Judges 9
1 Now Abimelech, the son of Jerubbaal, went to Shechem, to his maternal brothers, and he spoke to them, and to all the relatives of the house of his maternal grandfather, saying:
Gbe ɖeka la Abimelek, Yerubaal ƒe vi, ɖi tsa yi ɖasra nyruiawo kpɔ le Sekem
2 “Speak to all the men of Shechem: Which is better for you: that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, should rule over you, or that one man should rule over you? And consider also that I am your bone and your flesh.”
eye wòdo susu sia ɖe wo gbɔ be: Alekee, anyo na mi be Yerubaal ƒe vi blaadre sɔŋ naɖu fia ɖe mia dzi loo, alo be nye Abimelek, ame si nye mia vi ŋutɔŋutɔ la naɖu fia ɖe mia dzia, miyi ɖabia dumemetsitsiawo se.
3 And his maternal brothers spoke about him to all the men of Shechem, all these words, and they inclined their hearts after Abimelech, saying, “He is our brother.”
Ale Abimelek nyruiawo yi dumemetsitsiwo gbɔ hetsɔ Abimelek ƒe nya la ɖo woƒe ŋkume. Woɖo be, esi Abimelek dada tso yewoƒe dua me ta la, yewoxɔ Abimelek ƒe nya la.
4 And they gave to him the weight of seventy silver coins from the shrine of Baal-berith. With this, he hired for himself indigent and wandering men, and they followed him.
Ale wona gae tso esi wodzɔ le trɔ̃ Baal Berit subɔƒe la me eye fia Abimelek tsɔ ga sia ƒo gbevu aɖewo nu ƒu ɖe eɖokui ŋu.
5 And he went to his father’s house in Ophrah, and he killed his brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, upon one stone. And there remained only Joatham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, and he was in hiding.
Ekplɔ wo yi fofoa ƒe aƒe me le Ofra eye wòna wowu Yerubaal ƒe vi blaadreawo ɖe kpe ɖeka dzi, ke Yerubaal ƒe vi ɖeka, Yotam, koe si ɖaɣla eɖokui.
6 Then all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the families of the city of Millo, and they went and appointed Abimelech as king, beside the oak that stood at Shechem.
Esia megbe la, Sekemtɔwo kple Betmilɔtɔwo wɔ takpekpe gã aɖe le oɖumti la te le Sekem eye woɖo Abimelek fiae.
7 When this had been reported to Jotham, he went and stood at the top of Mount Gerizim. And lifting up his voice, he cried out and said: “Listen to me, men of Shechem, so that God may listen to you.
Esi wogblɔ nya sia na Yotam la, eyi Gerizim to la tame eye wòdo ɣli gblɔ na wo be, “Miɖo tom, mi Sekemtɔwo, ale be Mawu naɖo to mi.
8 The trees went to anoint a king over themselves. And they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’
Gbe ɖeka la, atiwo kpe ta be woaɖo fia na wo ɖokui. Wogblɔ na amiti be, ‘Ɖu fia ɖe mía dzi.’
9 And it responded, ‘How could I abandon my fatness, which both gods and men make use of, and depart to be promoted among the trees?’
“Gake amiti ɖo eŋu na wo be, ‘Ɖe madzudzɔ amidzidzi, ami si wotsɔna dea bubu mawuwo kple amegbetɔwo ŋu be mava ɖu fia ɖe atiwo dzia?’
10 And the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and accept royal power over us.’
“Emegbe la wogblɔ na gboti be, ‘Va ɖu fia ɖe mía dzi.’
11 And it responded to them, ‘How could I abandon my sweetness, and my very sweet fruits, and depart to be promoted among the other trees?’
“Ke gboti ɖo eŋu na wo be, ‘Ɖe madzudzɔ nye ku vivi ŋanɛwo tsetse be maɖu fia ɖe atiwo dzia?’
