Judges 9
1 And Abimelech son of Jerobaal went to Sychem to his mother's brethren; and he spoke to them and to all the kindred of the house of his mother's father, saying,
And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother’s brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying,
2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Sychem, saying, Which [is] better for you, that seventy men, even all the sons of Jerobaal, should reign over you, or that one man should reign over you? and remember that I am your bone and your flesh.
Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.
3 And his mother's brethren spoke concerning him in the ears of all the men of Sychem all these words; and their heart turned after Abimelech, for they said, He is our brother.
And his mother’s brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.
4 And they gave him seventy [pieces] of silver out of the house of Baalberith; and Abimelech hired for himself vain and cowardly men, and they went after him.
And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baal–berith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him.
5 And he went to the house of his father to Ephratha, and killed his brethren the sons of Jerobaal, seventy men upon one stone; but Joatham the youngest son of Jerobaal was left, for he hid himself.
And he went unto his father’s house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.
6 And all the men of Sicima, and all the house of Bethmaalo, were gathered together, and they went and made Abimelech king by the oak of Sedition, which was at Sicima.
And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.
7 And it was reported to Joatham, and he went and stood on the top of mount Garizin, and lifted up his voice, and wept, and said to them, Hear me, you men of Sicima, and God shall hear you.
And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.
8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said to the olive, Reign over us.
The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.
9 But the olives said to them, Shall I leave my fatness, with which men shall glorify God, and go to be promoted over the trees?
But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
10 And the trees said to the fig tree, Come, reign over us.
And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.
11 But the fig tree said to them, Shall I leave my sweetness an my good fruits, and go to be promoted over the trees?
But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?
12 And the trees said to the vine, Come, reign over us.
Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.
13 And the vine said to them, Shall I leave my wine that cheers God and men, and go to be promoted over the trees?
And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
14 Then all the trees said to the bramble, Come you and [reign] over us.
Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.
15 And the bramble said to the trees, If you in truth anoint me to reign over you, come, stand under my shadow; and if not, let fire come out from me and devour the cedars of Libanus.
And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
16 And now, if you have done it in truth and integrity, and have made Abimelech king, and if you have wrought well with Jerobaal, and with his house, and if you have done to him according to the reward of his hand,
Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands;
17 as my father fought for you, and put his life in jeopardy, and delivered you out of the hand of Madiam;
( For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:
18 and you are risen up this day against the house of my father, and have slain his sons, being seventy men, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech the son of his bondwoman king over the men of Sicima, because he is your brother:
And ye are risen up against my father’s house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother; )
19 if then you have done truly and faithfully with Jerobaal, and with his house this day, rejoice you in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice over you:
If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:
20 but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Sicima, and the house of Bethmaalo; and let fire come out from the men of Sicima and from the house of Bethmaalo, and devour Abimelech.
But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech.
21 And Joatham fled, and ran away, and went as far as Baeer, and lived there out of the way of his brother Abimelech.
And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
22 And Abimelech reigned over Israel three years.
When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel,
23 And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Sicima; and the men of Sicima dealt treacherously with the house of Abimelech:
Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:
24 to bring the injury done to the seventy sons of Jerobaal, and to lay their blood upon their brother Abimelech, who killed them, and upon the men of Sicima, because they strengthened his hands to kill his brethren.
That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren.
25 And the men of Sicima set liers in wait against him on the top of the mountains, and robbed every one who passed by them on the way; and it was reported to the king Abimelech.
And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech.
26 And Gaal son of Jobel came, and his brethren, and passed by Sicima, and the men of Sicima trusted in him.
And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.
27 And they went out into the field, and gathered their grapes, and trod them, and made merry; and they brought [the grapes] into the house of their god, and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech.
And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech.
28 And Gaal the son of Jobel said, Who is Abimelech, and who is the son of Sychem, that we should serve him? [Is he] not the son of Jerobaal, and [is] not Zebul his steward, his servant with the son of Emmor the father of Sychem? and why should we serve him?
And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serve him?
