Judg 9 | ABEn | STEP | And [ 5 went 1 Abimelech 2 the 3 son 4 of Jerubbaal] into Shechem to the brothers of his mother. And he spoke to them, and to all the kin of the house [ 2 father 1 of his mother's], saying,

Judges 9

CHAPTER 9 Abimelech Judges Israel

1 And [⁵went ¹Abimelech ²the ³son ⁴of Jerubbaal] into Shechem to the brothers of his mother. And he spoke to them, and to all the kin of the house [²father ¹of his mother's], saying, 2 Speak indeed into the ears of all the men of Shechem, saying, Which is best to you, [³to rule ⁴you ¹for seventy ²men], all the sons of Jerubbaal, or [³to dominate ⁴you ²man ¹for one]? And you should remember that [²of your bone ³and ⁴of your flesh ¹I am]. 3 And [⁴spoke ⁵concerning ⁶him ¹the ²brothers ³of his mother] in the ears of all of the men of Shechem all these words. And [²leaned ¹their heart] after Abimelech; for they said, [²our brother ¹He is]. 4 And they gave to him seventy pieces of silver from out of the house of Baal-berith; and [²hired ³for ⁴them ¹Abimelech ⁸men ⁵vain ⁶and ⁷distraught], and they went behind him. 5 And he entered to the house of his father at Ophrah, and he killed his brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men upon [²stone ¹one]. But [⁶was left behind ¹Jotham ⁴son ⁵of Jerubbaal ²the ³younger], for he was hidden. 6 And came together all the men of Shechem, and all the house of Millo, and they went and gave reign to Abimelech as king at the acorn tree of the station, of the one in Shechem.

Jotham Addresses Shechem at Mount Gerizim

7 And they announced to Jotham, and he went, and stood on the top of mount Gerizim, and he lifted up his voice, and he called, and he said to them, Hear me men of Shechem! and [²shall hear ³you ¹God]. 8 In going, [³went forth ¹the ²trees] to anoint for themselves a king. And they said to the olive tree, You reign over us! 9 And [³said ⁴to them ¹the ²olive tree], Allowing my fatness which [³in ⁴me ²glorified ¹God], and men, shall I go to rule over the trees? 10 And [³said ¹the ²trees] to the fig-tree, Come, you reign over us! 11 And [²said ³to them ¹the fig-tree], Allowing my sweetness and [³produce ¹my ²good], should I go to rule the trees? 12 And [³said ¹the ²trees] to the grapevine, Come, you reign over us! 13 And [³said ⁴to them ¹the ²grapevine], Allowing my wine, the gladness of God, and of the ones of men, should I go to rule over the trees? 14 And [⁴said ¹all ²the ³trees] to the white-thorn shrub, Come, You reign over us! 15 And [³said ¹the ²white-thorn shrub] to the trees, If in truth you anoint me yourselves to reign over you, come rely in my protection; and if not may [²come forth ¹fire] from the white-thorn shrub, and may it devour the cedars of Lebanon. 16 And now, if in truth and in soundness you made even Abimelech reign, and if [²well ¹you did] with Jerubbaal, and with his house, and if according to the recompense of his hand you did to him, 17 as [²waged war ¹my father] for you, and tossed his life right opposite, and rescued you from out of the hand of Midian; 18 and you rose up against the house of my father today, and you killed his sons, seventy men upon [²stone ¹one]; and you gave reign to Abimelech the son of his maidservant over the men of Shechem, because [²your brother ¹he is]; 19 and if [²in ³truth ⁴and ⁵perfection ¹you acted] with Jerubbaal, and his house in this day, may you be glad in Abimelech, and may he be glad also indeed himself in you. 20 If not, may [²come forth ¹fire] from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house Millo; and may [²come forth ¹fire] from the men of Shechem, and from out of the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech. 21 And Jotham ran away and fled, and went unto Beer, and dwelt there away from the face of Abimelech his brother. 22 And Abimelech ruled over Israel three years.

