Judges 9

¹Now Abimelech, the son of Jerubbaal, went to Shechem, to his maternal brothers, and he spoke to them, and to all the relatives of the house of his maternal grandfather, saying:

²“Speak to all the men of Shechem: Which is better for you: that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, should rule over you, or that one man should rule over you? And consider also that I am your bone and your flesh.”

³And his maternal brothers spoke about him to all the men of Shechem, all these words, and they inclined their hearts after Abimelech, saying, “He is our brother.”

⁴And they gave to him the weight of seventy silver coins from the shrine of Baal-berith. With this, he hired for himself indigent and wandering men, and they followed him.

⁵And he went to his father’s house in Ophrah, and he killed his brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, upon one stone. And there remained only Joatham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, and he was in hiding.

⁶Then all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the families of the city of Millo, and they went and appointed Abimelech as king, beside the oak that stood at Shechem.

⁷When this had been reported to Jotham, he went and stood at the top of Mount Gerizim. And lifting up his voice, he cried out and said: “Listen to me, men of Shechem, so that God may listen to you.

⁸The trees went to anoint a king over themselves. And they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’

⁹And it responded, ‘How could I abandon my fatness, which both gods and men make use of, and depart to be promoted among the trees?’

¹⁰And the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and accept royal power over us.’

¹¹And it responded to them, ‘How could I abandon my sweetness, and my very sweet fruits, and depart to be promoted among the other trees?’

¹²And the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and reign over us.’

¹³And it responded to them, ‘How could I abandon my wine, which gives joy to God and men, and be promoted among the other trees?’

¹⁴And all the trees said to the bramble, ‘Come and reign over us.’

¹⁵And it responded to them: ‘If truly you would appoint me as king, come and rest under my shadow. But if you are not willing, let fire go forth from the bramble, and let it devour the cedars of Lebanon.’ ”

¹⁶So now, if you are upright and without sin in appointing Abimelech as a king over you, and if you have acted well with Jerubbaal, and with his house, and if you have repaid, in turn, the benefits of him who fought on your behalf,

¹⁷and who gave his life to dangers, so that he might rescue you from the hand of Midian,

¹⁸though you now have risen up against my father’s house, and have killed his sons, seventy men, upon one stone, and have appointed Abimelech, the son of his handmaid, as a king over the inhabitants of Shechem, since he is your brother,

¹⁹if therefore you are upright and have acted without fault with Jerubbaal and his house, then you should rejoice on this day in Abimelech, and he should rejoice in you.

²⁰But if you have acted perversely, may fire go forth from him and consume the inhabitants of Shechem and the town of Millo. And may fire go forth from the men of Shechem and from the town of Millo, and devour Abimelech.”

²¹And when he had said these things, he fled and went away to Beer. And he lived in that place, out of fear of Abimelech, his brother.

²²And so Abimelech reigned over Israel for three years.

²³And the Lord put a very grievous spirit between Abimelech and the inhabitants of Shechem, who began to detest him,

²⁴and to place blame for the crime of the killing of the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, and for the shedding of their blood, upon Abimelech, their brother, and upon the rest of the leaders of the Shechemites, who assisted him.

²⁵And they stationed an ambush against him at the summit of the mountains. And while they were waiting for his arrival, they committed robberies, taking spoils from those passing by. And this was reported to Abimelech.

²⁶Now Gaal, the son of Ebed, went with his brothers, and crossed over to Shechem. And the inhabitants of Shechem, uplifted by his arrival,

²⁷departed into the fields, laying waste to the vineyards, and trampling the grapes. And while singing and dancing, they entered into the shrine of their god. And while feasting and drinking, they cursed Abimelech.

²⁸And Gaal, the son of Ebed, cried out: “Who is Abimelech, and what is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, who has appointed Zebul, his servant, as ruler over the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem? Why then should we serve him?

²⁹I wish that someone would set this people under my hand, so that I might take away Abimelech from their midst.” And it was told to Abimelech, “Gather the multitude of an army, and approach.”

³⁰For Zebul, the ruler of the city, upon hearing the words of Gaal, the son of Ebed, became very angry.

³¹And he sent messengers secretly to Abimelech, saying: “Behold, Gaal, the son of Ebed, has arrived at Shechem with his brothers, and he has set the city against you.

³²And so, rise up in the night, with the people who are with you, and lie hidden in the field.

³³And at first light in the morning, as the sun is rising, rush upon the city. And when he goes out against you, with his people, do to him what you are able to do.”

³⁴And so Abimelech rose up, with all his army, by night, and he set ambushes near Shechem in four places.

³⁵And Gaal, the son of Ebed, went out, and he stood at the entrance to the gate of the city. Then Abimelech rose up, and all the army with him, from the places of the ambushes.

³⁶And when Gaal had seen the people, he said to Zebul, “Behold, a multitude is descending from the mountains.” And he responded to him, “You are seeing the shadows of the mountains, as if they were the heads of men, and so you are being deceived by this error.”

³⁷Again, Gaal said, “Behold, a people is descending from the middle of the land, and one company is arriving by the way that looks towards the oak.”

