Judges 9
1 Forsothe Abymelech, the sone of Gerobaal, yede in to Sichem to the britheren of his modir; and he spak to hem, and to al the kynrede of `the hows of his modir, and seide,
And Abimelech the son of Yerubba'al went to Shechem unto his mother's brothers, and spoke unto them, and unto all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying,
2 Speke ye to alle the men of Sichem, What is betere to you, that seuenti men, alle the sones of Gerobaal, be lordis of you, whether that o man be lord to you? and also biholde, for Y am youre boon, and youre fleisch.
Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, What is better for you, either that there should rule over you seventy men, all the sons of Yerubba'al, or that there reign over you one man? and remember that I am your bone and your flesh.
3 And the britheren of his modir spaken of hym alle these wordis to alle the men of Sichem; and bowiden her hertis aftir Abymelech, and seiden, He is oure brother.
And his mother's brothers spoke concerning him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words; and their heart became inclined after Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.
4 And thei yauen to hym seuenti weiytis of siluer of the temple of Baal Berith; and he hiride to hym therof men pore and hauynge no certeyn dwellynge, and thei sueden hym.
And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Ba'al-berith; and Abimelech hired therewith idle and heedless persons, who followed him.
5 And he cam in to `the hows of his fadir in Ephra, and killide hise britheren the sones of Gerobaal, `seuenti men, on o stoon. And Joathan, the leste sone of Gerobaal, lefte, and was hid.
And he came unto his father's house at 'Ophrah, and slew his brothers the sons of Yeruhba'al, seventy persons, upon one stone; and there was yet left Yotham the youngest son of Yerubba'al; for he had hidden himself.
6 Forsothe alle the men of Sichem, and alle the meynees of the citee of Mello, weren gadirid to gydere, and thei yeden, and maden Abymelech kyng, bysidis the ook that stood in Sichem.
And all the men of Shechem and all Beth-millo assembled together, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar that was by Shechem.
7 And whanne this thing was teld to Joathan, he yede, and stood in the cop of the hil Garisym, and cried with `vois reisid, and seide, Ye men of Sichem, here me, so that God here you.
And they told it to Yotham; and he went and stood on the top of mount Gerizzim, and he lifted up his voice, and cried; and he said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, so that God may hearken unto you.
8 Trees yeden to anoynte a kyng on hem; and tho seiden to the olyue tre, Comaunde thou to vs.
The trees went once forth to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive-tree, Reign thou over us.
9 Whiche answeride, Whether Y may forsake my fatnesse, which bothe Goddis and men vsen, and come, that Y be auaunsid among trees?
But the olive-tree said unto them, Should I give up my fatness, wherewith through me they honor God and men, and shall I go to be promoted over the trees!
10 And the trees seiden to the fige tree, Come thou, and take the rewme on vs.
And the trees said to the fig-tree, Come thou, reign over us.
11 Which answeride to hem, Whether Y may forsake my swetnesse and swetteste fruytis, and go that Y be auaunsid among othere trees?
But the fig-tree said unto them, Should I give up my sweetness, and my good productiveness, and go to be promoted over the trees?
12 Also `the trees spaken to the vyne, Come thou, and comaunde to vs.
Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, reign over us.
13 Which answeride, Whether Y may forsake my wyn, that gladith God and men, and be auaunsid among othere trees?
But the vine said unto them, Should I give up my fresh wine, which rejoiceth God and men, and go to be promoted over the trees!
14 And alle trees seiden to the ramne, ether theue thorn, Come thou, and be lord on vs.
Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, reign over us.
15 Whiche answeride to hem, If ye maken me verili kyng to you, come ye, and reste vndur my schadewe; sotheli, if ye nylen, fier go out of the ramne, and deuoure the cedris of the Liban.
And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me as king over you, then come seek protection in my shadow; and if not, then let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of the Lebanon.
16 Now therfor if riytfuli and without synne `ye han maad Abymelech kyng on you, and ye han do wel with Jerobaal, and with his hows, and ye han yolde while to the benefices of hym,
And now, if ye have acted in truth and sincerity, when ye made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Yerubba'al and his house, and have done unto him according to the merit of his hands;
17 that fauyt for you, and yaf his lijf to perelis, that he schulde delyuere you fro the hond of Madian;
(In that my father fought for you, and cast his life far away, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian;
18 and ye han rise now ayens the hows of my fadir, and han slayn hyse sones, seuenti men, on o stoon, and `han maad Abymelech, sone of his handmayde, kyng on the dwelleris of Sichem, for he is youre brother;
While ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, seventy men, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maid-servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother; )
19 therfor if ye han do riytfuli, and with out synne with Gerobaal and his hows, to dai be ye glad in Abymelech, and be he glad in you; but if ye han do weiwardli,
If ye have thus acted in truth and sincerity with Yerubba'al and with his house this day: then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you.
