Judges 9
1 And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s brothers, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying,
Now Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to his mother’s brothers at Shechem and said to them and to all the clan of his mother,
2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are three score and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.
“Please ask all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Is it better for you that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or just one man?’ Remember that I am your own flesh and blood.”
3 And his mother’s brothers 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.
And when his mother’s brothers spoke all these words about him in the presence of all the leaders of Shechem, their hearts were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.”
4 And they gave him three score and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baalberith, with which Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him.
So they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired some worthless and reckless men to follow him.
5 And he went to his father’s house at Ophrah, and slew his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, being three score and ten persons, on one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.
He went to his father’s house in Ophrah, and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived, because he hid himself.
6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.
Then all the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo gathered beside the oak at the pillar in Shechem and proceeded to make Abimelech their king.
7 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, Listen to me, you men of Shechem, that God may listen to you.
When this was reported to Jotham, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim, raised his voice, and cried out: “Listen to me, O leaders of Shechem, and may God listen to you.
8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said to the olive tree, Reign you over us.
One day the trees set out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’
9 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?
But the olive tree replied, ‘Should I stop giving my oil that honors both God and man, to hold sway over the trees?’
10 And the trees said to the fig tree, Come you, and reign over us.
Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and reign over us.’
11 But the fig tree said to them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?
But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I stop giving my sweetness and my good fruit, to hold sway over the trees?’
12 Then said the trees to the vine, Come you, and reign over us.
Then the trees said to the grapevine, ‘Come and reign over us.’
13 And the vine said to them, Should I leave my wine, which cheers God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
But the grapevine replied, ‘Should I stop giving my wine that cheers both God and man, to hold sway over the trees?’
14 Then said all the trees to the bramble, Come you, and reign over us.
Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and reign over us.’
15 And the bramble said to the trees, If in truth you 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.
But the thornbush replied, ‘If you really are anointing me as king over you, come and find refuge in my shade. But if not, may fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’
16 Now therefore, if you have done truly and sincerely, in that you have made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him according to the deserving of his hands;
Now if you have acted faithfully and honestly in making Abimelech king, if you have done well by Jerubbaal and his family, and if you have done to him as he deserves—
17 (For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:
for my father fought for you and risked his life to deliver you from the hand of Midian,
18 And you are risen up against my father’s house this day, and have slain his sons, three score and ten persons, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother; )
but you have risen up against my father’s house this day and killed his seventy sons on a single stone, and you have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the leaders of Shechem because he is your brother—
19 If you then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice you in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:
if you have acted faithfully and honestly toward Jerubbaal and his house this day, then may you rejoice in Abimelech, and he in you.
20 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.
But if not, may fire come from Abimelech and consume the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo, and may fire come from the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo and consume Abimelech.”
21 And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelled there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
Then Jotham ran away, escaping to Beer, and he lived there for fear of his brother Abimelech.
22 When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel,
After Abimelech had reigned over Israel for three years,
23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:
God sent a spirit of animosity between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem and caused them to treat Abimelech deceitfully,
24 That the cruelty done to the three score and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and on the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brothers.
in order that the crime against the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come to justice and their blood be avenged on their brother Abimelech and on the leaders of Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers.
25 And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech.
The leaders of Shechem set up an ambush against Abimelech on the hilltops, and they robbed all who passed by them on the road. So this was reported to Abimelech.
26 And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers, and went over to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.
Meanwhile, Gaal son of Ebed came with his brothers and crossed into Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem put their confidence in him.
27 And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and stepped the grapes, and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech.
And after they had gone out into the fields, gathered grapes from their vineyards, and trodden them, they held a festival and went into the house of their god; and as they ate and drank, they cursed Abimelech.
28 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?
Then Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? You are to serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech?
29 And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase your army, and come out.
If only this people were under my authority, I would remove Abimelech; I would say to him, ‘Muster your army and come out!’”
30 And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.
When Zebul the governor of the city heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed, he burned with anger.
31 And he sent messengers to Abimelech privately, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers be come to Shechem; and, behold, they fortify the city against you.
So he covertly sent messengers to Abimelech to say, “Look, Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem and are stirring up the city against you.
32 Now therefore up by night, you and the people that is with you, and lie in wait in the field:
Now then, tonight you and the people with you are to come and lie in wait in the fields.
33 And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, you shall rise early, and set on the city: and, behold, when he and the people that is with him come out against you, then may you do to them as you shall find occasion.
And in the morning at sunrise, get up and advance against the city. When Gaal and his men come out against you, do to them whatever you are able.”
34 And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.
So Abimelech and all his troops set out by night and lay in wait against Shechem in four companies.
35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from lying in wait.
Now Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate just as Abimelech and his men came out from their hiding places.
36 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, You see the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.
When Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the mountains!” But Zebul replied, “The shadows of the mountains look like men to you.”
37 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.
Then Gaal spoke up again, “Look, people are coming down from the center of the land, and one company is coming by way of the Diviners’ Oak.”
38 Then said Zebul to him, Where is now your mouth, with which you said, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people that you have despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them.
“Where is your gloating now?” Zebul replied. “You said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Are these not the people you ridiculed? Go out now and fight them!”
39 And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
So Gaal went out before the leaders of Shechem and fought against Abimelech,
40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded, even to the entering of the gate.
but Abimelech pursued him, and Gaal fled before him. And many Shechemites fell wounded all the way to the entrance of the gate.
41 And Abimelech dwelled at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brothers, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
Abimelech stayed in Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem.
42 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.
The next day the people of Shechem went out into the fields, and this was reported to Abimelech.
43 And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field, and looked, and, behold, the people were come forth out of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote them.
So he took his men, divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he rose up against them and attacked them.
44 And Abimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and the two other companies ran on all the people that were in the fields, and slew them.
Then Abimelech and the companies with him rushed forward and took their stand at the entrance of the city gate. The other two companies rushed against all who were in the fields and struck them down.
45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.
And all that day Abimelech fought against the city until he had captured it and killed its people. Then he demolished the city and sowed it with salt.
46 And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.
On hearing of this, all the leaders in the tower of Shechem entered the inner chamber of the temple of El-berith.
47 And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.
And when Abimelech was told that all the leaders in the tower of Shechem were gathered there,
48 And Abimelech got him up to 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 you have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.
he and all his men went up to Mount Zalmon. Abimelech took his axe in his hand and cut a branch from the trees, which he lifted to his shoulder, saying to his men, “Hurry and do what you have seen me do.”
49 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 on them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.
So each man also cut his own branch and followed Abimelech. Then they piled the branches against the inner chamber and set it on fire above them, killing everyone in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women.
50 Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.
Then Abimelech went to Thebez, encamped against it, and captured it.
51 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 to them, and got them up to the top of the tower.
But there was a strong tower inside the city, and all the men, women, and leaders of the city fled there. They locked themselves in and went up to the roof of the tower.
52 And Abimelech came to the tower, and fought against it, and went hard to the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
When Abimelech came to attack the tower, he approached its entrance to set it on fire.
53 And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone on Abimelech’s head, and all to broke his skull.
But a woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, crushing his skull.
54 Then he called hastily to the young man his armor bearer, and said to him, Draw your sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A women slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.
He quickly called his armor-bearer, saying, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” So Abimelech’s armor-bearer ran his sword through him, and he died.
55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man to his place.
And when the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they all went home.
56 Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to his father, in slaying his seventy brothers:
In this way God repaid the wickedness that Abimelech had done to his father in murdering his seventy brothers.
57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render on their heads: and on them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
And God also brought all the wickedness of the men of Shechem back upon their own heads. So the curse of Jotham son of Jerubbaal came upon them.