Shechem Annuls Allegiance with Abimelech

23 And God sent [²spirit ¹a bad] between Abimelech and between the men of Shechem; and [⁴annulled allegiance ¹the ²men ³of Shechem] with the house of Abimelech; 24 so as to bring the injustice done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, and for their blood to be put upon Abimelech their brother the one killing them; and upon the men of Shechem, of the ones strengthening their hands so as to kill his brothers. 25 And [⁴put ⁵for him ¹the ²men ³of Shechem] ones lying in wait upon the top of the mountains. And they kidnapped all the ones going along by them in the way; and it was reported to Abimelech. 26 And [⁴came ¹Gaal ²the son ³of Ebed] and his brothers, and they went unto Shechem; and [⁴relied ⁵in ⁶him ¹the ²men ³of Shechem]. 27 And they went forth into the field, and gathered the vintage of their vineyards, and they treaded, and they made a dance, and they entered into the house of their god, and they ate and drank, and they cursed Abimelech. 28 And [⁴said ¹Gaal ²son ³of Ebed], Who is Abimelech, and who is the son of Shechem, that we shall serve to him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and Zebul his overseer, his manservant with the men of Hamor, father of Shechem? And why is it that we shall serve to him ourselves? 29 And if any should give this people into my hand, then I shall remove Abimelech. And I shall say to Abimelech, Multiply your force, and come forth! 30 And [⁶heard ¹Zebul ²the ³ruler ⁴of the ⁵city] the words of Gaal son of Ebed, and he was enraged in anger. 31 And he sent messengers to Abimelech with bribes, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed, and his brothers have come unto Shechem; and know, they assault the city against you. 32 And now rise up at night, you and the people with you, and lie in wait in the field! 33 And it will be in the morning, together with the rising of the sun, that you shall rise early and stretch out against the city. And behold, he and the people with him go forth against you, and you shall do to him just as [²should find opportunity ¹your hand]. 34 And Abimelech rose up, and all the people with him at night, and they laid in wait at Shechem -- four companies. 35 And [⁴came forth ¹Gaal ²son ³of Ebed], and he stood at the door of the gate of the city. And Abimelech rose up, and all the people with him, from the ambush. 36 And [⁴saw ¹Gaal ²son ³of Ebed] the people. And he said to Zebul, Behold, a people coming from the tops of the mountains. And [²said ³to ⁴him ¹Zebul], The shadow of the mountains you see as men. 37 And [²proceeded ³still ¹Gaal] to speak, and said, Behold, a people coming down as a sea from the part next to the navel of the earth, and [²company ¹one] arrives from the way of the Oak of the Seers. 38 And [²said ³to ⁴him ¹Zebul], Where is your mouth, the one saying, Who is Abimelech, that we will serve him? [²not ¹Is this] the people whom you treated with contempt? Go forth indeed now and wage war with him!

Shechem Wars with Abimelech

39 And Gaal went forth from the presence of the men of Shechem, and he made war against Abimelech. 40 And [²pursued ³him ¹Abimelech], and he fled from his face, and there fell slain many unto the doors of the city. 41 And Abimelech settled in Arumah, and Zebul cast out Gaal and his brethren, so as to not live in Shechem. 42 And it came to pass in the next day, and came forth the people into the plain, and reported to Abimelech. 43 And he took the people, and he divided them into three companies, and he laid in wait in the field. And he watched, and behold, a people came forth from out of the city, and he rose up against them and struck them. 44 And Abimelech and companies, the ones with him, stretched out and stood by the door of the gate of the city, and the two companies poured out upon all the ones in the field, and he struck them. 45 And Abimelech made war against the city [²entire ³day ¹that]. And they overtook the city, and the people in it they killed; and he demolished the city and sowed it with salt. 46 And [⁷heard ¹all ²the ³men ⁴of the ⁵tower ⁶of Shechem], and they entered into the fortress of the house of Bethel-berith. 47 And it was announced to Abimelech that [⁷were brought together ¹all ²the ³men ⁴of the ⁵tower ⁶of Shechem]. 48 And Abimelech ascended into mount Zalmon, he and all the people with him. And Abimelech took the axe in his hand, and he cut a load of wood, and he took it, and put it upon his shoulders. And he said to the people with him, What you see me doing, quickly you do as also I!

Abimelech Seizes Shechem and Thebez

49 And they felled wood. And indeed to them all each was a load. And they lifted, and they went after Abimelech. And they placed the wood at the fortress, and they set fire to them at the fortress with fire. And all died, the men of the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women. 50 And Abimelech went unto Thebez, and besieged it, and first took it. 51 And [³tower ²a strong ¹there was] in the midst of the city. And fled there all the men, and the women, and all the leaders of the city. And they shut up themselves, and ascended upon the roof of the tower. 52 And Abimelech came unto the tower, and they subdued it by war. And Abimelech approached unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.

Abimelech Killed by a Millstone

53 And [²tossed ¹a woman] one piece of millstone upon the head of Abimelech, and it fractured his skull. 54 And he yelled out quickly to the servant lifting his weapons. And he said to him, Unsheathe my broadsword and kill me! lest at any time they should say that, A woman killed him. And [²stabbed ³him ¹his servant], and he died. 55 And [³saw ¹each man ²of Israel] that Abimelech died, and [²departed ¹each man] to his place. 56 And God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he did to his father, by killing [²seventy ³brothers ¹his]. 57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem, God returned on their own head. And came upon them the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.