and Jotham knew he had their attention.
He pointed to Abemelech.
Speaker 5 (18:55):
You have crowned this bramble, a king with no shade
to give, no refuge to offer.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
He will devour you.
Speaker 5 (19:05):
He has devoured Gideon's sons.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
You are the pathetic one.
Speaker 5 (19:10):
I My father bled for you, delivered you from Midian and.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
Never claimed a throne.
Speaker 5 (19:16):
Yet here you are his son's blood on your hands,
bowing to a murderer because he.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
Is your kin. You believe this is justice, then celebrate.
Speaker 5 (19:27):
But if you have sinned, let fire rise from among
you and consume a biolac.
Speaker 7 (19:34):
I've had enough of this.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Shoot him down.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
The mercenaries loosed their arrows. Jotham ducked behind the rocks
as shafts clattered against the stone. Spotting a narrow crevice,
he slipped through and fled into the wilderness. Though Abimelech's
men searched, they did not find him. Chotham escaped to Beer,
never to be seen by his brother again. Free years,
(20:00):
Abemelek ruled Shechem with cruelty and greed. The blood of
Gideon's sons cried out, and God's justice stirred. Resentment brood
among the people who whispered against Abimelek. They sabotaged his rule,
choking his wealth by robbing traders at the city's gates.
(20:21):
All the while Jotham's words lingered, sewing doubt and discontent. Abiemelech, seething,
plotted his revenge. The hatred between king and city grew
like a smoldering fire, each side waiting for the moment
it would erupt and consume them. Are Gharl leaned back
(20:44):
in his chair, the firelight casting shadows across his face.
He stretched lazily and reached for his goblet, his lips
curling into a sneer.
Speaker 7 (20:55):
Who is this ab Bimalakain and what right does he
have over the people of Sachem.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
A newcomer to the city, Gahl had quickly won favor.
He and his kin brought wealth, foreign gods, and their
debauched ways, all of which the people of Shechem embraced. Eagerly,
tall and broad shouldered, with a commanding voice and a
face that seemed carved from myth, Gahl was the very
(21:24):
image of a leader. The elders of Shechem admired him,
and his charisma had already begun to outshine a Beameleg's shadow.
Gahl had planted vineyards outside the city and often hosted
feasts where the wine flowed freely. At one such gathering,
surrounded by the city's elders, Gahl's voice rang out, dripping
(21:47):
with scorn.
Speaker 7 (21:50):
Why is this petty man, considered king? What has he
done for you?
Speaker 6 (21:55):
Ah?
Speaker 7 (21:56):
I were king, things would be different. The people were
under my hand and horses degenimate armies out.
Speaker 1 (22:07):
The elders exchanged knowing smiles, their hearts Stirred by his boldness,
they shouted their approval, proclaiming Gall a better king than
Abi Malek. Ghl laughed and waved them off, feigning humanity,
even as their adoration fed his ambitions. The crowd conspired eagerly,
(22:28):
blind to the fact that their treachery was already known.
In the corner of the room, cloaked in shadow, a
spy for Zebel. Abimelex, governor in Shechem, sipped his wine.
Slipping out unnoticed, he made his way to Zebel, who
wasted no time riding to inform his master. Abimelek sat
(22:52):
in the dimly lit hall of his crumbling palace, the
ivy covered walls bearing the scars of neglect. His soldiers
gambled in the courtyard, their laughter echoing faintly through the
heavy doors. Zebel entered swiftly, his face grinned the lemen.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
There is dreadery in shaping a less spurt the people.
The hids too, even now they canspire to leave.
Speaker 7 (23:19):
These room cowards. I'll destroy them all.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
All has many men at his disposal. You will need
to attack him.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
The Holy watches a hiast.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
Go by night in dreading, ambushing the eels. Then as
soon as the sun is up rise and rush upon
the city.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
The plan pleased Abimelek. That night, he led his mercenaries
down the mountains. Their march silent as death. They move
like shadows, torches unlit, hunger for blood driving their steps.
Speaker 7 (23:56):
What do you see over there?
Speaker 3 (24:00):
I don't see much. Shepherds perhaps leading their flocks. You've
drunk too much, my lord.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
At dawn, Gall stood near the city gate, speaking with Zebel.
