Judges 9:6-37

6And all the men of ShechemH7927 assembled themselves together, and all the houseH1004 of MilloH4407, and went and made AbimelechH40 kingH4428, by the oak of the pillar that was in ShechemH7927.

7And when they toldH5046 it to JothamH3147, he went and stoodH5975 on the topH7218 of mount GerizimH1630, and liftedH5375 up his voiceH6963, and cried, and saidH559 unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of ShechemH7927, that GodH430 may hearken unto you. 8The treesH6086 wentH1980 forth on a time to anointH4886 a kingH4428 over them; and they saidH559 unto the olive-tree, ReignH4427 thou over us. 9But the olive-tree saidH559 unto them, Should I leave my fatnessH1880, wherewith by me they honorH3513 GodH430 and manH376, and goH1980 to wave to and fro over the treesH6086? 10And the treesH6086 saidH559 to the fig-tree, Come thou, and reignH4427 over us. 11But the fig-tree saidH559 unto them, Should I leave my sweetness, and my goodH2896 fruitH8570, and goH1980 to wave to and fro over the treesH6086? 12And the treesH6086 saidH559 unto the vineH1612, Come thou, and reignH4427 over us. 13And the vineH1612 saidH559 unto them, Should I leave my newH8492 wineH8492, which cheereth GodH430 and manH376, and goH1980 to wave to and fro over the treesH6086? 14Then saidH559 all the treesH6086 unto the bramble, Come thou, and reignH4427 over us. 15And the bramble saidH559 unto the treesH6086, If in truthH571 ye anointH4886 me kingH4428 over you, then comeH935 and takeH2620 refugeH2620 in my shadeH6738; and if not, let fireH784 comeH935 out of the bramble, and devourH398 the cedarsH730 of LebanonH3844. 16NowH6258 thereforeH6258, if ye have dealt truly and uprightly, in that ye have madeH6213 AbimelechH40 kingH4427, and if ye have dealt wellH2895 with JerubbaalH3378 and his houseH1004, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his handsH3027 17(for my fatherH1 foughtH3898 for you, and adventured his lifeH5315, and deliveredH5337 you out of the handH3027 of MidianH4080: 18and ye are risenH6965 up against my father’sH1 houseH1004 this dayH3117, and have slainH2026 his sonsH1121, threescore and ten personsH376, upon oneH259 stoneH68, and have made AbimelechH40, the sonH1121 of his maid-servant, kingH4427 over the menH376 of ShechemH7927, because he is your brotherH251); 19if ye then have dealt truly and uprightly with JerubbaalH3378 and with his houseH1004 this dayH3117, then rejoiceH8055 ye in AbimelechH40, and let him alsoH1571 rejoiceH8055 in you: 20but if not, let fireH784 comeH3318 out from AbimelechH40, and devourH398 the men of ShechemH7927, and the houseH1004 of MilloH4407; and let fireH784 comeH3318 out from the men of ShechemH7927, and from the houseH1004 of MilloH4407, and devourH398 AbimelechH40. 21And JothamH3147 ran awayH1272, and fledH5127, and went to BeerH876, and dweltH3427 there, for fear of AbimelechH40 his brotherH251.

22And AbimelechH40 was prince over IsraelH3478 threeH7969 yearsH8141. 23And GodH430 sentH7971 an evilH7451 spiritH7307 between AbimelechH40 and the men of ShechemH7927; and the men of ShechemH7927 dealtH898 treacherouslyH898 with AbimelechH40: 24that the violenceH2555 done to the threescore and ten sonsH1121 of JerubbaalH3378 might comeH935, and that their bloodH1818 might be laid upon AbimelechH40 their brotherH251, who slewH2026 them, and upon the men of ShechemH7927, who strengthenedH2388 his handsH3027 to slayH2026 his brethren. 25And the men of ShechemH7927 setH7760 liers-in-wait for him on the topsH7218 of the mountainsH2022, and they robbedH1497 all that came along that wayH1870 by them: and it was toldH5046 AbimelechH40.

26And GaalH1603 the sonH1121 of EbedH5651 cameH935 with his brethren, and wentH935 over to ShechemH7927; and the men of ShechemH7927 put their trustH982 in him. 27And they wentH3318 out into the fieldH7704, and gatheredH1219 their vineyardsH3754, and trodH1869the grapes, and held festival, and wentH3318 into the houseH1004 of their godH430, and did eatH398 and drinkH8354, and cursedH7043 AbimelechH40. 28And GaalH1603 the sonH1121 of EbedH5651 saidH559, Who is AbimelechH40, and who is ShechemH7927, that we should serveH5647 him? is not he the sonH1121 of JerubbaalH3378? and ZebulH2083 his officerH6496? serveH5647 ye the menH376 of HamorH2544 the fatherH1 of ShechemH7927: but whyH4069 should we serveH5647 him? 29And would that this peopleH5971 were under my handH3027! then would I removeH5493 AbimelechH40. And he saidH559 to AbimelechH40, IncreaseH7235 thine armyH6635, and comeH3318 out.

30And when ZebulH2083 the ruler of the cityH5892 heardH8085 the wordsH1697 of GaalH1603 the sonH1121 of EbedH5651, his angerH639 was kindled. 31And he sentH7971 messengersH4397 unto AbimelechH40 craftily, sayingH559, Behold, GaalH1603 the sonH1121 of EbedH5651 and his brethren are comeH935 to ShechemH7927; and, behold, they constrain the cityH5892 to take part against thee. 32NowH6258 thereforeH6258, up by nightH3915, thou and the peopleH5971 that are with thee, and lieH693 in waitH693 in the fieldH7704: 33and it shall beH1961, that in the morningH1242, as soon as the sunH8121 is up, thou shalt riseH7925 earlyH7925, and rush upon the cityH5892; and, behold, when he and the peopleH5971 that are with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to them as thou shalt findH4672 occasion.

34And AbimelechH40 roseH6965 up, and all the peopleH5971 that were with him, by nightH3915, and they laid waitH693 against ShechemH7927 in fourH702 companiesH7218. 35And GaalH1603 the sonH1121 of EbedH5651 wentH3318 out, and stoodH5975 in the entranceH6607 of the gateH8179 of the cityH5892: and AbimelechH40 roseH6965 up, and the peopleH5971 that were with him, from the ambushment. 36And when GaalH1603 sawH7200 the peopleH5971, he saidH559 to ZebulH2083, Behold, there comeH3381 peopleH5971 downH3381 from the topsH7218 of the mountainsH2022. And ZebulH2083 saidH559 unto him, Thou seest the shadowH6738 of the mountainsH2022 as if they were menH376. 37And GaalH1603 spake againH5750 and saidH559, See, there comeH935 peopleH5971 downH3381 by the middle of the landH776, and oneH259 companyH7218 cometh by the wayH1870 of the oak of Meonenim.