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 son of Jerubbaal goeth to Shechem, unto his mother's brethren, and speaketh unto them, and unto 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 masters of Shechem, Which [is] good for you — the ruling over you of seventy men (all the sons of Jerubbaal), or the ruling over you of one man? — and ye have remembered 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 speak concerning him, in the ears of all the masters of Shechem, all these words, and their heart inclineth after 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 give to him seventy silverings out of the house of Baal-Berith, and Abimelech hireth with them men, vain and unstable, and they go after 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 goeth into the house of his father at Ophrah, and slayeth his brethren, sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone; and Jotham, youngest son of Jerubbaal, is left, for he was hidden.
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 masters of Shechem are gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and come and cause Abimelech to reign for king at the oak of the camp which [is] 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 they declare [it] to Jotham, and he goeth and standeth on the top of mount Gerizim, and lifteth up his voice, and calleth, and saith to them, 'Hearken unto me, O masters of Shechem, and God doth 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 have diligently gone to anoint over them a king, and they say to the olive, 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?
And the olive saith to them, Have I ceased from my fatness, by which they honour gods and men, that I have gone to stagger over the trees?
10 And the trees said to the fig tree, Come, reign over us.
And the trees say to the fig, Come thou, 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?
And the fig saith to them, Have I ceased from my sweetness, and my good increase, that I have gone to stagger over the trees?
12 And the trees said to the vine, Come, reign over us.
'And the trees say to the vine, Come thou, 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 saith to them, Have I ceased from my new wine, which is rejoicing gods and men, that I have gone to stagger over the trees?
14 Then all the trees said to the bramble, Come you and [reign] over us.
And all the trees say unto the bramble, Come thou, 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 saith unto the trees, If in truth ye are anointing me for king over you, come, take refuge in my shadow; and if not — fire cometh out from the bramble, and devoureth 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,
'And, now, if in truth and in sincerity ye have acted, when ye make Abimelech king; and if ye have done good with Jerubbaal, and with his house; and if according to the deed of his hands ye have done to him —
17 as my father fought for you, and put his life in jeopardy, and delivered you out of the hand of Madiam;
because my father hath fought for you, and doth cast away his life from [him], and deliver you from 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 have risen against the house of my father to-day, and slay his sons, seventy men, on one stone, and cause Abimelech son of his handmaid to reign over the masters 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:
yea, if in truth and in sincerity ye have acted with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, rejoice ye in Abimelech, and he doth rejoice — even he — 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.
and if not — fire cometh out from Abimelech and devoureth the masters of Shechem and the house of Millo, and fire cometh out from the masters of Shechem and from the house of Millo, and devoureth 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 hasteth, and fleeth, and goeth to Beer, and dwelleth there, from the face of Abimelech his brother.
22 And Abimelech reigned over Israel three years.
And Abimelech is prince over Israel three years,
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:
and God sendeth an evil spirit between Abimelech and the masters of Shechem, and the masters of Shechem deal 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.
for the coming in of the violence [to] the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, and of their blood to place [it] on Abimelech their brother, who slew them, and on the masters of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to slay 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 masters of Shechem set for him ambushes on the top of the hills, and rob every one who passeth over by them in the way, and it is declared to 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 son of Ebed cometh — also his brethren — and they pass over into Shechem, and the masters of Shechem trust 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 go out into the field, and gather their vineyards, and tread, and make praises, and go into the house of their god, and eat and drink, and revile 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 son of Ebed saith, 'Who [is] Abimelech, and who [is] Shechem, that we serve him? is [he] not son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his commander? Serve ye the men of Hamor father of Shechem, and wherefore do we serve him — we?
