271.]
be a miracle if they do not, when a fit opportunity occurs, prove also a plague to him".]
This parable was in the nature of a prophecy ; of which we now proceed to consider,
III. The accomplishment —
[Never was a prophecy more exactly fulfilled. " The triumph of the wicked is short." For three years Abimelech enjoyed the fruit of his wickedness : but then God " sent an evil spirit between him and the Shechemites," and stirred them up to " deal treacherously with him*"." Wliat the cause of their disaffection was, we know not : but they so hated him, as to set assassins to lie in wait for him, and destroy him'. Their disloyalty appearing, one soon rose up to foment the di\'ision, and to head the conspiracy. Turbulent persons are never wanting to fan the flames of discord, and to seek their own elevation on the ruin of others. Such an one was Gaal, who, though probably a Canaanite, proposed himself as the fitter person to govern the state, and encouraged them at a drunken revel to curse and execrate Abimelech. Zehul how- ever, a chief officer in the city, retained, thovigh covertly, his allegiance to Abimelech ; and sent him word of all that passed, together with directions for crushing the conspiracy. At the same time he endeavoured to lull asleep the fears of Gaal, so that he might be taken by surprise ; and, when Gaal could no longer be deceived, he urged him, in the same derisive strain, to go forth and meet his adversary in the field of battle : but no sooner had Gaal gone forth, than Zebul interposed to cut off his retreat to the city*^. The plan of Zebul succeeded: Abimelech speedily overthrew Gaal and his adherents; then he proceeded to fight against the other conspirators in the city ; and, having taken the city, he slew all its inhabitants. Some indeed took refuge in a tower; which however, by cutting down branches of trees from an adjacent wood, and setting them on fire, he instantly destroyed, together with a thousand people that were in it. Having desolated thus the whole place, he beat down the city, and sowed it with salt, in token that its destruction should be perpetuaP.
The revenge of Abimelech, one might have supposed, would by this time have been satisfied : but it was not so : for, as there were many dissatisfied persons at Thebez also, a neigh- bouring city, he went and slew them also: and, when some
e How abundantly has this been verified, since the Tyrant's Re- treat from Moscow ! Many of his Allies in the invasion of Russia contributed afterwards to his downfall, and to his present humiliation at St. Helena. (Written in 1825.)
^ ver. 23. ' ver. 25. ^ vcr. 26—38, 41. • ver. 39—49.
r '^