Judges 9
1 And he went Abimelech [the] son of Jerub-Baal Shechem towards to [the] brothers of mother his and he spoke to them and to all [the] clan of [the] house of [the] father of mother his saying.
Gideon’s son Abimelech went to [talk with] his mother’s brothers in Shechem [city]. He said to them and to all his mother’s relatives,
2 Speak please in [the] ears of all [the] citizens of Shechem what? [is] good for you ¿ to rule over you seventy man all [the] sons of Jerub-Baal or? to rule over you a man one and you will remember that [am] bone your and flesh your I.
“Ask all the leaders of your city: ‘Do you [think it would be] good for all 70 of Gideon’s sons to rule over you? Or would it be better to have only one of his sons, [me], to rule over you?’ And do not forget that I am your relative! [MTY]”
3 And they spoke [the] brothers of mother his on him in [the] ears of all [the] citizens of Shechem all the words these and it turned aside heart their after Abimelech for they said [is] brother our he.
So Abimelech’s mother’s brothers spoke to all the leaders of Shechem about what Abimelech had said. They said to each other, “We should allow Abimelech to rule over us, because he is our relative.”
4 And they gave to him seventy silver (from [the] house of Baal-*L(abh)*) Berith and he hired for them Abimelech men unprincipled and undisciplined and they went after him.
So the leaders of Shechem took from the temple of [their god] Baal-Berith (almost 2 pounds/0.8 kg.) of silver and gave it to Abimelech. With that silver he paid some worthless troublemakers to help him, and they went with Abimelech wherever he went.
5 And he went [the] house of father his Ophrah towards and he killed brothers his [the] sons of Jerub-Baal (seventy *L(abh)*) man on stone one and he was left Jotham [the] son of Jerub-Baal young for he hid himself.
They went to Ophrah, his father’s town, and murdered 69 of his 70 brothers, the sons of his father Gideon. They killed all those men on one huge rock. But Gideon’s youngest son Jotham hid [from Abimelech and his men], and he escaped.
6 And they gathered all [the] citizens of Shechem and all Beth Millo and they went and they made king Abimelech to king near [the] great tree set up which [was] in Shechem.
Then all the leaders of Shechem and Beth-Millo gathered under the big sacred tree in Shechem. There they appointed Abimelech to be their leader.
7 And people told to Jotham and he went and he stood on [the] top of [the] mountain of Gerizim and he lifted up voice his and he called out and he said to them listen to me O citizens of Shechem so he may listen to you God.
When Jotham heard about that, he climbed up Gerizim Mountain. He stood at the top of the mountain and shouted to the people [down below], “You leaders of Shechem, listen to me, in order that God will listen to you!
8 Certainly they went the trees to anoint over them a king and they said to the olive tree (reign! *Q(k)*) over us.
One day the trees decided to appoint a king to rule over all of them. So they said to the olive tree, ‘You be our king!’
9 And it said to them the olive tree ¿ will I cease fatness my which by me people honor gods and men and will I go to sway over the trees.
“But the olive tree said, ‘No! [I will not be your king] Men and gods enjoy the oil from my fruit. I will not [RHQ] stop producing [olives from which we make] that oil, in order to rule over you other trees!’
10 And they said the trees to the fig tree come you reign over us.
“Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and be our king!’
11 And it said to them the fig tree ¿ will I cease sweetness my and fruit my good and will I go to sway over the trees.
“But the fig tree replied, ‘No! I do not want to [RHQ] stop producing my good sweet fruit, and rule over you other trees!’
12 And they said the trees to the vine come you (reign *Q(k)*) over us.
“Then the trees said to the grapevine, ‘Come and be our king!’
13 And it said to them the vine ¿ will I cease new wine my which makes glad gods and men and will I go to sway over the trees.
“But the grapevine replied, ‘No! [I will not be your king] The new wine [that is made from my grapes] causes people and gods [who drink it] to become very happy. I do not want to stop producing grapes and rule over you other trees!’ [RHQ]
14 And they said all the trees to the thorn bush come you reign over us.
“Then all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be our king!’
15 And it said the thorn bush to the trees if in truth you [are] anointing me to king over you come take refuge in shade my and if not let it go out a fire from the thorn bush and let it consume [the] cedars of Lebanon.