His eyes flicked toward the hills, catching a flicker of
movement among the shadows. No, no, I.
Speaker 7 (24:21):
I see people coming from down from the mountaintops. See
their shadows scaling down the path leading down the field.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
I consider myself to have a keen eye. My lord,
I believe you are mistaking the shadows of the mountains
for men. You must be weary from all the celebrations.
Speaker 7 (24:42):
Aye, I suppose I must be.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
Garl frowned, uncertainty clouding his face. He returned to his conversation,
But as the first rays of sunlight crept over the horizon,
the truth was revealed. A mass of soldiers emerged from
the hills, the glint of steel unmistakable.
Speaker 7 (25:04):
It is people, an entire company is coming from the
direction of the oak of Schachum. But it's an army,
A bitter lackers here.
Speaker 1 (25:13):
Panic seized him as Zebel's expression twisted into a mocking grin.
Speaker 3 (25:19):
Didn't you pass time out o yourself worthy.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
Garl stammered, his confidence shaken, he summoned his men, their
preparation hurried and chaotic. Mounting his horse, he tried to
rally them.
Speaker 7 (25:36):
Now now's the time, brother, Now there's the time. Partake
I city back from the tirant.
Speaker 1 (25:43):
But his voice lacked its usual strength, and the men
sensed his fear. Abima Lex army came swiftly, converging on
the defenders like wolves on his sheep. Habima Ex spotted
Garl in the fray and charged directly for him. With
a single blow, he struck Gar's horse to sending the
man sprawling to the ground. As the two armies clashed,
(26:07):
Abby went out the smoot girl relentlessly, his sword cutting
through anyone who stood.
Speaker 5 (26:13):
In his way. Do you think I was speaking?
Speaker 7 (26:16):
Because we sheer blood forms on you.
Speaker 1 (26:21):
The battlefield was chaos, clashing steel, screams, and the stench
of death. Garl fled toward the hills, but his retreat
was covered by the defenders, who threw themselves at a beam.
Alex merceriies. When the dust settled, Abeam Alex stood victorious
of his enemies, cowering at the gates of Shechem.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
Let them fee.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
The battlefield fell silent as the survivors stumbled back into
the city. Zebel approached, Confusion etched on his face.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
Why let them go, I king? They are broken? Finish
him now? Would you show them mercy?
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Abemelek turned his bloodied sword pointed at Zebel's throat. A
thin trickle ran down its edge, crimson against the steel.
Abemelek grinned madly, his menacing face reflected in the sheen
of his blade.
Speaker 8 (27:17):
Mercy, oh nosable, I'll not be crowned as the king
of mercy. They will burn for their defiance, but vengeance
must be savored.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
Abe Male's laughter echoed over the field, chilling as the
wind that carried it a dawn. Abemelek stood at the ridge,
gazing down at the field where Shechem's soldiers gathered for
their final stand. The bruised, battered remnants of their army
looked pitiful. The defiance glinted in their eyes. He sighed deeply,
(27:56):
rolling his shoulders as if shaking off the weight of
the man.
Speaker 5 (28:01):
They have forced my head.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
He turned to his men and called for them to
wake rise. Today we finished. Would we have started his
ruthless band of mercenaries rose quickly and mounted their horses.
They descended the hills like wolves on a hunt. Sheckun
soldiers barely had time to organize before adema Ex force
(28:26):
had struck out. Blood pulled into the furrows of the
fellow earth. Screams of terror were quickly silenced by the
clash of steel and the gurgle of dying man at
the gates and the bee where that let the charge personally,
his company trampled the defenders like insects. He swung his
sword with unrelenting fury, cutting down anyone who dared oppose him.
(28:51):
Dismounting his horse, he waded into the frame with calculated brutality.
Two spearmen and had glanced on him. He dodged the
firs thrust, grabbed the spear shaft, and drove his blade
deep into the soldier's stomach. The second grazed his arm,
but Abemelek twisted and his armed him with a swift
(29:11):
upward strike and slashed his neck. His fury seemed otherworldly.
