Chapter 28. Famous People Who Suffered
Loneliness And Depression
Depression: The Cause of Suicides In The Bible
Abimelech’s Overweening Pride and Depression Lead To His
Suicide
Abimelech also died by suicide. In his case, though, his armor-bearer
consented to help in his suicide by thrusting his sword into the king.
Abimelech’s sin of overweening pride and greed proved to be his downfall.
He was the son of Gideon and a concubine, and he jealously watched his
half-brothers, sons of Gideon, for fear they would take the throne. After
the death of his father Gideon, Abimelech asked for help from his mother’s
people to seize the throne by killing all of Gideon’s sons. There were 70
who died and only one other son, Jotham, survived, because he hid from the
onslaught. For three short years, Abimelech ruled as king, but then he
warred with others, finally coming against Thebez, which he conquered. But,
as luck would have it, Abimelech was brought down by a woman: Here is the
embarrassing defeat of Abimelech in Judges 9:50:
Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez and took it.
But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men
and women, and all they of the city, and shut it, and gat them up to the top
of the tower.
And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard
unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s head,
to brake his skull. Then he called hastily unto the young man, his
armor-bearer, and said, “Draw thy sword and slay me, that men say not of
me, A woman slew him.” And his young man thrust him through, and he died.
And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed
every man to his own place.
Thus, God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his
father, in slaying his seventy brethren. And all the evil men of Shechem did
God render upon their heads; and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son
of Jerubbaal.
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