“The thornbush replied, ‘If you truly want to appoint me to be your king, come into the shade of my [tiny branches]. But if you do not want to do that, I hope/desire that fire will come out from me and burn up all the huge cedar trees in Lebanon [country]!’”
16 And now if in faithfulness and in integrity you have acted and you have made king Abimelech and if good you have done with Jerub-Baal and with house his and if according to [the] dealing of hands his you have done to him.
“[After] Jotham [finished telling them this parable, he] said, “So now [I ask you], were you being completely honest and sincere when you appointed Abimelech to be your king [RHQ]? And have you treated Gideon and his family [RHQ] fairly? Have you rewarded Gideon by honoring him as he deserved [because of all the good things he did for you]? No!
17 That he fought father my on you and he threw life his from in front and he delivered you from [the] hand of Midian.
“[Do not forget that] my father fought a battle for you, and he was willing to die for you [if that had been necessary], to save you from the Midian people-group.
18 And you you have risen up on [the] house of father my this day and you have killed sons his seventy man on stone one and you have made king Abimelech [the] son of female slave his over [the] citizens of Shechem for [is] brother your he.
But now you have rebelled against my father’s family, and you have killed 69 of his sons on one huge rock. And you have appointed Abimelech—who is the son of my father’s slave girl, [not the son of his wife]—to be the king who will rule you people of Shechem. You have done that only because he is one of your relatives!
19 And if in faithfulness and in integrity you have acted with Jerub-Baal and with house his the day this rejoice in Abimelech so he may rejoice also he in you.
So, if today you have truly acted fairly and sincerely toward Gideon and his family, I hope/desire that he will cause you to be happy and that you will cause him to be happy.
20 And if not let it go out a fire from Abimelech and let it consume [the] citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo and let it go out a fire from [the] citizens of Shechem and from Beth Millo and let it consume Abimelech.
But if what you did was not right, I wish/desire that Abimelech will burn up all of you leaders of Shechem and Beth-Millo with fire! And I also hope/desire that the leaders of Shechem and Beth-Millo will cause fire to burn up Abimelech!”
21 And he fled Jotham and he ran away and he went Beer towards and he dwelt there [away] from before Abimelech brother his.
[After] Jotham [finished saying that, he] escaped from them and ran away to Beer [town]. He stayed there because he was afraid that his brother Abimelech [would try to kill him].
22 And he ruled Abimelech over Israel three years.
Abimelech [became the leader of all the people of Israel. He] ruled them for three years.
23 And he sent God a spirit evil between Abimelech and between [the] citizens of Shechem and they dealt treacherously [the] citizens of Shechem with Abimelech.
Then God sent an evil spirit [to cause trouble] between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, with the result that the leaders of Shechem rebelled against Abimelech.
24 To come [the] violence of seventy [the] sons of Jerub-Baal and blood their to put on Abimelech brother their who he killed them and on [the] citizens of Shechem who they strengthened hands his to kill brothers his.
The leaders of Shechem had previously helped Abimelech to kill 69 of Gideon’s sons, who were his brothers. So now God sent the evil spirit to punish all of them.
25 And they set to him [the] citizens of Shechem ambushers on [the] tops of the mountains and they robbed every [one] who he passed by on them on the road and it was told to Abimelech.
The leaders of Shechem (set an ambush/sent men to hide) on the hilltops to ambush Abimelech. Those men robbed everyone who passed by. But someone told Abimelech about it, [so he did not go near them].
26 And he came Gaal [the] son of Ebed and brothers his and they passed on in Shechem and they trusted in him [the] citizens of Shechem.
There was a man named Gaal, the son of Ebed, who moved into Shechem [city], along with his brothers. Soon the leaders of Shechem started to trust him.
27 And they went out the field and they gathered grapes vineyards their and they trod [them] and they made rejoicings and they went [the] house of god their and they ate and they drank and they cursed Abimelech.
They went out [of the city] to their vineyards and picked some grapes. They pressed the grapes [to make juice, and then they made wine]. Then they had a feast in the temple of their god, and they ate [a lot of food] and drank [a lot of wine]. Then they cursed Abimelech.
28 And he said - Gaal [the] son of Ebed who? [is] Abimelech and who? [is] Shechem that we will serve him ¿ not [is he] [the] son of Jerub-Baal and [is] Zebul? deputy his serve [the] men of Hamor [the] father of Shechem and why? will we serve him we.
