Judges 9
1 Abimelech son of Jerub Baal went to his mother's relatives at Shechem and he said to them and to the whole clan of his mother's family,
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 say this, so that all the leaders in Shechem may hear, 'Which is better for you, that all seventy sons of Jerub Baal rule over you, or that just one rule over you?' Remember 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 His mother's relatives spoke for him to the leaders of Shechem, and they agreed 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, and Abimelech used it to hire men of lawless and reckless character, 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 Abimelech went to his father's house at Ophrah, and upon one stone he murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerub Baal. Only Jotham was left, the youngest son of Jerub Baal, 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 All the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo came together and they went and made Abimelech king, beside the oak near the pillar which is 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 When Jotham was told about this, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim. He shouted and said to them, “Listen to me, you leaders of Shechem, so 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 once went out to anoint a king over them. For they said to the olive tree, 'Reign 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 give up my oil, which is used to honor gods and mankind, so I may go return, just to sway over the other 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 give up my sweetness and my good fruit, just so I could return and sway over the other 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 give up my new wine, which cheers gods and mankind, and return and sway over the other trees?'
And it answered them: Can I forsake my wine, that cheereth God and men, and be promoted among the other trees?
14 Then said all the trees to the thornbush, 'Come and reign over us.'
And all the trees said to the bramble: Come thou and reign over us.
15 The thornbush said to the trees, 'If you truly want to anoint me as king over you, then come and find safety under my shade. If not, then let fire come out of the thornbush and let it burn up 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 acted in truth and honesty, when you made Abimelech king, and if you have done well concerning Jerub Baal and his house, and if you have punished him as he deserves—
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 —and to think that my father fought for you, risked his life, and rescued you out of the hand of Midian—
And exposed his life to dangers, to deliver you from the hands of Madian,
18 but today you have risen up against my father's house and have killed his sons, seventy persons, upon one stone. Then you have made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the leaders of Shechem, because he is your relative.
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 acted with honesty and integrity with Jerub Baal and his house, then you should 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 burn up the men of Shechem and Beth Millo. Let fire come out from the men of Shechem and Beth Millo, to burn up 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 Jotham fled and ran away, and he went to Beer. He lived there because it was far away from 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 ruled over Israel for three years.
So Abimelech reigned over Israel for three years.
23 God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem. The leaders of Shechem betrayed the trust they had with Abimelech.
And the Lord sent a very evil spirit between Abimelech and the inhabitants of Sichem: who began to detest him,
24 God did this so the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerub Baal might be avenged, and Abimelech their brother would be held responsible for murdering them, and the men of Shechem would be held responsible because they helped him murder 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 So the leaders of Shechem positioned men to lie in wait on the hilltops that they might ambush him, and they robbed all who passed by them along that road. This was reported 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 Gaal son of Ebed came with his relatives and they went over to Shechem. The leaders of Shechem had confidence 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 grapes from the vineyards, and they trampled on them. They held a festival in the house of their god, where they ate and drank, and they 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 son of Ebed, said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerub Baal? Is Zebul not his officer? Serve the men of Hamor, Shechem's father! Why should we serve Abimelech?
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 I wish that this people were under my command! Then would I remove Abimelech. I would say to Abimelech, 'Call out all your army.'”
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 official of the city, heard the words of Gaal 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 order to deceive, saying, “See, Gaal son of Ebed and his relatives are coming to Shechem, and they are stirring up the city 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, get up during the night, you and the soldiers with you, and prepare an ambush in the fields.
Arise therefore in the night with the people that is with thee and he hid in the field:
33 Then in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, rise early and make a raid on the city. When he and the people with him come out against you, 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 So Abimelech got up during the night, he and all the men who were with him, and they set an ambush against Shechem—dividing into four units.
Abimelech therefore arose with all his army by night, and laid ambushes near Sichem in four places.
35 Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the city gate. Abimelech and the men who were with him came out of their hiding place.
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 men, he said to Zebul, “See, men are coming down from the hilltops!” Zebul said to him, “You are seeing the shadows on the hills like they are 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, men are coming down in the middle of the land, and one unit is coming by way of the oak of the diviners.”
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 are your proud words now, you who said, 'Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?' Are these not the men you despised? Go out now and fight against 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 Gaal went out and he was leading the men of Shechem, and he fought Abimelech.
So Gaal went out in the sight of the people of Sichem, and fought against Abimelech,
40 Abimelech chased him, and Gaal fled before him. Many fell with deadly wounds before the entrance to the city gate.
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 Abimelech stayed in Arumah. Zebul forced Gaal and his relatives out of 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 On the next day the people of Shechem went out into the field, and this was reported to Abimelech.
So the day following the people went out into the field. And it was told Abimelech.
43 He took his people, divided them into three units, and they set an ambush in the fields. He looked and saw the people coming out from the city and he attacked and killed 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 units that were with him attacked and blocked the entrance to the city gate. The other two units attacked all who were in the field and killed 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. He captured the city, and killed the people who were in it. He tore down the city walls and spread salt over it.
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 When all the leaders of the tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered 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 Abimelech was told that all the leaders had gathered together at the tower of Shechem.
Abimelech also hearing that the men of the tower of Sichem were gathered together,
48 Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the men who were with him. Abimelech took an ax and cut off branches. He put it on his shoulder and ordered the men with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry 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 So every one cut off branches and followed Abimelech. They piled them against the wall of the tower, and they set it on fire, so that all the people of the tower of Shechem also died, 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 he encamped against Thebez and captured 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 in the city, and all the men and women and all the leaders of the city fled to it and shut themselves in. Then they went 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 he came up near to the door of the tower to burn it.
And Abimelech coming near the tower, fought stoutly: and approaching to the gate, endeavoured to set fire to it:
53 But a woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech's head and it cracked 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 urgently to the young man who was his armor-bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, so no one will say about me, 'A woman killed him.'” So his young man pierced 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 went home.
And when he was dead, all the men of Israel that were with him, returned to their homes.
56 So God avenged the evil of Abimelech that he did to his father by murdering his seventy brothers.
And God repaid the evil, that Abimelech had done against his father, killing his seventy brethren.
57 God made all the evil of the men of Shechem turn back on their own heads and on them came the curse of Jotham son of Jerub Baal.
The Sichemites also were rewarded for what they had done, and the curse of Joatham the son of Jerobaal came upon them.
