Judges 9
1 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,
Abimelek wuod Jerub-Baal nodhi ir owete gi min-gi man Shekem mowuoyo gi owete gi min-gi kod jo-dhood gi min mare duto, kowachonegi niya,
2 “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]”
“Penj jo-Shekem duto ni, ‘Ere gima ber: bedo gi yawuot Jerub-Baal piero abiriyo kaka jotendu, koso bedo e bwo loch ngʼato achiel?’ Ngʼeuru malongʼo ni an rembu.”
3 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.”
Kane owetene owachone jo-Shekem wechegi duto, to negiramo ni koro nyaka gilu Abimelek, nimar negiwacho niya, “En owadwa.”
4 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.
Negimiye shekel piero abiriyo mag fedha koa e hekalu mar Baal-Berith, mi Abimelek ongʼiewogo jomoko macheje kod jo-mahundu mane oluwe.
5 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.
Nodhi e dala wuon mare man Ofra kendo nonego owetene piero abiriyo, ma gin yawuot Jerub-Baal ewi lwanda achiel. To Jotham, ma wuod Jerub-Baal ma chogo, nopondo motony.
6 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.
Bangʼe jo-Shekem kod Beth Milo nochokore e bath yien maduongʼ mantie ewi Shekem mondo oket Abimelek kaka ruoth.
7 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!
Kane onyis Jotham wachni, nodhi ewi Got Gerizim kendo nokok kowachonegi niya, “Winjauru, un jo-Shekem, mondo omi Nyasaye owinju.
8 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!’
Chiengʼ moro achiel yiende nowuok mondo oyier ruodhgi. Negiwachone yadh zeituni ni, ‘Bed ruodhwa.’
9 “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!’
“To yadh zeituni nodwoko niya, ‘Ere kaka dawe mo miyudo kuom olembena kendo mitiyogo kuom miyo nyiseche kod ji duongʼ mondo abed ruodhu?’
10 “Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and be our king!’
“Bangʼ mano, yiende nowachone ngʼowu ni, ‘Bi mondo ibed ruodhwa.’
11 “But the fig tree replied, ‘No! I do not want to [RHQ] stop producing my good sweet fruit, and rule over you other trees!’
“To ngʼowu nodwoko ni, ‘Ere kaka dawe olembena mabeyo kendo mamit mondo abed ruodh yiende?’
12 “Then the trees said to the grapevine, ‘Come and be our king!’
“Eka yiende nowachone mzabibu ni, ‘Bi mondo ibed ruodhwa.’
13 “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]
“To mzabibu nodwoko ni, ‘Ere kaka dawe divai mara mamiyo nyiseche kod ji mor mondo abed ruodh yiende?’
14 “Then all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be our king!’
“Mogik yiende duto nowachone kudho ni, ‘Bi mondo ibed ruodhwa.’
15 “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]!’”
“Kudho nowachone yiende ni, ‘Ka adiera udwaro keta ruoth, to biuru kendo upond e tipona; ka ok kamano, to we mach owuog oa e kudho kendo owangʼ sida mag Lebanon!’
16 “[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!
“Ka uparo ni usetimo gima kare kendo mowinjore kuom keto Abimelek ruoth, bende ni usetimo maber ne Jerub-Baal kod joode, kendo usetimone gima romre gi timne,
17 “[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.
ka uparo kaka wuonwa nokedonu, kochiwo ngimane mondo oresu e lwet jo-Midian;
18 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!
to kawuononi osengʼanyo ni jood wuora, munego yawuote piero abiriyo ewi lwanda achiel, kendo uketo Abimelek, mane wuod jatichne ma nyako mobedo ruoth ewi jo-Shekem nikech en owadu.
19 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.
Ka uparo ni kawuononi usetimo gima kare kendo mowinjore ni Jerub-Baal kod joode, to mad Abimelek bed mamor kodu kendo un bende ubed mamor kode!
20 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!”
