1 Abimelech Kills His Brothers And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s 9:1Lit brothers relatives and spoke to them and to the whole family of the household of his mother’s father, saying,
2 “Speak, now, in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you, that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or that one man rule over you?’ Also, remember that I am your bone and your flesh.”
3 And his mother’s 9:3 Lit brothers relatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem; and 9:3 Lit their hearts inclined after they were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our 9:3 Lit brother relative.”
4 So they gave him seventypiecesof silver from the house of Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, and they followed him.
5 Then he came to his father’s house at Ophrah and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself.
6 Then all the lords of Shechem and all 9:6Or the house of Millo Beth-millo assembled together, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the 9:6Or terebinth oak of the pillar which was in Shechem.
7 Then they told Jotham, so he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim and lifted his voice and called out. Thus he said to them, “Listen to me, O lords of Shechem, that God may listen to you.
8 The trees surely went forth to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us!’
9 But the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my fatness, with 9:9 Lit which by me which God and men are honored, and go to wave over the trees?’
10 Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come, reign over us!’
11 But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good produce and go to wave over the trees?’
12 Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You come, reign over us!’
13 But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my new wine, which makes God and men glad, and go to wave over the trees?’
14 Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come, reign over us!’
15 And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in 9:15Or sincerity truth you are anointing me as king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, may fire come out from the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’
16 “So now, if you have dealt in 9:16 Or sincerity truth and integrity and made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house and 9:16 Lit if you have have dealt with him according to the bountiful works of his hands—
17 for my father fought for you and 9:17Lit cast his soul in front risked his life and delivered you from the hand of Midian;
18 but you have risen against my father’s house today and have killed his sons, seventy men, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the lords of Shechem, because he is your 9:18Lit brother relative—
19 if then you have dealt in 9:19 Or sincerity truth and integrity with Jerubbaal and his house this day, be glad in Abimelech, and let him also be glad in you.
20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and consume the lords of Shechem and 9:20 Or the house of Millo Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the lords of Shechem and from 9:20 Or the house of Millo Beth-millo and consume Abimelech.”
21 Then Jotham escaped and fled and went to Beer and remained there because of Abimelech his brother.Zebul Deceives Abimelech
22 And Abimelech governed over Israel three years.
23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the lords of Shechem; and the lords of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech,
24 so that the violence 9:24 Lit of the seventy done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the lords of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers.
25 And the lords of Shechem set 9:25Lit liers-in-wait for men in ambush against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who might pass by them along the road; and it was told to Abimelech.
26 Then Gaal the son of Ebed came with his 9:26Lit brothers relatives, and they crossed over into Shechem; and the lords of Shechem put their trust in him.
27 And they went out into the field and gatheredthe grapes oftheir vineyards and trodthemand celebrated a 9:27Lit rejoicing festival; and they came into the house of their god and ate and drank and cursed Abimelech.
28 Then Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, andisZebulnothis 9:28Lit overseer officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him?
29 9:29Lit And who will give this people into my hand Would, therefore, that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech.” And he said to Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out.”
30 Then Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, and his anger burned.
31 And he sent messengers to Abimelech 9:31Or in Tormah deceitfully, saying, “Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his 9:31Lit brothers relatives have come to Shechem; and behold, they are 9:31Lit besieging stirring up the city against you.
32 So now, arise by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field.
33 And it will be in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, that you shall rise early and rush upon the city; and behold, he and the people who are with him will come out against you, and you shall do to them 9:33 Lit as your hand can find whatever your hand findspleasing.”
34 So Abimelech and all the people whowerewith him arose by night and lay in wait against Shechem in four 9:34Lit heads companies.
35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the city gate; and Abimelech and the people whowerewith him arose from the ambush.
36 Then Gaal saw the people and said to Zebul, “Behold, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains.” But Zebul said to him, “You are seeing the shadow of the mountains asif they weremen.”
37 Yet Gaal spoke again and said, “Behold, people are coming down from the 9:37Or center highest part of the land, and one 9:37Lit head company comes by the way of 9:37Heb Elommeonenim the soothsayers’ 9:37Or terebinth oak.”
38 Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your 9:38Lit mouth boasting now with which you said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Is this not the people whom you rejected? Go out now and fight with them!”
39 So Gaal went out before the lords of Shechem and fought with Abimelech.
40 And Abimelech pursued him, and he fled before him; and many fell slain up to the entrance of the gate.
41 Then Abimelech remained at Arumah, but Zebul drove out Gaal and his 9:41Lit brothers relatives so that they could not remain in Shechem.
42 Now it happened the next day, that the people went out to the field, and it was told to Abimelech.
43 So he took 9:43Lit the his people and divided them into three 9:43Lit heads companies and lay in wait in the field; then he looked, and behold, the people were coming out from the city. So he arose against them and struck them down.
44 Then Abimelech and the 9:44Singular with Gr; Heb plural, heads company who was with him rushed forward and stood in the entrance of the city gate; but the other two 9:44Lit heads companies rushed upon all whowerein the field and struck them down.
45 So Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and he captured the city and killed the people whowerein it; then he tore the city down and sowed it with salt.
46 Then all the lords of the tower of Shechem heard ofit, and they entered the inner chamber of the 9:46 Lit house temple of El-berith.
47 And it was told to Abimelech that all the lords of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.
48 So Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people whowerewith him; and Abimelech took 9:48Lit the axes an axe in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees and lifted it and laiditon his shoulder. Then he said to the people whowerewith him, “What you have seen me do, hurryanddo 9:48Lit like me likewise.”
49 And all the people also cut down each one his branch and followed Abimelech and putthemon the inner chamber and set the inner chamber on fire over thoseinside, so that all the men of the tower of Shechem also died, about one thousand men and women.
50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and he camped against Thebez and captured it.
51 But there was a strong tower in the center of the city, and all the men and women with all the lords of the city fled there and shut themselves in; and they went up on the roof of the tower.
52 So Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it and approached the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire.
53 But a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, and she smashed his skull.
54 Then he called quickly to the young man, his armor bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and put me to death, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’ ” So 9:54Lit his the young man pierced him through, and he died.
55 Then the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, so each wentawayto his 9:55Lit place home.
56 Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he had done to his father in killing his seventy brothers.
57 God also returned all the evil of the men of Shechem on their own heads, and the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal came 9:57Lit to upon them.