Judges 9

Abimelech’s Conspiracy

1Now AbimelechH40 sonH1121 of JerubbaalH33781 wentH1980 toH413 his mother’sH517 brothersH251 at ShechemH7927 and saidH1696 toH413 themH413 and to allH3605 the clanH4940 of his motherH517H1H1004, 2“PleaseH4994 askH1696H241 allH3605 the leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927H4100, ‘Is it betterH2896 for you that seventyH7657 menH376, allH3605 the sonsH1121 of JerubbaalH3378, ruleH4910 over you, orH518 just oneH259 manH376?’ RememberH2142 thatH3588 IH589 am your own fleshH1320 and bloodH6106.”

3And when his mother’sH517 brothersH251 spokeH1696 allH3605 theseH428 wordsH1697 about himH5921 in the presenceH241 of allH3605 the leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927, their heartsH3820 were inclinedH5186 to followH310 AbimelechH40, forH3588 they saidH559, “HeH1931 is our brotherH251.” 4So they gaveH5414 him seventyH7657 shekels of silverH37012 from the templeH1004 of Baal-berithH1170, with which AbimelechH40 hiredH7936 some worthlessH7386 and recklessH6348 menH582 to followH1980 himH310. 5He wentH935 to his father’sH1 houseH1004 in OphrahH6084, and onH5921 oneH259 stoneH68 murderedH2026 his seventyH7657H376 brothersH251, the sonsH1121 of JerubbaalH3378. But JothamH3147, the youngestH6996 sonH1121 of JerubbaalH3378, survivedH3498, becauseH3588 he hid himselfH2244.

6Then allH3605 the leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927 andH3605H1037 Beth-milloH1037 gatheredH622 besideH5973 the oakH4363 at the pillarH5324 in ShechemH7927 and proceededH1980 to makeH4427 AbimelechH40 their kingH4428.

Jotham’s Parable

7When this was reportedH5046 to JothamH3147, he climbedH1980H5975 to the topH7218 of MountH2022 GerizimH1630, raisedH5375 his voiceH6963, and cried outH7121H559:

16NowH6258 ifH518 you have actedH6213 faithfullyH571 and honestlyH8549 in making AbimelechH40 kingH4427, ifH518H2896 you have done wellH6213 byH5973 JerubbaalH3378H5973 and his familyH1004, and ifH518 you have doneH6213 to him as heH3027 deservesH1576— 17forH834 my fatherH1 foughtH3898 for youH5921 and riskedH7993 his lifeH5315 to deliverH5337 youH853 from the handH3027 of MidianH4080, 18but youH859 have risen upH6965 againstH5921 my father’sH1 houseH1004 this dayH3117 and killedH2026 his seventyH7657H376 sonsH1121 onH5921 a singleH259 stoneH68, and you have made AbimelechH40, the sonH1121 of his maidservantH519, kingH4427 overH5921 the leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927 becauseH3588 heH1931 is your brotherH251— 19ifH518 you have actedH6213 faithfullyH571 and honestlyH8549 towardH5973 JerubbaalH3378H5973 and his houseH1004 thisH2088 dayH3117, then may you rejoiceH8055 in AbimelechH40, andH1571 heH1931 in you.

20But ifH518 notH369, may fireH784 comeH3318 from AbimelechH40 and consumeH398 the leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927 andH853H1037 Beth-milloH1037, and may fireH784 comeH3318 from the leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927 and Beth-milloH1037 and consumeH398 AbimelechH40.”

21Then JothamH3147 ran awayH5127, escapingH1272H1980 to BeerH876, and he livedH3427 thereH8033 for fearH6440 of his brotherH251 AbimelechH40.

