Judges 9
1 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:
Then went Abimelech son of Jerubbaal, to Shechem, unto the brethren of his mother, —and spake unto them, and unto all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying;
2 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.
Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the owners of Shechem—Which is better for you, that there should rule over you, seventy men, all sons of Jerubbaal, or that there should rule over you, one man? And remember that, your bone and your flesh, am I.
3 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:
So the brethren of his mother spake for him, in the ears of all the owners of Shechem, all these words, —and their heart inclined after Abimelech, for they said—Our own brother, is he.
4 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.
So they gave him seventy pieces of silver, out of the house of Baal-berith, —and Abimelech hired therewith, loose and unstable men, and they followed him.
5 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.
And he entered the house of his father, at Ophrah, and slew his brethren, sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, upon one stone, —but there remained Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, for he had hidden himself.
6 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.
Then were gathered together all the owners of Shechem, and all the house of Millo, and they went and made Abimelech king, —by the oak of the pillar, that was in Shechem.
7 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.
And, when it was told Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried aloud, —and said unto them—Hearken unto me, ye owners of Shechem, and may God, hearken unto you.
8 The trees went to anoint a king over them: and they said to the olive tree: Reign thou over us.
The trees, went their way, to anoint over them, a king, —and they said unto the olive tree—Reign thou over us.
9 And it answered: Can I leave my fatness, which both gods and men make use of, to come to be promoted among the trees?
But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, which, in me, gods and men do honour, —and go to wave to and fro, over the trees?
10 And the trees said to the fig tree: Come thou and reign over us.
Then said the trees unto the fig-tree, —Come! thou reign over us.
11 And it answered them: Can I leave my sweetness, and my delicious fruits, and go to be promoted among the other trees?
But the fig-tree said unto them, Should I leave my sweetness, and mine excellent increase, —and go to wave to and fro, over the trees?
12 And the trees said to the vine: Come thou and reign over us.
Then said the trees unto the vine, —Come! thou, reign over us.
13 And it answered them: Can I forsake my wine, that cheereth God and men, and be promoted among the other trees?
But the vine said unto them, Should I leave my new wine, that rejoiceth gods and men, —and go to wave to and fro, over the trees?
14 And all the trees said to the bramble: Come thou and reign over us.
Then said all the trees, unto the bramble, —Come, thou, to reign over us.
15 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.
And the bramble said unto the trees, If, in truth, ye are about to anoint me to be king over you, come, take refuge in my shade, —but, if not, there shall come forth fire out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
16 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,
Now, therefore, if, in truth and sincerity, ye have acted, in making Abimelech king, —and if ye have dealt, well, with Jerubbaal and with his house, and if, according to the deserving of his hands, ye have done unto him;
17 And exposed his life to dangers, to deliver you from the hands of Madian,
in that my father fought for you, and cast his soul away from before him, and rescued you out of the hand of Midian; —
18 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:
yet have, ye, risen up against the house of my father, to-day, and slain his sons—seventy men, upon one stone, —and made Abimelech, son of his maidservant, king over the owners of Shechem, because he is, your brother;
19 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.
if then, in truth and in sincerity, ye have dealt with Jerubbaal and with his house, this day, rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let, him also, rejoice in you;
20 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.
but, if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the owners of Shechem, and the house of Millo, —and let fire come out from the owners of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech!
21 And when he had said thus he fled, and went into Bera: and dwelt there for fear of Abimelech his brother.
And Jotham hasted away, and fled, and went to Beer, —and dwelt there, away from the face of Abimelech his brother.
22 So Abimelech reigned over Israel for three years.
And Abimelech ruled over Israel three years.
23 And the Lord sent a very evil spirit between Abimelech and the inhabitants of Sichem: who began to detest him,
Then God let go a spirit of mischief between Abimelech and the owners of Shechem, —and the owners of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:
24 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.
that the cruel wrong to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might [come upon them], —and that their blood might be laid upon Abimelech their brother, who slew them, and upon the owners of Shechem who strengthened his hands, to slay his brethren.
25 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.
So the owners of Shechem set for him liers in wait, upon the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who crossed over them by the road, —and it was told Abimelech.
26 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,
And Gaal son of Ebed came, with his brethren, and they passed through to Shechem, —and the owners of Shechem put their trust in him.
27 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.
Then went they out into the fields, and gathered the fruit of their vineyards and trode [the grapes], and held a vintage festival, —and entered the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and poured contempt on Abimelech.
28 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?
And Gaal son of Ebed said: Who is Abimelech—and who is the son of Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? Serve ye the men of Hamor, Shechem’s father, but why should, we, serve him?
29 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.