20 fier go out `of hym, and waste the dwelleris of Sichem, and the citee of Mello; and fier go out of the men of Sichem, and of the citee of Mello, and deuoure Abymelech.
But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem and Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from Beth-millo, and devour Abimelech.
21 And whanne he hadde seide these thingis, he fledde, and yede in to Berara, and dwellide there, for drede of Abymelech, his brother.
And Yotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
22 And Abymelech regnede on Israel thre yeer.
And Abimelech ruled over Israel three years;
23 And the Lord sente the worste spirit bitwixe Abymelech and the dwelleris of Sichem, whiche bigynnen to holde hym abomynable,
And then did God send an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem became unfaithful toward Abimelech;
24 and to arette the felony of sleyng of seuenti sones of Gerobaal, and the schedyng out of her blood, in to Abymelech her brother, and to othere princes of Sichem, that hadden helpid hym.
So that the violence [done] to the seventy sons of Yerubba'al might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, who had slain them; and upon the men of Shechem, who had strengthened his hands to slay his brothers.
25 And thei settiden buyschementis ayens hym in the hiynesse of hillis; and the while thei abideden `the comyng of hym, thei hauntiden theftis, and token preies of men passynge forth; and it was teld to Abymelech.
And the men of Shechem set persons to lie in wait for him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all that passed by them on that way: and it was told unto Abimelech.
26 Forsothe Gaal, `the sone of Obed, cam with his britheren, and passide in to Siccima; at whos entryng the dwelleris of Sichem weren reisid, and yeden out `in to feeldis,
And there came Ga'al the son of 'Ebed with his brothers, and passed through Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.
27 and wastiden vyneris, and `to-traden grapis; and with cumpeneys of syngeris maad thei entriden in to `the temple of her God, and among metis and drynkis thei cursiden Abymalech, while Gaal,
And they went out into the field, and gathered their vineyards, and trod [the grapes], and made joyful feasts, and went into the house of their god, and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech.
28 the sone of Obed, criede, Who is this Abymelech? And what is Sichem, that we serue hym? Whether he is not the sone of Jerobaal, and made Zebul his seruaunt prince on the men of Emor, fadir of Sichem? Whi therfor schulen we serue hym?
And Ga'al the son of 'Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Yerubba'al? and Zebul his superintendent? serve the men of Chamor the father of Shechem; for why indeed should we serve him?
29 `Y wolde, that sum man yaf this puple vndur myn hond, that Y schulde take awei Abimelech fro the myddis. And it was seid to Abymelech, Gadere thou the multitude of oost, and come thou.
And O that some one would put this people into my power! and I would remove Abimelech. And he let it be said to Abimelech, Increase thy army, and come out.
30 For whanne the wordis of Gaal, sone of Obed, weren herd, Zebul, the prynce of the citee, was ful wrooth;
And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Ga'al the son of 'Ebed, his anger was kindled.
31 and he sente priueli messangeris to Abymelech, and seide, Lo! Gaal, sone of Obed, cam in to Siccymam, with hise britheren, and he excitith the citee to fiyte ayens thee;
And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privately, saying, Behold, Ga'al the son of 'Ebed and his brothers are come to Shechem; and, behold, they incite the city to enmity against thee.
32 therfor rise thou bi niyt with the puple, which is with thee, and be thou hid in the feeld;
And now rise up by night, thou and the people that are with thee, and lie in wait in the field:
33 and first in the morewtid, whanne the sunne rysith, falle on the citee; forsothe whanne he goth out with his puple ayens thee, do thou to hym that that thou maist.
And it shall be, in the morning, the moment the sun shineth, that thou shalt rise early, and set upon the city; and, behold, when he and the people that are with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to him as thy means may let thee.
34 Therfor Abymelech roos with al his oost bi nyyt, and settide buyschementis bisidis Siccimam, in foure placis.
And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they lay in wait against Shechem in four companies.
35 And Gaal, the sone of Obed, yede out, and stood in the entryng of `the yate of the citee. Forsothe Abymelech and al the oost with hym roos fro the place of buyschementis.
And Ga'al the son of 'Ebed went out, and stood in the entrance of the city-gate: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from the ambush.
36 And whanne Gaal hadde seyn the puple, he seide to Zebul, Lo! a multitude cometh doun fro the hillis. To whom he answeride, Thou seest the schadewis of hillis as the `heedis of men, and thou art disseyued bi this errour.
And when Ga'al saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou regardest the shadow of the mountains as men.
37 And eft Gaal seide, Lo! a puple cometh doun fro the myddis of erthe, `that is, fro the hiynesse of hillis, and o cumpeny cometh bi the weie that biholdith the ook.
And Ga'al spoke again and said, See people are coming down from the highest point of the land, and one company is coming along by the way of the grove of Me'onenim.