Gaal Conspires with the Shechemites

22After AbimelechH40 had reignedH7786 overH5921 IsraelH3478 for threeH7969 yearsH8141, 23GodH430 sentH7971 a spiritH7307 of animosityH74514 betweenH996 AbimelechH40 andH996 the leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927 and caused themH1167H7927 to treat AbimelechH40 deceitfullyH898, 24in order that the crimeH2555 against the seventyH7657 sonsH1121 of JerubbaalH3378 might come to justiceH935 and their bloodH1818 be avengedH7760 onH5921 their brotherH251 AbimelechH40 and onH5921 the leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927, whoH834 had helpedH2388 himH3027 murderH2026 his brothersH251.

25The leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927 set upH7760 an ambushH693 against Abimelech onH5921 the hilltopsH7218H2022, and they robbedH1497 allH3605 whoH834 passedH5674 by themH5921 on the roadH1870. So this was reportedH5046 to AbimelechH40.

26Meanwhile, GaalH1603 sonH1121 of EbedH5651 cameH935 with his brothersH251 and crossedH5674 into ShechemH7927, and the leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927 put their confidenceH982 in him. 27And after they had gone outH3318 into the fieldsH7704, gatheredH1219 grapes from their vineyardsH3754, and troddenH1869 them, they heldH6213 a festivalH1974 and wentH935 into the houseH1004 of their godH430; and as they ateH398 and drankH8354, they cursedH7043 AbimelechH40.

28Then GaalH1603 sonH1121 of EbedH5651 saidH559, “WhoH4310 is AbimelechH40, and whoH4310 is ShechemH7927, thatH3588 we should serve himH5647? Is he notH3808 the sonH1121 of JerubbaalH3378, and is not ZebulH2083 his officerH6496? You are to serveH5647 the menH582 of HamorH2544, the fatherH1 of ShechemH7927. WhyH4069 should weH587 serve AbimelechH5647? 29If onlyH4310H5414 thisH2088 peopleH5971 were under my authorityH3027, I would removeH5493 AbimelechH40; I would sayH559 toH40 him, ‘MusterH7235 your armyH6635 and come outH3318!’”5

The Fall of Shechem

30When ZebulH2083 the governorH8269 of the cityH5892 heardH8085 the wordsH1697 of GaalH1603 sonH1121 of EbedH5651, he burnedH2734 with angerH639. 31So he covertly sentH7971H8649 messengersH4397 toH413 AbimelechH406 to sayH559, “LookH2009, GaalH1603 sonH1121 of EbedH5651 and his brothersH251 have comeH935 to ShechemH7927H2009 and are stirring upH66967 the cityH5892 against youH5921. 32Now thenH6258, tonightH3915 youH859 and the peopleH5971 with youH854 are to comeH6965 and lie in waitH693 in the fieldsH7704. 33AndH1961 in the morningH1242 at sunriseH2224H8121, get upH7925 and advanceH6584 againstH5921 the cityH5892H2009. WhenH1931 Gaal and his menH5971 come outH3318 against youH413, doH6213 to them whateverH834 you are ableH4672H3027.”

34So AbimelechH40 and allH3605 his troopsH5971 set outH6965 by nightH3915 and lay in waitH693 againstH5921 ShechemH7927 in fourH702 companiesH7218.

35Now GaalH1603 sonH1121 of EbedH5651 went outH3318 and stoodH5975 at the entranceH6607 of the cityH5892 gateH8179 just as AbimelechH40 and his menH5971 came outH6965 fromH4480 their hiding placesH3993.

36When GaalH1603 sawH7200 the peopleH5971, he saidH559 toH413 ZebulH2083, “LookH2009, peopleH5971 are coming downH3381 from the mountainsH7218H2022!”

But ZebulH2083 repliedH559H413, “The shadowsH6738 of the mountainsH2022 lookH7200 like menH582 to youH859.”

37Then GaalH1603 spoke upH1696H559 againH3254H5750, “LookH2009, peopleH5971 are coming downH3381 fromH5973 the centerH2872 of the landH776,8 and oneH259 companyH7218 is comingH935 by way ofH1870 the DivinersH6049’ OakH436.9”

38“WhereH346 is your gloatingH6310 nowH645?” ZebulH2083 repliedH559H413. “You saidH559, ‘WhoH4310 is AbimelechH40 thatH3588 we should serve himH5647?’ Are these notH3808H2088 the peopleH5971 you ridiculedH3988? Go outH3318 nowH6258H4994 and fightH3898 them!”

