Judges 9
1 Abimelech, son of Jerub-baal, went to his mother's brothers at Shechem and told them and all his mother's relatives,
And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother's brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying,
2 “Please ask all the leaders of Shechem, ‘What's best for you? That seventy men, all of them Jerub-baal's sons, rule over you—or just one man?’ Remember I'm your own flesh and blood!”
Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Which [is] better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, [which are] seventy persons, should reign over you, or that one should reign over you? remember also that I [am] your bone and your flesh.
3 His mother's brothers shared his proposal with all the leaders of Shechem, and they decided to follow Abimelech, because they said, “He is our relative.”
And his mother's brethren spoke 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 They gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-berith. Abimelech used the money to hire some arrogant troublemakers as his gang.
And they gave him seventy [pieces] of silver out of the house of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired vain and light persons, who followed him.
5 He went to his father's house in Ophrah, and on one stone killed his seventy half-brothers, the sons of Jerub-baal. But Jotham, Jerub-baal's youngest son, escaped by going into hiding.
And he went to his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, [being] seventy persons, upon one stone; notwithstanding, yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.
6 Then the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo all assembled by the oak at the pillar in Shechem and made Abimelech their king.
And all the men of Shechem assembled, and all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that [was] in Shechem.
7 When Jotham got to hear this, he went up to the top of Mount Gerizim, and shouted in a loud voice: “Listen to me, leaders of Shechem, and God may to listen to 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 to them, Hearken to me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken to you.
8 Once upon a time the trees were determined to anoint a king to rule over them. They said to the olive tree, ‘You shall be our king.’
The trees went forth [on a time] 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 rich oil that benefits both gods and men just to go and sway to and fro over the trees?’
But the olive-tree said to them, Should I leave my fatness, with which by me they honor God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
10 Then the trees asked the fig tree, ‘You come and be our king.’
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 good sweet fruit just to go and sway to and fro over the trees?’
But the fig-tree said to them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?
12 Then the trees asked the grape vine, ‘You come and be our king.’
Then said the trees to the vine, Come thou, [and] reign over us.
13 But the grape vine replied, ‘Should I stop giving my wine that makes both gods and men happy just to go and sway to and fro over the trees?’
And the vine said to them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
14 Then all the trees asked the thorn bush, ‘You come and be our king.’
Then said all the trees to the bramble, Come thou, [and] reign over us.
15 The thorn bush replied to the trees, ‘If you're really sincere about anointing me as your king, come and find shelter in my shade. But if not, may fire flame out of the thorn bush and burn up the cedars of Lebanon!’
And the bramble said to 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 Have you acted sincerely and honestly by making Abimelech your king? Have you been acted honorably to Jerub-baal and his family? Have you respected him for all that he accomplished?
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 to him according to the deserving of his hands:
17 Don't forget how my father fought for you and risked his own life to save you from the Midianites!
(For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you from the hand of Midian:
18 But you have rebelled against my father's family today. You have killed his seventy sons on one stone and have made Abimelech, the son of his slave woman, king over the leaders of Shechem simply because he's related to you.
And ye have risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, seventy persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maid-servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he [is] your brother: )
19 Have you acted sincerely and honestly toward Jerub-baal and his family today? If so, may you be happy with Abimelech, and may he be happy with too!
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 you haven't, then may fire flame out from Abimelech, and may it burn up the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo, and may fire flame out from the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo and burn up 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 Then Jotham escaped and ran away. He went to Beer and stayed there because of the threat of Abimelech his brother.
And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
22 Abimelech ruled over Israel for three years.
When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel,
23 Then God sent an evil spirit to cause trouble between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem. The leaders of Shechem betrayed Abimelech.
Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:
24 This happened because of the murder of the seventy sons of Jerub-baal and that responsibility for their blood be placed on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the leaders of Shechem, who provided the means to kill his brothers.
That the cruelty [done] to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother who slew them, and upon the men of Shechem who aided him in the killing of his brethren.
25 The leaders of Shechem sent men to the hill passes to lie in wait and attack Abimelech, and, in the meantime, they robbed everyone who passed by on the road. Abimelech found out what was happening.
And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him on the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech.
26 Gaal, son of Ebed, had moved to Shechem with his relatives, and he gained the loyalty of the leaders of Shechem.
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 At harvest time they went out into the countryside and gathered the grapes from their vineyards and trod them. They celebrated by having a festival in the temple of their god, where they ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech.
And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trod [the grapes], and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech.
28 “Who is this Abimelech?” asked Gaal, son of Ebed. “And who is Shechem, that we should have to serve him? Isn't he the son of Jerub-baal, while Zebul is actually the one in charge? You should serve the family of Hamor, the father of Shechem. Why should we have to serve Abimelech?
