9:1 Abimelech son of Jerub-Baal went to his mother’s brothers in Shechem and said to them and to all his mother’s clan,
9:2 “Ask all the citizens of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you: to have all seventy of Jerub-Baal’s sons rule over you, or just one man?’ Remember, I am your flesh and blood.”
9:3 When the brothers repeated all this to the citizens of Shechem, they were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.”
9:4 They gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, and Abimelech used it to hire reckless adventurers, who became his followers.
9:5 He went to his father’s home in Ophrah and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerub-Baal. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerub-Baal, escaped by hiding.
9:6 Then all the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo gathered beside the great tree at the pillar in Shechem to crown Abimelech king.
9:7 When Jotham was told about this, he climbed up on the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted to them, “Listen to me, citizens of Shechem, so that God may listen to you.
9:8 One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’
9:9 “But the olive tree answered, ‘Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and men are honored, to hold sway over the trees?’
9:10 “Next, the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and be our king.’
9:11 “But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I give up my fruit, so good and sweet, to hold sway over the trees?’
9:12 “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and be our king.’
9:13 “But the vine answered, ‘Should I give up my wine, which cheers both gods and men, to hold sway over the trees?’
9:14 “Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be our king.’
9:15 “The thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, then let fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’
9:16 “Now if you have acted honorably and in good faith when you made Abimelech king, and if you have been fair to Jerub-Baal and his family, and if you have treated him as he deserves–
9:17 and to think that my father fought for you, risked his life to rescue you from the hand of Midian
9:18 (but today you have revolted against my father’s family, murdered his seventy sons on a single stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his slave girl, king over the citizens of Shechem because he is your brother)–
9:19 if then you have acted honorably and in good faith toward Jerub-Baal and his family today, may Abimelech be your joy, and may you be his, too!
9:20 But if you have not, let fire come out from Abimelech and consume you, citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and let fire come out from you, citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and consume Abimelech!”
9:21 Then Jotham fled, escaping to Beer, and he lived there because he was afraid of his brother Abimelech.
9:22 After Abimelech had governed Israel three years,
9:23 God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem, who acted treacherously against Abimelech.
9:24 God did this in order that the crime against Jerub-Baal’s seventy sons, the shedding of their blood, might be avenged on their brother Abimelech and on the citizens of Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers.
9:25 In opposition to him these citizens of Shechem set men on the hilltops to ambush and rob everyone who passed by, and this was reported to Abimelech.
9:26 Now Gaal son of Ebed moved with his brothers into Shechem, and its citizens put their confidence in him.
9:27 After they had gone out into the fields and gathered the grapes and trodden them, they held a festival in the temple of their god. While they were eating and drinking, they cursed Abimelech.
9:28 Then Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should be subject to him? Isn’t he Jerub-Baal’s son, and isn’t Zebul his deputy? Serve the men of Hamor, Shechem’s father! Why should we serve Abimelech?
9:29 If only this people were under my command! Then I would get rid of him. I would say to Abimelech, ‘Call out your whole army!’”
9:30 When Zebul the governor of the city heard what Gaal son of Ebed said, he was very angry.
9:31 Under cover he sent messengers to Abimelech, saying, “Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem and are stirring up the city against you.
9:32 Now then, during the night you and your men should come and lie in wait in the fields.
9:33 In the morning at sunrise, advance against the city. When Gaal and his men come out against you, do whatever your hand finds to do.”
9:34 So Abimelech and all his troops set out by night and took up concealed positions near Shechem in four companies.
9:35 Now Gaal son of Ebed had gone out and was standing at the entrance to the city gate just as Abimelech and his soldiers came out from their hiding place.
9:36 When Gaal saw them, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains!” Zebul replied, “You mistake the shadows of the mountains for men.”
9:37 But Gaal spoke up again: “Look, people are coming down from the center of the land, and a company is coming from the direction of the soothsayers’ tree.”
9:38 Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your big talk now, you who said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should be subject to him?’ Aren’t these the men you ridiculed? Go out and fight them!”
9:39 So Gaal led out the citizens of Shechem and fought Abimelech.
