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,
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,
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said to the olive, Reign over us.
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 olives said to them, Shall I leave my fatness, with which men shall glorify God, and go to be promoted over the trees?
10 And the trees said to the fig-tree, Come thou, reign over us.
And the trees said to the fig tree, Come, reign over us.
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 said to them, Shall I leave my sweetness an my good fruits, and go to be promoted over the trees?
12 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, reign over us.
And the trees said to the vine, Come, reign over us.
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!
And the vine said to them, Shall I leave my wine that cheers God and men, and go to be promoted over the trees?
14 Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, reign over us.
Then all the trees said to the bramble, Come you and [reign] over us.
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 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.
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;
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,
17 (In that my father fought for you, and cast his life far away, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian;
as my father fought for you, and put his life in jeopardy, and delivered you out of the hand of Madiam;
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 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:
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 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:
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 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.
21 And Yotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
And Joatham fled, and ran away, and went as far as Baeer, and lived there out of the way of his brother Abimelech.
22 And Abimelech ruled over Israel three years;
And Abimelech reigned over Israel three years.
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;
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
And Gaal son of Jobel came, and his brethren, and passed by Sicima, and the men of Sicima trusted 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.
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.
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?
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?
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.
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.
30 And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Ga'al the son of 'Ebed, his anger was kindled.
And Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Jobel, and he was very angry.
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.
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.
32 And now rise up by night, thou and the people that are with thee, and lie in wait in the field:
And now rise up by night, you and the people with you, and lay wait in the field.
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 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.
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.
And Abimelech and all the people with him rose up by night, and formed an ambuscade against Sychem in four companies.
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.
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
39 And Ga'al went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
And Gaal went forth before the men of Sychem, and set the battle in array against Abimelech.
40 And Abimelech pursued him, and he fled before him, and many fell slain, even as far as the entrance of the gate.
And Abimelech pursued him, and he fled from before him; and many fell down slain as far as the door 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 entered into Arema, and Zebul cast out Gaal and his brethren, so that they should not dwell in Sychem.
42 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and it was told to Abimelech.
And it came to pass on the second day that the people went out into the field, and [one] brought word to 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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 all the men of the tower of Sychem heard, and came to the gathering of Baethel-berith.
47 And it was told unto Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.
And it was reported to Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Sychem 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 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.
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.
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.
50 And Abimelech went then to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and captured it.
And Abimelech went out of Baethel-berith, and encamped against Thebes, and took 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.
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.
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 drew near to the tower, and they besieged it; and Abimelech drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
53 But a certain woman cast a piece of an upper millstone upon Abimelech's head, and crushed his skull.
And a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon the head of Abimelech, and broke his skull.
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.
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.
55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man to his place.
And the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead; and they went each to his place.
56 Thus did God compensate the evil of Abimelech, which he had done unto his father, in slaying his seventy brothers:
So God requited the wickedness of Abimelech, which he wrought against his father, in slaying his seventy 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.
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.
