And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who [is] Abimelech, and who [is] Shechem, that we should serve him? [is] not [he] the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serve him?
Ver. 28. Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem?] Or, Who is Shechem? q.d., Is it so contemptible a city, that so base a fellow as Abimelech should have the sovereignty over it?
Is not he the son of Jerubbaal?] That is, Of one who bereft us of that religion, Baal worship, which is now happily re-established. Thus, this cunning fellow raketh together arguments of all sorts, whereby to wind himself into the people's affections, and to get the government of the city.
And Zebul his officer?] His viceroy. O rem miseram! Dominum ferre non potuimus, et conservo servimus, a But why did they not turn Zebul, Abimelech's intelligencer, out of this city? This, Gaal drove at doubtless, but could not obtain.
Serve the men of Hamor the father Shechem.] Who was rather a father than a ruler of this city: serve such as are descended of him (so Gaal pretended to be, as some think), or at least, will resemble him in fatherly lenity.
a Cicer., Epist., lib. xii.