9:40 Abimelech chased him, and many fell wounded in the flight–all the way to the entrance to the gate.
9:41 Abimelech stayed in Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem.
9:42 The next day the people of Shechem went out to the fields, and this was reported to Abimelech.
9:43 So he took his men, divided them into three companies and set an ambush in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he rose to attack them.
9:44 Abimelech and the companies with him rushed forward to a position at the entrance to the city gate. Then two companies rushed upon those in the fields and struck them down.
9:45 All that day Abimelech pressed his attack against the city until he had captured it and killed its people. Then he destroyed the city and scattered salt over it.
9:46 On hearing this, the citizens in the tower of Shechem went into the stronghold of the temple of El-Berith.
9:47 When Abimelech heard that they had assembled there,
9:48 he and all his men went up Mount Zalmon. He took an ax and cut off some branches, which he lifted to his shoulders. He ordered the men with him, “Quick! Do what you have seen me do!”
9:49 So all the men cut branches and followed Abimelech. They piled them against the stronghold and set it on fire over the people inside. So all the people in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women, also died.
9:50 Next Abimelech went to Thebez and besieged it and captured it.
9:51 Inside the city, however, was a strong tower, to which all the men and women–all the people of the city–fled. They locked themselves in and climbed up on the tower roof.
9:52 Abimelech went to the tower and stormed it. But as he approached the entrance to the tower to set it on fire,
9:53 a woman dropped an upper millstone on his head and cracked his skull.
9:54 Hurriedly he called to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and kill me, so that they can’t say, ‘A woman killed him.’” So his servant ran him through, and he died.
9:55 When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they went home.
9:56 Thus God repaid the wickedness that Abimelech had done to his father by murdering his seventy brothers.
9:57 God also made the men of Shechem pay for all their wickedness. The curse of Jotham son of Jerub-Baal came on them.
9:1 Then Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother s brothers; and he spoke to them and to all the family of the house of his mother s father, saying,
9:2 Speak now in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem, What is better for you, that all the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, rule over you, or that one man rule over you? Now remember that I am your bone and your flesh.
9:3 And his mother s brothers spoke of him in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem with all these words; and their heart inclined toward Abimelech, for they said, He is our brother.
9:4 And they gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of Baal-berith. And with it Abimelech hired worthless and wanton men, and they followed after him.
9:5 And he went to his father s house in Ophrah and slew his brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone; but Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, was left, for he hid himself.
9:6 Then all the lords of Shechem and all the house of Millo gathered, and they went and made Abimelech king at the terebinth of the pillar that was in Shechem.
9:7 And when Jotham was told, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim and lifted up his voice and called out and said to them, Listen to me, you lords of Shechem, that God may listen to you.
9:8 The trees once went forth to anoint a king over themselves. And they said to the olive tree, Reign over us.
9:9 But the olive tree said to them, Shall I leave my fatness, because of which God and men are honored by me, and go to wave over the trees?
9:10 Then the trees said to the fig tree, You come and reign over us.
9:11 But the fig tree said to them, Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to wave over the trees?
9:12 Then the trees said to the vine, You come and reign over us.
9:13 But the vine said to them, Shall I leave my new wine, which cheers God and men, and go to wave over the trees?
9:14 So all the trees said to the bramble, You come and reign over us.
9:15 And the bramble said to the trees, If you are truly anointing me as king over you, come and take refuge under my shade; but if not, may fire come forth from the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon!
9:16 Now therefore if you have dealt truly and with integrity in making Abimelech king, and if you have dealt in a good way toward Jerubbaal and toward his house, and if you have dealt with him as his hands have deserved ?
9:17 (For my father fought for you and risked his life, and he delivered you from the hand of Midian.
9:18 But you have risen up today against the house of my father and have slain his sons, seventy men, on one stone; and you have made Abimelech the son of his female servant king over the lords of Shechem, for he is your brother.)
9:19 Now if you have dealt truly and with integrity toward Jerubbaal and toward his house today, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you.