With each strike, Abimelek commanded the battlefield like a maestrol
orchestrating a dark symphony. Unlike Gideon borne a coward, Abeemeleg
seemed forged for bloodshed. The screams of the dying faded
(29:33):
as the defenders were cut down or fled. Women and
children were dragged from their hiding places, but even their
cries could not escape the blanket of silence that eventually fell.
Blood soaked the streets, pulling around Abemelek's feet as he
walked through the ruins. The stillness was eerie. The only
(29:54):
sound was the faint cry of a child coming from
the city's central tower. The long, fortified structure loomed over
the city like a silent sentinel. The remaining people of
Sheckel had fled there seeking refuge. Abiemelek dropped his sword,
his steps deliberate as he approached the tower. His men followed.
(30:17):
Finding the doors shout and fortified, abe Malek turned to
the stables. Retrieving an axe. In a nearby garden, he
began cutting small, dried trees for brushwood. One by one,
his men joined him, gathering wood and pining it against
the tower's base. When the buyer was ready, Abeamlect met
(30:38):
a torture, His expression devoid of emotion, he raised his
gaze to the fearful faces peering down in the tower's heights.
He spat on the wood fire. The torch dropped flames
of war to life, consuming the tower's base. The screams
of fear above turn into wales of agony. Over one
(31:03):
thousand men when an other children perished as the town
crumbled in a fiery and firm smoked spiral skywood, blotting
out the sun and painting the heavens of deep, bloody red.
Abe Malek stood transfixed, his face aligned with cruel satisfaction.
(31:23):
His lust for power was ancient, all of the same
rebellion that once consumed the angels. Unable to match God,
he turned his wealth against his people.
Speaker 2 (31:36):
Our conquest does not stop here tomorrow. Much toward Tibez,
they have also dealt treacherously with us.
Speaker 1 (31:44):
Abimelek's voice rang out over his soldiers as they prepared
for another campaign. His hunger for destruction was insatiable, his
desire for power burning brighter with each atrocity. By dawn,
they surrounded thebes, meeting fierce resistance, but the people's courage
was no match for a beemelex ruthlessness. As before, Survivors
(32:08):
fled to a central stronghold, this one larger and more
fortified than Shechem's tower.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
I will burn you all to the ground.
Speaker 3 (32:17):
You will all burn as an offering to my greatness.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
The tower's defenders could only watch in terror as a
Beameleg ordered his men to pile wood at its base.
Among the panicked crowd above was a woman, her name unknown,
her face ordinary, yet within her burned a courage born
of divine prompting. She spotted a loose millstone at the
(32:41):
edge of the tower and moved toward it, her heart pounding.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
I I have to do something, anything to stop this madness.
Speaker 1 (32:51):
Time was slipping away. The people's cries drowned out her
pleas for help. Pressing her shoulder to the stone, she
strained with all her strength, but it refused to move.
Pain shot through her arm. As she recoiled a move,
she charged the stone again, her body slamming into it. Slowly, agonizingly,
(33:16):
it began to budge. With a final desperate push, the
millstone broke free. It plummeted from the tower, like divine
justice descending from heaven. Abemeleg looked up just as the
(33:37):
stone struck him. The crack of his skull echoed over
the battlefield. He collapsed in a heap, motionless. The shock
rippled through his army, seeing their leader for the soldiers panicked,
and the citizens of Thebes surged from the tower. They
overwhelmed the mercenaries, their cries of victory filling the air.
(34:01):
Abeam out lay, dying, blood pooling beneath him. A servant
boy passed, and the fallen tyrant beckoned weakly, Oho there
going kill me?
Speaker 6 (34:15):
Take my sword and kill me lest they say I
was crushed by a woman.
Speaker 1 (34:22):
Even in death, his pride remained. The boy hesitated before
driving the blade into a bee Malek's heart. The King
of Trees fell, his fragile kingdom consumed by divine justice.
The woman with the millstone disappeared into obscurity, her name forgotten,
(34:44):
Yet her act of courage stood as a testament that
God uses the humble and the unknown to achieve his will.
One day, through another woman in a forgotten town, God
would crush the tyranny of sin itself.
