Shofetim 9
9
1And Avimelech ben Yeruba'al went to Shechem unto achei immo, and spoke with them, and with all the mishpakhat bais avi immo, saying,
2Speak, now, in the ears of all the ba'alei Shechem, Which is better for you, either that all the Bnei Yeruba'al, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one man reign over you? Remember also that I am your etzem (bone) and your basar (flesh).
3And the achei immo spoke of him in the ears of all the ba'alei Shechem all these words; and their lev inclined to follow Avimelech; for they said, He is acheinu.
4And they gave him 70 pieces of kesef out of the bais Ba'al-Brit, wherewith Avimelech hired morally empty and reckless persons, which followed him.
5And he went unto his bais avi at Ophrah, and slaughtered his brethren the Bnei Yeruba'al, being 70 persons, upon one even (stone); notwithstanding yet Yotam the youngest ben Yeruba'al escaped; for he hid himself.
6And all the ba'alei Shechem gathered together, and all the Bais Millo, and went, and crowned Avimelech melech, by the great tree near the pillar that was in Shechem.
7And when they told it to Yotam, he went and stood on top of Mt Gerizim, lifted up his voice, cried out, and said unto them, Pay heed unto me, ye ba'alei Shechem, that Elohim may pay heed unto you.
8The etzim (trees) went forth one day to anoint a melech over them; and they said unto the zayit (olive tree), Reign thou over us.
9But the zayit said unto them, Should I leave my oil, wherewith by me they honor Elohim and anashim, and go to be promoted over the etzim?
10And the etzim (trees) said to the te'enah (fig tree), Come thou, and reign over us.
11But the te'enah said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the etzim (trees)?
12Then said the etzim (trees) unto the gefen, Come thou, and reign over us.
13And the gefen said unto them, Should I leave my tirosh, which cheereth Elohim and anashim, and go to be promoted over the etzim?
14Then said all the etzim (trees) unto the thornbush, Come thou, and reign over us.
15And the thornbush said unto the etzim (trees), If b'emes ye anoint me melech over you, then come and take refuge in my tzel (shade): and if not, let eish come out of the thornbush, and devour the cedars of the Levanon.
16Now therefore, if ye have done b'emes and in good faith, in that ye have made Avimelech melech, and if ye have dealt tovah with Yeruba'al#9:16 Gid'on and his bais, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands —
17For avi#9:17 Gid'on fought for you, and risked his nefesh, and delivered you out of the yad Midyan;
18And ye are risen up against bais avi this day, and have slain his banim, threescore and ten persons, upon one even (stone), and have made Avimelech, ben amah (son of his slave girl), melech over the ba'alei Shechem, because he is your brother —
19If ye then have dealt b'emes and in good faith with Yeruba'al and with his bais this day, then rejoice ye in Avimelech, and let him also rejoice in you;
20But if not, let eish come out from Avimelech, and devour the ba'alei Shechem, and the Bais Millo; and let eish come out from the ba'alei Shechem, and from the Bais Millo, and devour Avimelech.
21And Yotam ran away, and escaped, and went to Be'er, and dwelt there, for fear of Avimelech his brother.
22When Avimelech had reigned shalosh shanim over Yisroel,
23Then Elohim sent a ruach ra'ah between Avimelech and the ba'alei Shechem; and the ba'alei Shechem dealt treacherously with Avimelech;
24That the chamas done to the 70 Bnei Yeruba'al might come, and their dahm be laid upon Avimelech their brother, which slaughtered them; and upon the ba'alei Shechem, which aided him in the slaughter of his brethren.
25And the ba'alei Shechem set ambushers in wait for him on top of the hills, and they robbed all that passed along that derech by them; and it was told Avimelech.
26And Gaal ben Eved came with his achim, went over to Shechem; the ba'alei Shechem put their confidence in him.
27And they went out into the sadeh, and gathered their kramim, and trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into the bais eloheihem, and did eat and drink, and cursed Avimelech.
28And Gaal ben Eved said, Who is Avimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is not he ben Yeruba'al? And Zevul his pakid? Serve the anshei Chamor avi Shechem. For why should we serve him?
29O that this people were under my yad! Then would I remove Avimelech. And he said to Avimelech, Gather thine tze'va (army), and come out!
