Judges 9
1 Then went Abimelech son of Jerubbaal, to Shechem, unto the brethren of his mother, —and spake unto them, and unto all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying;
Abiit autem Abimelech filius Jerobaal in Sichem ad fratres matris suæ, et locutus est ad eos, et ad omnem cognationem domus patris matris suæ, dicens:
2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the owners of Shechem—Which is better for you, that there should rule over you, seventy men, all sons of Jerubbaal, or that there should rule over you, one man? And remember that, your bone and your flesh, am I.
Loquimini ad omnes viros Sichem: Quid vobis est melius, ut dominentur vestri septuaginta viri omnes filii Jerobaal, an ut dominetur unus vir? simulque considerate quod os vestrum et caro vestra sum.
3 So the brethren of his mother spake for him, in the ears of all the owners of Shechem, all these words, —and their heart inclined after Abimelech, for they said—Our own brother, is he.
Locutique sunt fratres matris ejus de eo ad omnes viros Sichem universos sermones istos, et inclinaverunt cor eorum post Abimelech, dicentes: Frater noster est.
4 So they gave him seventy pieces of silver, out of the house of Baal-berith, —and Abimelech hired therewith, loose and unstable men, and they followed him.
Dederuntque illi septuaginta pondo argenti de fano Baalberit. Qui conduxit sibi ex eo viros inopes et vagos, secutique sunt eum.
5 And he entered the house of his father, at Ophrah, and slew his brethren, sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, upon one stone, —but there remained Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, for he had hidden himself.
Et venit in domum patris sui in Ephra, et occidit fratres suos filios Jerobaal, septuaginta viros super lapidem unum: remansitque Joatham filius Jerobaal minimus, et absconditus est.
6 Then were gathered together all the owners of Shechem, and all the house of Millo, and they went and made Abimelech king, —by the oak of the pillar, that was in Shechem.
Congregati sunt autem omnes viri Sichem, et universæ familiæ urbis Mello: abieruntque et constituerunt regem Abimelech, juxta quercum quæ stabat in Sichem.
7 And, when it was told Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried aloud, —and said unto them—Hearken unto me, ye owners of Shechem, and may God, hearken unto you.
Quod cum nuntiatum esset Joatham, ivit, et stetit in vertice montis Garizim: elevataque voce, clamavit, et dixit: Audite me, viri Sichem; ita audiat vos Deus.
8 The trees, went their way, to anoint over them, a king, —and they said unto the olive tree—Reign thou over us.
Ierunt ligna, ut ungerent super se regem: dixeruntque olivæ: Impera nobis.
9 But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, which, in me, gods and men do honour, —and go to wave to and fro, over the trees?
Quæ respondit: Numquid possum deserere pinguedinem meam, qua et dii utuntur et homines, et venire ut inter ligna promovear?
10 Then said the trees unto the fig-tree, —Come! thou reign over us.
Dixeruntque ligna ad arborem ficum: Veni, et super nos regnum accipe.
11 But the fig-tree said unto them, Should I leave my sweetness, and mine excellent increase, —and go to wave to and fro, over the trees?
Quæ respondit eis: Numquid possum deserere dulcedinem meam, fructusque suavissimos, et ire ut inter cetera ligna promovear?
12 Then said the trees unto the vine, —Come! thou, reign over us.
Locutaque sunt ligna ad vitem: Veni, et impera nobis.
13 But the vine said unto them, Should I leave my new wine, that rejoiceth gods and men, —and go to wave to and fro, over the trees?
Quæ respondit eis: Numquid possum deserere vinum meum, quod lætificat Deum et homines, et inter ligna cetera promoveri?
14 Then said all the trees, unto the bramble, —Come, thou, to reign over us.
Dixeruntque omnia ligna ad rhamnum: Veni, et impera super nos.
