Judges 9
1 Now Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to his mother’s brothers at Shechem and said to them and to all the clan of his mother,
And Abimelech the son of Jerobaal went to Sichem to his mother’s brethren and spoke to them, and to all the kindred of his mother’s father, saying:
2 “Please ask all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Is it better for you that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or just one man?’ Remember that I am your own flesh and blood.”
Speak to all the men of Sichem: whether is better for you that seventy men all the sons of Jerobaal should rule over you, or that one man should rule over you? And withal consider that I am your bone, and your flesh.
3 And when his mother’s brothers spoke all these words about him in the presence of all the leaders of Shechem, their hearts were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.”
And his mother’s brethren spoke of him to all the men of Sichem, all these words, and they inclined their hearts after Abimelech, saying: He is our brother:
4 So they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired some worthless and reckless men to follow him.
And they gave him seventy weight of silver out of the temple of Baalberith: wherewith he hired to himself men that were needy, and vagabonds, and they followed him.
5 He went to his father’s house in Ophrah, and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived, because he hid himself.
And he came to his father’s house in Ephra, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerobaal, seventy men, upon one stone: and there remained only Joatham the youngest son of Jerobaal, who was hidden.
6 Then all the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo gathered beside the oak at the pillar in Shechem and proceeded to make Abimelech their king.
And all the men of Sichem were gathered together, and all the families of the city of Mello: and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak that stood in Sichem.
7 When this was reported to Jotham, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim, raised his voice, and cried out: “Listen to me, O leaders of Shechem, and may God listen to you.
This being told to Joatham, he went and stood on the top of mount Garizim: and lifting up his voice, he cried, and said: Hear me, ye men of Sichem, so may God hear you.
8 One day the trees set out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’
The trees went to anoint a king over them: and they said to the olive tree: Reign thou over us.
9 But the olive tree replied, ‘Should I stop giving my oil that honors both God and man, to hold sway over the trees?’
And it answered: Can I leave my fatness, which both gods and men make use of, to come to be promoted among the trees?
10 Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and reign over us.’
And the trees said to the fig tree: Come thou and reign over us.
11 But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I stop giving my sweetness and my good fruit, to hold sway over the trees?’
And it answered them: Can I leave my sweetness, and my delicious fruits, and go to be promoted among the other trees?
12 Then the trees said to the grapevine, ‘Come and reign over us.’
And the trees said to the vine: Come thou and reign over us.
13 But the grapevine replied, ‘Should I stop giving my wine that cheers both God and man, to hold sway over the trees?’
And it answered them: Can I forsake my wine, that cheereth God and men, and be promoted among the other trees?
14 Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and reign over us.’
And all the trees said to the bramble: Come thou and reign over us.
15 But the thornbush replied, ‘If you really are anointing me as king over you, come and find refuge in my shade. But if not, may fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’
And it answered them: If indeed you mean to make me king, come ye and rest under my shadow: but if you mean it not, let fire come out from the bramble, and devour the cedars of Libanus.
16 Now if you have acted faithfully and honestly in making Abimelech king, if you have done well by Jerubbaal and his family, and if you have done to him as he deserves—
Now therefore if you have done well, and without sin in appointing Abimelech king over you, and have dealt well with Jerobaal, and with his house, and have made a suitable return for the benefits of him, who fought for you,
17 for my father fought for you and risked his life to deliver you from the hand of Midian,
And exposed his life to dangers, to deliver you from the hands of Madian,
18 but you have risen up against my father’s house this day and killed his seventy sons on a single stone, and you have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the leaders of Shechem because he is your brother—
And you are now risen up against my father’s house, and have killed his sons seventy men upon one stone, and have made Abimelech the son of his handmaid king over the inhabitants of Sichem, because he is your brother:
19 if you have acted faithfully and honestly toward Jerubbaal and his house this day, then may you rejoice in Abimelech, and he in you.
If therefore you have dealt well, and without fault with Jerobaal, and his house, rejoice ye this day in Abimelech, and may he rejoice in you.
20 But if not, may fire come from Abimelech and consume the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo, and may fire come from the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo and consume Abimelech.”