12 And the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and reign over us.’
“Wogblɔ na wainka be, ‘Va ɖu fia ɖe mía dzi.’
13 And it responded to them, ‘How could I abandon my wine, which gives joy to God and men, and be promoted among the other trees?’
“Ke wainka ɖo eŋu na wo be, ‘Ɖe madzudzɔ wain si doa dzidzɔ na mawuwo kple amewo siaa la tsetse ale be maɖu fia ɖe atiwo dzia.’
14 And all the trees said to the bramble, ‘Come and reign over us.’
“Mlɔeba la, atiawo katã gblɔ na ŋuti be, ‘Va, nàɖu fia ɖe mía dzi.’
15 And it responded to them: ‘If truly you would appoint me as king, come and rest under my shadow. But if you are not willing, let fire go forth from the bramble, and let it devour the cedars of Lebanon.’”
“Ŋuti gblɔ na atiawo be, ‘Ne miaɖom fiae ɖe mia nu vavã la, ekema miva be ɖe nye vɔvɔli te, ke ne menye nenema o la, mina dzo nado tso ŋuti la me ava bi Lebanon ƒe sedatiwo.’”
16 So now, if you are upright and without sin in appointing Abimelech as a king over you, and if you have acted well with Jerubbaal, and with his house, and if you have repaid, in turn, the benefits of him who fought on your behalf,
Yotam yi edzi be, “Ɖe miewɔ nu dzɔdzɔe ɖe Yerubaal kple eƒe dzidzimeviwo ŋu be mietsɔ Abimelek ɖo fia mahã?
17 and who gave his life to dangers, so that he might rescue you from the hand of Midian,
Fofonye wɔ aʋa na mi, tsɔ eƒe agbe ke eye wòɖe mi tso Midiantɔwo ƒe asi me,
18 though you now have risen up against my father’s house, and have killed his sons, seventy men, upon one stone, and have appointed Abimelech, the son of his handmaid, as a king over the inhabitants of Shechem, since he is your brother,
ke mietso ɖe eŋu eye miewu via blaadre le kpe ɖeka dzi. Azɔ la, mietsɔ via Abimelek, ame si nye fofonye ƒe kosi vi la ɖo fiae elabena miaƒe ƒometɔ wònye.
19 if therefore you are upright and have acted without fault with Jerubbaal and his house, then you should rejoice on this day in Abimelech, and he should rejoice in you.
Ne mieka ɖe edzi be yewowɔ nu dzɔdzɔe ɖe Yerubaal kple eƒe dzidzimeviwo ŋu la, ekema agbe nadidi na mi eye eme nafa na miawo kple Abimelek siaa.
20 But if you have acted perversely, may fire go forth from him and consume the inhabitants of Shechem and the town of Millo. And may fire go forth from the men of Shechem and from the town of Millo, and devour Abimelech.”
Ke ne miewɔ nu dzɔdzɔe ɖe Gideon ŋu o la, ekema Abimelek natsrɔ̃ Sekemtɔwo kple Betmilɔt ƒe amewo eye woawo hã natsrɔ̃ Abimelek!”
21 And when he had said these things, he fled and went away to Beer. And he lived in that place, out of fear of Abimelech, his brother.
Azɔ vɔvɔ̃ na nɔvia Abimelek ta la, Yotam si yi ɖanɔ Beer.
22 And so Abimelech reigned over Israel for three years.
Le Abimelek ƒe fiaɖuɖu le Israel ƒe etɔ̃ megbe la,
23 And the Lord put a very grievous spirit between Abimelech and the inhabitants of Shechem, who began to detest him,
Mawu na dzre va dzɔ ɖe Fia Abimelek kple Sekemtɔwo dome, ale Sekemtɔwo tso ɖe fia la ŋu.
24 and to place blame for the crime of the killing of the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, and for the shedding of their blood, upon Abimelech, their brother, and upon the rest of the leaders of the Shechemites, who assisted him.