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 If I was the one in charge of you people, I would dispose of Abimelech! I would tell him, ‘Get your army together, and come and fight!’”
And would that this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thy army, and come out.
30 When Zebul, the governor of the city, got to hear what Gaal was saying, he became very angry.
And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.
31 He secretly sent messengers to Abimelech to tell him, “Look, Gaal, son of Ebed, and his relatives have arrived in Shechem, and they are stirring up the town to rebel against you.
And he sent messengers to Abimelech privately, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed, and his brethren, are come to Shechem; and behold, they fortify the city against thee.
32 So come at night with your army and hide in the countryside.
Now therefore rise by night, thou, and the people that [are] with thee, and lie in wait in the field:
33 In the morning as soon as the sun comes up, go and attack the town. When Gaal and his men come out to fight you, you can do whatever you want to them.”
And it shall be, [that] in the morning, as soon as the sun hath risen, thou shalt rise early, and attack the city: and behold, [when] he and the people that [are] with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to them as thou shalt find occasion.
34 Abimelech left at night along with his army, and they separated into four companies that lay in wait near Shechem.
And Abimelech rose, and all the people that [were] with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.
35 When Gaal, son of Ebed, went out and stood at the town's entrance gate, Abimelech and his army came out from where they had been hiding.
And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose, and the people that [were] with him, from lying in wait.
36 Gaal saw the army approaching and said to Zebul, “Look! Some people are coming down from the hilltops!” “That's just shadows made by the hills that look like men,” Zebul replied.
And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said to him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as [if they were] men.
37 “No really, people are coming down from the high ground,” Gaal repeated. “Plus, there's another company coming down the road that passes the diviners' oak tree.”
And Gaal spoke 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 “Where's your big mouth now? You're the one who said, ‘Who is this Abimelech, that we should have to serve him?’” Zebul told him. “Aren't these the people you detested? Go on then—go and fight with them!”
Then said Zebul to him, Where [is] now thy mouth, with which thou saidst, Who [is] Abimelech, that we should serve him? [are] not these the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them.
39 So Gaal led the leaders of Shechem out of the town and fought with Abimelech.
And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
40 Abimelech attacked, and chased him and his men as they ran away, killing many of them as they tried to get back to the town gate.
And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown [and] wounded, [even] to the entrance of the gate.
41 Abimelech went back to Arumah while Zebul expelled Gaal and his relatives from Shechem.
And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
42 The following day the people of Shechem went out to the fields, and Abimelech was informed about it.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.
43 He divided his army into three companies and had them lay in ambush in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he attacked and killed them.
And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field, and looked, and behold, the people [had] come out of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote them.
44 Abimelech and his company raced to occupy the town's entrance gate, while the two companies raced to attack everyone in the fields and kill them.
And Abimelech, and the company that [was] with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entrance 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 The battle for the town lasted all day but eventually Abimelech captured it. He killed the people, demolished the town, and scattered salt over the ground.
And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that [were] in it, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.
46 When all the leaders of the tower of Shechem realized what had happened, they took refuge in the strongroom of the temple of El-berith.
And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard [that], they entered into a hold of the house of the god Berith.
47 When Abimelech found out that all the leaders in the tower of Shechem had gathered there,
And it was told to Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were assembled.
48 he and all the men with him went up Mount Zalmon. Abimelech grabbed hold of an ax and cut a branch from the trees. He lifted it onto his shoulder, and told his men, “Quick! You saw what I did. Do the same!”
And Abimelech ascended mount Zalmon, he and all the people that [were] with him; and Abimelech took an ax in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid [it] on his shoulder, and said to the people that [were] with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, [and] do as I [have done].
49 Each of them cut down a branch and followed Abimelech. They placed the branches against the strongroom and set it on fire. So all the people who lived in the tower of Shechem died, around one 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 Then Abimelech went to attack Thebez and captured it.
Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.
51 But there was a strong tower inside the city. All the men and women and the town leaders ran there and barricaded themselves in, and then went up to 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] after them, and ascended to the top of the tower.
52 Abimelech went up to the tower to attack it. But as he came close to the tower's entrance to set it on fire,
And Abimelech came to the tower, and fought against it, and came near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
53 a woman dropped millstone down on Abimelech's head and cracked his skull open.
And a certain woman cast a piece of of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and broke his skull.
54 He quickly called the young man who carried his weapons, and ordered him, “Draw your sword and kill me, so they won't say about me that a woman killed him.” So the young man drove his sword through him, and he died.
Then he called hastily to the young man his armor-bearer, and said to 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 When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they all left and went home.
And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man to his place.
56 This is how God paid back Abimelech's crime against his father of murdering his seventy brothers.
Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:
57 He also repaid the people of Shechem for their evil, and the curse of Jotham, son of Jerub-baal, came down 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.
