1
And Abimelech[H40] the son[H1121] of Jerubbaal[H3378]went[H3212] to Shechem[H7927] unto his mother's brethren[H251], and communed[H1696] with them, and with all the family[H4940] of the house[H1004] of his mother's father[H1], saying[H559],
2Speak[H1696], I pray you, in the ears[H241] of all the men[H1167] of Shechem[H7927], Whether is better[H2896] for you, either that all the sons[H1121] of Jerubbaal[H3378], which are threescore and ten[H7657]persons[H376], reign[H4910] over you, or that one[H259]reign[H4910] over you? remember[H2142] also that I am your bone[H6106] and your flesh[H1320].
3
And his mother's brethren[H251]spake[H1696] of him in the ears[H241] of all the men[H1167] of Shechem[H7927] all these words[H1697]: and their hearts[H3820]inclined[H5186] to follow[H310]Abimelech[H40]; for they said[H559], He is our brother[H251].
4
And they gave[H5414]him[H310] threescore and ten[H7657] pieces of silver[H3701] out of the house[H1004] of Baalberith[H1170], wherewith Abimelech[H40]hired[H7936]vain[H7386] and light[H6348]persons[H582], which followed[H3212]him[H310].
5
And he went[H935] unto his father's house[H1004] at Ophrah[H6084], and slew[H2026] his brethren[H251] the sons[H1121] of Jerubbaal[H3378], being threescore and ten[H7657]persons[H376], upon one[H259]stone[H68]: notwithstanding yet Jotham[H3147] the youngest[H6996]son[H1121] of Jerubbaal[H3378] was left[H3498]; for he hid[H2244] himself.
6
And all the men[H1167] of Shechem[H7927] gathered together[H622], and all the house[H1004] of Millo[H4407], and went[H3212], and made[H4427]Abimelech[H40]king[H4428], by the plain[H436] of the pillar[H5324] that was in Shechem[H7927].
7
And when they told[H5046] it to Jotham[H3147], he went[H3212] and stood[H5975] in the top[H7218] of mount[H2022]Gerizim[H1630], and lifted up[H5375] his voice[H6963], and cried[H7121], and said[H559] unto them, Hearken[H8085] unto me, ye men[H1167] of Shechem[H7927], that God[H430] may hearken[H8085] unto you.
8
The trees[H6086] went forth[H1980] on a time to anoint[H4886] a king[H4428] over them; and they said[H559] unto the olive tree[H2132], Reign[H4427] thou over us.
9
But the olive tree[H2132]said[H559] unto them, Should I leave[H2308] my fatness[H1880], wherewith by me they honour[H3513]God[H430] and man[H582], and go[H1980] to be promoted[H5128] over the trees?[H6086]
10
And the trees[H6086]said[H559] to the fig tree[H8384], Come[H3212] thou, and reign[H4427] over us.
11
But the fig tree[H8384]said[H559] unto them, Should I forsake[H2308] my sweetness[H4987], and my good[H2896]fruit[H8570], and go[H1980] to be promoted[H5128] over the trees?[H6086]
12
Then said[H559] the trees[H6086] unto the vine[H1612], Come[H3212] thou, and reign[H4427] over us.
13
And the vine[H1612]said[H559] unto them, Should I leave[H2308] my wine[H8492], which cheereth[H8055]God[H430] and man[H582], and go[H1980] to be promoted[H5128] over the trees?[H6086]
14
Then said[H559] all the trees[H6086] unto the bramble[H329], Come[H3212] thou, and reign[H4427] over us.
15
And the bramble[H329]said[H559] unto the trees[H6086], If in truth[H571] ye anoint[H4886] me king[H4428] over you, then come[H935] and put your trust[H2620] in my shadow[H6738]: and if not, let fire[H784]come[H935]out[H3318] of the bramble[H329], and devour[H398] the cedars[H730] of Lebanon[H3844].
16
Now therefore, if ye have done[H6213]truly[H571] and sincerely[H8549], in that ye have made Abimelech[H40]king[H4427], and if ye have dealt[H6213]well[H2896] with Jerubbaal[H3378] and his house[H1004], and have done[H6213] unto him according to the deserving[H1576] of his hands[H3027];
17
(For my father[H1]fought[H3898] for you, and adventured[H7993] his life[H5315]far[H5048], and delivered[H5337] you out of the hand[H3027] of Midian[H4080]:
18
And ye are risen up[H6965] against my father's house[H1004] this day[H3117], and have slain[H2026] his sons[H1121], threescore and ten[H7657]persons[H376], upon one[H259]stone[H68], and have made Abimelech[H40], the son[H1121] of his maidservant[H519], king[H4427] over the men[H1167] of Shechem[H7927], because he is your brother[H251];)
19
If ye then have dealt[H6213]truly[H571] and sincerely[H8549] with Jerubbaal[H3378] and with his house[H1004] this day[H3117], then rejoice[H8055] ye in Abimelech[H40], and let him also rejoice[H8055] in you:
20
But if not, let fire[H784] come out[H3318] from Abimelech[H40], and devour[H398] the men[H1167] of Shechem[H7927], and the house[H1004] of Millo[H4407]; and let fire[H784] come out[H3318] from the men[H1167] of Shechem[H7927], and from the house[H1004] of Millo[H1037], and devour[H398]Abimelech[H40].
