Judges 9
1 And Abimelech the son of Yerubba'al went to Shechem unto his mother's brothers, and spoke unto them, and unto all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying,
Then Abimelech the sonne of Ierubbaal went to Shechem vnto his mothers brethren, and communed with them, and with all the familie, and house of his mothers father, saying,
2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, What is better for you, either that there should rule over you seventy men, all the sons of Yerubba'al, or that there reign over you one man? and remember that I am your bone and your flesh.
Say, I pray you, in the audience of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, that all the sonnes of Ierubbaal, which are seuentie persons, reigne ouer you, either that one reigne ouer you? Remember also, that I am your bone, and your flesh.
3 And his mother's brothers spoke concerning him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words; and their heart became inclined after Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.
Then his mothers brethren spake of him in the audience of all the men of Shechem, all these wordes: and their hearts were moued to follow Abimelech: for sayd they, He is our brother.
4 And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Ba'al-berith; and Abimelech hired therewith idle and heedless persons, who followed him.
And they gaue him seuentie pieces of siluer out of the house of Baal-berith, wherewith Abimelech hired vayne and light fellowes which followed him.
5 And he came unto his father's house at 'Ophrah, and slew his brothers the sons of Yeruhba'al, seventy persons, upon one stone; and there was yet left Yotham the youngest son of Yerubba'al; for he had hidden himself.
And he went vnto his fathers house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren, the sonnes of Ierubbaal, about seuentie persons vpon one stone: yet Iotham the yongest sonne of Ierubbaal was left: for he hid himselfe.
6 And all the men of Shechem and all Beth-millo assembled together, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar that was by Shechem.
And all the men of Shechem gathered together with all the house of Millo, and came and made Abimelech King in the playne, where the stone was erected in Shechem.
7 And they told it to Yotham; and he went and stood on the top of mount Gerizzim, and he lifted up his voice, and cried; and he said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, so that God may hearken unto you.
And when they told it to Iotham, he went and stoode in the top of mount Gerizim, and lift vp his voyce, and cryed, and sayd vnto them, Hearken vnto mee, you men of Shechem, that God may hearken vnto you.
8 The trees went once forth to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive-tree, Reign thou over us.
The trees went foorth to anoynt a King ouer them, and sayde vnto the oliue tree, Reigne thou ouer vs.
9 But the olive-tree said unto them, Should I give up my fatness, wherewith through me they honor God and men, and shall I go to be promoted over the trees!
But the oliue tree said vnto them, Should I leaue my fatnes, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to aduance me aboue ye trees?
10 And the trees said to the fig-tree, Come thou, reign over us.
Then the trees sayde to the fig tree, Come thou, and be King ouer vs.
11 But the fig-tree said unto them, Should I give up my sweetness, and my good productiveness, and go to be promoted over the trees?
But the fig tree answered them, Should I forsake my sweetenesse, and my good fruite, and goe to aduance me aboue the trees?
12 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, reign over us.
Then sayd the trees vnto the Vine, Come thou, and be king ouer vs.
13 But the vine said unto them, Should I give up my fresh wine, which rejoiceth God and men, and go to be promoted over the trees!
But the Vine sayde vnto them, Should I leaue my wine, whereby I cheare God and man, and goe to aduance me aboue the trees?
14 Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, reign over us.
Then said all the trees vnto the bramble, Come thou, and reigne ouer vs.
15 And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me as king over you, then come seek protection in my shadow; and if not, then let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of the Lebanon.
And the bramble said vnto the trees, If ye will in deede anoynt me King ouer you, come, and put your trust vnder my shadowe: and if not, the fire shall come out of the bramble, and consume the Cedars of Lebanon.
16 And now, if ye have acted in truth and sincerity, when ye made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Yerubba'al and his house, and have done unto him according to the merit of his hands;
Now therefore, if ye doe truely and vncorruptly to make Abimelech King, and if ye haue delt well with Ierubbaal and with his house, and haue done vnto him according to the deseruing of his handes,
17 (In that my father fought for you, and cast his life far away, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian;
(For my father fought for you, and aduentured his life, and deliuered you out of the handes of Midian.
