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
Gideon’s son Abimelech went to [talk with] his mother’s brothers in Shechem [city]. He said to them and to all his mother’s relatives,
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
“Ask all the leaders of your city: ‘Do you [think it would be] good for all 70 of Gideon’s sons to rule over you? Or would it be better to have only one of his sons, [me], to rule over you?’ And do not forget that I am your relative! [MTY]”
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
So Abimelech’s mother’s brothers spoke to all the leaders of Shechem about what Abimelech had said. They said to each other, “We should allow Abimelech to rule over us, because he is our relative.”
4 dederuntque illi septuaginta pondo argenti de fano Baalbrith qui conduxit sibi ex eo viros inopes et vagos secutique sunt eum
So the leaders of Shechem took from the temple of [their god] Baal-Berith (almost 2 pounds/0.8 kg.) of silver and gave it to Abimelech. With that silver he paid some worthless troublemakers to help him, and they went with Abimelech wherever he went.
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
They went to Ophrah, his father’s town, and murdered 69 of his 70 brothers, the sons of his father Gideon. They killed all those men on one huge rock. But Gideon’s youngest son Jotham hid [from Abimelech and his men], and he escaped.
6 congregati sunt autem omnes viri Sychem et universae familiae urbis Mello abieruntque et constituerunt regem Abimelech iuxta quercum quae stabat in Sychem
Then all the leaders of Shechem and Beth-Millo gathered under the big sacred tree in Shechem. There they appointed Abimelech to be their leader.
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
When Jotham heard about that, he climbed up Gerizim Mountain. He stood at the top of the mountain and shouted to the people [down below], “You leaders of Shechem, listen to me, in order that God will listen to you!
8 ierunt ligna ut unguerent super se regem dixeruntque olivae impera nobis
One day the trees decided to appoint a king to rule over all of them. So they said to the olive tree, ‘You be our king!’
9 quae respondit numquid possum deserere pinguedinem meam qua et dii utuntur et homines et venire ut inter ligna promovear
“But the olive tree said, ‘No! [I will not be your king] Men and gods enjoy the oil from my fruit. I will not [RHQ] stop producing [olives from which we make] that oil, in order to rule over you other trees!’
10 dixeruntque ligna ad arborem ficum veni et super nos regnum accipe
“Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and be our king!’
11 quae respondit eis numquid possum deserere dulcedinem meam fructusque suavissimos et ire ut inter cetera ligna commovear
“But the fig tree replied, ‘No! I do not want to [RHQ] stop producing my good sweet fruit, and rule over you other trees!’
12 locuta sunt quoque ligna ad vitem veni et impera nobis
“Then the trees said to the grapevine, ‘Come and be our king!’
13 quae respondit numquid possum deserere vinum meum quod laetificat Deum et homines et inter ligna cetera commoveri
“But the grapevine replied, ‘No! [I will not be your king] The new wine [that is made from my grapes] causes people and gods [who drink it] to become very happy. I do not want to stop producing grapes and rule over you other trees!’ [RHQ]
14 dixeruntque omnia ligna ad ramnum veni et impera super nos
“Then all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be our king!’
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
“The thornbush replied, ‘If you truly want to appoint me to be your king, come into the shade of my [tiny branches]. But if you do not want to do that, I hope/desire that fire will come out from me and burn up all the huge cedar trees in Lebanon [country]!’”
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
“[After] Jotham [finished telling them this parable, he] said, “So now [I ask you], were you being completely honest and sincere when you appointed Abimelech to be your king [RHQ]? And have you treated Gideon and his family [RHQ] fairly? Have you rewarded Gideon by honoring him as he deserved [because of all the good things he did for you]? No!
17 et animam suam dedit periculis ut erueret vos de manu Madian
“[Do not forget that] my father fought a battle for you, and he was willing to die for you [if that had been necessary], to save you from the Midian people-group.
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
But now you have rebelled against my father’s family, and you have killed 69 of his sons on one huge rock. And you have appointed Abimelech—who is the son of my father’s slave girl, [not the son of his wife]—to be the king who will rule you people of Shechem. You have done that only because he is one of your relatives!
19 si ergo recte et absque vitio egistis cum Hierobbaal et domo eius hodie laetamini in Abimelech et ille laetetur in vobis
So, if today you have truly acted fairly and sincerely toward Gideon and his family, I hope/desire that he will cause you to be happy and that you will cause him to be happy.
