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,
Pea naʻe ʻalu ki Sikemi ʻa ʻApimeleki ko e foha ʻo Selupeali ki he kāinga ʻo ʻene faʻē, pea alea ia mo kinautolu, pea mo kinautolu kotoa pē naʻe ʻi he fale ʻoe tamai ʻa ʻene faʻē, ʻo pehē,
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!”
“ʻOku ou kole kiate kimoutolu, mou lea ʻi he telinga ʻoe kau tangata ʻo Sikemi, Ko fē ia ʻoku lelei, ʻae pule kiate kimoutolu ʻae ngaahi foha kotoa pē ʻo Selupeali, ko e toko fitungofulu, pe ko e pule ʻae tokotaha kiate kimoutolu? Mou manatu foki ʻoku ʻo homou hui mo homou kakano au.”
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.”
Pea naʻe lea ai ʻae kāinga ʻo ʻene faʻē ʻi he telinga ʻoe kau tangata kotoa pē ʻo Sikemi ʻi he ngaahi lea ni: pea naʻe tokanga leva honau loto ke muimui ia ʻApimeleki: he naʻa nau pehē, ko hotau kāinga ia.
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.
Pea naʻa nau ʻatu kiate ia ʻae konga siliva ʻe fitungofulu mei he fale ʻo Peali-Piliti, ʻaia naʻe ʻave ʻe ʻApimeleki ʻo foaki ki he kau tangata kovi mo vaʻivaʻinga ʻaia naʻe muimui ʻiate ia.
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.
Pea naʻa ne ʻalu ki he fale ʻo ʻene tamai ʻi Ofila, ʻo ne tāmateʻi hono kāinga ko e ngaahi foha ʻo Selupeali ʻe toko fitungofulu, ʻi he funga maka pe taha: ka naʻe hao ʻa Sotame ko e foha kimui ʻo Selupeali: he naʻa ne fufū ia.
6 Then the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo all assembled by the oak at the pillar in Shechem and made Abimelech their king.
Pea naʻe fakataha ʻae kau tangata kotoa pē ʻo Sikemi, mo e fale kotoa ʻo Milo, pea naʻa nau ʻalu, ʻo fakanofo ʻa ʻApimeleki ke tuʻi, ʻI he malaʻe ʻoe pou ʻaia naʻe ʻi Sikemi.
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!
Pea ʻi heʻenau tala ia kia Sotame, naʻe ʻalu ia ʻo tuʻu ʻi he tumutumu ʻoe moʻunga ko Kelisimi, pea hiki hono leʻo, ʻo kalanga, ʻo ne pehē kiate kinautolu, “Fanongo kiate au, ʻakimoutolu ʻae kau tangata ʻo Sikemi, koeʻuhi ke tokanga ʻae ʻOtua kiate kimoutolu.
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.’
Naʻe ʻalu atu ʻae ngaahi ʻakau ʻi he kuonga ʻe taha ke fakanofo ha tuʻi kiate kinautolu; pea naʻa nau pehē ki he ʻolive, ‘Ke ke pule koe kiate kimautolu.’
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?’
Ka naʻe pehē ʻe he ʻolive kiate kinautolu, ‘He te u tuku ʻeku lelei ʻaʻaku ʻaia ʻoku tupu ai ʻiate au ʻenau fakaʻapaʻapa ki he ʻOtua mo e tangata, pea u ʻalu ke hoko ko e māʻolunga au ʻi he ngaahi ʻakau?’
10 Then the trees asked the fig tree, ‘You come and be our king.’
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he ngaahi ʻakau ki he fiki, ‘Haʻu koe, ʻo pule kiate kimautolu.’
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?’
Ka naʻe pehē ʻe he fiki kiate kinautolu, ‘ʻE lelei ʻeku tuku ʻeku huʻamelie, mo ʻeku fua lelei, pea u ʻalu ke hoko au ke māʻolunga ki he ngaahi ʻakau?’
