And aAbimelech the son
of Jerubbaal
went
to Shechem
to his mother's
1relatives
, and spoke
to them and to the whole
clan
of the household
of his mother's
father
, saying
,
"Speak, now
, in the hearing
of all
the leaders
of Shechem
, `Which
is better
for you, that aseventy
men
, all
the sons
of Jerubbaal
, rule
over you, or
that one
man
rule
over you?' Also, remember
that I am byour bone
and your flesh
."
And his mother's 1relatives
spoke
all
these
words
on his behalf
in the hearing
of all
the leaders
of Shechem
; and 2they were inclined
to follow
Abimelech
, for they said
, "He is aour 3relative
."
They gave him seventy
pieces of silver
from the house
of aBaal-berith
with which
Abimelech
hired
worthless
and reckless
fellows
, and they followed
him.
Then he went to his father's
house
at Ophrah
and akilled
his brothers
the sons
of Jerubbaal
, bseventy
men
, on one
stone
. But Jotham
the youngest
son
of Jerubbaal
was left
, for he hid
himself.
All the men
of Shechem
and all
1Beth-millo
assembled
together, and they went
and made
Abimelech
king
, by the 2oak
of the pillar
which
was in Shechem
.
Now when they told Jotham
, he went
and stood
on the top
of aMount
Gerizim
, and lifted
his voice
and called
out. Thus he said
to them, "Listen
to me, O men
of Shechem
, that God
may listen
to you.
"Once the trees
went
forth
to anoint
a king
over
them, and they said
to the olive
tree
, `Reign
over
us!'
"But the olive tree
said
to them, `Shall I leave
my fatness
with 1which
God
and men
are honored
, and go
to wave
over
the trees
?'
"Then the trees said
to the fig
tree
, `You come
, reign
over
us!'
"But the fig tree
said
to them, `Shall I leave
my sweetness
and my good
1fruit
, and go
to wave
over
the trees
?'
"Then the trees said
to the vine
, `You come
, reign
over
us!'
"But the vine said
to them, `Shall I leave
my new
wine
, which cheers
God
and men
, and go
to wave
over
the trees
?'
"Finally all the trees
said
to the bramble
, `You come
, reign
over
us!'
"The bramble said
to the trees
, `If
in 1truth
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
.'
"Now therefore, if
you have dealt
in 1truth
and integrity
in making
Abimelech
king
, and if
you have dealt
well
with aJerubbaal
and his house
, and 2have dealt
with him 3as he deserved
--
for my father fought
for you and 1risked
his life
and delivered
you from the hand
of Midian
;
but you have risen against
my father's
house
today
and have killed
ahis sons
, seventy
men
, on one
stone
, and have made
Abimelech
, bthe son
of his maidservant
, king
over
the men
of Shechem
, because
he is your 1relative
--
if then you have dealt
in 1truth
and integrity
with Jerubbaal
and his house
this
day
, rejoice
in Abimelech
, and let him also
rejoice
in you.
"But if not, let fire
come
out from Abimelech
and consume
the men
of Shechem
and 1Beth-millo
; and let fire
come
out from the men
of Shechem
and from 1Beth-millo
, and consume
Abimelech
."
Then Jotham escaped
and fled
, and went
to Beer
and remained
there
because
of Abimelech
his brother
.
Now Abimelech ruled
over
Israel
three
years
.
aThen God sent
an evil
spirit
between
Abimelech
and the men
of Shechem
; and the men
of Shechem
bdealt
treacherously
with Abimelech
,
aso that the violence 1done to the seventy
sons
of Jerubbaal
might come
, and btheir blood
might be laid
on Abimelech
their brother
, who
killed
them, and on the men
of Shechem
, who
strengthened
his hands
to kill
his brothers
.
The men of Shechem
set
1men 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
.
Now Gaal the son
of Ebed
came
with his 1relatives
, and crossed
over
into Shechem
; and the men
of Shechem
put
their trust
in him.
They went out into the field
and gathered
the grapes of their vineyards
and trod
them, and held
a 1festival
; and they went
into the house
of atheir god
, and ate
and drank
and cursed
Abimelech
.
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
, and is Zebul
not his 1lieutenant
? Serve
the men
of aHamor
the father
of Shechem
; but why
should we serve
him?
" 1 aWould, therefore, that this
people
were under my authority
! Then I would remove
Abimelech
." And he said
to Abimelech
, "Increase
your army
and come
out."