Gaal said, “(Why should [we allow] Abimelech to rule over us?/We should not allow Abimelech to rule over us!) [RHQ] He is only one of Gideon’s sons [so he really does not belong to us] [RHQ]! And he appointed Zebul, the governor of our city, to be his deputy! We should (serve/be loyal to) [one of the descendants of] Hamor, [the founder of our city], and let him be our leader, not Abimelech [RHQ]!
29 And who? will he give the people this in hand my and I will remove Abimelech and he said of Abimelech make numerous army your and come out!
If you would appoint me to be your leader, I would get rid of Abimelech. I would say to him, ‘Get your army ready, [and then come to fight us]!’”
30 And he heard Zebul [the] official of the city [the] words of Gaal [the] son of Ebed and it burned anger his.
When someone told Zebul what Gaal said, he was very angry.
31 And he sent messengers to Abimelech in treachery saying here! Gaal [the] son of Ebed and brothers his [are] coming Shechem towards and here they [are] shutting up the city on you.
He secretly sent some messengers to Abimelech. They told him, “Gaal and his brothers have come here to Shechem, and they are causing [the people of] the city to rebel against you.
32 And therefore arise night you and the people which [is] with you and lie in wait in the field.
You and your men should get up during the night and go and hide in the fields outside the city.
33 And it will be in the morning when rises the sun you will rise early and you will make a raid on the city and there! he and the people which [is] with him [are] going out against you and you will do to him just as it will find hand your.
As soon as the sun rises in the morning, get up and attack the city. When Gaal and his men come out to fight against you, you can do to them whatever you want to.”
34 And he arose Abimelech and all the people which [was] with him night and they lay in wait on Shechem four companies.
So Abimelech and all the men who were with him got up during the night. They [divided into] four groups, [and] hid [in the fields] near Shechem.
35 And he went out Gaal [the] son of Ebed and he stood [the] entrance of [the] gate of the city and he arose Abimelech and the people which [was] with him from the ambush.
[The next morning], Gaal went out and stood at the entrance to the city gate. While he was standing there, Abimelech and his soldiers came out of their hiding places [and started walking toward the city].
36 And he saw Gaal the people and he said to Zebul there! a people [is] coming down from [the] tops of the mountains and he said to him Zebul [the] shadow of the mountains you [are] seeing like men.
When Gaal saw the soldiers, he said to Zebul, “Look! There are people coming down from the hills!” But Zebul said, “You are seeing only the shadows [of trees] on the hills. They [are not people; they] only resemble people.”
37 And he repeated again Gaal to speak and he said there! a people [are] coming down from with [the] center of the land and a company one [is] coming from [the] direction of [the] great tree of [the] soothsayer.
But Gaal [looked] again [and] said, “Look! There are people coming down from the top of the sacred mountain! There is a group of them coming down from where the tree is where people talk with the spirits of dead people!”
38 And he said to him Zebul where? then [is] mouth your O [you] who you said who? [is] Abimelech that we will serve him ¿ not [is] this the people which you rejected it go out please now and fight against him.
Zebul said to Gaal, “Now (what good is your bragging?/your bragging is worthless!) [MTY, RHQ] You said, ‘(Why should we serve Abimelech/We should not allow Abimelech to rule over us)?’ You made fun of these men. So now go out and fight them!”
39 And he went out Gaal before [the] citizens of Shechem and he fought against Abimelech.
So Gaal led the men of Shechem outside [the city] to fight Abimelech [and his men].
40 And he pursued him Abimelech and he fled from before him and they fell [those] fatally wounded many to [the] entrance of the gate.
Abimelech and his men pursued them, and they killed many of Gaal’s men before they could return [safely] inside the city gate.
41 And he dwelt Abimelech at Arumah and he drove out Zebul Gaal and brothers his from dwelling at Shechem.
Abimelech then stayed at Arumah, [about five miles away from Shechem], and Zebul’s men forced Gaal and his brothers to leave Shechem.