21
And Jotham[H3147] ran away[H1272], and fled[H5127], and went[H3212] to Beer[H876], and dwelt[H3427] there, for fear[H6440] of Abimelech[H40] his brother[H251].
22
When Abimelech[H40] had reigned[H7786]three[H7969]years[H8141] over Israel[H3478],
23
Then God[H430]sent[H7971] an evil[H7451]spirit[H7307] between Abimelech[H40] and the men[H1167] of Shechem[H7927]; and the men[H1167] of Shechem[H7927] dealt treacherously[H898] with Abimelech[H40]:
24
That the cruelty[H2555] done to the threescore and ten[H7657]sons[H1121] of Jerubbaal[H3378] might come[H935], and their blood[H1818] be laid[H7760] upon Abimelech[H40] their brother[H251], which slew[H2026] them; and upon the men[H1167] of Shechem[H7927], which aided[H2388] him in the killing[H2026] of his brethren[H251].
25
And the men[H1167] of Shechem[H7927]set[H7760] liers in wait[H693] for him in the top[H7218] of the mountains[H2022], and they robbed[H1497] all that came[H5674] along that way[H1870] by them: and it was told[H5046]Abimelech[H40].
26
And Gaal[H1603] the son[H1121] of Ebed[H5651]came[H935] with his brethren[H251], and went over[H5674] to Shechem[H7927]: and the men[H1167] of Shechem[H7927] put their confidence[H982] in him.
27
And they went[H935]out[H3318] into the fields[H7704], and gathered[H1219] their vineyards[H3754], and trode[H1869] the grapes, and made[H6213]merry[H1974], and went[H935] into the house[H1004] of their god[H430], and did eat[H398] and drink[H8354], and cursed[H7043]Abimelech[H40].
28
And Gaal[H1603] the son[H1121] of Ebed[H5651]said[H559], Who is Abimelech[H40], and who is Shechem[H7927], that we should serve[H5647] him? is not he the son[H1121] of Jerubbaal?[H3378] and Zebul[H2083] his officer?[H6496]serve[H5647] the men[H582] of Hamor[H2544] the father[H1] of Shechem[H7927]: for why should we serve[H5647] him?
29
And would to God this people[H5971] were under[H5414] my hand[H3027]! then would I remove[H5493]Abimelech[H40]. And he said[H559] to Abimelech[H40], Increase[H7235] thine army[H6635], and come out[H3318].
30
And when Zebul[H2083] the ruler[H8269] of the city[H5892]heard[H8085] the words[H1697] of Gaal[H1603] the son[H1121] of Ebed[H5651], his anger[H639] was kindled[H2734].
31
And he sent[H7971]messengers[H4397] unto Abimelech[H40]privily[H8649], saying[H559], Behold, Gaal[H1603] the son[H1121] of Ebed[H5651] and his brethren[H251] be come[H935] to Shechem[H7927]; and, behold, they fortify[H6696] the city[H5892] against thee.
32
Now therefore up[H6965] by night[H3915], thou and the people[H5971] that is with thee, and lie in wait[H693] in the field[H7704]:
33
And it shall be, that in the morning[H1242], as soon as the sun[H8121] is up[H2224], thou[H3027] shalt rise early[H7925], and set[H6584] upon the city[H5892]: and, behold, when he and the people[H5971] that is with him come out[H3318] against thee, then mayest thou[H3027]do[H6213] to them as thou[H3027] shalt find occasion[H4672].
34
And Abimelech[H40] rose up[H6965], and all the people[H5971] that were with him, by night[H3915], and they laid wait[H693] against Shechem[H7927] in four[H702]companies[H7218].
35
And Gaal[H1603] the son[H1121] of Ebed[H5651] went out[H3318], and stood[H5975] in the entering[H6607] of the gate[H8179] of the city[H5892]: and Abimelech[H40] rose up[H6965], and the people[H5971] that were with him, from lying in wait[H3993].
36
And when Gaal[H1603]saw[H7200] the people[H5971], he said[H559] to Zebul[H2083], Behold, there come[H3381]people[H5971]down[H3381] from the top[H7218] of the mountains[H2022]. And Zebul[H2083]said[H559] unto him, Thou seest[H7200] the shadow[H6738] of the mountains[H2022] as if they were men[H582].
37
And Gaal[H1603]spake[H1696]again[H3254] and said[H559], See there come[H3381]people[H5971]down[H3381] by the middle[H2872]of[H1870] the land[H776], and another[H259]company[H7218]come[H935] along by the plain[H436]of[H1870]Meonenim[H6049].