To ka ok utimo kamano, to mad mach wuog kuom Abimelek mi wangʼu duto, un jo-Shekem kod Beth Milo, kendo mach mondo owuog kuomu mi owangʼ Abimelek!”
21 [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].
Eka Jotham noringo odhi Beer, kendo nodak kanyo nikech noluoro Abimelek owadgi.
22 Abimelech [became the leader of all the people of Israel. He] ruled them for three years.
Kane Abimelek osebedo ruodh Israel kuom higni adek,
23 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.
Nyasaye noketo chuny marach e kind Abimelek kod jo-Shekem mi gidhawo kode kendo gingʼanyone.
24 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.
Nyasaye notimo ma mondo mahundu mane otimne yawuot Jerub-Baal piero abiriyo, kichwero rembgi, mondo ochul ewi Abimelek owadgi kendo ewi jo-Shekem, mane okonye nego owetene.
25 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].
Kuom mano, jo-Shekem noketo ji ewi gode mondo omonje kendo omaa ngʼato angʼata mane okalo machiegni, kendo wachni noterne Abimelek.
26 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.
Koro noyudo ka Gaal wuod Ebed nodar gi owetene odhi Shekem, kendo jopinyno noketo yie margi kuome.
27 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.
Bangʼ kane gisedhi e puothe kendo gipono mzabibu mi gikelogi kuonde bicho, negitimo nyasi e hekalu mar nyasachgi. E sa mane gichiemo kendo metho, ne gikwongʼo Abimelek.
28 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]!
Eka Gaal wuod Ebed nowacho niya, “Abimelek to en ngʼa, kendo Shekem bende en ngʼa, manyaka wabed e bwo lochne? Donge en wuod Jerub-Baal, to jalupne donge en Zebul? Tiuru ne jo-Hamor, ma wuon Shekem! Koro ere gima omiyo dwatine Abimelek?
29 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]!’”
Ka dine gibed e bwo lochna, to dine atieke, kendo dine awachone Abimelek ni, ‘Kel jolwenji duto mondo akedgo!’”
30 When someone told Zebul what Gaal said, he was very angry.
Kane Zebul ma jatend dala maduongʼno nowinjo gima Gaal wuod Ebed owacho, iye nowangʼ ahinya.
31 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.
Nooro joote ir Abimelek, mowacho niya, “Gaal wuod Ebed kod owetena osebiro Shekem kendo gidwaro mondo dala maduongʼ omonji.
32 You and your men should get up during the night and go and hide in the fields outside the city.
Omiyo koro kaw jogi gotieno mondo upond e bungu kuritogi.
33 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.”
Ka chiengʼ wuok gokinyi, to suduru machiegni gi dala maduongʼ, mondo ka Gaal gi joge wuok e dala maduongʼ mondo omonju, to timnegiuru gimoro amora ma unyalo timo.”
34 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.
Omiyo Abimelek kod jolweny mage duto nowuok gotieno, ne gipogore e migepe angʼwen mi gibuto mondo gimonj Shekem.
35 [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].
Koro Gaal wuod Ebed nowuok oko kendo negichungʼ e dhoranga dala maduongʼ mana sa ma Abimelek gi jolweny mage nowuok e kuondegi mane giponde.
36 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.”
Kane Gaal onenogi, nowachone Zebul niya, “Ne joma biro koa ewi gode!” Zebul nodwoko niya, “Tipo mag gode ema bwogi ni ji.”
37 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!”
To Gaal nowachone kendo niya, “Ne joma biro koa e dier piny, kendo oganda maduongʼ biro koa yo koma opidhie yadh ajwoga.”
38 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!”
Eka Zebul nowachone niya, “Ere thoro wach maru koro, un mane uwacho ni, ‘Abimelek en ngʼa manyaka wabed mana e bwo lochne?’ Donge magi e joma ne ichayo? Koro wuoguru mondo uked kodgi!”
