Judges 9
9
1Now Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother's kinsmen and said to them and to the whole clan of his mother's family, 2“Say in the ears of all the citizens of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal rule over you, or that one rule over you?’ Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.” 3And his mother's kinsmen spoke all these words on his behalf in the ears of all the men of Shechem; and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.” 4And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, who followed him. 5And he went to his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, upon one stone; but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself. 6And all the citizens of Shechem came together, and all Beth-millo, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar at Shechem.
7When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and cried aloud and said to them, “Listen to me, you men of Shechem, that God may listen to you. 8The trees once went forth to anoint a king over them; and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’ 9But the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my fatness, by which gods and men are honored, and go to sway over the trees?’ 10And the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come you, and reign over us.’ 11But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to sway over the trees?’ 12And the trees said to the vine, ‘Come you, and reign over us.’ 13But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my wine which cheers gods and men, and go to sway over the trees?’ 14Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘Come you, and reign over us.’ 15And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in good faith you are anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’
16“Now therefore, if you acted in good faith and honor when you made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him as his deeds deserved— 17for my father fought for you, and risked his life, and rescued you from the hand of Midian; 18and you have risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, seventy men on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the citizens of Shechem, because he is your kinsman— 19if you then have acted in good faith and honor with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice 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 Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the citizens of Shechem, and from Beth-millo, and devour Abimelech.” 21And Jotham ran away and fled, and went to Beer and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
22Abimelech ruled over Israel three years. 23And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men 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 men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to slay his brothers. 25And the men of Shechem put men in ambush against him on the mountain tops, and they robbed all who passed by them along that way; and it was told Abimelech.
26And Gaal the son of Ebed moved into Shechem with his kinsmen; and the men of Shechem put confidence in him. 27And they went out into the field, and gathered the grapes from their vineyards and trod them, and held festival, and went into the house of their god, and ate and drank and reviled Abimelech. 28And Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who are we of Shechem, that we should serve him? Did not the son of Jerubbaal and Zebul his officer serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem? Why then should we serve him? 29Would that this people were under my hand! then I would remove Abimelech. I would say#9.29 Gk: Heb and he said to Abimelech, ‘Increase your army, and come out.’ ”
30When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled. 31And he sent messengers to Abimelech at Arumah,#9.31 Cn: See 9.41. Heb Tormah saying, “Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his kinsmen have come to Shechem, and they are stirring up#9.31 Cn: Heb besieging the city against you. 32Now therefore, go by night, you and the men that are with you, and lie in wait in the fields. 33Then in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, rise early and rush upon the city; and when he and the men that are with him come out against you, you may do to them as occasion offers.”
34And Abimelech and all the men that were with him rose up by night, and laid wait against Shechem in four companies. 35And Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city; and Abimelech and the men that were with him rose from the ambush. 36And when Gaal saw the men, he said to Zebul, “Look, men are coming down from the mountain tops!” And Zebul said to him, “You see the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.” 37Gaal spoke again and said, “Look, men are coming down from the center of the land, and one company is coming from the direction of the Diviners' Oak.” 38Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your mouth now, you who said, ‘Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?’ Are not these the men whom you despised? Go out now and fight with them.” 39And Gaal went out at the head of the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. 40And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him; and many fell wounded, up to the entrance of the gate. 41And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah; and Zebul drove out Gaal and his kinsmen, so that they could not live on at Shechem.
42On the following day the men went out into the fields. And Abimelech was told. 43He took his men and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the fields; and he looked and saw the men coming out of the city, and he rose against them and slew them. 44Abimelech and the company#9.44 Vg and some Mss of Gk: Heb companies that was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city, while the two companies rushed upon all who were in the fields and slew them. 45And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; he took the city, and killed the people that were in it; and he razed the city and sowed it with salt.
46When all the people of the Tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered the stronghold of the house of El-berith. 47Abimelech was told that all the people of the Tower of Shechem were gathered together. 48And Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the men that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bundle of brushwood, and took it up and laid it on his shoulder. And he said to the men that were with him, “What you have seen me do, make haste to do, as I have done.” 49So every one of the people cut down his bundle and following Abimelech put it against the stronghold, and they set the stronghold on fire over them, so that all the people of the Tower of Shechem also died, about a thousand men and women.
50Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it. 51But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the people of the city fled to it, all the men and women, and shut themselves in; and they went to the roof of the tower. 52And Abimelech came to the tower, and fought against it, and drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire. 53And a certain woman threw an upper millstone upon Abimelech's head, and crushed his skull. 54Then he called hastily to the young man his armor-bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest men say 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 departed every man to his home. 56Thus God requited the crime of Abimelech, which he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers; 57and God also made all the wickedness of the men of Shechem fall back upon their heads, and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
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Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America
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.