Judges 9:57 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

And all the evil of the men of Shechem, &c.— Thus Providence punished him for his wicked cruelty, after chastising the Shechemites for having served as the instrument of his ambition. Let it not be imagined, that all this happened without a special direction of heaven. The sacred historian is express to that purpose. He is silent as to what became of Jotham, Gaal, and Zebul; and, indeed, it is of little importance to know: but it cannot too often be repeated to men, that in heaven there is a God, the avenger of wickedness; that though we may not always without rashness consider temporal afflictions as the punishment of their guilt on whom they fall, yet we should be well assured, that all second causes are in the hand of Providence, and that the exemplary punishment of Abimelech and the Shechemites should make those tremble who are like them.