9:20 But if not, may fire come forth from Abimelech and devour the lords of Shechem and the house of Millo, and may fire come forth from the lords of Shechem and the house of Millo and devour Abimelech!
9:21 And Jotham ran off and fled, and he came to Beer and remained there because of Abimelech his brother.
9:22 And Abimelech was prince over Israel three years.
9:23 And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the lords of Shechem, and the lords of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech,
9:24 So that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might be avenged and so that their blood might be put upon Abimelech their brother, who slew them, and upon the lords of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to slay his brothers.
9:25 And the lords of Shechem set men in ambush for him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed everyone who passed by them on the way; and Abimelech was told.
9:26 And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers and went over to Shechem, and the lords of Shechem put their trust in him.
9:27 And they went out into the field and gathered the grapes of their vineyards and trod them, and had a festival. And they went to the house of their god and ate and drank, and they cursed Abimelech.
9:28 And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech and who are we of Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem; but why should we serve this man?
9:29 But, oh, that this people were put in my hand; then I would remove Abimelech. And he said of Abimelech, Increase your army and come out!
9:30 When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger burned.
9:31 And he sent messengers to Abimelech in Tormah, saying, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers have now come to Shechem, and now they are stirring up the city against you.
9:32 And now rise up at night, you and the people with you, and wait in ambush in the field;
9:33 And in the morning, as soon as the sun rises, you shall rise up early and rush on the city. And right when he and the people with him come out against you, you shall do with him as you find occasion.
9:34 And Abimelech and all the people with him rose up at night and waited in ambush against Shechem in four companies.
9:35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city. And Abimelech and the people with him rose up from the ambush.
9:36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Look, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains. But Zebul said to him, You are seeing the shadow of the mountains as though they were men.
9:37 And Gaal spoke again and said, Look, people are coming down from the height of the land, and one company is coming by the way of the terebinth of Meonenim.
9:38 Then Zebul said to him, Where is your boast now, that you said, Who is Abimelech that we should serve him? Is not this the people that you despised? Go out now, and fight them.
9:39 So Gaal went out before the lords of Shechem and fought with Abimelech.
9:40 And Abimelech pursued him, and Gaal fled from before him. And many wounded fell, up to the entrance of the gate.
9:41 And Abimelech dwelt in Arumah. And Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers, so that they could not dwell in Shechem.
9:42 Then on the next day the people went out into the field, and Abimelech was told.
9:43 And he took his people and divided them into three companies, and he waited in ambush in the field. And he looked, and there were the people coming out of the city. And he rose up against them and struck them.
9:44 And Abimelech and the companies that were with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city, and two companies rushed upon all those who were in the field and struck them.
9:45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day. And he took the city, and the people who were in it he slew; and he tore down the city and sowed it with salt.
9:46 And when the lords of the tower of Shechem heard of it, they went to the stronghold of the house of El-berith.
9:47 And Abimelech was told that all the lords of the tower of Shechem had gathered together.
9:48 And Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him. And Abimelech took an ax in his hand and cut down a tree limb. And he lifted it up and put it on his shoulder, and he said to the people who were with him, What you see me doing, hurry and do as I have done.
9:49 So all the people also cut down each a limb. And they followed after Abimelech and set the limbs against the stronghold. And they set the stronghold on fire over them, so that all the men of the tower of Shechem also died, about a thousand men and women.
9:50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez; and he encamped against Thebez and took it.
9:51 But there was a strong tower in the middle of the city; and all the men and women and all the lords of the city fled there and shut themselves in; and they went up to the roof of the tower.
9:52 And Abimelech came up to the tower and fought against it. And he came near the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire.
9:53 And a certain woman threw an upper millstone upon Abimelech s head, and it cracked his skull.
9:54 Then he called immediately to the young man who bore his armor and said to him, Draw your sword and kill me; otherwise they will say concerning me, A woman slew him. And his young man pierced him through, and he died.
9:55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they went away, each to his own place.
9:56 And God repaid the evil of Abimelech, which he had done to his father by slaying his seventy brothers.
9:57 And God brought all the evil of the men of Shechem back upon their own heads, and the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal came upon them.