38 To whom Zebul seide, Where is now thi mouth, bi which thou spekist, Who is Abymelech, that we serue hym? Whether this is not the puple, whom thou dispisidist? Go thou out, and fiyte ayens hym.
Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him! is not this the people that thou hast despised? go out now, I pray, and fight with them.
39 Therfor Gaal yede, while the puple of Sichen abood; and he fauyt ayens Abymelech.
And Ga'al went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
40 Which pursuede Gaal fleynge, and constreynede to go in to the citee; and ful many of his part felde doun `til to the yate of the citee.
And Abimelech pursued him, and he fled before him, and many fell slain, even as far as the entrance of the gate.
41 And Abymelech sat in Ranna; sotheli Zebul puttide Gaal and hise felowis out of the citee, and suffride not to dwelle ther ynne.
And Abimelech remained at Arumah: and Zebul banished Ga'al and his brothers, that they should not remain in Shechem.
42 Therfor in the dai suynge the puple yede out in to the feeld; and whanne this thing was teld to Abymelech,
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and it was told to Abimelech.
43 he took his oost, and departide `in to thre cumpenyes, and settide buyschementis in the feeldis; and he siy that the puple yede out of the citee, and he roos,
And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the field; and as he saw, and, behold, that the people were coming forth out of the city, he rose up against them, and smote them.
44 and felde on hem with his cumpeny, and enpugnyde and bisegide the citee. Sothely twei cumpenyes yeden aboute opynli bi the feeld, and pursueden aduersaries.
And Abimelech, and the companies that were with him, spread forward, and took position in the entrance of the city-gate: and the two other companies spread over all that were in the fields, and smote them.
45 Certis Abymelech fauyt ayens the citee in al that dai, which he took, whanne the dwelleris weren slayn, and that citee was destried, so that he spreynte abrood salt ther ynne.
And Ahimelech fought against the city all that day; and he captured the city, and the people that were therein he slew; and he beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.
46 And whanne thei, that dwelliden in the tour of Sichem, hadde herd this, thei entriden in to the temple of her god Berith, where thei hadden maad boond of pees with hym; and of that the place took name, which place was ful strong.
And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard this, they entered into the stronghold of the house of the god Berith.
47 And Abymelech herde the men of the tour of Sichem gaderid to gidere,
And it was told unto Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.
48 and he stiede in to the hil Selmon with al his puple; and with an axe takun he kittide doun a boow of a tre, and he bar it, put on the schuldur, and seide to felowis, Do ye this thing, which ye seen me do.
And Abimelech went thereupon up to 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 a tree, and bore it, and laid it on his shoulder; and he said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen that I have done, make haste, and do like me.
49 Therfor with strijf thei kittiden doun bowis of the trees, and sueden the duyk; whiche cumpassiden and brenten `the tour; and so it was doon, that with smooke and fier a thousynde of men weren slayn, men togidere and wymmen, of the dwelleris of the tour of Sichem.
And all the people also cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put the same to the stronghold, and set the stronghold over them on fire: and thus died also all the people of the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women.
50 Forsothe Abymelech wente forth fro thennus, and cam to the citee of Thebes, which he cumpasside, and bisegide with an oost.
And Abimelech went then to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and captured it.
51 Forsothe the tour was hiy in the myddis of the citee, to which men togidere and wymmen fledden, and alle the princes of the citee, while the yate was closid stronglieste; and thei stoden on the roof of the tour bi toretis.
But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and the women, and all the chief persons of the city, and shut the doors behind them, and went up to the roof of the tower.
52 And Abymelech cam bisidis the tour, and fauyt strongli, and he neiyede to the dore, and enforside to putte fier vndur; and lo!
And Abimelech came up to the tower, and fought against it, and approached as far as the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
53 o womman castide fro aboue a gobet of a mylnestoon, and hurtlide to `the heed of Abymelech, and brak his brayn.
But a certain woman cast a piece of an upper millstone upon Abimelech's head, and crushed his skull.
54 And he clepide soone his squyer, and seide to hym, Drawe out thi swerd, and sle me, lest perauenture it be seid, that Y am slan of a womman. Which performede `the comaundementis, and `killide Abymelech;
Then called he hastily unto the young man that bore his armor, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that people may not say of me, A woman hath slain him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.
55 and whanne he was deed, alle men of Israel that weren with hym turneden ayen to her seetis.
And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man to his place.
56 And God yeldide to Abymelech the yuel that he dide ayens his fadir, for he killide hise seuenti britheren.
Thus did God compensate the evil of Abimelech, which he had done unto his father, in slaying his seventy brothers:
57 Also that thing was yoldun to men of Sichem, which thei wrouyten, and the curs of Joathan, sone of Jerobaal, cam on hem.
And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God bring back upon their own head; and there came upon them the curse of Yotham the son of Yerubba'al.
