Judges 9
1 And Abimelech son of Jerobaal went to Sychem to his mother's brethren; and he spoke to them and to all the kindred of the house 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, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Sychem, saying, Which [is] better for you, that seventy men, even all the sons of Jerobaal, should reign over you, or that one man should reign over you? and remember 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 concerning him in the ears of all the men of Sychem all these words; and their heart turned after Abimelech, for they said, 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 [pieces] of silver out of the house of Baalberith; and Abimelech hired for himself vain and cowardly men, and they went after 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 went to the house of his father to Ephratha, and killed his brethren the sons of Jerobaal, seventy men upon one stone; but Joatham the youngest son of Jerobaal was left, for he hid himself.
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 Sicima, and all the house of Bethmaalo, were gathered together, and they went and made Abimelech king by the oak of Sedition, which was at Sicima.
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 And it was reported to Joatham, and he went and stood on the top of mount Garizin, and lifted up his voice, and wept, and said to them, Hear me, you men of Sicima, and God shall 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 forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said to the olive, Reign 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 But the olives said to them, Shall I leave my fatness, with which men shall glorify God, and go to be promoted over 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, reign over us.
Then said the trees unto the fig-tree, —Come! thou reign over us.
11 But the fig tree said to them, Shall I leave my sweetness an my good fruits, and go to be promoted over the 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, reign over us.
Then said the trees unto the vine, —Come! thou, reign over us.
13 And the vine said to them, Shall I leave my wine that cheers God and men, and go to be promoted over the 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 Then all the trees said to the bramble, Come you and [reign] over us.
Then said all the trees, unto the bramble, —Come, thou, to reign over us.
15 And the bramble said to the trees, If you in truth anoint me to reign over you, come, stand under my shadow; and if not, let fire come out from me 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 And now, if you have done it in truth and integrity, and have made Abimelech king, and if you have wrought well with Jerobaal, and with his house, and if you have done to him according to the reward of his hand,
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 as my father fought for you, and put his life in jeopardy, and delivered you out of the hand of Madiam;
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 risen up this day against the house of my father, and have slain his sons, being seventy men, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech the son of his bondwoman king over the men of Sicima, 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 then you have done truly and faithfully with Jerobaal, and with his house this day, rejoice you in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice over 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 not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Sicima, and the house of Bethmaalo; and let fire come out from the men of Sicima and from the house of Bethmaalo, 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 Joatham fled, and ran away, and went as far as Baeer, and lived there out of the way of his brother Abimelech.
And Jotham hasted away, and fled, and went to Beer, —and dwelt there, away from the face of Abimelech his brother.
22 And Abimelech reigned over Israel three years.
And Abimelech ruled over Israel three years.
23 And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Sicima; and the men of Sicima dealt treacherously with the house of Abimelech:
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 to bring the injury done to the seventy sons of Jerobaal, and to lay their blood upon their brother Abimelech, who killed them, and upon the men of Sicima, because they strengthened his hands to kill his brethren.
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 the men of Sicima set liers in wait against him on the top of the mountains, and robbed every one who passed by them on the way; and it was reported to the king 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 son of Jobel came, and his brethren, and passed by Sicima, and the men of Sicima trusted in him.
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 And they went out into the field, and gathered their grapes, and trod them, and made merry; and they brought [the grapes] into the house of their god, and ate and drank, and 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 Jobel said, Who is Abimelech, and who is the son of Sychem, that we should serve him? [Is he] not the son of Jerobaal, and [is] not Zebul his steward, his servant with the son of Emmor the father of Sychem? and why should 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 And would that this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech, and I would say to him, Multiply your host, and come out.
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 And Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Jobel, and he 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 he sent messengers to Abimelech secretly, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Jobel and his brethren are come to Sychem; and behold, they have besieged the city against you.
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 And now rise up by night, you and the people with you, and lay wait 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 it shall come to pass in the morning at sunrising, you shall rise up early and draw toward the city; and behold, he and the people with him will come forth against you, and you shall do to him according to your power.
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 And Abimelech and all the people with him rose up by night, and formed an ambuscade against Sychem in four companies.
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 Jobel went forth, and stood by the door of the gate of the city: and Abimelech and the people with him rose up from the ambuscade.
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 Gaal the son of Jobel saw the people, and said to Zebul, Behold, a people comes down from the top of the mountains: and Zebul said to him, You see the shadow of the mountains as men.
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 And Gaal continued to speak and said, Behold, a people comes down westward from the part bordering on the middle of the land, and another company comes by the way of Helon Maonenim.
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, And where is your mouth as you spoke, Who is Abimelech that we should serve him? [Is] not this the people whom you despised? go forth now, and set the battle in array 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 And Gaal went forth before the men of Sychem, and set the battle in array against Abimelech.
And Gaal went forth before the owners of Shechem, —and fought against Abimelech.
40 And Abimelech pursued him, and he fled from before him; and many fell down slain as far as the door of the gate.
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 entered into Arema, and Zebul cast out Gaal and his brethren, so that they should not dwell in Sychem.
Then dwelt Abimelech in Arumah, —and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
42 And it came to pass on the second day that the people went out into the field, and [one] brought word to 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 the people, and divided them into three companies, and formed an ambush in the field; and he looked, and, behold, the people went forth out of the city, and he rose up against them, and struck 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 And Abimelech and the chiefs of companies that were with him rushed forward, and stood by the door of the gate of the city; and the two [other] companies rushed forward upon all that were in the field, and struck them.
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 fought against the city all that day, and took the city, and killed the people that were in it, and destroyed the city, and sowed it with salt.
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 all the men of the tower of Sychem heard, and came to the gathering of Baethel-berith.
And, when all the owners of the tower of Shechem heard, they entered into the basement of the house of El-berith.
47 And it was reported to Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Sychem were gathered together.
And it was told Abimelech, that all the owners of the tower of Shechem had gathered themselves together.
48 And Abimelech went up to the mount of Selmon, and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a branch of a tree, and took it, and laid it on his shoulders; and said to the people that were with him, What you see me doing, do quickly as I.
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 And they cut down likewise even every man a branch, and went after Abimelech, and laid them against the place of gathering, and burnt the place of gathering over them with fire; and they died, even all the men of the tower of Sicima, about a thousand men and women.
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 And Abimelech went out of Baethel-berith, and encamped against Thebes, and took it.
Then went Abimelech unto Thebez, —and encamped against Thebez, and captured it.
51 And there was a strong tower in the midst of the city; and there all the men and the women of the city fled, and shut [the door] without them, and went up on the roof of the tower.
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 drew near to the tower, and they besieged it; and Abimelech drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
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 a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon 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 cried out quickly to the young man his armor-bearer, and said to him, Draw your sword, and kill me, lest at any time they should say, A woman killed him: and his young man thrust him through and he died.
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 the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead; and they went each to his place.
And, when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was, dead, they went their way every man to his own place.
56 So God requited the wickedness of Abimelech, which he wrought against his father, in slaying his seventy brethren.
Thus did God requite the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father, in slaying his seventy brethren;
57 And all the wickedness of the men of Sychem God requited upon their head; 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.
