Iudicum 9
1 abiit autem Abimelech filius Hierobbaal in Sychem ad fratres matris suae et locutus est ad eos et ad omnem cognationem domus patris matris suae dicens
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 loquimini ad omnes viros Sychem quid vobis est melius ut dominentur vestri septuaginta viri omnes filii Hierobbaal an ut dominetur vobis unus vir simulque considerate quia os vestrum et caro vestra sum
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 locutique sunt fratres matris eius de eo ad omnes viros Sychem universos sermones istos et inclinaverunt cor eorum post Abimelech dicentes frater noster est
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 dederuntque illi septuaginta pondo argenti de fano Baalbrith qui conduxit sibi ex eo viros inopes et vagos secutique sunt eum
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 et venit in domum patris sui Ephra et occidit fratres suos filios Hierobbaal septuaginta viros super lapidem unum remansitque Ioatham filius Hierobbaal minimus et absconditus est
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 congregati sunt autem omnes viri Sychem et universae familiae urbis Mello abieruntque et constituerunt regem Abimelech iuxta quercum quae stabat in Sychem
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 quod cum nuntiatum esset Ioatham ivit et stetit in vertice montis Garizim elevataque voce clamavit et dixit audite me viri Sychem ita audiat vos Deus
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 ierunt ligna ut unguerent super se regem dixeruntque olivae impera nobis
The trees went to anoint a king over them: and they said to the olive tree: Reign thou over us.
9 quae respondit numquid possum deserere pinguedinem meam qua et dii utuntur et homines et venire ut inter ligna promovear
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 dixeruntque ligna ad arborem ficum veni et super nos regnum accipe
And the trees said to the fig tree: Come thou and reign over us.
11 quae respondit eis numquid possum deserere dulcedinem meam fructusque suavissimos et ire ut inter cetera ligna commovear
And it answered them: Can I leave my sweetness, and my delicious fruits, and go to be promoted among the other trees?
12 locuta sunt quoque ligna ad vitem veni et impera nobis
And the trees said to the vine: Come thou and reign over us.
13 quae respondit numquid possum deserere vinum meum quod laetificat Deum et homines et inter ligna cetera commoveri
And it answered them: Can I forsake my wine, that cheereth God and men, and be promoted among the other trees?
14 dixeruntque omnia ligna ad ramnum veni et impera super nos
And all the trees said to the bramble: Come thou and reign over us.
15 quae respondit eis si vere me regem vobis constituitis venite et sub mea umbra requiescite sin autem non vultis egrediatur ignis de ramno et devoret cedros Libani
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 nunc igitur si recte et absque peccato constituistis super vos regem Abimelech et bene egistis cum Hierobbaal et cum domo eius et reddidistis vicem beneficiis eius qui pugnavit pro vobis
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 et animam suam dedit periculis ut erueret vos de manu Madian
And exposed his life to dangers, to deliver you from the hands of Madian,
18 qui nunc surrexistis contra domum patris mei et interfecistis filios eius septuaginta viros super unum lapidem et constituistis regem Abimelech filium ancillae eius super habitatores Sychem eo quod frater vester sit
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 si ergo recte et absque vitio egistis cum Hierobbaal et domo eius hodie laetamini in Abimelech et ille laetetur in vobis
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 sin autem perverse egrediatur ignis ex eo et consumat habitatores Sychem et oppidum Mello egrediaturque ignis de viris Sychem et de oppido Mello et devoret 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 quae cum dixisset fugit et abiit in Bera habitavitque ibi metu Abimelech fratris sui
And when he had said thus he fled, and went into Bera: and dwelt there for fear of Abimelech his brother.
22 regnavit itaque Abimelech super Israhel tribus annis
So Abimelech reigned over Israel for three years.
23 misitque Deus spiritum pessimum inter Abimelech et habitatores Sychem qui coeperunt eum detestari
And the Lord sent a very evil spirit between Abimelech and the inhabitants of Sichem: who began to detest him,
24 et scelus interfectionis septuaginta filiorum Hierobbaal et effusionem sanguinis eorum conferre in Abimelech fratrem suum et in ceteros Sycimarum principes qui eum adiuverant
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 posueruntque insidias adversum eum in montium summitate et dum illius praestolantur adventum exercebant latrocinia agentes praedas de praetereuntibus nuntiatumque est 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 venit autem Gaal filius Obed cum fratribus suis et transivit in Sycimam ad cuius adventum erecti habitatores Sychem
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 egressi sunt in agros vastantes vineas uvasque calcantes et factis cantantium choris ingressi sunt fanum dei sui et inter epulas et pocula maledicebant 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 clamante Gaal filio Obed quis est Abimelech et quae est Sychem ut serviamus ei numquid non est filius Hierobbaal et constituit principem Zebul servum suum super viros Emmor patris Sychem cur igitur servimus ei
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 utinam daret aliquis populum istum sub manu mea ut auferrem de medio Abimelech dictumque est Abimelech congrega exercitus multitudinem et veni
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 Zebul enim princeps civitatis auditis sermonibus Gaal filii Obed iratus est valde
For Zebul the ruler of the city, hearing the words of Gaal, the son of Obed, was very angry,
31 et misit clam ad Abimelech nuntios dicens ecce Gaal filius Obed venit in Sycimam cum fratribus suis et obpugnat adversum te civitatem
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 surge itaque nocte cum populo qui tecum est et latita in agro
Arise therefore in the night with the people that is with thee and he hid in the field:
33 et primo mane oriente sole inrue super civitatem illo autem egrediente adversum te cum populo suo fac ei quod potueris
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 surrexit itaque Abimelech cum omni exercitu suo nocte et tetendit insidias iuxta Sycimam in quattuor locis
Abimelech therefore arose with all his army by night, and laid ambushes near Sichem in four places.
