Chapter 9

And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went⁴ to Shechem unto his mother's brethren, and communed¹⁷ with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying,²

Speak,¹⁶ I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether [is] better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, [which are] threescore and ten persons, reign² over you, or that one ³⁷⁶ reign² over you? remember¹ also that I [am] your bone and your flesh.

And his mother's brethren spake¹⁷ of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined⁴ to follow Abimelech; for they said,¹ He [is] our brother.

And they gave⁴ him threescore and ten [pieces] of silver out of the house of Baalberith, wherewith Abimelech hired⁴ vain and light⁶ persons, which followed^{4 310} him.

And he went⁴ unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew⁴ his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, [being] threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left;¹¹ for he hid⁸ himself.

And all the men of Shechem gathered¹¹ together, and all the house of Millo, and went,⁴ and made⁵⁵ Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar⁹⁴ that [was] in Shechem.

And when they told⁵⁵ [it] to Jotham, he went⁴ and stood⁴ in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up⁴ his voice, and cried,⁴ and said⁴ unto them, Hearken³ unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken⁴ unto you.

The trees went¹ forth² [on a time] to anoint² a king over them; and they said⁴ unto the olive tree, Reign³ thou over us.

But the olive tree said⁴ unto them, Should I leave¹ my fatness, wherewith by me they honour¹⁷ God and man, and go¹ to be promoted² over the trees?

And the trees said⁴ to the fig tree, Come³ thou, [and] reign³ over us.

But the fig tree said⁴ unto them, Should I forsake¹ my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go¹ to be promoted² over the trees?

Then said⁴ the trees unto the vine, Come³ thou, [and] reign³ over us.

And the vine said⁴ unto them, Should I leave¹ my wine, which cheereth¹⁸ God and man, and go¹ to be promoted² over the trees?

Then said⁴ all the trees unto the bramble, Come³ thou, [and] reign³ over us.

And the bramble said⁴ unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint⁶ me king over you, [then] come³ [and] put your trust³ in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out⁴ of the bramble, and devour⁴ the cedars of Lebanon.

Now therefore, if ye have done¹ truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king,⁵⁵ and if ye have dealt¹ well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done¹ unto him according to the deserving of his hands;

(For my father fought⁸ for you, and adventured⁵⁵ his life far, and delivered⁵⁵ you out of the hand of Midian:

And ye are risen up¹ against my father's house this day, and have slain⁴ his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king⁵⁵ over the men of Shechem, because he [is] your brother;)

If ye then have dealt¹ truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, [then] rejoice³ ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice⁴ in you:

But if not, let fire come out⁴ from Abimelech, and devour⁴ the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out⁴ from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour⁴ Abimelech.

And Jotham ran away,⁴ and fled,⁴ and went⁴ to Beer, and dwelt⁴ there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.

When Abimelech had reigned⁴ three years over Israel,

Then God sent⁴ an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously⁴ with Abimelech:

That the cruelty [done] to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come,² and their blood be laid² upon Abimelech their brother, which slew¹ them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided¹⁴ him in the killing² of his brethren.

And the men of Shechem set⁴ liers in wait¹⁸ for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed⁴ all that came⁴ along that way by them: and it was told⁹³ Abimelech.

And Gaal the son of Ebed came⁴ with his brethren, and went over⁴ to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence⁴ in him.

And they went out⁴ into the fields, and gathered⁴ their vineyards, and trode⁴ [the grapes], and made⁴ merry, and went⁴ into the house of their god, and did eat⁴ and drink,⁴ and cursed¹⁷ Abimelech.

And Gaal the son of Ebed said,⁴ Who [is] Abimelech, and who [is] Shechem, that we should serve⁴ him? [is] not [he] the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve³ the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serve⁴ him?

And would to God⁴ this people were under my hand! then would I remove⁵⁵ Abimelech. And he said⁴ to Abimelech, Increase¹⁶ thine army, and come out.³

And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard⁴ the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.⁴

And he sent⁴ messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying,² Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come⁶ to Shechem; and, behold, they fortify⁶ the city against thee.