42 And it was from [the] next day and it went out the people the field and people told to Abimelech.
The next day, the people of Shechem [got ready to leave the city and work] in their fields. When someone told Abimelech about that,
43 And he took the people and he divided them into three companies and he lay in wait in the field and he saw and there! the people [was] going out from the city and he rose up on them and he struck down them.
he divided his men into three groups, and told them to hide in the fields. So they did that. And when they saw the people coming out of the city, they jumped up and attacked them.
44 And Abimelech and the companies which [were] with him they made a raid and they stood [the] entrance of [the] gate of the city and [the] two the companies they made a raid on all [those] who [were] in the field and they struck down them.
Abimelech and the men who were with him ran to the city gate. The other two groups ran out to the people in the fields and attacked them.
45 And Abimelech [was] fighting against the city all the day that and he captured the city and the people which [was] in it he killed and he pulled down the city and he sowed it salt.
Abimelech and his men fought all day. They captured the city and killed all the people. They tore down all the buildings, and then they threw salt over the ruins [in order that nothing would grow there again].
46 And they heard all [the] citizens of [the] tower of Shechem and they went into [the] underground chamber of [the] house of El-Berith.
When the leaders who lived in the tower/fortress outside of Shechem heard what had happened, they ran and hid inside the [fortress, which was also a] temple of [their god] El-Berith.
47 And it was told to Abimelech that they had gathered together all [the] citizens of [the] tower of Shechem.
But someone told Abimelech that all the leaders had gathered there.
48 And he went up Abimelech [the] mountain of Zalmon he and all the people which [was] with him and he took Abimelech the axes in hand his and he cut off a branch of wood and he lifted up it and he put [it] on shoulder his and he said to the people which [was] with him whatever you have seen I have done hurry do like me.
So he and all the men who were with him went up Zalmon Mountain [which is near Shechem]. Abimelech cut some branches of trees with an axe, and put them on his shoulders. Then he said to all the men who were with him, “Quickly, do what I have just done!”
49 And they cut off also all the people everyone own branch his and they went after Abimelech and they put [them] over the underground chamber and they set on fire over them the underground chamber with fire and they died also all [the] men of [the] tower of Shechem about a thousand man and woman.
So his men all cut branches [then carried them down the mountain], following Abimelech. They went to the fortress and piled the branches against its walls. Then they kindled a fire, and the fire burned down the fortress and killed all the people who were inside. So all the people who were inside the fortress—about 1,000 men and women—died.
50 And he went Abimelech to Thebez and he encamped at Thebez and he captured it.
Then Abimelech and his men went to Thebes [city]. They surrounded it and captured it.
51 And a tower of strength it was in [the] middle of the city and they fled there towards all the men and the women and all [the] citizens of the city and they shut [the] door behind them and they went up on [the] roof of the tower.
But there was a strong tower inside the city. So all the men, women, and leaders of the city ran to the tower. When they were all inside, they locked the door. Then they climbed up to the roof of the tower.
52 And he came Abimelech to the tower and he fought against it and he drew near to [the] entrance of the tower to burn it with fire.
Abimelech and his men came to the tower and tried to get in the door, [but they could not]. Then Abimelech prepared to light a fire to burn down the door.
53 And she threw a woman one a mill-stone of an upper mill-stone on [the] head of Abimelech and it crushed skull his.
But when Abimelech came near the doorway, a woman [who was on the roof] dropped a big grinding stone on his head, and crushed his skull.
54 And he called quickly to the young man - [who] carried armor his and he said to him draw sword your and kill me lest people should say of me a woman she killed him and he pierced through him young man his and he died.
Abimelech quickly called to the young man who carried Abimelech’s weapons, and said, “Pull out your sword and kill me with it! I do not want people to say ‘It was a woman who killed Abimelech.’” So the young man thrust his sword into Abimelech, and Abimelech died.
55 And they saw [the] man of Israel that he was dead Abimelech and they went everyone to own place his.
When the Israeli soldiers saw that Abimelech was dead, they all returned to their homes.
56 And he repaid God [the] evil of Abimelech which he had done to father his by killing seventy brothers his.
In that way God punished Abimelech for the evil things that he had done to his father and especially for killing all 69 of his brothers.
57 And all [the] evil of [the] men of Shechem he repaid God on head their and it came to them [the] curse of Jotham [the] son of Jerub-Baal.
God also punished the men of Shechem for the evil things that they had done. And when those things happened, it fulfilled what Gideon’s son Jotham said when he cursed [Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem].