But if unjustly: let fire come out from him, and consume the inhabitants of Sichem, and the town of Mello: and let fire come out from the men of Sichem, and from the town of Mello, and devour Abimelech.
21 Then Jotham ran away, escaping to Beer, and he lived there for fear of his brother Abimelech.
And when he had said thus he fled, and went into Bera: and dwelt there for fear of Abimelech his brother.
22 After Abimelech had reigned over Israel for three years,
So Abimelech reigned over Israel for three years.
23 God sent a spirit of animosity between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem and caused them to treat Abimelech deceitfully,
And the Lord sent a very evil spirit between Abimelech and the inhabitants of Sichem: who began to detest him,
24 in order that the crime against the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come to justice and their blood be avenged on their brother Abimelech and on the leaders of Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers.
And to leave the crime of the murder of the seventy sons of Jerobaal, and the shedding of their blood upon Abimelech their brother, and upon the rest of the princes of the Sichemites, who aided him.
25 The leaders of Shechem set up an ambush against Abimelech on the hilltops, and they robbed all who passed by them on the road. So this was reported to Abimelech.
And they set an ambush against him on the top of the mountains: and while they waited for his coming, they committed robberies, taking spoils of all that passed by: and it was told Abimelech.
26 Meanwhile, Gaal son of Ebed came with his brothers and crossed into Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem put their confidence in him.
And Gaal the son of Obed came with his brethren, and went over to Sichem. And the inhabitants of Sichem taking courage at his coming,
27 And after they had gone out into the fields, gathered grapes from their vineyards, and trodden them, they held a festival and went into the house of their god; and as they ate and drank, they cursed Abimelech.
Went out into the fields, wasting the vineyards, and treading down the grapes: and singing and dancing they went into the temple of their god, and in their banquets and cups they cursed Abimelech.
28 Then Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? You are to serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech?
And Gaal the son of Obed cried: Who is Abimelech, and what is Sichem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerobaal, and hath made Zebul his servant ruler over the men of Emor the father of Sichem? Why then shall we serve him?
29 If only this people were under my authority, I would remove Abimelech; I would say to him, ‘Muster your army and come out!’”
Would to God that some man would put this people under my hand, that I might remove Abimelech out of the way. And it was said to Abimelech: Gather together the multitude of an army, and come.
30 When Zebul the governor of the city heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed, he burned with anger.
For Zebul the ruler of the city, hearing the words of Gaal, the son of Obed, was very angry,
31 So he covertly sent messengers to Abimelech to say, “Look, Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem and are stirring up the city against you.
And sent messengers privately to Abimelech, saying: Behold Gaal the son of Obed is come into Sichem with his brethren, and endeavoureth to set the city against thee.
32 Now then, tonight you and the people with you are to come and lie in wait in the fields.
Arise therefore in the night with the people that is with thee and he hid in the field:
33 And in the morning at sunrise, get up and advance against the city. When Gaal and his men come out against you, do to them whatever you are able.”
And betimes in the morning at sun rising set upon the city. And when he shall come out against thee with his people, do to him what thou shalt be able.
34 So Abimelech and all his troops set out by night and lay in wait against Shechem in four companies.
Abimelech therefore arose with all his army by night, and laid ambushes near Sichem in four places.
35 Now Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate just as Abimelech and his men came out from their hiding places.
And Gaal the son of Obed went out, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city. And Abimelech rose up, and all his army with him from the places of the ambushes.
36 When Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the mountains!” But Zebul replied, “The shadows of the mountains look like men to you.”
And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul: Behold a multitude cometh down from the mountains. And he answered him: Thou seest the shadows of the mountains as if they were the heads of men, and this is thy mistake.
37 Then Gaal spoke up again, “Look, people are coming down from the center of the land, and one company is coming by way of the Diviners’ Oak.”
Again Gaal said: Behold there cometh people down from the middle of the land, and one troop cometh by the way that looketh towards the oak.
38 “Where is your gloating now?” Zebul replied. “You said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Are these not the people you ridiculed? Go out now and fight them!”
And Zebul said to him: Where is now thy mouth wherewith thou saidst? Who is Abimelech that we should serve him? Is not this the people which thou didst despise? Go out, and fight against him.