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 oh that this people were in my hand — then I turn Abimelech aside;' and he saith to Abimelech, 'Increase thy host, 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 Zebul, prince of the city, heareth the words of Gaal son of Ebed, and his anger burneth,
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 sendeth messengers unto Abimelech deceitfully, saying, 'Lo, Gaal son of Ebed and his brethren are coming into Shechem, and lo, they are fortifying the city against thee;
32 And now rise up by night, you and the people with you, and lay wait in the field.
and, now, rise by night, thou and the people who [are] with thee, and lay 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 hath been, in the morning, about the rising of the sun, thou dost rise early, and hast pushed against the city; and lo, he and the people who [are] with him are going out unto thee — and thou hast done to him as thy hand doth find.'
34 And Abimelech and all the people with him rose up by night, and formed an ambuscade against Sychem in four companies.
And Abimelech riseth, and all the people who [are] with him, by night, and they lay wait against Shechem — four detachments;
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 son of Ebed goeth out, and standeth at the opening of the gate of the city, and Abimelech riseth — also the people who [are] with him — from the ambush,
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 Gaal seeth the people, and saith unto Zebul, 'Lo, people are coming down from the top of the hills;' and Zebul saith unto him, 'The shadow of the hills thou art seeing like 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 addeth yet to speak, and saith, 'Lo, people are coming down from the high part of the land, and another detachment is coming by the way of the oak 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.
And Zebul saith unto him, 'Where [is] now thy mouth, in that thou sayest, Who [is] Abimelech that we serve him? is not this the people against which thou hast kicked? go out, I pray thee now, and fight against it.'
39 And Gaal went forth before the men of Sychem, and set the battle in array against Abimelech.
And Gaal goeth out before the masters of Shechem, and fighteth against 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 pursueth him, and he fleeth from his presence, and many fall wounded — unto the opening 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 abideth in Arumah, and Zebul casteth out Gaal and his brethren from dwelling 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 cometh to pass, on the morrow, that the people go out to the field, and they declare [it] to 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 taketh the people, and divideth them into three detachments, and layeth wait in a field, and looketh, and lo, the people are coming out from the city, and he riseth against them, and smiteth 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 detachments who [are] with him have pushed on, and stand at the opening of the gate of the city, and the two detachments have pushed against all who are in the field, and smite 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 hath fought against the city all that day, and captureth the city, and the people who [are] in it he hath slain, and he breaketh down the city, and soweth it [with] salt.
46 And all the men of the tower of Sychem heard, and came to the gathering of Baethel-berith.
And all the masters of the tower of Shechem hear, and go in unto the high place 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 is declared to Abimelech that all the masters of the tower of Shechem have gathered themselves 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 goeth up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people who [are] with him, and Abimelech taketh the great axe in his hand, and cutteth off a bough of the trees, and lifteth it up, and setteth [it] on his shoulder, and saith unto the people who [are] with him, 'What ye have seen I have done — haste, do ye like it.'
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 also cut down each one his bough, and go after Abimelech, and set [them] at the high place, and burn by these the high place with fire, and also all the men of the tower of Shechem die, about a thousand men and women.
50 And Abimelech went out of Baethel-berith, and encamped against Thebes, and took it.
And Abimelech goeth unto Thebez, and encampeth against Thebez, and captureth 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.
and a strong tower hath been in the midst of the city, and thither flee do all the men and the women, and all the masters of the city, and they shut [it] behind them, and go up on the roof 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 cometh unto the tower, and fighteth against it, and draweth nigh unto the opening 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 doth cast a piece of a rider on the head of Abimelech, and breaketh 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.
and he calleth hastily unto the young man bearing his weapons, and saith to him, 'Draw thy sword, and thou hast put me to death, lest they say of me — A woman slew him;' and his young man pierced him through, and he dieth.
55 And the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead; and they went each to his place.
And the men of Israel see that Abimelech [is] dead, and go each one to his place;
56 So God requited the wickedness of Abimelech, which he wrought against his father, in slaying his seventy brethren.
and God turneth back the evil of Abimelech which he did to his father to slay 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 hath God turned back on their head, and come unto them doth the cursing of Jotham son of Jerubbaal.
