1. Judges 9:26 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

What is surprising about verse 26?

Judges 9:26 (ESV)

26 And Gaal the son of Ebed moved into Shechem with his relatives, and the leaders of Shechem put confidence in him.

Here the narrative takes a surprising turn. The reader is expecting Abimelech’s response to the report of the Shechemite treachery (see Judges 9:25). Instead, a new figure appears out of nowhere.