35 egressusque est Gaal filius Obed et stetit in introitu portae civitatis surrexit autem Abimelech et omnis exercitus cum eo de insidiarum loco
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 cumque vidisset populum Gaal dixit ad Zebul ecce de montibus multitudo descendit cui ille respondit umbras montium vides quasi hominum capita et hoc errore deciperis
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 rursumque Gaal ait ecce populus de umbilico terrae descendit et unus cuneus venit per viam quae respicit quercum
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 cui dixit Zebul ubi est nunc os tuum quo loquebaris quis est Abimelech ut serviamus ei nonne iste est populus quem despiciebas egredere et pugna contra eum
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 abiit ergo Gaal spectante Sycimarum populo et pugnavit contra Abimelech
So Gaal went out in the sight of the people of Sichem, and fought against Abimelech,
40 qui persecutus est eum fugientem et in urbem conpulit cecideruntque ex parte eius plurimi usque ad portam civitatis
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 et Abimelech sedit in Ruma Zebul autem Gaal et socios eius expulit de urbe nec in ea passus est commorari
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 sequenti ergo die egressus est populus in campum quod cum nuntiatum esset Abimelech
So the day following the people went out into the field. And it was told Abimelech.
43 tulit exercitum suum et divisit in tres turmas tendens insidias in agris vidensque quod egrederetur populus de civitate surrexit et inruit in eos
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 cum cuneo suo obpugnans et obsidens civitatem duae autem turmae palantes per campum adversarios sequebantur
With his own company, assaulting and besieging the city: whilst the two other companies chased the enemies that were scattered about the field.
45 porro Abimelech omni illo die obpugnabat urbem quam cepit interfectis habitatoribus eius ipsaque destructa ita ut sal in ea dispergeret
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 quod cum audissent qui habitabant in turre Sycimorum ingressi sunt fanum dei sui Berith ubi foedus cum eo pepigerant et ex eo locus nomen acceperat qui erat valde munitus
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 quoque audiens viros turris Sycimorum pariter conglobatos
Abimelech also hearing that the men of the tower of Sichem were gathered together,
48 ascendit in montem Selmon cum omni populo suo et arrepta securi praecidit arboris ramum inpositumque ferens umero dixit ad socios quod me vidistis facere cito facite
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 igitur certatim ramos de arboribus praecidentes sequebantur ducem quos circumdantes praesidio succenderunt atque ita factum est ut fumo et igne mille hominum necarentur viri pariter ac mulieres habitatorum turris Sychem
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 Abimelech autem inde proficiscens venit ad oppidum Thebes quod circumdans obsidebat exercitu
Then Abimelech departing from thence came to the town of Thebes, which he surrounded and besieged with his army.
51 erat autem turris excelsa in media civitate ad quam confugerant viri simul ac mulieres et omnes principes civitatis clausa firmissime ianua et super turris tectum stantes per propugnacula
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 accedensque Abimelech iuxta turrem pugnabat fortiter et adpropinquans ostio ignem subponere nitebatur
And Abimelech coming near the tower, fought stoutly: and approaching to the gate, endeavoured to set fire to it:
53 et ecce una mulier fragmen molae desuper iaciens inlisit capiti Abimelech et confregit cerebrum eius
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 qui vocavit cito armigerum suum et ait ad eum evagina gladium tuum et percute me ne forte dicatur quod a femina interfectus sim qui iussa perficiens interfecit eum
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 illoque mortuo omnes qui cum eo erant de Israhel reversi sunt in sedes suas
And when he was dead, all the men of Israel that were with him, returned to their homes.
56 et reddidit Deus malum quod fecerat Abimelech contra patrem suum interfectis septuaginta fratribus suis
And God repaid the evil, that Abimelech had done against his father, killing his seventy brethren.
57 Sycimitis quoque quod operati erant retributum est et venit super eos maledictio Ioatham filii Hierobbaal
The Sichemites also were rewarded for what they had done, and the curse of Joatham the son of Jerobaal came upon them.