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 what you did was not right, I wish/desire that Abimelech will burn up all of you leaders of Shechem and Beth-Millo with fire! And I also hope/desire that the leaders of Shechem and Beth-Millo will cause fire to burn up Abimelech!”
21 quae cum dixisset fugit et abiit in Bera habitavitque ibi metu Abimelech fratris sui
[After] Jotham [finished saying that, he] escaped from them and ran away to Beer [town]. He stayed there because he was afraid that his brother Abimelech [would try to kill him].
22 regnavit itaque Abimelech super Israhel tribus annis
Abimelech [became the leader of all the people of Israel. He] ruled them for three years.
23 misitque Deus spiritum pessimum inter Abimelech et habitatores Sychem qui coeperunt eum detestari
Then God sent an evil spirit [to cause trouble] between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, with the result that the leaders of Shechem rebelled against 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
The leaders of Shechem had previously helped Abimelech to kill 69 of Gideon’s sons, who were his brothers. So now God sent the evil spirit to punish all of them.
25 posueruntque insidias adversum eum in montium summitate et dum illius praestolantur adventum exercebant latrocinia agentes praedas de praetereuntibus nuntiatumque est Abimelech
The leaders of Shechem (set an ambush/sent men to hide) on the hilltops to ambush Abimelech. Those men robbed everyone who passed by. But someone told Abimelech about it, [so he did not go near them].
26 venit autem Gaal filius Obed cum fratribus suis et transivit in Sycimam ad cuius adventum erecti habitatores Sychem
There was a man named Gaal, the son of Ebed, who moved into Shechem [city], along with his brothers. Soon the leaders of Shechem started to trust 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
They went out [of the city] to their vineyards and picked some grapes. They pressed the grapes [to make juice, and then they made wine]. Then they had a feast in the temple of their god, and they ate [a lot of food] and drank [a lot of wine]. Then 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
Gaal said, “(Why should [we allow] Abimelech to rule over us?/We should not allow Abimelech to rule over us!) [RHQ] He is only one of Gideon’s sons [so he really does not belong to us] [RHQ]! And he appointed Zebul, the governor of our city, to be his deputy! We should (serve/be loyal to) [one of the descendants of] Hamor, [the founder of our city], and let him be our leader, not Abimelech [RHQ]!
29 utinam daret aliquis populum istum sub manu mea ut auferrem de medio Abimelech dictumque est Abimelech congrega exercitus multitudinem et veni
If you would appoint me to be your leader, I would get rid of Abimelech. I would say to him, ‘Get your army ready, [and then come to fight us]!’”
30 Zebul enim princeps civitatis auditis sermonibus Gaal filii Obed iratus est valde
When someone told Zebul what Gaal said, he 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
He secretly sent some messengers to Abimelech. They told him, “Gaal and his brothers have come here to Shechem, and they are causing [the people of] the city to rebel against you.
32 surge itaque nocte cum populo qui tecum est et latita in agro
You and your men should get up during the night and go and hide in the fields outside the city.
33 et primo mane oriente sole inrue super civitatem illo autem egrediente adversum te cum populo suo fac ei quod potueris
As soon as the sun rises in the morning, get up and attack the city. When Gaal and his men come out to fight against you, you can do to them whatever you want to.”
34 surrexit itaque Abimelech cum omni exercitu suo nocte et tetendit insidias iuxta Sycimam in quattuor locis
So Abimelech and all the men who were with him got up during the night. They [divided into] four groups, [and] hid [in the fields] near Shechem.
35 egressusque est Gaal filius Obed et stetit in introitu portae civitatis surrexit autem Abimelech et omnis exercitus cum eo de insidiarum loco
[The next morning], Gaal went out and stood at the entrance to the city gate. While he was standing there, Abimelech and his soldiers came out of their hiding places [and started walking toward the city].
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
When Gaal saw the soldiers, he said to Zebul, “Look! There are people coming down from the hills!” But Zebul said, “You are seeing only the shadows [of trees] on the hills. They [are not people; they] only resemble people.”
37 rursumque Gaal ait ecce populus de umbilico terrae descendit et unus cuneus venit per viam quae respicit quercum
But Gaal [looked] again [and] said, “Look! There are people coming down from the top of the sacred mountain! There is a group of them coming down from where the tree is where people talk with the spirits of dead people!”