30And when Zevul the sar of the Ir heard the words of Gaal ben Eved, his anger was kindled.
31And he sent malachim unto Avimelech covertly, saying, Hinei, Gaal ben Eved and his brethren have come to Shechem; and, hinei, they incite the Ir against thee.
32Now therefore go up by lailah, thou and the people with thee, and lie in wait in the sadeh:
33And it shall be, that in the boker, as soon as the shemesh is up, thou shalt rise early, and set upon the Ir; and, hinei, when he and the people with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to them just as thy hand finds to do.
34And Avimelech rose up, and kol haAm that were with him, by lailah, and they laid wait in ambush against Shechem in four companies.
35And Gaal ben Eved went out, and stood in the petach sha'ar haIr; and Avimelech and the people that were with him rose up from lying in wait for ambush.
36And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zevul, Hinei, there come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zevul said unto him, Thou seest the tzel of the mountains as if seeing anashim.
37And Gaal spoke again, and said, Hinei, there come people down the middle of the land, and another company come along by the Elon Me'onenim.
38Then said Zevul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, Who is Avimelech that we should serve him? Is not this the people that thou hast despised? Go out, now, and fight against him.
39And Gaal went out before the ba'alei Shechem, and fought with Avimelech.
40And Avimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and chalalim (wounded), even unto the petach hasha'ar.
41And Avimelech dwelt at Arumah; and Zevul thrust out Gaal and his achim, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
42And it came to pass on the next day, that the people went out into the sadeh; and they told Avimelech.
43And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait concealed in the sadeh, and looked, and, hinei, the people were come forth out of the Ir; and he rose up against them, and attacked them.
44And Avimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed forward, and stood in the petach sha'ar of the Ir; and the two other companies rushed upon all who were in the sadeh, and slaughtered them.
45And Avimelech fought against the Ir all that day; and he took the Ir, and slaughtered the people that was therein, and destroyed the Ir, and sowed it with melach (salt).
46And when all the ba'alei migdal Shechem heard that, they entered into the stronghold of the bais el brit.
47And it was told Avimelech, that all the ba'alei migdal Shechem were gathered together.
48And Avimelech got him up to Mt Tzalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Avimelech took axes in his yad, and cut down a branch from the etzim (trees), and lifted it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.
49And kol haAm likewise cut down every man his branch, and followed Avimelech, and piled them against the stronghold, and set the stronghold on eish over them; so that all the anshei migdal Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.
50Then went Avimelech to Tevetz, and encamped against Tevetz, and captured it.
51But there was a migdal oz within the Ir, and there fled all the anashim and nashim, and all ba'alei haIr, and locked it after them, and got them up to the top of the migdal.
52And Avimelech came unto the migdal, and fought against it, and drew near unto the petach of the migdal to burn it with eish.
53And a certain woman dropped an upper millstone upon Avimelechʼs head, and cracked his gulgolet (skull).
54Then he called hastily unto the na'ar his armor-bearer, and said unto him, Draw thy cherev, and slay me, that men say not of me, An isha slaughtered him. And his na'ar thrust him through, and he died.
55And when the Ish Yisroel saw that Avimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.
56Thus Elohim repaid the wickedness of Avimelech, which he did unto his av, in slaying his seventy brethren;
57And all the evil of the anshei Shechem did Elohim render upon their heads: and upon them came the Kelalat Yotam ben Yeruba'al.
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Shofetim 9: TOJB2011
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THE ORTHODOX JEWISH BIBLE
FOURTH EDITION © Artists For Israel Intl Inc., 2002-2011, 2021.
Judges 9
9
1And Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother's brethren, and spoke to them, and to all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying, 2Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the citizens of Shechem, Which is better for you, that seventy persons, all sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or that one man rule over you? And remember that I am your bone and your flesh. 3And his mother's brethren spoke of him in the ears of all the citizens of Shechem all these words. And their heart inclined after Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother. 4And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-Berith, and Abimelech hired with them vain and wanton men, and they followed him. 5And he came to his father's house, to Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy persons upon one stone; but there remained Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal; for he had hid himself. 6And all the citizens of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king, by the memorial-oak that is in Shechem.