12 Then the trees asked the grape vine, ‘You come and be our king.’
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he ngaahi ʻakau ki he vaine, ‘Haʻu koe, ʻo pule kiate kimautolu.’
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?’
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he vaine kiate kinautolu, ‘ʻE lelei ʻeku tuku ʻeku uaine, ʻaia ʻoku ne fakafiemālie ʻae ʻOtua mo e tangata, pea u ʻalu ke hoko ke pule ki he ngaahi ʻakau?’
14 Then all the trees asked the thorn bush, ‘You come and be our king.’
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he ngaahi ʻakau kotoa pē ki he talatalaʻāmoa, ‘Haʻu koe, ʻo pule kiate kimautolu.’
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!’
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he talatalaʻāmoa ki he ngaahi ʻakau, ‘Kapau ʻoku mou fakanofo moʻoni au ko e tuʻi kiate kimoutolu, mou haʻu ʻo falala ki hoku malu: pea kapau ʻe ʻikai, tuku ke haʻu ʻae afi mei he talatalaʻāmoa ʻo fakaʻauha ʻae ngaahi sita ʻo Lepanoni.’
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?
“Pea ko eni, kapau kuo mou fai moʻoni, mo totonu, ʻi hoʻomou fakanofo ʻa ʻApimeleki ke tuʻi, pea kapau kuo mou fai lelei kia Selupeali mo hono fale, mou fai kiate ia ʻo fakatatau ki he ngāue lelei ʻa hono nima:
17 Don't forget how my father fought for you and risked his own life to save you from the Midianites!
(He naʻe tau ʻeku tamai maʻamoutolu, ʻo ne liʻaki moʻoni ʻene moʻui, ʻo ne fakamoʻui ai ʻakimoutolu mei he nima ʻo Mitiane:
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.
Pea kuo mou tuʻu hake he ʻaho ni ki he fale ʻo ʻeku tamai, pea kuo mou tāmateʻi hono ngaahi foha, ko e tangata ʻe toko fitungofulu, ʻi he maka pe taha, pea kuo mou fakanofo ʻa ʻApimeleki, ko e tama ʻa ʻene kaunanga, ke tuʻi ki he kau tangata ʻo Sikemi koeʻuhi ko homou kāinga ia; )
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!
Pea ko eni, kapau kuo mou fai moʻoni mo angatonu kia Selupeali, pea ki hono fale he ʻaho ni, mou fiefia ia ʻApimeleki, pea tuku ke vikiviki ia ʻiate kimoutolu:
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!”
Pea kapau ʻoku ʻikai, tuku ke haʻu ʻae afi meia ʻApimeleki ʻo fakaʻauha ʻae kau tangata ʻo Sikemi, mo e fale ʻo Milo; pea haʻu ʻae afi mei he kau tangata ʻo Sikemi, pea mei he fale ʻo Milo, pea fakaʻauha ʻa ʻApimeleki.”
21 Then Jotham escaped and ran away. He went to Beer and stayed there because of the threat of Abimelech his brother.
Pea naʻe lele ʻa Sotame ʻo hola, pea ne ʻalu ki Piea, pea nofo ai, ʻi he manavahē kia ʻApimeleki ko hono tokoua.
22 Abimelech ruled over Israel for three years.
Pea hili ʻae taʻu ʻe tolu mo ʻene pule ʻa ʻApimeleki ki ʻIsileli,
23 Then God sent an evil spirit to cause trouble between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem. The leaders of Shechem betrayed Abimelech.
Naʻe fekau ʻe he ʻOtua ʻae laumālie kovi kia ʻApimeleki mo e kau tangata ʻo Sikemi: pea naʻe fai fakakākā ʻe he kau tangata ʻo Sikemi kia ʻApimeleki.
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.