Would, then, this people were in my hand! that I might set aside Abimelech, —and say to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out!
30 For Zebul the ruler of the city, hearing the words of Gaal, the son of Obed, was very angry,
And, when Zubul, governor of the city, heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, then was kindled his anger.
31 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.
And he sent messengers unto Abimelech, by deceit, saying, —Lo! Gaal son of Ebed, and his brethren, are coming into Shechem; and lo! are fortifying the city against thee.
32 Arise therefore in the night with the people that is with thee and he hid in the field:
Now, therefore, up by night, thou and the people that are with thee, and lie in wait in the field;
33 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.
and it shall be, in the morning, about sunrise, thou shalt get up early, and spread thyself out against the city, —when lo! he and the people that are with him coming out against thee, so shalt thou do unto him as thy hand shall find opportunity.
34 Abimelech therefore arose with all his army by night, and laid ambushes near Sichem in four places.
So Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, —and they lay in wait above Shechem, in four companies.
35 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.
Then came forth Gaal son of Ebed, and took his stand at the opening of the gate of the city, —so Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from the place of ambush.
36 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.
And, when Gaal saw the people, he said unto Zebul, Lo! people coming down from the tops of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, The shadow of the mountains, thou seest, like men.
37 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.
Then did Gaal yet further speak, and say—Lo! people coming down from the highest part of the land, —and one company, coming in by way of the Conjurers’ Terebinth.
38 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.
So then Zebul said unto him—Where, then, is thy mouth that kept on saying, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? Is not, this, the people which thou didst despise? Go forth, I pray thee, now, and fight with them!
39 So Gaal went out in the sight of the people of Sichem, and fought against Abimelech,
And Gaal went forth before the owners of Shechem, —and fought against Abimelech.
40 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:
And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, —and there fell a multitude of slain as far as the entering of the gate.
41 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.
Then dwelt Abimelech in Arumah, —and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
42 So the day following the people went out into the field. And it was told Abimelech.
And it came to pass, on the morrow, that the people went forth into the field, —and they told Abimelech.
43 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,
So he took the people and divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the field, —and he looked, and lo! the people coming forth out of the city, so he rose up against them, and smote them.
44 With his own company, assaulting and besieging the city: whilst the two other companies chased the enemies that were scattered about the field.
And, Abimelech, and the companies that were with him, spread themselves out, and [one of the companies] took their stand at the opening of the gate of the city, —while, the two companies, spread themselves out against all that were in the field, and smote them.
45 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.
And, Abimelech, fought against the city, all that day, and captured the city, the people also that were therein, he slew, —and brake down the city, and sowed it with salt.
46 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.
And, when all the owners of the tower of Shechem heard, they entered into the basement of the house of El-berith.
47 Abimelech also hearing that the men of the tower of Sichem were gathered together,
And it was told Abimelech, that all the owners of the tower of Shechem had gathered themselves together.
48 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.
So Abimelech went up 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 lifted it, and laid it on his shoulder, —and said unto the people that were with him—What ye have seen me do, haste! do likewise.
49 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.
So, even all the people cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and laid them over the basement, and set it on fire over them who were therein, —even all the men of the tower of Shechem died about a thousand men and women.
50 Then Abimelech departing from thence came to the town of Thebes, which he surrounded and besieged with his army.
Then went Abimelech unto Thebez, —and encamped against Thebez, and captured it.
51 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.
Now, a strong tower, was in the midst of the city, and there fled thither all the men and the women, and all the owners of the city, and shut themselves in, —and went up on the roof of the tower.
52 And Abimelech coming near the tower, fought stoutly: and approaching to the gate, endeavoured to set fire to it:
And Abimelech came in as far as the tower, and fought against it, —and so came near, as far as the entrance of the tower, to burn it with fire.
53 And behold a certain woman casting a piece of a millstone from above, dashed it against the head of Abimelech, and broke his skull.
And a certain woman cast an upper millstone upon the head of Abimelech, —and brake in pieces his skull.
54 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.
Then called he hastily unto the young man bearing his armour, and said unto him—Draw thy sword, and put me to death, lest they say of me, A woman, slew him! So his young man thrust him through, and he died.
55 And when he was dead, all the men of Israel that were with him, returned to their homes.
And, when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was, dead, they went their way every man to his own place.
56 And God repaid the evil, that Abimelech had done against his father, killing his seventy brethren.
Thus did God requite the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father, in slaying his seventy brethren;
57 The Sichemites also were rewarded for what they had done, and the curse of Joatham the son of Jerobaal came upon them.
all the wickedness also, of the men of Shechem, did God requite upon their own head, —and so brought in upon, them the curse of Jotham, son of Jerubbaal.
