His concubine who was in Shechem, she also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech.
He also kept a concubine in Shechem, which the Canaanites controlled at this time (cf. Judges 9:2; Judges 9:28). His concubine appears from references in chapter 9 to have been a Canaanite. The Israelites were to eradicate the Canaanites, but their leader decided to marry one (cf. Exodus 34:15-16; Deuteronomy 7:3-4). The son this woman bore Gideon was evidently a young man of outstanding promise since Gideon named him Abimelech (lit. My father is king). This name may have been a cognomen (nickname) rather than a proper name given to him at birth (cf. Genesis 20:2; Genesis 26:1; et al.). In giving it Gideon may have hoped that this son might one day become the father of Israel’s first king. Alternatively it is possible that even though Gideon had formally refused the office of king, the people may have referred to him popularly as their king.