Koeʻuhi ke hoko ʻae kovi naʻe fai ki he ngaahi foha ʻe toko fitungofulu ʻo Selupeali, mo honau toto, kia ʻApimeleki ko honau tehina, ʻaia naʻa ne tāmateʻi ʻakinautolu; pea ki he kau tangata ʻo Sikemi, ʻakinautolu naʻa nau tokoni ia ʻi he tāmateʻi ʻo hono ngaahi kāinga.
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.
Pea naʻe fakanofo ʻe he kau tangata ʻo Sikemi ʻae kau tangata ke lamasi ia ʻi he tumutumu ʻoe ngaahi moʻunga, pea naʻa nau kaihaʻasi mei he kakai kotoa pē naʻe ʻalu ʻi he hala ofi kiate kinautolu pea naʻe fakahā ia kia ʻApimeleki.
26 Gaal, son of Ebed, had moved to Shechem with his relatives, and he gained the loyalty of the leaders of Shechem.
Pea naʻe haʻu ʻa Keali ko e foha ʻo Epeti mo hono ngaahi kāinga, ʻonau hoko ki Sikemi: pea naʻe tui kiate ia ʻae kau tangata ʻo Sikemi.
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.
Pea naʻa nau ʻalu kituaʻā ki he ngoue, ʻo tānaki ʻenau ngoue vaine, ʻonau malakaki ʻenau ngaahi kālepi, pea fai ʻae fiefia, ʻonau hū ki he fale ʻo honau ʻotua, ʻonau kai mo inu, pea naʻa nau kapeʻi ʻa ʻApimeleki.
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?
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Keali ko e foha ʻo Epeti, “Ko hai ʻa ʻApimeleki, pea ko hai ʻa Sikemi, koeʻuhi ke tau tauhi ia? ʻIkai ko e foha ia ʻo Selupeali? Mo Sepuli ko ʻene matāpule? Mou tauhi ʻae kau tangata ʻo Hemoa ko e tamai ʻa Sikemi: he koeʻumaʻā ʻemau tauhi kiate ia?
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!’”
ʻAmusiaange ʻeau ki he ʻOtua kuo ʻi hoku lalo nima ʻae kakai ni! Pea te u toki hiki ʻa ʻApimeleki. Pea pehē ʻe ia kia ʻApimeleki, ‘Fakatokolahi hoʻo kau tau, pea ke haʻu kituaʻā.’”
30 When Zebul, the governor of the city, got to hear what Gaal was saying, he became very angry.
Pea ʻi he fanongo ʻa Sepuli ko e pule ʻoe kolo ki he ngaahi lea ʻa Keali ko e foha ʻo Epeti, naʻe tupu ai ʻene ʻita.
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.
Pea naʻe fekau fakalilolilo kia ʻApimeleki, ʻo pehē, “Vakai, ko Keali ko e foha ʻo Epeti mo hono ngaahi kāinga kuo nau haʻu ki Sikemi: pea vakai, ʻoku nau teu ʻae kolo ni ko ho tauʻi:
32 So come at night with your army and hide in the countryside.
Pea ko eni ke ke hake ʻi he poʻuli ʻa koe mo e kakai ʻoku ʻiate koe, pea toka ʻae malumu ʻi he ngoue:
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.”
Pea ʻe pehē, ʻi he hopo leva ʻae laʻā ʻapongipongi, ke ke tuʻu hake leva ʻo tauʻi ʻae kolo: pea vakai, ʻoka ʻalu atu ia mo e kakai ʻoku ʻiate ia ke tauʻi koe, te ke toki fai kiate kinautolu ʻo hangē ko e faʻa fai ʻo ho nima.”
34 Abimelech left at night along with his army, and they separated into four companies that lay in wait near Shechem.
Pea naʻe tuʻu hake ʻa ʻApimeleki, mo e kakai kotoa pē naʻe ʻiate ia, ʻi he poʻuli, pea naʻa nau vahe fā ʻakinautolu ʻo malumu ki Sikemi.
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.
