Judges 9
1 Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother's brothers, and spoke with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying,
And Abimelech the son of Jerobaal went to Sichem to his mother’s brethren and spoke to them, and to all the kindred of his mother’s father, saying:
2 "Please speak in the ears of all the lords of Shechem, 'Is it better for you that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are seventy persons, rule over you, or that one rule over you?' Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.'"
Speak to all the men of Sichem: whether is better for you that seventy men all the sons of Jerobaal should rule over you, or that one man should rule over you? And withal consider that I am your bone, and your flesh.
3 And his mother's brothers spoke of him in the ears of all the lords of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, "He is our brother."
And his mother’s brethren spoke of him to all the men of Sichem, all these words, and they inclined their hearts after Abimelech, saying: He is our brother:
4 They gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal Berith, with which Abimelech hired vain and light fellows, who followed him.
And they gave him seventy weight of silver out of the temple of Baalberith: wherewith he hired to himself men that were needy, and vagabonds, and they followed him.
5 He went to his father's house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy persons, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.
And he came to his father’s house in Ephra, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerobaal, seventy men, upon one stone: and there remained only Joatham the youngest son of Jerobaal, who was hidden.
6 And all the lords of Shechem assembled themselves together, and all Beth Millo, and went and made Abimelech king by the oak which is found at the pillar in Shechem.
And all the men of Sichem were gathered together, and all the families of the city of Mello: and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak that stood in Sichem.
7 And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said to them, "Listen to me, you lords of Shechem, that God may listen to you.
This being told to Joatham, he went and stood on the top of mount Garizim: and lifting up his voice, he cried, and said: Hear me, ye men of Sichem, so may God hear you.
8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said to the olive tree, 'Reign you over us.'
The trees went to anoint a king over them: and they said to the olive tree: Reign thou over us.
9 "But the olive tree said to them, 'Should I leave my fatness, with which by me they honor God and man, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?'
And it answered: Can I leave my fatness, which both gods and men make use of, to come to be promoted among the trees?
10 "The trees said to the fig tree, 'Come, and reign over us.'
And the trees said to the fig tree: Come thou and reign over us.
11 "But the fig tree said to them, 'Should I leave my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?'
And it answered them: Can I leave my sweetness, and my delicious fruits, and go to be promoted among the other trees?
12 "The trees said to the vine, 'Come, and reign over us.'
And the trees said to the vine: Come thou and reign over us.
13 "The vine said to them, 'Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?'
And it answered them: Can I forsake my wine, that cheereth God and men, and be promoted among the other trees?
14 "Then all the trees said to the bramble, 'Come, and reign over us.'
And all the trees said to the bramble: Come thou and reign over us.
15 "The bramble said to the trees, 'If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.'
And it answered them: If indeed you mean to make me king, come ye and rest under my shadow: but if you mean it not, let fire come out from the bramble, and devour the cedars of Libanus.
16 "Now therefore, if you have dealt truly and righteously, in that you have made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him according to the deserving of his hands
Now therefore if you have done well, and without sin in appointing Abimelech king over you, and have dealt well with Jerobaal, and with his house, and have made a suitable return for the benefits of him, who fought for you,
17 (for my father fought for you, and risked his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:
And exposed his life to dangers, to deliver you from the hands of Madian,
18 and you are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, seventy persons, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the lords of Shechem, because he is your brother).
And you are now risen up against my father’s house, and have killed his sons seventy men upon one stone, and have made Abimelech the son of his handmaid king over the inhabitants of Sichem, because he is your brother:
19 If you then have dealt truly and righteously with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:
If therefore you have dealt well, and without fault with Jerobaal, and his house, rejoice ye this day in Abimelech, and may he rejoice in you.
20 but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the lords of Shechem, and Beth Millo; and let fire come out from the lords of Shechem, and from Beth Millo, and devour Abimelech."
But if unjustly: let fire come out from him, and consume the inhabitants of Sichem, and the town of Mello: and let fire come out from the men of Sichem, and from the town of Mello, and devour Abimelech.
