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
Then Abimelech the sonne of Ierubbaal went to Shechem vnto his mothers brethren, and communed with them, and with all the familie, and house of his mothers 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
Say, I pray you, in the audience of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, that all the sonnes of Ierubbaal, which are seuentie persons, reigne ouer you, either that one reigne ouer you? Remember also, 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
Then his mothers brethren spake of him in the audience of all the men of Shechem, all these wordes: and their hearts were moued to follow Abimelech: for sayd they, 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 gaue him seuentie pieces of siluer out of the house of Baal-berith, wherewith Abimelech hired vayne and light fellowes which 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 went vnto his fathers house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren, the sonnes of Ierubbaal, about seuentie persons vpon one stone: yet Iotham the yongest sonne of Ierubbaal was left: for he hid himselfe.
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 Shechem gathered together with all the house of Millo, and came and made Abimelech King in the playne, where the stone was erected in Shechem.
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
And when they told it to Iotham, he went and stoode in the top of mount Gerizim, and lift vp his voyce, and cryed, and sayd vnto them, Hearken vnto mee, you men of Shechem, that God may hearken vnto you.
8 ierunt ligna ut unguerent super se regem dixeruntque olivae impera nobis
The trees went foorth to anoynt a King ouer them, and sayde vnto the oliue tree, Reigne thou ouer vs.
9 quae respondit numquid possum deserere pinguedinem meam qua et dii utuntur et homines et venire ut inter ligna promovear
But the oliue tree said vnto them, Should I leaue my fatnes, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to aduance me aboue ye trees?
10 dixeruntque ligna ad arborem ficum veni et super nos regnum accipe
Then the trees sayde to the fig tree, Come thou, and be King ouer vs.
11 quae respondit eis numquid possum deserere dulcedinem meam fructusque suavissimos et ire ut inter cetera ligna commovear
But the fig tree answered them, Should I forsake my sweetenesse, and my good fruite, and goe to aduance me aboue the trees?
12 locuta sunt quoque ligna ad vitem veni et impera nobis
Then sayd the trees vnto the Vine, Come thou, and be king ouer vs.
13 quae respondit numquid possum deserere vinum meum quod laetificat Deum et homines et inter ligna cetera commoveri
But the Vine sayde vnto them, Should I leaue my wine, whereby I cheare God and man, and goe to aduance me aboue the trees?
14 dixeruntque omnia ligna ad ramnum veni et impera super nos
Then said all the trees vnto the bramble, Come thou, and reigne ouer vs.
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 the bramble said vnto the trees, If ye will in deede anoynt me King ouer you, come, and put your trust vnder my shadowe: and if not, the fire shall come out of the bramble, and consume the Cedars of Lebanon.
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 ye doe truely and vncorruptly to make Abimelech King, and if ye haue delt well with Ierubbaal and with his house, and haue done vnto him according to the deseruing of his handes,
17 et animam suam dedit periculis ut erueret vos de manu Madian
(For my father fought for you, and aduentured his life, and deliuered you out of the handes of Midian.
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 yee are risen vp against my fathers house this day, and haue slayne his children, about seuentie persons vpon one stone, and haue made Abimelech the sonne of his mayde seruant, King ouer the men of Shechem, because hee 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 ye then haue delt truely and purely with Ierubbaal, and with his house this day, then reioyce with 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 not, let a fire come out from Abimelech, and consume the men of Shechem and the house of Millo: also let a fire come foorth from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and consume Abimelech.
21 quae cum dixisset fugit et abiit in Bera habitavitque ibi metu Abimelech fratris sui
And Iotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there for feare of Abimelech his brother.
22 regnavit itaque Abimelech super Israhel tribus annis
So Abimelech reigned three yeere ouer Israel.
23 misitque Deus spiritum pessimum inter Abimelech et habitatores Sychem qui coeperunt eum detestari
But God sent an euil spirit betweene Abimelech, and the men of Shechem: and the men of Shechem brake their promise to Abimelech,
24 et scelus interfectionis septuaginta filiorum Hierobbaal et effusionem sanguinis eorum conferre in Abimelech fratrem suum et in ceteros Sycimarum principes qui eum adiuverant
That the crueltie toward the seuentie sonnes of Ierubbaal and their blood might come and be laide vpon Abimelech their brother, which had slayne them, and vpon the men of Shechem, which had ayded him to kill his brethren.
25 posueruntque insidias adversum eum in montium summitate et dum illius praestolantur adventum exercebant latrocinia agentes praedas de praetereuntibus nuntiatumque est Abimelech
So the men of Shechem set men in wayte for him in the toppes of the mountaines: who robbed all that passed that way by them: and it was tolde Abimelech.
26 venit autem Gaal filius Obed cum fratribus suis et transivit in Sycimam ad cuius adventum erecti habitatores Sychem
Then Gaal the sonne of Ebed came with his brethren, and they went to 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
Therefore they went out into the field, and gathered in their grapes and troade them, and made merie, and went into the house of their gods, and did eate and drinke, and 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
Then Gaal the sonne of Ebed sayde, Who is Abimelech? and who is Shechem, that wee should serue him? Is he not the sonne of Ierubbaal? and Zebul is his officer? Serue rather the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serue him?
29 utinam daret aliquis populum istum sub manu mea ut auferrem de medio Abimelech dictumque est Abimelech congrega exercitus multitudinem et veni
Now would God this people were vnder mine hand: then would I put away Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.
30 Zebul enim princeps civitatis auditis sermonibus Gaal filii Obed iratus est valde
And when Zebul the ruler of the citie heard the wordes of Gaal the sonne of Ebed, his wrath was kindled.