39 So Gaal went out before the leaders of Shechem and fought against Abimelech,
So Gaal went out in the sight of the people of Sichem, and fought against Abimelech,
40 but Abimelech pursued him, and Gaal fled before him. And many Shechemites fell wounded all the way to the entrance of the gate.
Who chased and put him to flight, and drove him to the city: and many were slain of his people, even to the gate of the city:
41 Abimelech stayed in Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem.
And Abimelech sat down in Ruma: but Zebul drove Gaal, and his companions out of the city, and would not suffer them to abide in it.
42 The next day the people of Shechem went out into the fields, and this was reported to Abimelech.
So the day following the people went out into the field. And it was told Abimelech.
43 So he took his men, divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he rose up against them and attacked them.
And he took his army, and divided it into three companies, and laid ambushes in the fields. And seeing that the people came out of the city, he arose and set upon them,
44 Then Abimelech and the companies with him rushed forward and took their stand at the entrance of the city gate. The other two companies rushed against all who were in the fields and struck them down.
With his own company, assaulting and besieging the city: whilst the two other companies chased the enemies that were scattered about the field.
45 And all that day Abimelech fought against the city until he had captured it and killed its people. Then he demolished the city and sowed it with salt.
And Abimelech assaulted the city all that day: and took it, and killed the inhabitants thereof, and demolished it, so that he sowed salt in it.
46 On hearing of this, all the leaders in the tower of Shechem entered the inner chamber of the temple of El-berith.
And when they who dwelt in the tower of Sichem had heard this, they went into the temple of their god Berith where they had made a covenant with him, and from thence the place had taken its name, and it was exceeding strong.
47 And when Abimelech was told that all the leaders in the tower of Shechem were gathered there,
Abimelech also hearing that the men of the tower of Sichem were gathered together,
48 he and all his men went up to Mount Zalmon. Abimelech took his axe in his hand and cut a branch from the trees, which he lifted to his shoulder, saying to his men, “Hurry and do what you have seen me do.”
Went up into mount Selmon he and all his people with him: and taking an axe, he cut down the bough of a tree, and laying it on his shoulder and carrying it, he said to his companions: What you see me do, do you out of hand.
49 So each man also cut his own branch and followed Abimelech. Then they piled the branches against the inner chamber and set it on fire above them, killing everyone in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women.
So they cut down boughs from the trees, every man as fast as he could, and followed their leader. And surrounding the fort they set it on fire: and so it came to pass that with the smoke and with the fire a thousand persons were killed, men and women together, of the inhabitants of the tower of Sichem.
50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, encamped against it, and captured it.
Then Abimelech departing from thence came to the town of Thebes, which he surrounded and besieged with his army.
51 But there was a strong tower inside the city, and all the men, women, and leaders of the city fled there. They locked themselves in and went up to the roof of the tower.
And there was in the midst of the city a high tower, to which both the men and the women were fled together, and all the princes of the city, and having shut and strongly barred the gate, they stood upon the battlements of the tower to defend themselves.
52 When Abimelech came to attack the tower, he approached its entrance to set it on fire.
And Abimelech coming near the tower, fought stoutly: and approaching to the gate, endeavoured to set fire to it:
53 But a woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, crushing his skull.
And behold a certain woman casting a piece of a millstone from above, dashed it against the head of Abimelech, and broke his skull.
54 He quickly called his armor-bearer, saying, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” So Abimelech’s armor-bearer ran his sword through him, and he died.
And he called hastily to his armourbearer, and said to him: Draw thy sword, and kill me: lest it should be said that I was slain by a woman. He did as he was commanded, and slew him.
55 And when the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they all went home.
And when he was dead, all the men of Israel that were with him, returned to their homes.
56 In this way God repaid the wickedness that Abimelech had done to his father in murdering his seventy brothers.
And God repaid the evil, that Abimelech had done against his father, killing his seventy brethren.
57 And God also brought all the wickedness of the men of Shechem back upon their own heads. So the curse of Jotham son of Jerubbaal came upon them.
The Sichemites also were rewarded for what they had done, and the curse of Joatham the son of Jerobaal came upon them.
