Judges 9
1 And Abimelech son of Jerubba‘al goes to Shechem, to his mother’s brothers, and speaks to them, and to 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 “Now speak in the ears of all the masters of Shechem, Which [is] good for you—seventy men ruling over you (all the sons of Jerubba‘al), or one man ruling over you? And you have remembered 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 speak concerning him, in the ears of all the masters of Shechem, all these words, and their heart inclines 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 give seventy [pieces] of silver out of the house of Ba‘al-Berith to him, and Abimelech hires vain and unstable men with them, and they go after 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 goes into the house of his father at Ophrah, and slays his brothers, sons of Jerubba‘al, seventy men, on one stone; and Jotham, youngest son of Jerubba‘al, is left, for he was hidden.
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 masters of Shechem are gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and come and cause Abimelech to reign for king at the oak of the camp which [is] in 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 declare [it] to Jotham, and he goes and stands on the top of Mount Gerizim, and lifts up his voice, and calls, and says to them, “Listen to me, O masters of Shechem, and God listens to 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 have diligently gone to anoint a king over them, and they say to the olive, Reign over us.
The trees went foorth to anoynt a King ouer them, and sayde vnto the oliue tree, Reigne thou ouer vs.
9 And the olive says to them, Have I ceased from my fatness, by which they honor gods and men, that I have gone to stagger 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 say to the fig, Come, reign over us.
Then the trees sayde to the fig tree, Come thou, and be King ouer vs.
11 And the fig says to them, Have I ceased from my sweetness, and my good increase, that I have gone to stagger 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 And the trees say to the vine, Come, reign over us.
Then sayd the trees vnto the Vine, Come thou, and be king ouer vs.
13 And the vine says to them, Have I ceased from my new wine, which is making gods and men glad, that I have gone to stagger 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 And all the trees say to the bramble, Come, reign over us.
Then said all the trees vnto the bramble, Come thou, and reigne ouer vs.
15 And the bramble says to the trees, If in truth you are anointing me for king over you, come, take refuge in my shadow; and if not—fire comes out from the bramble, and devours the cedars of 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 you have acted in truth and in sincerity when you make Abimelech king; and if you have done good with Jerubba‘al, and with his house; and if you have done to him according to the deed 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 because my father has fought for you, and casts his life away from [him], and delivers you from the hand of Midian;
(For my father fought for you, and aduentured his life, and deliuered you out of the handes of Midian.
18 and you have risen against the house of my father today, and slay his sons, seventy men, on one stone, and cause Abimelech son of his handmaid to reign over the masters 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 indeed, if in truth and in sincerity you have acted with Jerubba‘al and with his house this day, rejoice in Abimelech, and he rejoices—even he—in you;
If ye then haue delt truely and purely with Ierubbaal, and with his house this day, then reioyce with you.
20 and if not—fire comes out from Abimelech and devours the masters of Shechem and the house of Millo, and fire comes out from the masters of Shechem and from the house of Millo, and devours 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 Jotham hurries, and flees, and goes to Beer, and dwells there, from the face of his brother Abimelech.
And Iotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there for feare of Abimelech his brother.
22 And Abimelech is prince over Israel [for] three years,
So Abimelech reigned three yeere ouer Israel.
23 and God sends an evil spirit between Abimelech and the masters of Shechem, and the masters of Shechem deal treacherously with 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 for [the] coming in of [the] violence [against] seventy sons of Jerubba‘al, and to place their blood on their brother Abimelech, who slew them, and on the masters of Shechem, who 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 masters of Shechem set ambushes for him on the top of the hills, and rob everyone who passes over by them in the way, and it is declared to 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 Gaal son of Ebed comes—also his brothers—and they pass over into Shechem, and the masters of Shechem trust 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 go out into the field, and gather their vineyards, and tread, and make praises, and go into the house of their god, and eat and drink, and revile 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 Gaal son of Ebed says, “Who [is] Abimelech, and who [is] Shechem, that we serve him? Is [he] not son of Jerubba‘al? And his commander Zebul? The men of Hamor father of Shechem serve you, and why do we serve him—we?