38
Then said[H559]Zebul[H2083] unto him, Where is now[H645] thy mouth[H6310], wherewith thou saidst[H559], Who is Abimelech[H40], that we should serve[H5647] him? is not this the people[H5971] that thou hast despised?[H3988] go out[H3318], I pray now[H4994], and fight[H3898] with them.
39
And Gaal[H1603] went out[H3318]before[H6440] the men[H1167] of Shechem[H7927], and fought[H3898] with Abimelech[H40].
40
And Abimelech[H40]chased[H7291] him, and he fled[H5127]before[H6440] him, and many[H7227] were overthrown[H5307] and wounded[H2491], even unto the entering[H6607] of the gate[H8179].
41
And Abimelech[H40]dwelt[H3427] at Arumah[H725]: and Zebul[H2083] thrust out[H1644]Gaal[H1603] and his brethren[H251], that they should not dwell[H3427] in Shechem[H7927].
42
And it came to pass on the morrow[H4283], that the people[H5971] went out[H3318] into the field[H7704]; and they told[H5046]Abimelech[H40].
43
And he took[H3947] the people[H5971], and divided[H2673] them into three[H7969]companies[H7218], and laid wait[H693] in the field[H7704], and looked[H7200], and, behold, the people[H5971] were come forth[H3318] out of the city[H5892]; and he rose up[H6965] against them, and smote[H5221] them.
44
And Abimelech[H40], and the company[H7218] that was with him, rushed forward[H6584], and stood[H5975] in the entering[H6607] of the gate[H8179] of the city[H5892]: and the two[H8147] other companies[H7218] ran upon[H6584] all the people that were in the fields[H7704], and slew[H5221] them.
45
And Abimelech[H40]fought[H3898] against the city[H5892] all that day[H3117]; and he took[H3920] the city[H5892], and slew[H2026] the people[H5971] that was therein, and beat down[H5422] the city[H5892], and sowed[H2232] it with salt[H4417].
46
And when all the men[H1167] of the tower[H4026] of Shechem[H7927]heard[H8085] that, they entered[H935] into an hold[H6877] of the house[H1004] of the god[H410]Berith[H1286].
47
And it was told[H5046]Abimelech[H40], that all the men[H1167] of the tower[H4026] of Shechem[H7927] were gathered together[H6908].
48
And Abimelech[H40] gat him up[H5927] to mount[H2022]Zalmon[H6756], he and all the people[H5971] that were with him; and Abimelech[H40]took[H3947] an axe[H7134] in his hand[H3027], and cut down[H3772] a bough[H7754] from the trees[H6086], and took[H5375] it, and laid[H7760] it on his shoulder[H7926], and said[H559] unto the people[H5971] that were with him, What ye have seen[H7200] me do[H6213], make haste[H4116], and do[H6213] as I[H3644] have done.
49
And all the people[H5971] likewise cut down[H3772] every man[H376] his bough[H7754], and followed[H3212]Abimelech[H40], and put[H7760] them to the hold[H6877], and set[H3341] the hold[H6877] on fire[H784] upon them; so that all the men[H582] of the tower[H4026] of Shechem[H7927]died[H4191] also, about a thousand[H505]men[H376] and women[H802].
50
Then went[H3212]Abimelech[H40] to Thebez[H8405], and encamped[H2583] against Thebez[H8405], and took[H3920] it.
51
But there was a strong[H5797]tower[H4026]within[H8432] the city[H5892], and thither fled[H5127] all the men[H582] and women[H802], and all they[H1167] of the city[H5892], and shut[H5462] it to them, and gat them up[H5927] to the top[H1406] of the tower[H4026].
52
And Abimelech[H40]came[H935] unto the tower[H4026], and fought[H3898] against it, and went hard[H5066] unto the door[H6607] of the tower[H4026] to burn[H8313] it with fire[H784].
53
And a certain[H259]woman[H802]cast[H7993] a piece[H6400] of a millstone[H7393] upon Abimelech's head[H7218], and all to brake[H7533] his skull[H1538].
54
Then he called[H7121]hastily[H4120] unto the young man[H5288] his armourbearer[H5375], and said[H559] unto him, Draw[H8025] thy sword[H2719], and slay[H4191] me, that men say[H559] not of me, A woman[H802]slew[H2026] him. And his young man[H5288] thrust him through[H1856], and he died[H4191].
55
And when the men[H376] of Israel[H3478]saw[H7200] that Abimelech[H40] was dead[H4191], they departed[H3212] every man[H376] unto his place[H4725].
56
Thus God[H430]rendered[H7725] the wickedness[H7451] of Abimelech[H40], which he did[H6213] unto his father[H1], in slaying[H2026] his seventy[H7657]brethren[H251]:
57
And all the evil[H7451] of the men[H582] of Shechem[H7927] did God[H430]render[H7725] upon their heads[H7218]: and upon them came[H935] the curse[H7045] of Jotham[H3147] the son[H1121] of Jerubbaal[H3378].