15 And the bramble said unto the trees, If, in truth, ye are about to anoint me to be king over you, come, take refuge in my shade, —but, if not, there shall come forth fire out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
Quæ respondit eis: Si vere me regem vobis constituitis, venite, et sub umbra mea requiescite: si autem non vultis, egrediatur ignis de rhamno, et devoret cedros Libani.
16 Now, therefore, if, in truth and sincerity, ye have acted, in making Abimelech king, —and if ye have dealt, well, with Jerubbaal and with his house, and if, according to the deserving of his hands, ye have done unto him;
Nunc igitur, si recte et absque peccato constituistis super vos regem Abimelech, et bene egistis cum Jerobaal, et cum domo ejus, et reddidistis vicem beneficiis ejus, qui pugnavit pro vobis,
17 in that my father fought for you, and cast his soul away from before him, and rescued you out of the hand of Midian; —
et animam suam dedit periculis, ut erueret vos de manu Madian,
18 yet have, ye, risen up against the house of my father, to-day, and slain his sons—seventy men, upon one stone, —and made Abimelech, son of his maidservant, king over the owners of Shechem, because he is, your brother;
qui nunc surrexistis contra domum patris mei, et interfecistis filios ejus septuaginta viros super unum lapidem, et constituistis regem Abimelech filium ancillæ ejus super habitatores Sichem, eo quod frater vester sit:
19 if then, in truth and in sincerity, ye have dealt with Jerubbaal and with his house, this day, rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let, him also, rejoice in you;
si ergo recte et absque vitio egistis cum Jerobaal et domo ejus, hodie lætamini in Abimelech, et ille lætetur in vobis.
20 but, if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the owners of Shechem, and the house of Millo, —and let fire come out from the owners of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech!
Sin autem perverse: egrediatur ignis ex eo, et consumat habitatores Sichem, et oppidum Mello: egrediaturque ignis de viris Sichem, et de oppido Mello, et devoret Abimelech.
21 And Jotham hasted away, and fled, and went to Beer, —and dwelt there, away from the face of Abimelech his brother.
Quæ cum dixisset, fugit, et abiit in Bera: habitavitque ibi ob metum Abimelech fratris sui.
22 And Abimelech ruled over Israel three years.
Regnavit itaque Abimelech super Israël tribus annis.
23 Then God let go a spirit of mischief between Abimelech and the owners of Shechem, —and the owners of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:
Misitque Dominus spiritum pessimum inter Abimelech et habitatores Sichem: qui cœperunt eum detestari,
24 that the cruel wrong to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might [come upon them], —and that their blood might be laid upon Abimelech their brother, who slew them, and upon the owners of Shechem who strengthened his hands, to slay his brethren.
et scelus interfectionis septuaginta filiorum Jerobaal, et effusionem sanguinis eorum conferre in Abimelech fratrem suum, et in ceteros Sichimorum principes, qui eum adjuverant.
25 So the owners of Shechem set for him liers in wait, upon the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who crossed over them by the road, —and it was told Abimelech.
Posueruntque insidias adversus eum in summitate montium: et dum illius præstolabantur adventum, exercebant latrocinia, agentes prædas de prætereuntibus: nuntiatumque est Abimelech.
26 And Gaal son of Ebed came, with his brethren, and they passed through to Shechem, —and the owners of Shechem put their trust in him.
Venit autem Gaal filius Obed cum fratribus suis, et transivit in Sichimam. Ad cujus adventum erecti habitatores Sichem,
27 Then went they out into the fields, and gathered the fruit of their vineyards and trode [the grapes], and held a vintage festival, —and entered the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and poured contempt on Abimelech.
egressi sunt in agros, vastantes vineas, uvasque calcantes: et factis cantantium choris, ingressi sunt fanum dei sui, et inter epulas et pocula maledicebant Abimelech,
28 And Gaal son of Ebed said: Who is Abimelech—and who is the son of Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? Serve ye the men of Hamor, Shechem’s father, but why should, we, serve him?
clamante Gaal filio Obed: Quis est Abimelech, et quæ est Sichem, ut serviamus ei? numquid non est filius Jerobaal, et constituit principem Zebul servum suum super viros Emor patris Sichem? cur ergo serviemus ei?
