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,
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,
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.”
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.
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”;
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 and all Beth-millo assembled together, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar that was by 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 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.
8 The trees have diligently gone to anoint a king over them, and they say to the olive, Reign over us.
The trees went once forth to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive-tree, Reign thou over us.
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 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!
10 And the trees say to the fig, Come, reign over us.
And the trees said to the fig-tree, Come thou, reign over us.
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 said unto them, Should I give up my sweetness, and my good productiveness, and go to be promoted over the trees?
12 And the trees say to the vine, Come, reign over us.
Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, reign over us.
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 said unto them, Should I give up my fresh wine, which rejoiceth God and men, and go to be promoted over the trees!
14 And all the trees say to the bramble, Come, reign over us.
Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, reign over us.
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 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.
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—
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;
17 because my father has fought for you, and casts his life away from [him], and delivers you from the hand of Midian;
(In that my father fought for you, and cast his life far away, and delivered you out of the hand 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—
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; )
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 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.
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 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.
21 And Jotham hurries, and flees, and goes to Beer, and dwells there, from the face of his brother Abimelech.
And Yotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
22 And Abimelech is prince over Israel [for] three years,
And Abimelech ruled over Israel three years;
23 and God sends an evil spirit between Abimelech and the masters of Shechem, and the masters of Shechem deal treacherously with Abimelech,
And then did God send an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem became unfaithful toward 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.
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.
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.
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.
26 And Gaal son of Ebed comes—also his brothers—and they pass over into Shechem, and the masters of Shechem trust in him,
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.
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.
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.
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?
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?
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.”
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.
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 city heard the words of Ga'al the son of 'Ebed, his anger 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;
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.
32 and now, rise by night, you and the people who [are] with you, and lay wait in the field,
And now rise up by night, thou and the people that are with thee, and lie in wait in the field:
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 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.
34 And Abimelech rises, and all the people who [are] with him, by night, and they lay wait against Shechem—four detachments;
And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they lay in wait against Shechem in four companies.
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,
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
39 And Gaal goes out before the masters of Shechem, and fights against Abimelech,
And Ga'al 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.
And Abimelech pursued him, and he fled before him, and many fell slain, even as far as the entrance of the gate.
41 And Abimelech abides in Arumah, and Zebul casts out Gaal and his brothers from dwelling in Shechem.
And Abimelech remained at Arumah: and Zebul banished Ga'al and his brothers, that they should not remain 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 it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and it was told to 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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 tower of Shechem heard this, they entered into the stronghold 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 told unto Abimelech, that all the men of the tower 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 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.
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.
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.
50 And Abimelech goes to Thebez, and encamps against Thebez, and captures it,
And Abimelech went then to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and captured 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 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.
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 up to the tower, and fought against it, and approached as far as the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
53 and a certain woman casts a piece of a millstone on the head of Abimelech, and breaks his skull,
But a certain woman cast a piece of an upper millstone upon Abimelech's head, and crushed his skull.
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 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.
55 And the men of Israel see that Abimelech [is] dead, and each one goes to his place;
And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man to his place.
56 and God turns back the evil of Abimelech which he did to his father to slay his seventy brothers;
Thus did God compensate the evil of Abimelech, which he had done unto his father, in slaying his seventy brothers:
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.
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.