When Zebul the ruler
of the city
heard
the words
of Gaal
the son
of Ebed
, his anger
burned
.
He sent messengers
to Abimelech
1deceitfully
, saying
, "Behold
, Gaal
the son
of Ebed
and his 2relatives
have come
to Shechem
; and behold
, they are 3stirring
up the city
against
you.
"Now therefore, arise
by night
, you and the people
who
are with you, and lie
in wait
in the field
.
"In the morning, as soon as the sun
is up, you shall rise
early
and rush
upon the city
; and behold
, when he and the people
who
are with him come
out against
you, you shall ado
to them 1whatever
you can."
So Abimelech and all
the people
who
were with him arose
by night
and lay
in wait
against
Shechem
in four
1companies
.
Now Gaal the son
of Ebed
went
out and stood
in the entrance
of the city
gate
; and Abimelech
and the people
who
were with him arose
from the ambush
.
When Gaal saw
the people
, he said
to Zebul
, " 1Look
, people
are coming
down
from the tops
of the mountains
." But Zebul
said
to him, "You are seeing
the shadow
of the mountains
as if they were men
."
Gaal spoke
again
and said
, "Behold
, people
are coming
down
from athe 1highest
part
of the land
, and one
2company
comes
by the way
of 3the diviners'
4oak
."
Then Zebul said
to him, "Where
is your 1boasting
now
with which
you said
, `Who
is Abimelech
that we should serve
him?' Is this
not the people
whom
you despised
? Go
out now
and fight
with them!"
So Gaal went
out before
the leaders
of Shechem
and fought
with Abimelech
.
Abimelech chased
him, and he fled
before
him; and many
fell
wounded
up to the entrance
of the gate
.
Then Abimelech remained
at Arumah
, but Zebul
drove
out Gaal
and his 1relatives
so
that they could not remain
in Shechem
.
Now it came about the next
day
, that the people
went
out to the field
, and it was told
to Abimelech
.
So he took 1his people
and divided
them into three
2companies
, and lay
in wait
in the field
; when he looked
and 3saw
the people
coming
out from the city
, he arose
against
them and 4slew
them.
Then Abimelech and the 1company
who
was with him dashed
forward and stood
in the entrance
of the city
gate
; the other two
2companies
then dashed
against
all
who
were in the field
and 3slew
them.
Abimelech fought
against the city
all
that day
, and he captured
the city
and killed
the people
who
were in it; then he arazed
the city
and sowed
it with salt
.
When all the leaders
of the tower
of Shechem
heard
of it, they entered
the inner
chamber
of the 1temple
of aEl-berith
.
It was told Abimelech
that all
the leaders
of the tower
of Shechem
were gathered
together.
So Abimelech went
up to Mount
aZalmon
, he and all
the people
who
were with him; and Abimelech
took
1an axe
in his hand
and cut
down
a branch
from the trees
, and lifted
it and laid
it on his shoulder
. Then he said
to the people
who
were with him, "What
you have seen
me do
, hurry
and do
2likewise
."
All the people
also
cut
down
each
one
his branch
and followed
Abimelech
, and put
them on the inner
chamber
and set
the inner
chamber
on fire
over
those inside, so that all
the men
of the tower
of Shechem
also
died
, about a thousand
men
and women
.
Then Abimelech went
to Thebez
, and he camped
against Thebez
and captured
it.
But there was a strong tower
in the center
of the city
, and all
the men
and women
with all
the leaders
of the city
fled
there
and shut
themselves in; and they went
up on the roof
of the tower
.
So Abimelech came
to the tower
and fought
against it, and approached
the entrance
of the tower
to burn
it with fire
.
But aa certain woman
threw
an upper
millstone
on Abimelech's
head
, crushing
his skull
.
Then ahe called quickly
to the young
man
, his armor
bearer
, and said
to him, "Draw
your sword
and kill
me, so
that it will not be said
of me, `A woman
slew
him.' " So 1the young
man
pierced
him through
, and he died
.
When the men of Israel
saw
that Abimelech
was dead
, each
departed
to his 1home
.
Thus aGod repaid
the wickedness
of Abimelech
, which
he had done
to his father
in killing
his seventy
brothers
.
Also God returned
all
the wickedness
of the men
of Shechem
on their heads
, and the curse
of Jotham
the son
of Jerubbaal
came
1upon them.