29 And would that this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech, and I would say to him, Multiply your host, and come out.
And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.
30 And Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Jobel, and he was very angry.
And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.
31 And he sent messengers to Abimelech secretly, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Jobel and his brethren are come to Sychem; and behold, they have besieged the city against you.
And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem; and, behold, they fortify the city against thee.
32 And now rise up by night, you and the people with you, and lay wait in the field.
Now therefore up by night, thou and the people that is with thee, and lie in wait in the field:
33 And it shall come to pass in the morning at sunrising, you shall rise up early and draw towards the city; and behold, he and the people with him will come forth against you, and you shall do to him according to your power.
And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, thou shalt rise early, and set upon the city: and, behold, when he and the people that is with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to them as thou shalt find occasion.
34 And Abimelech and all the people with him rose up by night, and formed an ambuscade against Sychem in four companies.
And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.
35 And Gaal the son of Jobel went forth, and stood by the door of the gate of the city: and Abimelech and the people with him rose up from the ambuscade.
And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from lying in wait.
36 And Gaal the son of Jobel saw the people, and said to Zebul, Behold, a people comes down from the top of the mountains: and Zebul said to him, You see the shadow of the mountains as men.
And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.
37 And Gaal continued to speak and said, Behold, a people comes down westward from the part bordering on the middle of the land, and another company comes by the way of Helon Maonenim.
And Gaal spake again and said, See there come people down by the middle of the land, and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim.
38 And Zebul said to him, And where is your mouth as you spoke, Who is Abimelech that we should serve him? [Is] not this the people whom you despised? go forth now, and set the battle in array against him.
Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them.
39 And Gaal went forth before the men of Sychem, and set the battle in array against Abimelech.
And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
40 And Abimelech pursued him, and he fled from before him; and many fell down slain as far as the door of the gate.
And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate.
41 And Abimelech entered into Arema, and Zebul cast out Gaal and his brethren, so that they should not dwell in Sychem.
And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
42 And it came to pass on the second day that the people went out into the field, and [one] brought word to Abimelech.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.
43 And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and formed an ambush in the field; and he looked, and, behold, the people went forth out of the city, and he rose up against them, and struck them.
And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field, and looked, and, behold, the people were come forth out of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote them.
44 And Abimelech and the chiefs of companies that were with him rushed forward, and stood by the door of the gate of the city; and the two [other] companies rushed forward upon all that were in the field, and struck them.
And Abimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and the two other companies ran upon all the people that were in the fields, and slew them.
45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and took the city, and killed the people that were in it, and destroyed the city, and sowed it with salt.
And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.
46 And all the men of the tower of Sychem heard, and came to the gathering of Baethel-berith.
And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.
47 And it was reported to Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Sychem were gathered together.
And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.
48 And Abimelech went up to the mount of Selmon, and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a branch of a tree, and took it, and laid it on his shoulders; and said to the people that were with him, What you see me doing, do quickly as I.
And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.
49 And they cut down likewise even every man a branch, and went after Abimelech, and laid them against the place of gathering, and burnt the place of gathering over them with fire; and they died, even all the men of the tower of Sicima, about a thousand men and women.
And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.
50 And Abimelech went out of Baethel-berith, and encamped against Thebes, and took it.
Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.
51 And there was a strong tower in the midst of the city; and there all the men and the women of the city fled, and shut [the door] without them, and went up on the roof of the tower.
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 to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower.
52 And Abimelech drew near to the tower, and they besieged it; and Abimelech drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
53 And a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon the head of Abimelech, and broke his skull.
And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and all to brake his skull.
54 And he cried out quickly to the young man his armour-bearer, and said to him, Draw your sword, and kill me, lest at any time they should say, A woman killed him: and his young man thrust him through and he died.
Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, 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.
55 And the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead; and they went each to his place.
And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.
56 So God requited the wickedness of Abimelech, which he wrought against his father, in slaying his seventy brethren.
Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:
57 And all the wickedness of the men of Sychem God requited upon their head; and the curse of Joatham the son of Jerobaal came upon them.
And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
