Wayyiqtol Verbs, Ruach Imagery, and Political Betrayal in Judges 9:23

וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח אֱלֹהִים֙ ר֣וּחַ רָעָ֔ה בֵּ֣ין אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ וּבֵ֖ין בַּעֲלֵ֣י שְׁכֶ֑ם וַיִּבְגְּד֥וּ בַעֲלֵי־שְׁכֶ֖ם בַּאֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ׃
(Judges 9:23)

And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelekh and the lords of Shekhem, and the lords of Shekhem dealt treacherously with Abimelekh.

This verse from Judges introduces a turning point in the Abimelekh narrative. It depicts divine intervention in the form of a רוּחַ רָעָה (“evil spirit”) that destabilizes the alliance between Abimelekh and the leaders of Shekhem. The grammar is carefully chosen: wayyiqtol verbs mark sequential action, construct phrases intensify relational tension, and the thematic word בָּגַד (“to act treacherously”) seals the betrayal. Together, these elements make the verse a compact but powerful expression of divine sovereignty working through political upheaval.

The Sequential Action: וַיִּשְׁלַח … וַיִּבְגְּדוּ

The narrative advances through two wayyiqtol verbs:

• וַיִּשְׁלַח: Qal wayyiqtol 3ms of שׁלח, “and he sent.” Subject: אֱלֹהִים.
• וַיִּבְגְּדוּ: Qal wayyiqtol 3mp of בגד, “and they dealt treacherously.” Subject: בַעֲלֵי־שְׁכֶם.

The wayyiqtol form drives the storyline: God acts first (sending the spirit), and the human actors respond (betraying Abimelekh). Syntax underscores causality: divine initiation precedes human treachery.

The “Evil Spirit”: רוּחַ רָעָה

At the center of the verse stands the phrase רוּחַ רָעָה. Grammatically:

• רוּחַ: common noun fs, “spirit, wind, breath.”
• רָעָה: adjective fs, “evil, harmful.” In attributive position modifying רוּחַ.

The phrase can be read in multiple layers: as a supernatural force, as a psychological disposition, or as political discord. Hebrew allows this polyvalence. The same grammar supports spiritual, psychological, and political readings, intensifying the depth of the narrative.

The Relational Conflict: בֵּין … וּבֵין

The discord is framed by the prepositional pair בֵּין … וּבֵין — “between … and between.”

• בֵּין אֲבִימֶלֶךְ — “between Abimelekh.”
• וּבֵין בַּעֲלֵי שְׁכֶם — “and between the lords of Shekhem.”

The repetition of בֵּין emphasizes the divide. Syntax reflects fracture: the political alliance is grammatically split apart. What was once unity is now linguistically partitioned.

The Betrayal: וַיִּבְגְּדוּ

The final verb, וַיִּבְגְּדוּ, seals the rupture. From the root בגד (“to act treacherously, to betray”), it carries covenantal overtones. In Biblical Hebrew, בגד often describes breaking faith, whether in marriage, politics, or covenant with God.

• The subject, בַעֲלֵי־שְׁכֶם, “lords/masters of Shekhem,” underscores collective guilt.
• The prepositional phrase בַּאֲבִימֶלֶךְ identifies the betrayed party directly.

Grammatically, the verse closes with betrayal, leaving no reconciliation — only division.

Parsing Table of Key Forms

Masoretic Rhythm and Prophetic Narrative

The accents divide the verse into two cola: (1) God’s act of sending the spirit, (2) the Shekhemite betrayal. The structure mirrors cause and effect. The poetic cadence reinforces theological claim: divine sovereignty orchestrates even political treachery.

Divine Sovereignty in Grammatical Form

Judges 9:23 demonstrates how Hebrew grammar portrays divine sovereignty over human politics. The wayyiqtol verbs chain God’s action to human response, the construct phrase רוּחַ רָעָה embodies ambiguity, and the prepositional structure partitions relationships. Syntax becomes theology: betrayal unfolds not outside of God’s governance but as its instrument. The grammar itself enacts the rupture of alliances, reminding readers that divine judgment often works through the unraveling of human bonds.