Judges 9:22

Abimelech commanded ¹  Israel for three years.

After Abimelech had governed Israel for three years,

Now Abimelech ruled over Israel three years.

After Abimelech had ruled over Israel for three years,

Abimelech ruled over Israel for three years.

So Abimelech was chief over Israel for three years.

Abimelech ruled over Israel three years.

After Abimelech had reigned over Israel three years,

Abimelech commanded ¹  Israel for three years.

¹ tn The Hebrew verb translated “commanded” (שָׂרַר, sarar), which appears only here in Judges, differs from the ones employed earlier in this chapter (מָשַׁל [mashal] and מָלַךְ [malakh]).

sn Abimelech commanded Israel. Perhaps while ruling as king over the city-state of Shechem, Abimelech also became a leader of the Israelite tribal alliance (see R. G. Boling, Judges [AB], 175).