29 Would, then, this people were in my hand! that I might set aside Abimelech, —and say to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out!
utinam daret aliquis populum istum sub manu mea, ut auferrem de medio Abimelech. Dictumque est Abimelech: Congrega exercitus multitudinem, et veni.
30 And, when Zubul, governor of the city, heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, then was kindled his anger.
Zebul enim princeps civitatis, auditis sermonibus Gaal filii Obed, iratus est valde,
31 And he sent messengers unto Abimelech, by deceit, saying, —Lo! Gaal son of Ebed, and his brethren, are coming into Shechem; and lo! are fortifying the city against thee.
et misit clam ad Abimelech nuntios, dicens: Ecce Gaal filius Obed venit in Sichimam cum fratribus suis, et oppugnat adversum te civitatem.
32 Now, therefore, up by night, thou and the people that are with thee, and lie in wait in the field;
Surge itaque nocte cum populo qui tecum est, et latita in agro:
33 and it shall be, in the morning, about sunrise, thou shalt get up early, and spread thyself out against the city, —when lo! he and the people that are with him coming out against thee, so shalt thou do unto him as thy hand shall find opportunity.
et primo mane, oriente sole, irrue super civitatem. Illo autem egrediente adversum te cum populo suo, fac ei quod potueris.
34 So Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, —and they lay in wait above Shechem, in four companies.
Surrexit itaque Abimelech cum omni exercitu suo nocte, et tetendit insidias juxta Sichimam in quatuor locis.
35 Then came forth Gaal son of Ebed, and took his stand at the opening of the gate of the city, —so Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from the place of ambush.
Egressusque est Gaal filius Obed, et stetit in introitu portæ civitatis. Surrexit autem Abimelech, et omnis exercitus cum eo, de insidiarum loco.
36 And, when Gaal saw the people, he said unto Zebul, Lo! people coming down from the tops of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, The shadow of the mountains, thou seest, like men.
Cumque vidisset populum Gaal, dixit ad Zebul: Ecce de montibus multitudo descendit. Cui ille respondit: Umbras montium vides quasi capita hominum, et hoc errore deciperis.
37 Then did Gaal yet further speak, and say—Lo! people coming down from the highest part of the land, —and one company, coming in by way of the Conjurers’ Terebinth.
Rursumque Gaal ait: Ecce populus de umbilico terræ descendit, et unus cuneus venit per viam quæ respicit quercum.
38 So then Zebul said unto him—Where, then, is thy mouth that kept on saying, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? Is not, this, the people which thou didst despise? Go forth, I pray thee, now, and fight with them!
Cui dixit Zebul: Ubi est nunc os tuum, quo loquebaris: Quis est Abimelech ut serviamus ei? nonne hic populus est, quem despiciebas? egredere, et pugna contra eum.
39 And Gaal went forth before the owners of Shechem, —and fought against Abimelech.
Abiit ergo Gaal, spectante Sichimorum populo, et pugnavit contra Abimelech,
40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, —and there fell a multitude of slain as far as the entering of the gate.
qui persecutus est eum fugientem, et in urbem compulit: cecideruntque ex parte ejus plurimi, usque ad portam civitatis.
41 Then dwelt Abimelech in Arumah, —and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
Et Abimelech sedit in Ruma: Zebul autem Gaal et socios ejus expulit de urbe, nec in ea passus est commorari.
42 And it came to pass, on the morrow, that the people went forth into the field, —and they told Abimelech.
Sequenti ergo die, egressus est populus in campum. Quod cum nuntiatum esset Abimelech,
43 So he took the people and divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the field, —and he looked, and lo! the people coming forth out of the city, so he rose up against them, and smote them.
tulit exercitum suum, et divisit in tres turmas, tendens insidias in agris. Vidensque quod egrederetur populus de civitate, surrexit, et irruit in eos
44 And, Abimelech, and the companies that were with him, spread themselves out, and [one of the companies] took their stand at the opening of the gate of the city, —while, the two companies, spread themselves out against all that were in the field, and smote them.
cum cuneo suo, oppugnans et obsidens civitatem: duæ autem turmæ palantes per campum adversarios persequebantur.
