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,
Now Abimelech, the son of Jerubbaal, went to Shechem to his mother's family, and said to them and to all the family of his mother's father,
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.'"
Say now in the ears of all the townsmen of Shechem, Is it better for you to be ruled by all the seventy sons of Jerubbaal or by one man only? And keep in mind 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."
So his mother's family said all this about him in the ears of all the townsmen of Shechem: and their hearts were turned to Abimelech, for they said, 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 shekels of silver from the house of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech got the support of a number of uncontrolled and good-for-nothing persons.
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.
Then he went to his father's house at Ophrah, and put his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, to death on the same stone; however, Jotham, the youngest, kept himself safe by going away to a secret place.
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 townsmen of Shechem and all Beth-millo came together and went and made Abimelech their king, by the oak of the pillar in Shechem.
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.
Now Jotham, on hearing of it, went to the top of Mount Gerizim, and crying out with a loud voice said to them, Give ear to me, you townsmen of Shechem, so that God may give ear to 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.'
One day the trees went out to make a king for themselves; and they said to the olive-tree, Be king 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?'
But the olive-tree said to them, Am I to give up my wealth of oil, by which men give honour to God, and go waving over the trees?
10 "The trees said to the fig tree, 'Come, and reign over us.'
Then the trees said to the fig-tree, You come and be king 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?'
But the fig-tree said to them, Am I to give up my sweet taste and my good fruit and go waving over the trees?
12 "The trees said to the vine, 'Come, and reign over us.'
Then the trees said to the vine, You come and be king 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?'
But the vine said to them, Am I to give up my wine, which makes glad God and men, to go waving over the trees?
14 "Then all the trees said to the bramble, 'Come, and reign over us.'
Then all the trees said to the thorn, You come and be king 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 the thorn said to the trees, If it is truly your desire to make me your king, then come and put your faith in my shade; and if not, may fire come out of the thorn, burning up the cedars of Lebanon.
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
So now, if you have done truly and uprightly in making Abimelech king, and if you have done well to Jerubbaal and his house in reward for the work of his hands;
17 (for my father fought for you, and risked his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:
(For my father made war for you, and put his life in danger, and made you free from the hands of Midian;
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 have gone against my father's family this day, and have put to death his sons, even seventy men on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his servant-wife, king over the townsmen of Shechem 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 then you have done what is true and upright to Jerubbaal and his family this day, may you have joy in Abimelech, and may he have joy 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 not, may fire come out from Abimelech, burning up the townsmen of Shechem and Beth-millo; and may fire come out from the townsmen of Shechem and Beth-millo, for the destruction of Abimelech.
21 And Jotham escaped and fled and went to Beer and lived there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
Then Jotham straight away went in flight to Beer, and was living there for fear of his brother Abimelech.
22 Abimelech was prince over Israel three years.
So Abimelech was chief 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 God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the townsmen of Shechem; and the townsmen of Shechem were false to Abimelech;
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.
So that punishment for the violent attack made on the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, and for their blood, might come on Abimelech, their brother, who put them to death, and on the townsmen of Shechem who gave him their help in putting his brothers to death.
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 the townsmen of Shechem put secret watchers on the tops of the mountains, and they made attacks on all who went by on the road and took their goods; and word of this came to 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.
Then Gaal, the son of Ebed, came with his brothers, and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their faith in him.
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.
And they went out into their fields and got in the fruit of their vines, and when the grapes had been crushed, they made a holy feast and went into the house of their god, and over their food and drink they were cursing 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 Ebed, said, Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem, that we are to be his servants? Is it not right for the son of Jerubbaal and Zebul his captain to be servants to the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem? But why are we to be his servants?
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."
If only I had authority over this people! I would put Abimelech out of the way, and I would say to Abimelech, Make your army strong, and come out.
30 When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.
Now Zebul, the ruler of the town, hearing what Gaal, the son of Ebed, had said, was moved to wrath.
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 he sent to Abimelech at Arumah, saying, See, Gaal, the son of Ebed, and his brothers have come to Shechem, and they are working up the town against you.
32 Now therefore, rise up by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field.
So now, get up by night, you and your people, and keep watch in the field secretly;
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 in the morning, when the sun is up, get up early and make a rush on the town; and when he and his people come out against you, do to them whatever you have a chance to do.
34 Abimelech rose up, and all the people who were with him, by night, and they lay in wait against Shechem in four companies.
So Abimelech and the people with him got up by night, in four bands, to make a surprise attack on Shechem.
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 Ebed, went out, and took his place at the doorway into the town; then Abimelech and his people got up from the place where they had been waiting.
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, See! people are coming down from the tops of the mountains. And Zebul said to him, You see the shade of the mountains like men.
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."
And Gaal said again, See! people are coming down from the middle of the land, and one band is coming by way of the oak-tree of the Seers.
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."
Then Zebul said to him, Now where is your loud talk when you said, Who is Abimelech that we are to be his servants? Is this not the people whom you were rating so low? Go out now, and make war on them.
39 And Gaal went out before the lords of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
So Gaal went out at the head of the townsmen of Shechem and made war on 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.
And Abimelech went after him and he went in flight before him; and a great number were falling by the sword all the way up to the town.
41 And Abimelech returned to Arumah; and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers, so that they could not dwell in Shechem.
Then Abimelech went back to Arumah; and Zebul sent Gaal and his brothers away and would not let them go on living in Shechem.
42 It happened on the next day, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.
Now the day after, the people went out into the fields; and news of it came to 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 people, separating them into three bands, and was waiting secretly in the field; and when he saw the people coming out of the town, he went up and made an attack on 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.
And Abimelech with his band made a rush, and took up their position at the doorway into the town; and the other two bands made a rush on all those who were in the fields, and overcame them.
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 all that day Abimelech was fighting against the town; and he took it, and put to death the people who were in it, and had the town pulled down and covered with salt.
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.
Then all the townsmen of the tower of Shechem, hearing of it, went into the inner room of the house of El-berith.
47 And it was told Abimelech that all the lords of the Tower of Shechem were gathered together.
And word was given to Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem were there 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."
Then Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, with all his people; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand and, cutting down branches of trees, took them and put them on his back. And he said to the people who were with him, Be quick and do as you have seen me do.
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 all the people got branches, every man cutting down a branch, and they went with Abimelech at their head and, massing the branches against the inner room, put fire to the room over them; so all those who were in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women, were burned to death with it.
50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and camped against Thebez, and took it.
Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and put his army in position against Thebez and took it.
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.
But in the middle of the town there was a strong tower, to which all the men and women of the town went in flight and, shutting themselves in, went up to the roof of the tower.
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 came to the tower and made an attack on it, and got near to the door of the tower for the purpose of firing it.
53 A certain woman threw down an upper millstone on Abimelech's head, and broke his skull.
But a certain woman sent a great stone, such as is used for crushing grain, on to the head of Abimelech, cracking the bone.
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.
Then quickly crying out to his body-servant, he said to him, Take out your sword and put an end to me straight away, so that men may not say of me, His death was the work of a woman. So the young man put his sword through him, causing his death.
55 When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man to his place.
And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they went away, every man to his place.
56 Thus God requited the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to his father, in killing his seventy brothers;
In this way Abimelech was rewarded by God for the evil he had done to his father in putting his seventy brothers to death;
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.
And God sent back on to the heads of the men of Shechem all the evil they had done, and the curse of Jotham, the son of Jerubbaal, came on them.