31 et misit clam ad Abimelech nuntios dicens ecce Gaal filius Obed venit in Sycimam cum fratribus suis et obpugnat adversum te civitatem
Therefore he sent messengers vnto Abimelech priuily, saying, Beholde, Gaal the sonne of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem, and beholde, they fortifie the citie against thee.
32 surge itaque nocte cum populo qui tecum est et latita in agro
Now therefore arise by night, thou and the people that is with thee, and lye in wayte in the fielde.
33 et primo mane oriente sole inrue super civitatem illo autem egrediente adversum te cum populo suo fac ei quod potueris
And rise early in the morning as soone as the sunne is vp, and assault the citie: and when he and the people that is with him, shall come out against thee, doe to him what thou canst.
34 surrexit itaque Abimelech cum omni exercitu suo nocte et tetendit insidias iuxta Sycimam in quattuor locis
So Abimelech rose vp, and all the people that were with him by night: and they lay in wayte against Shechem in foure bandes.
35 egressusque est Gaal filius Obed et stetit in introitu portae civitatis surrexit autem Abimelech et omnis exercitus cum eo de insidiarum loco
Then Gaal the sonne of Ebed went out and stood in the entring of the gate of the citie: and Abimelech rose vp, and the folke that were with him, from lying in waite.
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 sawe the people, he said to Zebul, Beholde, there come people downe from the tops of the mountaines: and Zebul said vnto him, The shadowe of the mountaines seeme men vnto thee.
37 rursumque Gaal ait ecce populus de umbilico terrae descendit et unus cuneus venit per viam quae respicit quercum
And Gaal spake againe, and said, See, there come folke downe by the middle of the land, and another bande commeth by the way of the plaine of Meonenim.
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
Then sayd Zebul vnto him, Where is now thy mouth, that said, Who is Abimelech, that we should serue him? Is not this the people that thou hast despised? Go out now, I pray thee, and fight with them.
39 abiit ergo Gaal spectante Sycimarum populo et pugnavit contra Abimelech
And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
40 qui persecutus est eum fugientem et in urbem conpulit cecideruntque ex parte eius plurimi usque ad portam civitatis
But Abimelech pursued him, and he fledde before him, and many were ouerthrowen and wounded, euen vnto the entring of the gate.
41 et Abimelech sedit in Ruma Zebul autem Gaal et socios eius expulit de urbe nec in ea passus est commorari
And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren that they should not dwell in Shechem.
42 sequenti ergo die egressus est populus in campum quod cum nuntiatum esset Abimelech
And on the morowe, the people went out into the fielde: which was tolde 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 tooke the people, and deuided them into three bandes, and layde wayte in the fieldes, and looked, and beholde, the people were come out of the citie, and he rose vp against them, and smote them.
44 cum cuneo suo obpugnans et obsidens civitatem duae autem turmae palantes per campum adversarios sequebantur
And Abimelech, and the bandes that were with him, russhed forwarde, and stoode in the entring of the gate of the citie: and the two other bandes ran vpon all the people that were in the fielde and slewe them.
45 porro Abimelech omni illo die obpugnabat urbem quam cepit interfectis habitatoribus eius ipsaque destructa ita ut sal in ea dispergeret
And when Abimelech had fought against the citie all that day, he tooke the citie, and slewe the people that was therein, and destroyed the citie and 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 all the men of the towre of Shechem heard it, they entred into an holde of the house of the god Berith.
47 Abimelech quoque audiens viros turris Sycimorum pariter conglobatos
And it was tolde Abimelech, that all the men of the towre of Shechem 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
And Abimelech gate him vp to mounte Zalmon, hee and all the people that were with him: and Abimelech tooke axes with him, and cut downe boughes of trees, and tooke them, and bare them on his shoulder, and sayde vnto the folke that were with him, What ye haue seene me doe, make haste, and doe like me.
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
Then all the people also cut downe euery man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the holde, and set the holde on fire with them: so all the men of the towre of Shechem dyed also, about a thousand men and women.
50 Abimelech autem inde proficiscens venit ad oppidum Thebes quod circumdans obsidebat exercitu
Then went Abimelech to Tebez, and besieged Tebez, and tooke it.
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
But there was a strong towre within the citie, and thither fledde all the men and women, and all the chiefe of the citie, and shut it to them, and went vp to the toppe of the towre.
52 accedensque Abimelech iuxta turrem pugnabat fortiter et adpropinquans ostio ignem subponere nitebatur
And Abimelech came vnto the towre and fought against it, and went hard vnto the doore of the towre to set it on fire.
53 et ecce una mulier fragmen molae desuper iaciens inlisit capiti Abimelech et confregit cerebrum eius
But a certaine woman cast a piece of a milstone vpon Abimelechs head, and brake his braine pan.
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
Then Abimelech called hastily his page that bare his harneis, and sayde vnto him, Drawe thy sworde and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slewe him. And his page thrust him thorowe, and he dyed.
55 illoque mortuo omnes qui cum eo erant de Israhel reversi sunt in sedes suas
And when the men of Israel sawe that Abimelech was dead, they departed euery man vnto his owne place.
56 et reddidit Deus malum quod fecerat Abimelech contra patrem suum interfectis septuaginta fratribus suis
Thus God rendred the wickednes of Abimelech, which he did vnto his father, in slaying his seuentie brethren.
57 Sycimitis quoque quod operati erant retributum est et venit super eos maledictio Ioatham filii Hierobbaal
Also all the wickednes of the men of Shechem did God bring vpon their heads. So vpon them came the curse of Iotham the sonne of Ierubbaal.