Speaker 4 (35:05):
Why does Israel fall for men like this is a
question as old as the Bible itself. The desire for
a king, but not just any king, a king on
their terms, one who fits their human expectations and desires.
The tragedy here is that they had a king, not
one seated on an earthly throne, but God himself, the
God who had led them through the wilderness and war,
(35:28):
who gave them the Torah, his word. And yet here
they are looking to a thorn bush of all things,
to cover their shame and insecurity. You see, there's something
deeper here, something our sage is often say about idolatry.
It isn't just about statues or carved images. It's anything
(35:48):
that we elevate above God, anything that we trust more
than Him. And Abimelech is nothing more than an idol
dressed up as a leader, a lie, cloaked and promises.
Jewish tradition teaches that when Israel rejects God's kingship, they
reject the very purpose for which they were chosen. We'll
(36:10):
see this more when we are introduced to King Saul,
Israel's first official king. These men, with their glittering armor
and vast armies, are more like golden calves. The parable
of the trees that Jotham tells was warning wrapped in
a riddle, the olive, the fig, the vine, all noble
and fruitful they refuse the crown because they're already doing
(36:30):
the work that they were made to do. But the
thorn bush, it has no fruit, no life to offer.
It's all threat and no shelter. So here is Israel
under the rule of a man who offers nothing of life,
only the sharp edges of ambition. Do you see how
this story, in many ways speaks to all of us.
(36:54):
Whenever we reach for power that's not ours to take,
whenever we let go of God's rule in favor of
human rulers, we opened the door to every thorn and
every thistle, and we are left with what we chose,
leaders who promise security but deliver oppression. A kingdom under
(37:15):
earthly rule is never truly free. The prophet Isaiah warned,
woe to those who call evil good and good evil,
who put darkness for light and light for darkness. It's
hard to imagine that Gideon, a righteous judge, an exceptional
military and spiritual leader, would have a son like Abimeleh,
(37:36):
a cruel, murderous, power hungry individual. But we have all
seen good and honest parents who have a child that
is the exact opposite, haven't we. Although Abimeleh reigned as
a judge for three years. He met his death in
a shameful way. He had killed all of his brothers
upon a stone, and he was killed by a heavy
(37:59):
stone a woman from a tower that he was about
to set a fire. As we've already seen, and as
we'll see again and again and again. It might take
a while, but God's accounting is perfect. In Abimelech, we
see the ultimate irony Israel, a nation set apart following
a man willing to kill his own brothers for a
(38:20):
throne that the nation wasn't meant to have. And we
see a theme woven through the story of the Chosen
People from Genesis onwards. When we put our faith in
the wrong leaders, the cost is our freedom. So what
do we take from this? In the end, Abimelech's story
(38:41):
leaves us with the question what we trust with our lives?
For us today, we live in a world full of
voices clamoring to be our king. It's easy to follow
the loudest voice, to trust the one who promises the most.
But we know, my friends, Yes we know, because we've
learned and it, according to the Bible, true kingship isn't
(39:04):
about grasping for power. It's about serving, about lifting others higher,
about giving ourselves to something greater. Remember how God defined
greatness for Abram. He said that the nation born from
Abram would be a blessing to the nations. That's true greatness,
blessing others. So this is our challenge to reject pride
(39:29):
and choose love, humility, and something greater than ourselves. That's
what we always have to keep in mind and what
we have to do, and in that choice, we fulfill
our purpose as the Chosen People.
Speaker 1 (39:45):
You can listen to The Chosen People with the Isle
Eckstein ad free by downloading and subscribing to the Prey
dot Com app today. This Prey dot Com production is
only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents.
Steve Tina, Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger and Ben Gammon are
the executive producers of The Chosen People with Yil Eckstein,
(40:07):
edited by Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are
voiced by Jonathan Cotten, Aaron Salvado, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan,
Stephen Ringwald, Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland, Junior Rosanna Pilcher and
the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore. Music by
Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Aaron Salvato, bre Rosalie and
(40:32):
Chris Baig. Special thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier, Robin van Ettin,
KAYLEB Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship
of Christians and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot
com productions on the Prey dot com app, available on
the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you
enjoyed The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, please rate and
(40:53):
leave a review.
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