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
Zebul said to Gaal, “Now (what good is your bragging?/your bragging is worthless!) [MTY, RHQ] You said, ‘(Why should we serve Abimelech/We should not allow Abimelech to rule over us)?’ You made fun of these men. So now go out and fight them!”
39 abiit ergo Gaal spectante Sycimarum populo et pugnavit contra Abimelech
So Gaal led the men of Shechem outside [the city] to fight Abimelech [and his men].
40 qui persecutus est eum fugientem et in urbem conpulit cecideruntque ex parte eius plurimi usque ad portam civitatis
Abimelech and his men pursued them, and they killed many of Gaal’s men before they could return [safely] inside the city gate.
41 et Abimelech sedit in Ruma Zebul autem Gaal et socios eius expulit de urbe nec in ea passus est commorari
Abimelech then stayed at Arumah, [about five miles away from Shechem], and Zebul’s men forced Gaal and his brothers to leave Shechem.
42 sequenti ergo die egressus est populus in campum quod cum nuntiatum esset Abimelech
The next day, the people of Shechem [got ready to leave the city and work] in their fields. When someone told Abimelech about that,
43 tulit exercitum suum et divisit in tres turmas tendens insidias in agris vidensque quod egrederetur populus de civitate surrexit et inruit in eos
he divided his men into three groups, and told them to hide in the fields. So they did that. And when they saw the people coming out of the city, they jumped up and attacked them.
44 cum cuneo suo obpugnans et obsidens civitatem duae autem turmae palantes per campum adversarios sequebantur
Abimelech and the men who were with him ran to the city gate. The other two groups ran out to the people in the fields and attacked them.
45 porro Abimelech omni illo die obpugnabat urbem quam cepit interfectis habitatoribus eius ipsaque destructa ita ut sal in ea dispergeret
Abimelech and his men fought all day. They captured the city and killed all the people. They tore down all the buildings, and then they threw salt over the ruins [in order that nothing would grow there again].
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
When the leaders who lived in the tower/fortress outside of Shechem heard what had happened, they ran and hid inside the [fortress, which was also a] temple of [their god] El-Berith.
47 Abimelech quoque audiens viros turris Sycimorum pariter conglobatos
But someone told Abimelech that all the leaders had gathered there.
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
So he and all the men who were with him went up Zalmon Mountain [which is near Shechem]. Abimelech cut some branches of trees with an axe, and put them on his shoulders. Then he said to all the men who were with him, “Quickly, do what I have just done!”
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 his men all cut branches [then carried them down the mountain], following Abimelech. They went to the fortress and piled the branches against its walls. Then they kindled a fire, and the fire burned down the fortress and killed all the people who were inside. So all the people who were inside the fortress—about 1,000 men and women—died.
50 Abimelech autem inde proficiscens venit ad oppidum Thebes quod circumdans obsidebat exercitu
Then Abimelech and his men went to Thebes [city]. They surrounded it and captured 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 tower inside the city. So all the men, women, and leaders of the city ran to the tower. When they were all inside, they locked the door. Then they climbed up to the roof of the tower.
52 accedensque Abimelech iuxta turrem pugnabat fortiter et adpropinquans ostio ignem subponere nitebatur
Abimelech and his men came to the tower and tried to get in the door, [but they could not]. Then Abimelech prepared to light a fire to burn down the door.
53 et ecce una mulier fragmen molae desuper iaciens inlisit capiti Abimelech et confregit cerebrum eius
But when Abimelech came near the doorway, a woman [who was on the roof] dropped a big grinding stone on his 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 iussa perficiens interfecit eum
Abimelech quickly called to the young man who carried Abimelech’s weapons, and said, “Pull out your sword and kill me with it! I do not want people to say ‘It was a woman who killed Abimelech.’” So the young man thrust his sword into Abimelech, and Abimelech died.
55 illoque mortuo omnes qui cum eo erant de Israhel reversi sunt in sedes suas
When the Israeli soldiers saw that Abimelech was dead, they all returned to their homes.
56 et reddidit Deus malum quod fecerat Abimelech contra patrem suum interfectis septuaginta fratribus suis
In that way God punished Abimelech for the evil things that he had done to his father and especially for killing all 69 of his brothers.
57 Sycimitis quoque quod operati erant retributum est et venit super eos maledictio Ioatham filii Hierobbaal
God also punished the men of Shechem for the evil things that they had done. And when those things happened, it fulfilled what Gideon’s son Jotham said when he cursed [Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem].