39 So Gaal led the men of Shechem outside [the city] to fight Abimelech [and his men].
Omiyo Gaal notelo ne jo-Shekem kendo mi gikedo gi Abimelek.
40 Abimelech and his men pursued them, and they killed many of Gaal’s men before they could return [safely] inside the city gate.
Abimelek nolawe, kendo ji mane ohinyore kanyo ne ngʼeny mochopo nyaka e dhorangach.
41 Abimelech then stayed at Arumah, [about five miles away from Shechem], and Zebul’s men forced Gaal and his brothers to leave Shechem.
Abimelek nodongʼ Aruma, kendo Zebul noriembo Gaal kod owetene oko mar Shekem.
42 The next day, the people of Shechem [got ready to leave the city and work] in their fields. When someone told Abimelech about that,
Kinyne jo-Shekem nowuok oko kama oyangore kendo ne gikone Abimelek wachni.
43 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.
Omiyo nogolo joge, mi opogogi e migepe adek kendo nochako kedo kodgi. Kane oneno ji ka wuok e dala maduongʼ, ne owuok mondo oked kodgi.
44 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.
Abimelek kod kanyakla mane ni kode noreto kochiko kamoro e dhoranga dala maduongʼ. Eka migepe ariyo noreto odhi ir ji duto mane ni e pewe mine ginegogi duto.
45 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].
Odiechiengno duto Abimelek nokedo matek gi dala maduongʼ manyaka okawe kendo onego joma nodak e iye. Eka noketho dalano kendo nokworo chumbi kuome duto.
46 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.
Kane ji owinjo wachno, joma nodak kama oger motingʼore gi malo mar Shekem nodhi kama oger motegno mar hekalu mar El-Berith.
47 But someone told Abimelech that all the leaders had gathered there.
Kane Abimelek owinjo nine gisechokore kanyo,
48 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!”
en kaachiel gi joge duto negidhi e Got Zalmon. Abimelek nokawo le mi otongʼogo bad yath moro, mi notingʼe e goke. Nochiwo chik ne joma nenikode niya, “Uneno gima atimoni! Timuru kamano piyo!”
49 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.
Omiyo jogo duto notongʼo bede yath mi giluwo bangʼ Abimelek. Negichano yiendego e kor ot mar hekaluno gi oko eka ne gimoko mach kuom ji ei dalano. Omiyo ji duto mane nitiere kama oger motingʼore gi malo mar Shekem notho, chwo kod mon madirom ji alufu achiel.
50 Then Abimelech and his men went to Thebes [city]. They surrounded it and captured it.
Bangʼ mano, Abimelek nodhi Thebez mine olwore kendo omonje.
51 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.
Kata kamano, ei dala maduongʼno, ne nitie kama oger motegno motingʼore gi malo, kendo ji duto, chwo gi mon nodhi mopondo kanyo. Ne gilorore e iye mi giidho ewi kama oger motegnono.
52 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.
Abimelek nodhi e kama oger motegnono mondo omi omonje. To kane ochopo machiegni gi dhoranga kama oger motegnono mondo omokie mach,
53 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.
to dhako moro nolwaro kidi maduongʼ mar nyapongʼ ewi Abimelek mi obarore.
54 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.
Noluongo jatingʼne gik lweny mapiyo mowachone niya, “Wuodh liganglani kendo inega, mondo kik giwach ni, ‘Dhako ema nonege.’” Omiyo jatichne nowuodho ligangla mochwowego kendo otho.
55 When the Israeli soldiers saw that Abimelech was dead, they all returned to their homes.
Kane jo-Israel oneno ka Abimelek otho, ne giwuok mi gidok e miechgi.
56 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.
Omiyo Nyasaye nokumo Abimelek kuom timbe mamono mane otimo ne wuon mare kuom nego owetene piero abiriyo.
57 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].
Nyasaye nokumo bende jo-Shekem kuom timbegi mamono. Kwongʼ mane Jotham wuod Jerub-Baal okwongʼogigo nochopo kare.