³⁸And Zebul said to him: “Where is your mouth now, with which you said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Is this not the people that you were despising? Go out and fight against him.”

³⁹Therefore, Gaal went out, with the people of Shechem watching, and he fought against Abimelech,

⁴⁰who pursued him, fleeing, and drove him into the city. And many were cut down on his side, even to the gate of the city.

⁴¹And Abimelech made camp at Arumah. But Zebul expelled Gaal and his companions from the city, and he would not permit them to remain in it.

⁴²Therefore, on the following day, the people departed into the field. And when this had been reported to Abimelech,

⁴³he took his army, and divided it into three companies, and he placed ambushes in the fields. And seeing that the people had departed from the city, he rose up and rushed upon them,

⁴⁴along with his own company, assaulting and besieging the city. But the two other companies pursued the enemies scattered in the field.

⁴⁵Now Abimelech assaulted the city all that day. And he seized it, and he killed its inhabitants, and he destroyed it, so much so that he scattered salt in it.

⁴⁶And when those living in the tower of Shechem had heard about this, they entered the temple of their god, Berith, where they had formed a covenant with him. And it was because of this, that the place had taken its name. And it was greatly fortified.

⁴⁷Abimelech, also hearing that the men of the tower of Shechem had joined together,

⁴⁸ascended to mount Zalmon, with all his people. And taking an axe, he cut down the branch of a tree. And laying it on his shoulder, and carrying it, he said to his companions, “What you see me do, you must do quickly.”

⁴⁹And so, eagerly cutting down branches from the trees, they followed their leader. And surrounding the fortified place, they set it on fire. And so it happened that, by smoke and fire, one thousand persons died, men and women together, the occupants of the tower of Shechem.

⁵⁰Then Abimelech, setting out from there, arrived at the town of Thebez, which he surrounded and besieged with his army.

⁵¹Now there was, in the midst of the city, a high tower, to which men and women were fleeing together, with all the leaders of the city. And, having very strongly sealed the gate, they were standing on the roof of the tower to defend themselves.

⁵²And Abimelech, drawing near the tower, fought valiantly. And approaching the gate, he strove to set it on fire.

⁵³And behold, one woman, throwing a fragment of a millstone from above, struck the head of Abimelech, and broke his skull.

⁵⁴And he quickly called to his armor bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and strike me, otherwise it may be said that I was slain by a woman.” And, doing as he was ordered, he killed him.

⁵⁵And when he was dead, all those of Israel who were with him returned to their homes.

⁵⁶And so did God repay the evil that Abimelech had done against his father by killing his seventy brothers.

⁵⁷The Shechemites also were given retribution for what they had done, and the curse of Jotham, the son of Jerubbaal, fell upon them.

Judges 9

¹And Abimelech, the son of Jerobaal, went to Sichem, to his mother's brethren, and spoke to them, and to all the kindred of his mother's father, saying:

²Speak to all the men of Sichem: whether is better for you that seventy men, all the sons of Jerobaal, should rule over you, or that one man should rule over you? And withal, consider that I am your bone, and your flesh.

³And his mother's brethren spoke of him to all the men of Sichem, all these words, and they inclined their hearts after Abimelech, saying: He is our brother:

⁴And they gave him seventy weight of silver out of the temple of Baalberith: wherewith he hired to himself men that were needy, and vagabonds, and they followed him.

⁵And he came to his father's house in Ephra, and slew his brethren, the sons of Jerobaal, seventy men, upon one stone: and there remained only Joatham, the youngest son of Jerobaal, who was hidden.

⁶And all the men of Sichem were gathered together, and all the families of the city of Mello: and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak that stood in Sichem.

⁷This being told to Joatham, he went, and stood on the top of Mount Garizim: and lifting up his voice, he cried, and said: Hear me, ye men of Sichem, so may God hear you.

⁸The trees went to anoint a king over them: and they said to the olive tree: Reign thou over us.

⁹And it answered: Can I leave my fatness, which both gods and men make use of, to come to be promoted among the trees?

¹⁰And the trees said to the fig tree: Come thou and reign over us.

¹¹And it answered them: Can I leave my sweetness, and my delicious fruits, and go to be promoted among the other trees?

¹²And the trees said to the vine: Come thou and reign over us.

¹³And it answered them: Can I forsake my wine, that cheereth God and men, and be promoted among the other trees?

¹⁴And all the trees said to the bramble: Come thou and reign over us.

¹⁵And it answered them: If, indeed, you mean to make me king, come ye, and rest under my shadow: but if you mean it not, let fire come out from the bramble, and devour the cedars of Libanus.

¹⁶Now, therefore, if you have done well, and without sin, in appointing Abimelech king over you, and have dealt well with Jerobaal, and with his house, and have made a suitable return for the benefits of him who fought for you,

¹⁷And exposed his life to dangers, to deliver you from the hand of Madian,

¹⁸And you are now risen up against my father's house, and have killed his sons, seventy men, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his handmaid, king over the inhabitants of Sichem, because he is your brother:

¹⁹If therefore you have dealt well, and without fault, with Jerobaal and his house, rejoice ye, this day, in Abimelech, and may he rejoice in you.