Now therefore up³ by night, thou and the people that [is] with thee, and lie in wait³ in the field:

And it shall be, [that] in the morning, as soon as the sun is up,² thou shalt rise early,⁵⁵ and set¹ upon the city: and, behold, [when] he and the people that [is] with him come out⁶ against thee, then mayest thou do¹ to them as thou shalt find⁴ occasion.

And Abimelech rose up,⁴ and all the people that [were] with him, by night, and they laid wait⁴ against Shechem in four companies.

And Gaal the son of Ebed went out,⁴ and stood⁴ in the entering of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up,⁴ and the people that [were] with him, from lying in wait.

And when Gaal saw⁴ the people, he said⁴ to Zebul, Behold, there come people down⁶ from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said⁴ unto him, Thou seest⁶ the shadow of the mountains as [if they were] men.

And Gaal spake¹⁵ again⁵⁵ and said,⁴ See there come people down⁶ by the middle of the land, and another company come¹ along by the plain of Meonenim.²⁶

Then said⁴ Zebul unto him, Where [is] now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst,⁴ Who [is] Abimelech, that we should serve⁴ him? [is] not this the people that thou hast despised?¹ go out,³ I pray now, and fight¹⁰ with them.

And Gaal went out⁴ before the men of Shechem, and fought¹¹ with Abimelech.

And Abimelech chased⁴ him, and he fled⁴ before him, and many were overthrown⁴ [and] wounded, [even] unto the entering of the gate.

And Abimelech dwelt⁴ at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out¹⁷ Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell² in Shechem.

And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out⁴ into the field; and they told⁵⁵ Abimelech.

And he took⁴ the people, and divided⁴ them into three companies, and laid wait⁴ in the field, and looked,⁴ and, behold, the people [were] come forth⁶ out of the city; and he rose up⁴ against them, and smote⁵⁵ them.

And Abimelech, and the company that [was] with him, rushed¹ forward, and stood⁴ in the entering of the gate of the city: and the two [other] companies ran upon¹ all [the people] that [were] in the fields, and slew⁵⁵ them.

And Abimelech fought⁸ against the city all that day; and he took⁴ the city, and slew¹ the people that [was] therein, and beat down⁴ the city, and sowed⁴ it with salt.

And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard⁴ [that], they entered⁴ into an hold of the house of the god Berith.

And it was told⁹³ Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.⁹⁸

And Abimelech gat him up⁴ to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that [were] with him; and Abimelech took⁴ an axe in his hand, and cut down⁴ a bough from the trees, and took⁴ it, and laid⁴ [it] on his shoulder, and said⁴ unto the people that [were] with him, What ye have seen¹ me do,¹ make haste,¹⁶ [and] do³ as I [have done].

And all the people likewise cut down⁴ every man his bough, and followed^{4 310} Abimelech, and put⁴ [them] to the hold, and set⁵⁵ the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died⁴ also, about a thousand men and women.

Then went⁴ Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped⁴ against Thebez, and took⁴ it.

But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled⁴ all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut⁴ [it] to them, and gat them up⁴ to the top of the tower.

And Abimelech came⁴ unto the tower, and fought¹¹ against it, and went hard⁴ unto the door of the tower to burn² it with fire.

And a certain woman cast⁵⁵ a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and all to brake⁵⁵ his skull.

Then he called⁴ hastily unto the young man his armourbearer,^{6 3627} and said⁴ unto him, Draw³ thy sword, and slay³³ me, that men say⁴ not of me, A woman slew¹ him. And his young man thrust him through,⁴ and he died.⁴

And when the men of Israel saw⁴ that Abimelech was dead,¹ they departed⁴ every man unto his place.

Thus God rendered⁵⁵ the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did¹ unto his father, in slaying² his seventy brethren:

And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render⁵² upon their heads: and upon them came⁴ the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.