45 And, Abimelech, fought against the city, all that day, and captured the city, the people also that were therein, he slew, —and brake down the city, and sowed it with salt.
Porro Abimelech omni die illo oppugnabat urbem: quam cepit, interfectis habitatoribus ejus, ipsaque destructa, ita ut sal in ea dispergeret.
46 And, when all the owners of the tower of Shechem heard, they entered into the basement of the house of El-berith.
Quod cum audissent qui habitabant in turre Sichimorum, ingressi sunt fanum dei sui Berith, ubi fœdus cum eo pepigerant, et ex eo locus nomen acceperat: qui erat munitus valde.
47 And it was told Abimelech, that all the owners of the tower of Shechem had gathered themselves together.
Abimelech quoque audiens viros turris Sichimorum pariter conglobatos,
48 So Abimelech went up 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 the trees, and lifted it, and laid it on his shoulder, —and said unto the people that were with him—What ye have seen me do, haste! do likewise.
ascendit in montem Selmon cum omni populo suo: et arrepta securi, præcidit arboris ramum, impositumque ferens humero, dixit ad socios: Quod me videtis facere, cito facite.
49 So, even all the people cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and laid them over the basement, and set it on fire over them who were therein, —even all the men of the tower of Shechem died about a thousand men and women.
Igitur certatim ramos de arboribus præcidentes, sequebantur ducem. Qui circumdantes præsidium, succenderunt: atque ita factum est, ut fumo et igne mille homines necarentur, viri pariter et mulieres, habitatorum turris Sichem.
50 Then went Abimelech unto Thebez, —and encamped against Thebez, and captured it.
Abimelech autem inde proficiscens venit ad oppidum Thebes, quod circumdans obsidebat exercitu.
51 Now, a strong tower, was in the midst of the city, and there fled thither all the men and the women, and all the owners of the city, and shut themselves in, —and went up on the roof of the tower.
Erat autem turris excelsa in media civitate, ad quam confugerant simul viri ac mulieres, et omnes principes civitatis, clausa firmissime janua, et super turris tectum stantes per propugnacula.
52 And Abimelech came in as far as the tower, and fought against it, —and so came near, as far as the entrance of the tower, to burn it with fire.
Accedensque Abimelech juxta turrim, pugnabat fortiter: et appropinquans ostio, ignem supponere nitebatur:
53 And a certain woman cast an upper millstone upon the head of Abimelech, —and brake in pieces his skull.
et ecce una mulier fragmen molæ desuper jaciens, illisit capiti Abimelech, et confregit cerebrum ejus.
54 Then called he hastily unto the young man bearing his armour, and said unto him—Draw thy sword, and put me to death, lest they say of me, A woman, slew him! So his young man thrust him through, and he died.
Qui vocavit cito armigerum suum, et ait ad eum: Evagina gladium tuum, et percute me, ne forte dicatur quod a femina interfectus sim. Qui jussa perficiens, interfecit eum.
55 And, when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was, dead, they went their way every man to his own place.
Illoque mortuo, omnes qui cum eo erant de Israël, reversi sunt in sedes suas:
56 Thus did God requite the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father, in slaying his seventy brethren;
et reddidit Deus malum quod fecerat Abimelech contra patrem suum, interfectis septuaginta fratribus suis.
57 all the wickedness also, of the men of Shechem, did God requite upon their own head, —and so brought in upon, them the curse of Jotham, son of Jerubbaal.
Sichimitis quoque quod operati erant, retributum est, et venit super eos maledictio Joatham filii Jerobaal.
