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, the son of Jerubbaal, went to Shechem to his mother's family, and said to them and to all the family of his mother's father,
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.
Say now in the ears of all the townsmen of Shechem, Is it better for you to be ruled by all the seventy sons of Jerubbaal or by one man only? And keep in mind that I am your bone and your flesh.
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.
So his mother's family said all this about him in the ears of all the townsmen of Shechem: and their hearts were turned to 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.
And they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the house of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech got the support of a number of uncontrolled and good-for-nothing persons.
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.
Then he went to his father's house at Ophrah, and put his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, to death on the same stone; however, Jotham, the youngest, kept himself safe by going away to a secret place.
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.
And all the townsmen of Shechem and all Beth-millo came together and went and made Abimelech their king, by the oak of the pillar in Shechem.
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.
Now Jotham, on hearing of it, went to the top of Mount Gerizim, and crying out with a loud voice said to them, Give ear to me, you townsmen of Shechem, so that God may give ear 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 went out to make a king for themselves; and they said to the olive-tree, Be king 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 said to them, Am I to give up my wealth of oil, by which men give honour to God, and go waving 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, You come and be king 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 said to them, Am I to give up my sweet taste and my good fruit and go waving over the trees?
12 Then said the trees to the vine, Come you, and reign over us.
Then the trees said to the vine, You come and be king 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 vine said to them, Am I to give up my wine, which makes glad God and men, to go waving over the trees?
14 Then said all the trees to the bramble, Come you, and reign over us.
Then all the trees said to the thorn, You come and be king 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.
And the thorn said to the trees, If it is truly your desire to make me your king, then come and put your faith in my shade; and if not, may fire come out of the thorn, burning up 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;
So now, if you have done truly and uprightly in making Abimelech king, and if you have done well to Jerubbaal and his house in reward for the work of his hands;
17 (For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:
(For my father made war for you, and put his life in danger, and made you free from the hands 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; )
And you have gone against my father's family this day, and have put to death his sons, even seventy men on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his servant-wife, king over the townsmen 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 then you have done what is true and upright to Jerubbaal and his family this day, may you have joy in Abimelech, and may he have joy 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 out from Abimelech, burning up the townsmen of Shechem and Beth-millo; and may fire come out from the townsmen of Shechem and Beth-millo, for the destruction of Abimelech.
21 And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelled there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
Then Jotham straight away went in flight to Beer, and was living there for fear of his brother Abimelech.
22 When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel,
So Abimelech was chief 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:
And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the townsmen of Shechem; and the townsmen of Shechem were false to Abimelech;
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.
So that punishment for the violent attack made on the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, and for their blood, might come on Abimelech, their brother, who put them to death, and on the townsmen of Shechem who gave him their help in putting his brothers to death.
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.
And the townsmen of Shechem put secret watchers on the tops of the mountains, and they made attacks on all who went by on the road and took their goods; and word of this came 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.
Then Gaal, the son of Ebed, came with his brothers, and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their faith 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 they went out into their fields and got in the fruit of their vines, and when the grapes had been crushed, they made a holy feast and went into the house of their god, and over their food and drink they were cursing 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?
And Gaal, the son of Ebed, said, Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem, that we are to be his servants? Is it not right for the son of Jerubbaal and Zebul his captain to be servants to the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem? But why are we to be his servants?
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 I had authority over this people! I would put Abimelech out of the way, and I would say to Abimelech, Make your army strong, 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.
Now Zebul, the ruler of the town, hearing what Gaal, the son of Ebed, had said, was moved to wrath.
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.
And he sent to Abimelech at Arumah, saying, See, Gaal, the son of Ebed, and his brothers have come to Shechem, and they are working up the town against you.
32 Now therefore up by night, you and the people that is with you, and lie in wait in the field:
So now, get up by night, you and your people, and keep watch in the field secretly;
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, when the sun is up, get up early and make a rush on the town; and when he and his people come out against you, do to them whatever you have a chance to do.
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 the people with him got up by night, in four bands, to make a surprise attack on Shechem.
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.
And Gaal, the son of Ebed, went out, and took his place at the doorway into the town; then Abimelech and his people got up from the place where they had been waiting.
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.
And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, See! people are coming down from the tops of the mountains. And Zebul said to him, You see the shade of the mountains like men.
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.
And Gaal said again, See! people are coming down from the middle of the land, and one band is coming by way of the oak-tree of the Seers.
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.
Then Zebul said to him, Now where is your loud talk when you said, Who is Abimelech that we are to be his servants? Is this not the people whom you were rating so low? Go out now, and make war on them.
39 And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
So Gaal went out at the head of the townsmen of Shechem and made war on Abimelech.
40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded, even to the entering of the gate.
And Abimelech went after him and he went in flight before him; and a great number were falling by the sword all the way up to the town.
41 And Abimelech dwelled at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brothers, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
Then Abimelech went back to Arumah; and Zebul sent Gaal and his brothers away and would not let them go on living in Shechem.
42 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.
Now the day after, the people went out into the fields; and news of it came 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.
And he took his people, separating them into three bands, and was waiting secretly in the field; and when he saw the people coming out of the town, he went up and made an attack on 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.
And Abimelech with his band made a rush, and took up their position at the doorway into the town; and the other two bands made a rush on all those who were in the fields, and overcame them.
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 was fighting against the town; and he took it, and put to death the people who were in it, and had the town pulled down and covered 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.
Then all the townsmen of the tower of Shechem, hearing of it, went into the inner room of the house of El-berith.
47 And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.
And word was given to Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem were there together.
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.
Then Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, with all his people; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand and, cutting down branches of trees, took them and put them on his back. And he said to the people who were with him, Be quick and do as 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 all the people got branches, every man cutting down a branch, and they went with Abimelech at their head and, massing the branches against the inner room, put fire to the room over them; so all those who were in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women, were burned to death with it.
50 Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.
Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and put his army in position against Thebez and took 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 in the middle of the town there was a strong tower, to which all the men and women of the town went in flight and, shutting themselves in, 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.
And Abimelech came to the tower and made an attack on it, and got near to the door of the tower for the purpose of firing it.
53 And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone on Abimelech’s head, and all to broke his skull.
But a certain woman sent a great stone, such as is used for crushing grain, on to the head of Abimelech, cracking the bone.
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.
Then quickly crying out to his body-servant, he said to him, Take out your sword and put an end to me straight away, so that men may not say of me, His death was the work of a woman. So the young man put his sword through him, causing his death.
55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man to his place.
And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they went away, every man to his place.
56 Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to his father, in slaying his seventy brothers:
In this way Abimelech was rewarded by God for the evil he had done to his father in putting his seventy brothers to death;
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 sent back on to the heads of the men of Shechem all the evil they had done, and the curse of Jotham, the son of Jerubbaal, came on them.
