1. Judges 9:28 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

What does Gaal’s appeal to kinship recall?

Judges 9:28 (ESV)

28 And Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who are we of Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him?

His appeal to closer kinship ties mirrors the argument Abimelech used to win Shechem’s support (see Judges 9:1–3).