18 While ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, seventy men, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maid-servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother; )
And yee are risen vp against my fathers house this day, and haue slayne his children, about seuentie persons vpon one stone, and haue made Abimelech the sonne of his mayde seruant, King ouer the men of Shechem, because hee is your brother)
19 If ye have thus acted in truth and sincerity with Yerubba'al and with his house this day: then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you.
If ye then haue delt truely and purely with Ierubbaal, and with his house this day, then reioyce with you.
20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem and Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from Beth-millo, and devour Abimelech.
But if not, let a fire come out from Abimelech, and consume the men of Shechem and the house of Millo: also let a fire come foorth from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and consume Abimelech.
21 And Yotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
And Iotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there for feare of Abimelech his brother.
22 And Abimelech ruled over Israel three years;
So Abimelech reigned three yeere ouer Israel.
23 And then did God send an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem became unfaithful toward Abimelech;
But God sent an euil spirit betweene Abimelech, and the men of Shechem: and the men of Shechem brake their promise to Abimelech,
24 So that the violence [done] to the seventy sons of Yerubba'al might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, who had slain them; and upon the men of Shechem, who had strengthened his hands to slay his brothers.
That the crueltie toward the seuentie sonnes of Ierubbaal and their blood might come and be laide vpon Abimelech their brother, which had slayne them, and vpon the men of Shechem, which had ayded him to kill his brethren.
25 And the men of Shechem set persons to lie in wait for him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all that passed by them on that way: and it was told unto Abimelech.
So the men of Shechem set men in wayte for him in the toppes of the mountaines: who robbed all that passed that way by them: and it was tolde Abimelech.
26 And there came Ga'al the son of 'Ebed with his brothers, and passed through Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.
Then Gaal the sonne of Ebed came with his brethren, and they went to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.
27 And they went out into the field, and gathered their vineyards, and trod [the grapes], and made joyful feasts, and went into the house of their god, and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech.
Therefore they went out into the field, and gathered in their grapes and troade them, and made merie, and went into the house of their gods, and did eate and drinke, and cursed Abimelech.
28 And Ga'al the son of 'Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Yerubba'al? and Zebul his superintendent? serve the men of Chamor the father of Shechem; for why indeed should we serve him?
Then Gaal the sonne of Ebed sayde, Who is Abimelech? and who is Shechem, that wee should serue him? Is he not the sonne of Ierubbaal? and Zebul is his officer? Serue rather the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serue him?
29 And O that some one would put this people into my power! and I would remove Abimelech. And he let it be said to Abimelech, Increase thy army, and come out.
Now would God this people were vnder mine hand: then would I put away Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.
30 And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Ga'al the son of 'Ebed, his anger was kindled.
And when Zebul the ruler of the citie heard the wordes of Gaal the sonne of Ebed, his wrath was kindled.
31 And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privately, saying, Behold, Ga'al the son of 'Ebed and his brothers are come to Shechem; and, behold, they incite the city to enmity against thee.
Therefore he sent messengers vnto Abimelech priuily, saying, Beholde, Gaal the sonne of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem, and beholde, they fortifie the citie against thee.
32 And now rise up by night, thou and the people that are with thee, and lie in wait in the field:
Now therefore arise by night, thou and the people that is with thee, and lye in wayte in the fielde.
33 And it shall be, in the morning, the moment the sun shineth, that thou shalt rise early, and set upon the city; and, behold, when he and the people that are with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to him as thy means may let thee.
And rise early in the morning as soone as the sunne is vp, and assault the citie: and when he and the people that is with him, shall come out against thee, doe to him what thou canst.
34 And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they lay in wait against Shechem in four companies.
So Abimelech rose vp, and all the people that were with him by night: and they lay in wayte against Shechem in foure bandes.
35 And Ga'al the son of 'Ebed went out, and stood in the entrance of the city-gate: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from the ambush.
Then Gaal the sonne of Ebed went out and stood in the entring of the gate of the citie: and Abimelech rose vp, and the folke that were with him, from lying in waite.
36 And when Ga'al saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou regardest the shadow of the mountains as men.
And when Gaal sawe the people, he said to Zebul, Beholde, there come people downe from the tops of the mountaines: and Zebul said vnto him, The shadowe of the mountaines seeme men vnto thee.
37 And Ga'al spoke again and said, See people are coming down from the highest point of the land, and one company is coming along by the way of the grove of Me'onenim.