7And they told it to Jotham, and he went and stood on the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said to them, Hearken to me, ye citizens of Shechem, that God#GodHebrew: Elohim may hearken to you. 8The trees once went forth to anoint a king over them; and they said to the olive-tree, Reign over us. 9And the olive-tree said to them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God#GodHebrew: Elohim and man, and go to wave over the trees? 10And the trees said to the fig-tree, Come thou, reign over us. 11But the fig-tree said to them, Should I leave my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to wave over the trees? 12Then said the trees to the vine, Come thou, reign over us. 13And the vine said to them, Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God#GodHebrew: Elohim and man, and go to wave over the trees? 14Then said all the trees to the thorn-bush, Come thou, reign over us. 15And the thorn-bush said to the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, come, put confidence in my shadow; but if not, fire shall come out of the thorn-bush and devour the cedars of Lebanon. 16Now therefore, if ye have dealt truly and sincerely in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and if ye have done to him according to the deserving of his hands; 17— for my father fought for you, and endangered his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian; 18but ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, seventy men, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his handmaid, king over the citizens of Shechem, because he is your brother; 19— if ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you; 20but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the citizens of Shechem and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the citizens of Shechem and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech. 21And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, because of Abimelech his brother.
22And Abimelech ruled over Israel three years. 23And God#GodHebrew: Elohim sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem; and the citizens of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, 24that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, who slew them, and upon the citizens of Shechem, who had strengthened his hands to slay his brethren. 25And the citizens of Shechem set liers in wait for him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them. And it was told Abimelech. 26And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to Shechem; and the citizens of Shechem put confidence in him. 27And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode the grapes, and made rejoicings, and went into the house of their god, and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech. 28And 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 Zebul his overseer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem! and why should we serve him? 29Oh! would that this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out. 30And Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, and his anger was kindled; 31and he sent messengers to Abimelech craftily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren are come to Shechem, and behold, they shut up the city against thee; 32and now, rise up by night, thou and the people that are with thee, and lie in ambush in the fields. 33And it shall be in the morning when the sun is up, thou shalt rise early, and fall upon the city; and behold, he and the people that is with him shall come out against thee, and thou shalt do with him as thou shalt find occasion. 34And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they lay in ambush against Shechem in four companies. 35And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city. Then Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, out of the ambush. 36And Gaal saw the people, and said to Zebul, Behold, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains. And Zebul said to him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as men. 37And Gaal spoke again, and said, Behold, people are coming down from the high part of the land, and one company is coming along by the way of the Magician's oak. 38Then said Zebul to him, Where is now thy mouth, thou that saidst, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people that thou hast despised? go out now, I pray, and fight against them. 39And Gaal went out before the citizens of Shechem, and fought against Abimelech. 40And Abimelech pursued him, and he fled before him, and there fell many wounded, as far as the entrance of the gate. 41And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah. And Zebul drove out Gaal and his brethren, that they might not dwell in Shechem. 42And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech. 43And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and lay in ambush in the field. And he looked, and behold, the people came forth out of the city; and he rose up against them and smote them. 44And Abimelech, and the companies that were with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city; and two of the companies ran upon all that were in the fields, and slew them. 45And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that were in it, and broke down the city, and sowed it with salt. 46And all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, and they entered into the stronghold of the house of the god#godHebrew: el Berith. 47And it was told Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem had gathered together. 48Then Abimelech went up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it up and laid it on his shoulder, and said to the people that was with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, do as I have done. 49And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and they followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and burned the hold with fire upon them. And all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.
50And Abimelech went to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it. 51But there was a strong tower in the midst of the city, and thither fled all the men and women, all the citizens of the city; and they shut it behind them, and went up to the roof of the tower. 52And Abimelech came to the tower, and fought against it, and he drew near to the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire; 53and a woman cast the upper stone of a handmill on Abimelech's head, and crushed his skull. 54Then he called hastily to the young man that carried his armour, and said to him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that they say not of me, A woman killed him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died. 55And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they went every man to his place. 56And God#GodHebrew: Elohim rendered back the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to his father in slaying his seventy brethren. 57And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God#GodHebrew: Elohim render back upon their heads; and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.