Pea naʻe ʻalu atu ʻa Keali ko e foha ʻo Epeti, ʻo ne tuʻu ʻi he hūʻanga ki he matapā ʻoe kolo: pea naʻe tuʻu hake ʻa ʻApimeleki, mo e kakai naʻe ʻiate ia, mei heʻenau toka malumu.
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.
Pea ʻi he mamata ʻa Keali ki he kakai, naʻe pehē ʻe ia kia Sepuli, “Vakai, ʻoku ʻalu hifo ʻae kakai mei he ngaahi tumutumu ʻoe moʻunga.” Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Sepuli kiate ia, “ʻOku ke mamata ki he malu ʻoe moʻunga ʻo lau ia ko e kakai.”
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.”
Pea naʻe toe lea ʻa Keali ʻo pehē, “Vakai, ʻoku ʻalu hifo ʻae kakai ʻi he loto fonua, pea ko e kakai ʻe taha ʻoku ʻalu ange ʻo ofi ki he tafangafanga ʻo Mioninimi.”
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!”
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Sepuli kiate ia, “Ko eni kuo ʻi fē ho ngutu, ʻaia naʻa ke lea ai, Ko hai ʻa ʻApimeleki ke tau tauhi ia? ʻIkai ko e kakai eni naʻa ke manukiʻi? Ko eni ʻoku ou kole kiate koe, ke ke ʻalu kituaʻā ʻo tauʻi ʻakinautolu.”
39 So Gaal led the leaders of Shechem out of the town and fought with Abimelech.
Pea naʻe ʻalu kituaʻā ʻa Keali ʻi he ʻao ʻoe kau tangata ʻo Sikemi, ʻo ne tau mo ʻApimeleki.
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.
Pea naʻe tuli ia ʻe ʻApimeleki, pea naʻe hola ia mei hono ʻao, pea naʻe teʻia ʻae tokolahi mo lavea, ʻo aʻu atu ki he hūʻanga ʻoe matapā.
41 Abimelech went back to Arumah while Zebul expelled Gaal and his relatives from Shechem.
Pea naʻe nofo ʻa ʻApimeleki ʻi Eluma pea naʻe kapusi ʻe Sepuli ʻa Keali mo hono kāinga, ke ʻoua naʻa nau nofo ʻi Sikemi.
42 The following day the people of Shechem went out to the fields, and Abimelech was informed about it.
Pea naʻe hoko ʻo pehē ʻi he ʻapongipongi, naʻe ʻalu ʻae kakai ki he ngoue; pea naʻa nau tala ia kia ʻApimeleki.
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.
Pea naʻe ʻave ʻe ia ʻae kakai, ʻo ne vahe tolu kinautolu, pea toka ʻae malumu ʻi he ngoue, ʻo fakasio, pea vakai, kuo haʻu ʻae kakai kituaʻā mei he kolo; pea naʻe tuʻu hake ia kiate kinautolu, ʻo teʻia ʻakinautolu.
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.
Pea naʻe ʻoho atu ʻa ʻApimeleki mo e kau tangata naʻe ʻiate ia, ʻonau tuʻu ʻi hūʻanga ki he matapā ʻoe kolo: pea naʻe tuli ʻe he kongakau kehe ʻe ua ki he kakai naʻe ʻi he ngoue, ʻo tāmateʻi ʻakinautolu.
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.
Pea naʻe tauʻi ʻe ʻApimeleki ʻae kolo ʻi he ʻaho kotoa ko ia: pea naʻa ne lavaʻi ʻae kolo, ʻo tāmateʻi ʻae kakai naʻe ʻi ai, ʻo ne holoki hifo ʻae kolo, pea naʻe tūtuuʻi ia ʻaki ʻae māsima.
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.
Pea ʻi he fanongo ki ai ʻae kau tangata kotoa pē ʻoe fale tau māʻolunga ʻo Sikemi, naʻa nau hū ki he potu ʻoe fale ʻoe ʻotua ko Piliti.