Le nya siwo va dzɔ me la, wohe to na Abimelek kple Sekemtɔ siwo kpe ɖe eŋu le Yerubaal ƒe vi blaadreawo wuwu me.
25 And they stationed an ambush against him at the summit of the mountains. And while they were waiting for his arrival, they committed robberies, taking spoils from those passing by. And this was reported to Abimelech.
Sekemtɔwo be ɖe mɔ si yi to la dzi la dzi na Abimelek. Esi wonɔ elalam be wòava yi la, woda adzo ame siwo va to mɔ la dzi yina. Ke ame aɖe fi tofi na Abimelek le nugbe si woɖo ɖe eŋu la ŋuti.
26 Now Gaal, the son of Ebed, went with his brothers, and crossed over to Shechem. And the inhabitants of Shechem, uplifted by his arrival,
Ɣe ma ɣi la, Gaal, Ebed ƒe vi, ʋu kple nɔviawo yi Sekem eye wòzu ame ŋkutawo dometɔ ɖeka le dua me.
27 departed into the fields, laying waste to the vineyards, and trampling the grapes. And while singing and dancing, they entered into the shrine of their god. And while feasting and drinking, they cursed Abimelech.
Le esime wonɔ nuŋeŋeŋkekenyui ɖum le Sekem le ƒe ma me le woƒe mawu ƒe gbedoxɔ me la, amewo no wain nyuie eye wode asi fiƒoƒo de Abimelek me.
28 And Gaal, the son of Ebed, cried out: “Who is Abimelech, and what is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, who has appointed Zebul, his servant, as ruler over the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem? Why then should we serve him?
Gaal do ɣli be, “Ame kae nye Abimelek eye nu ka ta wòanye míaƒe fia? Nu ka ta míanye eƒe subɔlawo? Eya kple xɔlɔ̃a, Zebul, boŋue anye míawo ƒe subɔlawo. Miɖe kɔ ɖa le Abimelek ŋu!
29 I wish that someone would set this people under my hand, so that I might take away Abimelech from their midst.” And it was told to Abimelech, “Gather the multitude of an army, and approach.”
Mitsɔm ɖo fiae eye enumake miakpɔ nu si adzɔ ɖe Abimelek dzi! Magblɔ na Abimelek be, ‘Ƒo aʋawɔlawo nu ƒu eye nàho aʋa!’”
30 For Zebul, the ruler of the city, upon hearing the words of Gaal, the son of Ebed, became very angry.
Ke esi dumegã Zebul se nya si Gaal gblɔ la, edo dɔmedzoe.
31 And he sent messengers secretly to Abimelech, saying: “Behold, Gaal, the son of Ebed, has arrived at Shechem with his brothers, and he has set the city against you.
Enumake eɖo du ɖe Abimelek le Aruma be, “Gaal, Ebed ƒe vi kple eƒe ƒometɔwo ʋu va le Sekem eye wole aɖaŋu vɔ̃ ɖom na amewo be woatso ɖe ŋuwò.
32 And so, rise up in the night, with the people who are with you, and lie hidden in the field.
Wò kple wò aʋakɔ miva be ɖe gbedzi le zã me
33 And at first light in the morning, as the sun is rising, rush upon the city. And when he goes out against you, with his people, do to him what you are able to do.”
eye ne ŋu ke ko la, mige ɖe dua me. Ne Gaal kple eƒe amewo do va kpe mi la, ekema miate ŋu awɔ nu sia nu si dze mia ŋu la kpli wo!”
34 And so Abimelech rose up, with all his army, by night, and he set ambushes near Shechem in four places.
Abimelek kple eƒe amewo zɔ mɔ le zã me, woma ɖe akpa ene me eye wode xa ɖe teƒe vovovowo ƒo xlã dua.
35 And Gaal, the son of Ebed, went out, and he stood at the entrance to the gate of the city. Then Abimelech rose up, and all the army with him, from the places of the ambushes.