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 oh that this people were in my hand—then I turn Abimelech aside”; and he says to Abimelech, “Increase your host, 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 Zebul, prince of the city, hears the words of Gaal son of Ebed, and his anger burns,
And when Zebul the ruler of the citie heard the wordes of Gaal the sonne of Ebed, his wrath was kindled.
31 and he sends messengers to Abimelech deceitfully, saying, “Behold, Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers are coming into Shechem, and behold, they are fortifying the city against you;
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 by night, you and the people who [are] with you, and lay 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 has been, in the morning, about the rising of the sun, you rise early, and have pushed against the city; and behold, he and the people who [are] with him are going out to you—and you have done to him as your hand finds.”
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 rises, and all the people who [are] with him, by night, and they lay wait against Shechem—four detachments;
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 Gaal son of Ebed goes out, and stands at the opening of the gate of the city, and Abimelech rises—also the people who [are] 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 Gaal sees the people and says to Zebul, “Behold, people are coming down from the top of the hills”; and Zebul says to him, “You are seeing the shadow of the hills like 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 Gaal adds yet to speak and says, “Behold, people are coming down from the high part of the land, and another detachment is coming by the way of the oak of Meonenim.”
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 And Zebul says to him, “Where [is] your mouth now, in that you say, Who [is] Abimelech that we serve him? Is this not the people against which you have kicked? Please go out now and fight against it.”
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 Gaal goes out before the masters of Shechem, and fights against Abimelech,
And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
40 and Abimelech pursues him, and he flees from his presence, and many fall wounded—to the opening 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 abides in Arumah, and Zebul casts out Gaal and his brothers from dwelling 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 comes to pass, on the next day, that the people go out to the field, and they declare [it] to Abimelech,
And on the morowe, the people went out into the fielde: which was tolde Abimelech.
43 and he takes the people, and divides them into three detachments, and lays wait in a field, and looks, and behold, the people are coming out from the city, and he rises against them, and strikes 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 detachments who [are] with him have pushed on, and stand at the opening of the gate of the city, and the two detachments have pushed against all who are in the field, and strike 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 Abimelech has fought against the city all that day, and captures the city, and has slain the people who [are] in it, and he breaks down the city, and sows 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 all the masters of the Tower of Shechem hear, and go into the high place 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 is declared to Abimelech that all the masters of the Tower of Shechem have gathered themselves together,
And it was tolde Abimelech, that all the men of the towre of Shechem were gathered together.
48 and Abimelech goes up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who [are] with him, and Abimelech takes the great axe in his hand, and cuts off a bough of the trees, and lifts it up, and sets [it] on his shoulder, and says to the people who [are] with him, “What you have seen me do—hurry, do as I [have done].”
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 every one of the people cuts down his bough and goes after Abimelech, and sets [them] at the high place, and burns the high place with fire by these, and also all the men of the Tower of Shechem die—about one 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 goes to Thebez, and encamps against Thebez, and captures it,
Then went Abimelech to Tebez, and besieged Tebez, and tooke it.
51 and a strong tower has been in the midst of the city, and all the men and the women flee there, and all the masters of the city, and they shut [it] behind them, and go up on 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 comes to the tower, and fights against it, and draws near to the opening 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 and a certain woman casts a piece of a millstone on the head of Abimelech, and breaks his skull,
But a certaine woman cast a piece of a milstone vpon Abimelechs head, and brake his braine pan.
54 and he calls quickly to the young man carrying his weapons and says to him, “Draw your sword, and you have put me to death, lest they say of me—A woman slew him”; and his young man pierced him through, and he dies.
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 the men of Israel see that Abimelech [is] dead, and each one goes to his place;
And when the men of Israel sawe that Abimelech was dead, they departed euery man vnto his owne place.
56 and God turns back the evil of Abimelech which he did to his father to slay his seventy brothers;
Thus God rendred the wickednes of Abimelech, which he did vnto his father, in slaying his seuentie brethren.
57 and God has returned all the evil of the men of Shechem on their [own] head, and the cursing of Jotham son of Jerubba‘al comes to them.
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.