47 When Abimelech found out that all the leaders in the tower of Shechem had gathered there,
Pea naʻe fakahā kia ʻApimeleki, kuo kātoa fakataha ʻae kau tangata kotoa pē ʻoe fale tau māʻolunga ʻo Sikemi.
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!”
Pea naʻe ʻalu hake ʻa ʻApimeleki ki he moʻunga ko Salimoni, ʻaia mo e kakai kotoa pē naʻe ʻiate ia; pea naʻe toʻo ʻe ʻApimeleki ʻae toki ʻi hono nima, ʻo ne tā hifo ʻae vaʻakau mei he ngaahi ʻakau, ʻo ne toʻo ia, ʻo ʻai ki hono uma, pea ne pehē ki he kakai naʻe ʻiate ia, Ko ia kuo mou mamata kuo u fai, mou fakatoʻotoʻo ʻo faʻifaʻitaki kiate au.
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.
Pea naʻe fai ʻe he kakai kotoa pē ʻo tā hifo taki taha ʻae tangata ʻene vaʻakau, ʻonau muimui ʻia ʻApimeleki, ʻo fokotuʻu ia ki he potu mālohi, pea naʻe tutu ʻae potu mālohi kiate kinautolu; ko ia naʻe mate ai ʻae kau tangata ʻoe fale tau māʻolunga ʻo Sikemi foki, ko e kau tangata ʻe toko afe nai, mo e kau fefine.
50 Then Abimelech went to attack Thebez and captured it.
Pea naʻe ʻalu ai ʻa ʻApimeleki ki Tipesi, ʻo ne tauʻi ʻa Tipesi, pea ne lavaʻi ia.
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.
Ka naʻe ʻi ai ʻae fale tau mālohi ʻi he loto kolo, pea naʻe hola ki ai ʻae kau tangata kotoa pē mo e kau fefine, mo kinautolu kotoa pē ʻoe kolo, ʻonau tāpuni ia kiate kinautolu, pea naʻa nau ʻalu hake ki he tuʻafale ki ʻolunga.
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,
Pea naʻe haʻu ʻa ʻApimeleki ki he fale māʻolunga, ʻo ne tauʻi ia, pea naʻa ne ʻalu ofi ki he matapā ʻoe fale māʻolunga ke tutu ia ʻaki ʻae afi.
53 a woman dropped millstone down on Abimelech's head and cracked his skull open.
Pea naʻe sī hifo ʻe he fefine ha konga ʻoe maka momosi ki he ʻulu ʻo ʻApimeleki, koeʻuhi ke foa ai hono ʻulu.
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.
Pea naʻe ui fakatoʻotoʻo ia ki he talavou ko hono hoa tau, ʻo ne pehē kiate ia, “Unuhi hoʻo heletā, ʻo tāmateʻi au, ke ʻoua naʻa pehē ʻe he kakai ʻiate au, naʻe tāmateʻi ia ʻe he fefine.” Pea naʻe tui ia ke ʻasi ʻe heʻene talavou, pea naʻa ne mate.
55 When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they all left and went home.
Pea ʻi he mamata ʻae kau tangata ʻo ʻIsileli kuo mate ʻa ʻApimeleki, naʻa nau ʻalu taki taha ki hono potu.
56 This is how God paid back Abimelech's crime against his father of murdering his seventy brothers.
Naʻe pehē ʻae totongi ʻe he ʻOtua kia ʻApimeleki ʻi he ngaahi angakovi ʻaia naʻa ne fai ki heʻene tamai, ʻi he tāmateʻi hono kāinga ʻe toko fitungofulu:
57 He also repaid the people of Shechem for their evil, and the curse of Jotham, son of Jerub-baal, came down upon them.
Pea ko e ngaahi kovi ʻae kau tangata ʻo Sikemi naʻe totongi ia ʻe he ʻOtua ki honau ʻulu: pea naʻe hoko kiate kinautolu ʻae malaʻia naʻe fakahā ʻe Sotame ko e foha ʻo Selupeali.