Esi ŋu ke, le ŋdi me la, esime Gaal nɔ anyi ɖe dua ƒe agbo nu henɔ aɖaŋu dem kple dumemetsitsiawo la, Abimelek kple eƒe amewo lũ ɖe dua dzi.
36 And when Gaal had seen the people, he said to Zebul, “Behold, a multitude is descending from the mountains.” And he responded to him, “You are seeing the shadows of the mountains, as if they were the heads of men, and so you are being deceived by this error.”
Esi Gaal kpɔ wo la, edo ɣli gblɔ na Zebul be, “Kpɔ to ma dzi ɖa! Medze abe amewoe le ɖiɖim tso afi ma gbɔna ene oa?” Zebul ɖo eŋu be, “Ao! Vɔvɔliwo ko kpɔm nèle abe amewo ene!”
37 Again, Gaal said, “Behold, a people is descending from the middle of the land, and one company is arriving by the way that looks towards the oak.”
Gaal yi edzi be, “Kpɔ afi ma nyuie, meka ɖe edzi be mekpɔ amewo le lulũm ɖe mía dzi gbɔna. Kpɔ afi sia hã ɖa, ame bubuwo hã gbɔna; wodze le Meomenim ƒe oɖumti la ŋu!”
38 And Zebul said to him: “Where is your mouth now, with which you said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Is this not the people that you were despising? Go out and fight against him.”
Tete Zebul biae be, “Afi ka wò numeɖiɖi gbogboawo le azɔ? Ame kae gblɔ be, ‘Ame ka gɔ̃e nye Abimelek eye nu ka ta wòaɖu fia ɖe mía dzi?’ Ame siwo ŋu nèɖu fewu le eye nèƒo fi de wo la le dua godo fifi laa! Do go nàkpe aʋa kpli wo!”
39 Therefore, Gaal went out, with the people of Shechem watching, and he fought against Abimelech,
Enumake Gaal kplɔ Sekemtɔwo eye wowɔ aʋa kple Abimelek.
40 who pursued him, fleeing, and drove him into the city. And many were cut down on his side, even to the gate of the city.
Ke Abimelek ƒe amewo ɖu Gaal dzi. Sekemtɔ geɖewo xɔ abi eye womlɔ aʋagbe la dzi va se ɖe keke dua ƒe agbo nu ke.
41 And Abimelech made camp at Arumah. But Zebul expelled Gaal and his companions from the city, and he would not permit them to remain in it.
Abimelek nɔ Aruma ɣe ma ɣi. Zebul nya Gaal kple eƒe ƒometɔwo le Sekem eye meɖe mɔ be woaganɔ afi ma o.
42 Therefore, on the following day, the people departed into the field. And when this had been reported to Abimelech,
Le ŋufɔke la, Sekemtɔwo gayi aʋa, ke ame aɖe fi tofi na Abimelek tso woƒe ɖoɖowo ŋu.
43 he took his army, and divided it into three companies, and he placed ambushes in the fields. And seeing that the people had departed from the city, he rose up and rushed upon them,
Ale wòma eƒe aʋawɔlawo ɖe akpa etɔ̃ eye wòɣla wo ɖe gbedzi. Esi Sekemtɔwo do ta ɖa la, Abimelek ƒe amewo dze wo dzi eye wode asi wo wuwu me.
44 along with his own company, assaulting and besieging the city. But the two other companies pursued the enemies scattered in the field.
Abimelek da aʋalɔgo ɖeka ɖe dua ƒe agbo nu ale be Sekemtɔwo ƒe aʋawɔlawo mate ŋu atrɔ, asi yi dua me o, le esime aʋalɔgo eve bubuawo nɔ wo wum le gbedzi.
45 Now Abimelech assaulted the city all that day. And he seized it, and he killed its inhabitants, and he destroyed it, so much so that he scattered salt in it.
Wowɔ aʋa ŋkeke blibo la hafi Abimelek te ŋu xɔ du la. Ewu amewo eye wògbã du la.