²⁰But if unjustly: let fire come out from him, and consume the inhabitants of Sichem, and the town of Mello: and let fire come out from the men of Sichem and from the town of Mello, and devour Abimelech.

²¹And when he had said thus, he fled, and went into Bera: and dwelt there for fear of Abimelech, his brother.

²²So Abimelech reigned over Israel three years.

²³And the Lord sent a very evil spirit between Abimelech and the inhabitants of Sichem; who began to detest him,

²⁴And to lay the crime of the murder of the seventy sons of Jerobaal, and the shedding of their blood, upon Abimelech, their brother, and upon the rest of the princes of the Sichemites, who aided him.

²⁵And they set an ambush against him on the top of the mountains: and while they waited for his coming, they committed robberies, taking spoils of all that passed by: and it was told Abimelech.

²⁶And Gaal, the son of Obed, came with his brethren, and went over to Sichem. And the inhabitants of Sichem, taking courage at his coming,

²⁷Went out into the fields, wasting the vineyards, and treading down the grapes: and singing and dancing, they went into the temple of their god, and in their banquets and cups they cursed Abimelech.

²⁸And Gaal, the son of Obed, cried: Who is Abimelech, and what is Sichem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerobaal, and hath made Zebul, his servant, ruler over the men of Emor, the father of Sichem? Why then shall we serve him?

²⁹Would to God that some man would put this people under my hand, that I might remove Abimelech out of the way. And it was said to Abimelech: Gather together the multitude of an army, and come.

³⁰For Zebul, the ruler of the city, hearing the words of Gaal, the son of Obed, was very angry,

³¹And sent messengers privately to Abimelech, saying: Behold, Gaal, the son of Obed, is come into Sichem with his brethren, and endeavoureth to set the city against thee.

³²Arise, therefore, in the night, with the people that is with thee, and lie hid in the field:

³³And betimes in the morning, at sun rising, set upon the city, and when he shall come out against thee, with his people, do to him what thou shalt be able.

³⁴Abimelech, therefore, arose with all his army, by night, and laid ambushes near Sichem in four places.

³⁵And Gaal, the son of Obed, went out, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city. And Abimelech rose up, and all his army with him, from the places of the ambushes.

³⁶And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul: Behold, a multitude cometh down from the mountains. And he answered him: Thou seest the shadows of the mountains as if they were the heads of men, and this is thy mistake.

³⁷Again Gaal said: Behold, there cometh people down from the midst of the land, and one troop cometh by the way that looketh towards the oak.

³⁸And Zebul said to him: Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst: Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? Is not this the people which thou didst despise? Go out, and fight against him.

³⁹So Gaal went out, in the sight of the people of Sichem, and fought against Abimelech,

⁴⁰Who chased and put him to flight, and drove him to the city: and many were slain of his people, even to the gate of the city:

⁴¹And Abimelech sat down in Ruma: but Zebul drove Gaal, and his companions, out of the city, and would not suffer them to abide in it.

⁴²So the day following the people went out into the field. And it was told to Abimelech,

⁴³And he took his army, and divided it into three companies, and laid ambushes in the fields. And seeing that the people came out of the city, he arose, and set upon them,

⁴⁴With his own company, assaulting and besieging the city: whilst the two other companies chased the enemies that were scattered about the field.

⁴⁵And Abimelech assaulted the city all that day: and took it, and killed the inhabitants thereof, and demolished it, so that he sowed salt in it.

⁴⁶And when they who dwelt in the tower of Sichem, had heard this, they went into the temple of their god Berith, where they had made a covenant with him, and from thence the place had taken its name, and it was exceeding strong.

⁴⁷Abimelech also hearing that the men of the tower of Sichem were gathered together,

⁴⁸Went up into mount Selmon, he and all his people with him: and taking an axe, he cut down the bough of a tree, and laying it on his shoulder, and carrying it, he said to his companions: What you see me do, do ye out of hand.

⁴⁹So they cut down boughs from the trees, every man as fast as he could, and followed their leader. And surrounding the fort, they set it on fire: and so it came to pass, that with the smoke and with the fire a thousand persons were killed, men and women together, of the inhabitants of the town of Sichem.

⁵⁰Then Abimelech, departing from thence, came to the town of Thebes, which he surrounded and besieged with his army.

⁵¹And there was in the midst of the city a high tower, to which both the men and the women were fled together, and all the princes of the city, and having shut and strongly barred the gate, they stood upon the battlements of the tower to defend themselves.

⁵²And Abimelech, coming near the tower, fought stoutly: and, approaching to the gate, endeavoured to set fire to it:

⁵³And behold, a certain woman casting a piece of a millstone from above, dashed it against the head of Abimelech, and broke his skull.

⁵⁴And he called hastily to his armourbearer, and said to him: Draw thy sword, and kill me: lest it should be said that I was slain by a woman. He did as he was commanded, and slew him.

⁵⁵And when he was dead all the men of Israel that were with him, returned to their homes.

⁵⁶And God repaid the evil that Abimelech had done against his father, killing his seventy brethren.

⁵⁷The Sichemites also were rewarded for what they had done, and the curse of Joatham, the son of Jerobaal, came upon them.