21 And Jotham escaped and fled and went to Beer and lived there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
And when he had said thus he fled, and went into Bera: and dwelt there for fear of Abimelech his brother.
22 Abimelech was prince over Israel three years.
So Abimelech reigned over Israel for three years.
23 And God sent a spirit of hostility between Abimelech and the lords of Shechem; and the lords of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:
And the Lord sent a very evil spirit between Abimelech and the inhabitants of Sichem: who began to detest him,
24 that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and that their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers.
And to leave the crime of the murder of the seventy sons of Jerobaal, and the shedding of their blood upon Abimelech their brother, and upon the rest of the princes of the Sichemites, who aided him.
25 And the lords of Shechem set an ambush for him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who came along that way by them. And it was told to Abimelech.
And they set an ambush against him on the top of the mountains: and while they waited for his coming, they committed robberies, taking spoils of all that passed by: and it was told Abimelech.
26 And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers, and went over to Shechem; and the lords of Shechem put their trust in him.
And Gaal the son of Obed came with his brethren, and went over to Sichem. And the inhabitants of Sichem taking courage at his coming,
27 They went out into the field, and gathered their vineyards, and trod the grapes, and held festival, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech.
Went out into the fields, wasting the vineyards, and treading down the grapes: and singing and dancing they went into the temple of their god, and in their banquets and cups they cursed Abimelech.
28 Gaal the son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Isn't he the son of Jerubbaal, and Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem. But why should we serve him?
And Gaal the son of Obed cried: Who is Abimelech, and what is Sichem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerobaal, and hath made Zebul his servant ruler over the men of Emor the father of Sichem? Why then shall we serve him?
29 Would that this people were under my hand. Then I would remove Abimelech. I would say to Abimelech, "Increase your army, and come out."
Would to God that some man would put this people under my hand, that I might remove Abimelech out of the way. And it was said to Abimelech: Gather together the multitude of an army, and come.
30 When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.
For Zebul the ruler of the city, hearing the words of Gaal, the son of Obed, was very angry,
31 He sent messengers to Abimelech in Arumah, saying, "Look, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem; and look, they constrain the city to take part against you.
And sent messengers privately to Abimelech, saying: Behold Gaal the son of Obed is come into Sichem with his brethren, and endeavoureth to set the city against thee.
32 Now therefore, rise up by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field.
Arise therefore in the night with the people that is with thee and he hid in the field:
33 And it shall be that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, you shall rise early, and rush on the city. And look, when he and the people who are with him come out against you, then do whatever you can to them."
And betimes in the morning at sun rising set upon the city. And when he shall come out against thee with his people, do to him what thou shalt be able.
34 Abimelech rose up, and all the people who were with him, by night, and they lay in wait against Shechem in four companies.
Abimelech therefore arose with all his army by night, and laid ambushes near Sichem in four places.
35 And it happened early in the morning that Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city. And Abimelech rose up, and the people who were with him, from the ambush.
And Gaal the son of Obed went out, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city. And Abimelech rose up, and all his army with him from the places of the ambushes.
36 When Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, "Look, there are people coming down from the tops of the mountains." Zebul said to him, "You see the shadow of the mountains as if they were men."
And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul: Behold a multitude cometh down from the mountains. And he answered him: Thou seest the shadows of the mountains as if they were the heads of men, and this is thy mistake.
37 Gaal spoke again and said, "Look, there are people coming down by the central part of the land, and one company comes by the way of the Diviners' Oak."
Again Gaal said: Behold there cometh people down from the middle of the land, and one troop cometh by the way that looketh towards the oak.
38 Then Zebul said to him, "Where is now your mouth, that you said, 'Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?' Is not this the people that you have despised? Please go out now and fight with them."
And Zebul said to him: Where is now thy mouth wherewith thou saidst? Who is Abimelech that we should serve him? Is not this the people which thou didst despise? Go out, and fight against him.