46 And when those living in the tower of Shechem had heard about this, they entered the temple of their god, Berith, where they had formed a covenant with him. And it was because of this, that the place had taken its name. And it was greatly fortified.
Esi Migdaltɔwo kpɔ nu si dzɔ la, wosi yi mɔ si te ɖe Baal Berit, ƒe subɔƒe la me.
47 Abimelech, also hearing that the men of the tower of Shechem had joined together,
Esi Abimelek se be ameawo si yi mɔ la me la,
48 ascended to mount Zalmon, with all his people. And taking an axe, he cut down the branch of a tree. And laying it on his shoulder, and carrying it, he said to his companions, “What you see me do, you must do quickly.”
Abimelek yi Zalmɔn to dzi. Efɔ nake lé ɖe abɔta eye wòɖe gbe na eƒe ameawo bena woawɔ nu si tututu yewɔ.
49 And so, eagerly cutting down branches from the trees, they followed their leader. And surrounding the fortified place, they set it on fire. And so it happened that, by smoke and fire, one thousand persons died, men and women together, the occupants of the tower of Shechem.
Ale ameawo dometɔ ɖe sia ɖe fɔ nake yi dua me. Abimelek tsɔ eƒe nake tu mɔ la ƒe gli ŋu eya ta ameawo hã wɔ nenema ke. Woli kɔ woƒe nakewo ɖe glia ŋu eye wode dzo nakekɔ la me. Ale ame abe akpe ɖeka ene, ŋutsuwo kple nyɔnuwo siaa, ame siwo nɔ mɔ la me la katã ku.
50 Then Abimelech, setting out from there, arrived at the town of Thebez, which he surrounded and besieged with his army.
Abimelek ho aʋa ɖe Tebez du la ŋu azɔ eye wòxɔe.
51 Now there was, in the midst of the city, a high tower, to which men and women were fleeing together, with all the leaders of the city. And, having very strongly sealed the gate, they were standing on the roof of the tower to defend themselves.
Mɔ sesẽ aɖe nɔ dua me eya ta dua me tɔwo katã si yi eme. Wotu agbo la heyi mɔ la tame ke henɔ ŋku lém ɖe Abimelek kple eƒe amewo ŋu.
52 And Abimelech, drawing near the tower, fought valiantly. And approaching the gate, he strove to set it on fire.
Esi Abimelek va mɔ la te eye wònɔ dzadzram ɖo be yeatɔ dzoe la,
53 And behold, one woman, throwing a fragment of a millstone from above, struck the head of Abimelech, and broke his skull.
nyɔnu aɖe ɖe asi le nutukpe gã aɖe ŋu tso mɔ la tame ɖo ɖe anyigba eye kpea ge dze Abimelek dzi eye wogbã ta nɛ.
54 And he quickly called to his armor bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and strike me, otherwise it may be said that I was slain by a woman.” And, doing as he was ordered, he killed him.
Abimelek gblɔ na eƒe adekplɔvi be, “Wum! Elabena menyo be woase be nyɔnue wu Abimelek o!” Ale adekplɔvi la tɔ hɛe wòku.
55 And when he was dead, all those of Israel who were with him returned to their homes.
Esi Israelviwo kpɔ be Abimelek ku la, wokaka yi wo de.
56 And so did God repay the evil that Abimelech had done against his father by killing his seventy brothers.
Ale Mawu he to na Abimelek le nu vɔ̃ si wòwɔ ɖe fofoa ŋu, to fofoa ƒe vi blaadreawo wuwu me la ta.
57 The Shechemites also were given retribution for what they had done, and the curse of Jotham, the son of Jerubbaal, fell upon them.
Mawu na Sekemtɔwo hã kpe fu ɖe woƒe ŋutasesẽ ta, abe ale si Yotam, Yerubaal ƒe vi gblɔe do ŋgɔ, esi wòƒo fi de wo la ene.
