Iudicum 9
1 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:
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 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.
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 Locutique sunt fratres matris ejus de eo ad omnes viros Sichem universos sermones istos, et inclinaverunt cor eorum post Abimelech, dicentes: Frater noster est.
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 Dederuntque illi septuaginta pondo argenti de fano Baalberit. Qui conduxit sibi ex eo viros inopes et vagos, secutique sunt eum.
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 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.
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 Congregati sunt autem omnes viri Sichem, et universæ familiæ urbis Mello: abieruntque et constituerunt regem Abimelech, juxta quercum quæ stabat 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 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.
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 Ierunt ligna, ut ungerent super se regem: dixeruntque olivæ: Impera nobis.
The trees went once forth to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive-tree, Reign thou over us.
9 Quæ respondit: Numquid possum deserere pinguedinem meam, qua et dii utuntur et homines, et venire ut inter ligna promovear?
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 Dixeruntque ligna ad arborem ficum: Veni, et super nos regnum accipe.
And the trees said to the fig-tree, Come thou, reign over us.
11 Quæ respondit eis: Numquid possum deserere dulcedinem meam, fructusque suavissimos, et ire ut inter cetera ligna promovear?
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 Locutaque sunt ligna ad vitem: Veni, et impera nobis.
Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, reign over us.
13 Quæ respondit eis: Numquid possum deserere vinum meum, quod lætificat Deum et homines, et inter ligna cetera promoveri?
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 Dixeruntque omnia ligna ad rhamnum: Veni, et impera super nos.
Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, reign over us.
15 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.
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 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,
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 et animam suam dedit periculis, ut erueret vos de manu Madian,
(In that my father fought for you, and cast his life far away, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian;
18 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:
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 si ergo recte et absque vitio egistis cum Jerobaal et domo ejus, hodie lætamini in Abimelech, et ille lætetur in vobis.
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 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.
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 Quæ cum dixisset, fugit, et abiit in Bera: habitavitque ibi ob metum Abimelech fratris sui.
And Yotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
22 Regnavit itaque Abimelech super Israël tribus annis.
And Abimelech ruled over Israel three years;
23 Misitque Dominus spiritum pessimum inter Abimelech et habitatores Sichem: qui cœperunt eum detestari,
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 et scelus interfectionis septuaginta filiorum Jerobaal, et effusionem sanguinis eorum conferre in Abimelech fratrem suum, et in ceteros Sichimorum principes, qui eum adjuverant.
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 Posueruntque insidias adversus eum in summitate montium: et dum illius præstolabantur adventum, exercebant latrocinia, agentes prædas de prætereuntibus: nuntiatumque est Abimelech.
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 Venit autem Gaal filius Obed cum fratribus suis, et transivit in Sichimam. Ad cujus adventum erecti habitatores Sichem,
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 egressi sunt in agros, vastantes vineas, uvasque calcantes: et factis cantantium choris, ingressi sunt fanum dei sui, et inter epulas et pocula maledicebant Abimelech,
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 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?
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 utinam daret aliquis populum istum sub manu mea, ut auferrem de medio Abimelech. Dictumque est Abimelech: Congrega exercitus multitudinem, et veni.
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 Zebul enim princeps civitatis, auditis sermonibus Gaal filii Obed, iratus est valde,
And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Ga'al the son of 'Ebed, his anger was kindled.
31 et misit clam ad Abimelech nuntios, dicens: Ecce Gaal filius Obed venit in Sichimam cum fratribus suis, et oppugnat adversum te civitatem.
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 Surge itaque nocte cum populo qui tecum est, et latita in agro:
And now rise up by night, thou and the people that are with thee, and lie in wait in the field:
33 et primo mane, oriente sole, irrue super civitatem. Illo autem egrediente adversum te cum populo suo, fac ei quod potueris.
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 Surrexit itaque Abimelech cum omni exercitu suo nocte, et tetendit insidias juxta Sichimam in quatuor locis.
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 Egressusque est Gaal filius Obed, et stetit in introitu portæ civitatis. Surrexit autem Abimelech, et omnis exercitus cum eo, de insidiarum loco.
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 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.
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 Rursumque Gaal ait: Ecce populus de umbilico terræ descendit, et unus cuneus venit per viam quæ respicit quercum.
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 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.
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 Abiit ergo Gaal, spectante Sichimorum populo, et pugnavit contra Abimelech,
And Ga'al went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
40 qui persecutus est eum fugientem, et in urbem compulit: cecideruntque ex parte ejus plurimi, usque ad portam civitatis.
And Abimelech pursued him, and he fled before him, and many fell slain, even as far as the entrance of the gate.
41 Et Abimelech sedit in Ruma: Zebul autem Gaal et socios ejus expulit de urbe, nec in ea passus est commorari.
And Abimelech remained at Arumah: and Zebul banished Ga'al and his brothers, that they should not remain in Shechem.
42 Sequenti ergo die, egressus est populus in campum. Quod cum nuntiatum esset Abimelech,
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and it was told to Abimelech.
43 tulit exercitum suum, et divisit in tres turmas, tendens insidias in agris. Vidensque quod egrederetur populus de civitate, surrexit, et irruit in eos
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 cum cuneo suo, oppugnans et obsidens civitatem: duæ autem turmæ palantes per campum adversarios persequebantur.
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 Porro Abimelech omni die illo oppugnabat urbem: quam cepit, interfectis habitatoribus ejus, ipsaque destructa, ita ut sal in ea dispergeret.
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 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.
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 Abimelech quoque audiens viros turris Sichimorum pariter conglobatos,
And it was told unto Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.
48 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.
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 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.
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 Abimelech autem inde proficiscens venit ad oppidum Thebes, quod circumdans obsidebat exercitu.
And Abimelech went then to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and captured it.
51 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.
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 Accedensque Abimelech juxta turrim, pugnabat fortiter: et appropinquans ostio, ignem supponere nitebatur:
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 et ecce una mulier fragmen molæ desuper jaciens, illisit capiti Abimelech, et confregit cerebrum ejus.
But a certain woman cast a piece of an upper millstone upon Abimelech's head, and crushed his skull.
54 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.
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 Illoque mortuo, omnes qui cum eo erant de Israël, reversi sunt in sedes suas:
And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man to his place.
56 et reddidit Deus malum quod fecerat Abimelech contra patrem suum, interfectis septuaginta fratribus suis.
Thus did God compensate the evil of Abimelech, which he had done unto his father, in slaying his seventy brothers:
57 Sichimitis quoque quod operati erant, retributum est, et venit super eos maledictio Joatham filii Jerobaal.
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.