39 And Gaal went out before the lords of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
So Gaal went out in the sight of the people of Sichem, and fought against Abimelech,
40 Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and there fell many wounded, even to the entrance of the gate of the city.
Who chased and put him to flight, and drove him to the city: and many were slain of his people, even to the gate of the city:
41 And Abimelech returned to Arumah; and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers, so that they could not dwell in Shechem.
And Abimelech sat down in Ruma: but Zebul drove Gaal, and his companions out of the city, and would not suffer them to abide in it.
42 It happened on the next day, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.
So the day following the people went out into the field. And it was told Abimelech.
43 He took the people, and divided them into three companies, and waited in ambush in the field; and he looked, and look, the people came forth out of the city. He rose up against them, and struck them.
And he took his army, and divided it into three companies, and laid ambushes in the fields. And seeing that the people came out of the city, he arose and set upon them,
44 Abimelech, and the companies that were with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city: and the two companies rushed against all who were in the field, and struck them.
With his own company, assaulting and besieging the city: whilst the two other companies chased the enemies that were scattered about the field.
45 Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and killed the people who were in it. And he destroyed the city, and sowed it with salt.
And Abimelech assaulted the city all that day: and took it, and killed the inhabitants thereof, and demolished it, so that he sowed salt in it.
46 And when all the lords of the Tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered into the stronghold of the house of El Berith.
And when they who dwelt in the tower of Sichem had heard this, they went into the temple of their god Berith where they had made a covenant with him, and from thence the place had taken its name, and it was exceeding strong.
47 And it was told Abimelech that all the lords of the Tower of Shechem were gathered together.
Abimelech also hearing that the men of the tower of Sichem were gathered together,
48 So Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a branch from the trees, and took it up, and laid it on his shoulder. And he said to the people who were with him, "What you have seen me do, do quickly, and do as I have done."
Went up into mount Selmon he and all his people with him: and taking an axe, he cut down the bough of a tree, and laying it on his shoulder and carrying it, he said to his companions: What you see me do, do you out of hand.
49 All the people likewise cut down his branch and followed Abimelech, and put them on the stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire on them; so that all the men of the Tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.
So they cut down boughs from the trees, every man as fast as he could, and followed their leader. And surrounding the fort they set it on fire: and so it came to pass that with the smoke and with the fire a thousand persons were killed, men and women together, of the inhabitants of the tower of Sichem.
50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and camped against Thebez, and took it.
Then Abimelech departing from thence came to the town of Thebes, which he surrounded and besieged with his army.
51 But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men and women fled, and all the lords of the city, and shut themselves in, and got them up to the roof of the tower.
And there was in the midst of the city a high tower, to which both the men and the women were fled together, and all the princes of the city, and having shut and strongly barred the gate, they stood upon the battlements of the tower to defend themselves.
52 Abimelech came to the tower, and fought against it, and drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
And Abimelech coming near the tower, fought stoutly: and approaching to the gate, endeavoured to set fire to it:
53 A certain woman threw down an upper millstone on Abimelech's head, and broke his skull.
And behold a certain woman casting a piece of a millstone from above, dashed it against the head of Abimelech, and broke his skull.
54 Then he called quickly to the young man his armor bearer, and said to him, "Draw your sword, and kill me, that men not say of me, 'A woman killed him.'" So the young man thrust him through, and he died.
And he called hastily to his armourbearer, and said to him: Draw thy sword, and kill me: lest it should be said that I was slain by a woman. He did as he was commanded, and slew him.
55 When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man to his place.
And when he was dead, all the men of Israel that were with him, returned to their homes.
56 Thus God requited the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to his father, in killing his seventy brothers;
And God repaid the evil, that Abimelech had done against his father, killing his seventy brethren.
57 and all the wickedness of the men of Shechem did God return on their heads, and on them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
The Sichemites also were rewarded for what they had done, and the curse of Joatham the son of Jerobaal came upon them.
