Judges 9

57 verses

Verse 1 Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother's brothers, and spoke with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying, Verse 2 "Please speak in the ears of all the men of Shechem, 'Is it better for you that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are seventy persons, rule over you, or that one rule over you?' Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.'" Verse 3 His mother's brothers spoke of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, "He is our brother." Verse 4 They gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal Berith, with which Abimelech hired vain and light fellows, who followed him. Verse 5 He went to his father's house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy persons, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself. Verse 6 All the men of Shechem assembled themselves together, and all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem. Verse 7 When they told it to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said to them, "Listen to me, you men of Shechem, that God may listen to you. Verse 8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said to the olive tree, 'Reign you over us.' Verse 9 "But the olive tree said to them, 'Should I leave my fatness, with which by me they honor God and man, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?' Verse 10 "The trees said to the fig tree, 'Come, and reign over us.' Verse 11 "But the fig tree said to them, 'Should I leave my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?' Verse 12 "The trees said to the vine, 'Come, and reign over us.' Verse 13 "The vine said to them, 'Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?' Verse 14 "Then all the trees said to the bramble, 'Come, and reign over us.' Verse 15 "The bramble said to the trees, 'If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.' Verse 16 "Now therefore, if you have dealt truly and righteously, in that you have made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him according to the deserving of his hands Verse 17 (for my father fought for you, and adventured his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian: Verse 18 and you are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, seventy persons, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother). Verse 19 If you then have dealt truly and righteously with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice you in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you: Verse 20 but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech." Verse 21 And Jotham escaped and fled and went to Beer and lived there, for fear of Abimelech his brother. Verse 22 Abimelech was prince over Israel three years. Verse 23 God sent a spirit of hostility between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: Verse 24 that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and that their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. Verse 25 The men of Shechem set an ambush for him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who came along that way by them. And it was told to Abimelech. Verse 26 Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers, and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their trust in him. Verse 27 They went out into the field, and gathered their vineyards, and trod the grapes, and held festival, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech. Verse 28 Gaal the son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Isn't he the son of Jerubbaal, and Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem. But why should we serve him? Verse 29 Would that this people were under my hand! Then would I remove Abimelech." He said to Abimelech, "Increase your army, and come out." Verse 30 When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled. Verse 31 He sent messengers to Abimelech craftily, saying, "Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers are come to Shechem; and behold, they constrain the city to take part against you. Verse 32 Now therefore, rise up by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field. Verse 33 And it shall be that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, you shall rise early, and rush on the city. And behold, when he and the people who are with him come out against you, then do whatever you can to them." Verse 34 Abimelech rose up, and all the people who were with him, by night, and they lay in wait against Shechem in four companies. Verse 35 Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people who were with him, from the ambush. Verse 36 When Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, "Behold, there are people coming down from the tops of the mountains." Zebul said to him, "You see the shadow of the mountains as if they were men." Verse 37 Gaal spoke again and said, "Behold, there are people coming down by the central part of the land, and one company comes by the way of the oak of Meonenim." Verse 38 Then Zebul said to him, "Where is now your mouth, that you said, 'Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?' Is not this the people that you have despised? Please go out now and fight with them." Verse 39 Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. Verse 40 Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and there fell many wounded, even to the entrance of the gate. Verse 41 Abimelech lived at Arumah: and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers, that they should not dwell in Shechem. Verse 42 It happened on the next day, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech. Verse 43 He took the people, and divided them into three companies, and waited in ambush in the field; and he looked, and behold, the people came forth out of the city. He rose up against them, and struck them. Verse 44 Abimelech, and the companies that were with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city: and the two companies rushed against all who were in the field, and struck them. Verse 45 Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and killed the people who were in it. And he destroyed the city, and sowed it with salt. Verse 46 When all the men of the tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered into the stronghold of the house of El Berith. Verse 47 It was told Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. Verse 48 Abimelech got him up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a branch from the trees, and took it up, and laid it on his shoulder. And he said to the people who were with him, "What you have seen me do, do quickly, and do as I have done." Verse 49 All the people likewise cut down his branch and followed Abimelech, and put them on the stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire on them; so that all the men of the Tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women. Verse 50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it. Verse 51 But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men and women fled, and all those of the city, and shut themselves in, and got them up to the roof of the tower. Verse 52 Abimelech came to the tower, and fought against it, and drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire. Verse 53 A certain woman threw down an upper millstone on Abimelech's head, and broke his skull. Verse 54 Then he called quickly to the young man his armor bearer, and said to him, "Draw your sword, and kill me, that men not say of me, 'A woman killed him.'" So the young man thrust him through, and he died. Verse 55 When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man to his place. Verse 56 Thus God requited the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to his father, in killing his seventy brothers; Verse 57 and all the wickedness of the men of Shechem did God return on their heads, and on them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.