And Gaal spake againe, and said, See, there come folke downe by the middle of the land, and another bande commeth by the way of the plaine of Meonenim.
38 Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him! is not this the people that thou hast despised? go out now, I pray, and fight with them.
Then sayd Zebul vnto him, Where is now thy mouth, that said, Who is Abimelech, that we should serue him? Is not this the people that thou hast despised? Go out now, I pray thee, and fight with them.
39 And Ga'al went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
40 And Abimelech pursued him, and he fled before him, and many fell slain, even as far as the entrance of the gate.
But Abimelech pursued him, and he fledde before him, and many were ouerthrowen and wounded, euen vnto the entring of the gate.
41 And Abimelech remained at Arumah: and Zebul banished Ga'al and his brothers, that they should not remain in Shechem.
And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren that they should not dwell in Shechem.
42 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and it was told to Abimelech.
And on the morowe, the people went out into the fielde: which was tolde Abimelech.
43 And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the field; and as he saw, and, behold, that the people were coming forth out of the city, he rose up against them, and smote them.
And he tooke the people, and deuided them into three bandes, and layde wayte in the fieldes, and looked, and beholde, the people were come out of the citie, and he rose vp against them, and smote them.
44 And Abimelech, and the companies that were with him, spread forward, and took position in the entrance of the city-gate: and the two other companies spread over all that were in the fields, and smote them.
And Abimelech, and the bandes that were with him, russhed forwarde, and stoode in the entring of the gate of the citie: and the two other bandes ran vpon all the people that were in the fielde and slewe them.
45 And Ahimelech fought against the city all that day; and he captured the city, and the people that were therein he slew; and he beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.
And when Abimelech had fought against the citie all that day, he tooke the citie, and slewe the people that was therein, and destroyed the citie and sowed salt in it.
46 And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard this, they entered into the stronghold of the house of the god Berith.
And when all the men of the towre of Shechem heard it, they entred into an holde of the house of the god Berith.
47 And it was told unto Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.
And it was tolde Abimelech, that all the men of the towre of Shechem were gathered together.
48 And Abimelech went thereupon up to 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 a tree, and bore it, and laid it on his shoulder; and he said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen that I have done, make haste, and do like me.
And Abimelech gate him vp to mounte Zalmon, hee and all the people that were with him: and Abimelech tooke axes with him, and cut downe boughes of trees, and tooke them, and bare them on his shoulder, and sayde vnto the folke that were with him, What ye haue seene me doe, make haste, and doe like me.
49 And all the people also cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put the same to the stronghold, and set the stronghold over them on fire: and thus died also all the people of the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women.
Then all the people also cut downe euery man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the holde, and set the holde on fire with them: so all the men of the towre of Shechem dyed also, about a thousand men and women.
50 And Abimelech went then to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and captured it.
Then went Abimelech to Tebez, and besieged Tebez, and tooke it.
51 But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and the women, and all the chief persons of the city, and shut the doors behind them, and went up to the roof of the tower.
But there was a strong towre within the citie, and thither fledde all the men and women, and all the chiefe of the citie, and shut it to them, and went vp to the toppe of the towre.
52 And Abimelech came up to the tower, and fought against it, and approached as far as the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
And Abimelech came vnto the towre and fought against it, and went hard vnto the doore of the towre to set it on fire.
53 But a certain woman cast a piece of an upper millstone upon Abimelech's head, and crushed his skull.
But a certaine woman cast a piece of a milstone vpon Abimelechs head, and brake his braine pan.
54 Then called he hastily unto the young man that bore his armor, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that people may not say of me, A woman hath slain him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.
Then Abimelech called hastily his page that bare his harneis, and sayde vnto him, Drawe thy sworde and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slewe him. And his page thrust him thorowe, and he dyed.
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 sawe that Abimelech was dead, they departed euery man vnto his owne place.
56 Thus did God compensate the evil of Abimelech, which he had done unto his father, in slaying his seventy brothers:
Thus God rendred the wickednes of Abimelech, which he did vnto his father, in slaying his seuentie brethren.
57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God bring back upon their own head; and there came upon them the curse of Yotham the son of Yerubba'al.
Also all the wickednes of the men of Shechem did God bring vpon their heads. So vpon them came the curse of Iotham the sonne of Ierubbaal.