39So GaalH1603 went outH3318 beforeH6440 the leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927 and foughtH3898 against AbimelechH40, 40but AbimelechH40 pursued himH7291, and Gaal fledH5127 before himH6440. And manyH7227 Shechemites fellH5307 woundedH2491 all the wayH5704 to the entranceH6607 of the gateH8179. 41AbimelechH40 stayedH3427 in ArumahH725, and ZebulH2083 droveH1644 GaalH1603 and his brothersH251 out ofH3427 ShechemH7927.

42

The next dayH4283 the peopleH5971 of Shechem went outH3318 into the fieldsH7704, and this was reportedH5046 to AbimelechH40. 43So he tookH3947 his menH5971, divided themH2673 into threeH7969 companiesH7218, and lay in waitH693 in the fieldsH7704. When he sawH7200H2009 the peopleH5971 coming outH3318 ofH4480 the cityH5892, he rose upH6965 against themH5921 and attacked themH5221.

44Then AbimelechH40 and the companiesH7218 with himH5973 rushed forwardH6584 and took their standH5975 at the entranceH6607 of the cityH5892 gateH8179. The other twoH8147 companiesH7218 rushedH6584 againstH5921 allH3605 whoH834 were in the fieldsH7704 and struck them downH5221. 45And allH3605 thatH1931 dayH3117 AbimelechH40 foughtH3898 against the cityH5892 until he had captured itH3920 and killedH2026 its peopleH5971. Then he demolishedH5422 the cityH5892 and sowedH2232 it with saltH4417.

46On hearing of thisH8085, allH3605 the leadersH1167 in the towerH4026 of ShechemH7927 enteredH935H413 the inner chamberH6877 of the templeH1004 of El-berithH410H1286.10 47And when AbimelechH40 was toldH5046 thatH3588 allH3605 the leadersH1167 in the towerH4026 of ShechemH7927 were gathered thereH6908, 48heH40 and allH3605 his menH5971 went upH5927 to MountH2022 ZalmonH6756H1931. AbimelechH40 tookH3947 his axeH7134 in his handH3027 and cutH3772 a branchH7754 from the treesH6086, which he liftedH5375 toH5921 his shoulderH7926, sayingH559 toH413 his menH5971, “HurryH4116 and doH6213 whatH4100 you have seen meH7200 doH6213H3644.”

49So eachH3605 manH376 alsoH1571 cutH3772 his own branchH7754 and followedH1980H310 AbimelechH40. Then they piledH7760 the branches againstH5921 the inner chamberH6877 and setH3341 it on fireH784 above themH5921, killingH4191H1571 everyoneH3605H582 in the towerH4026 of ShechemH7927, about a thousandH505 menH376 and womenH802.

Abimelech’s Punishment

50Then AbimelechH40 wentH1980 toH413 ThebezH8405, encampedH2583 against itH8405, and captured itH3920. 51But there wasH1961 a strongH5797 towerH4026 insideH8432 the cityH5892, and allH3605 the menH582, womenH802H3605, and leadersH1167 of the cityH5892 fledH5127 thereH8033. They locked themselves inH5462H1157 and went upH5927 toH5921 the roofH1406 of the towerH4026.

52When AbimelechH40 cameH935 toH5704 attackH3898 the towerH4026, he approachedH5066H5704 itsH4026 entranceH6607 to set it on fireH8313H784. 53But aH259 womanH802 droppedH7993 an upperH6400 millstoneH7393 onH5921 Abimelech’sH40 headH7218, crushingH7533 his skullH1538. 54He quicklyH4120H413H5288 calledH7121 his armor-bearerH5375H3627, sayingH559, “DrawH8025 your swordH2719 and kill meH4191, lestH6435 they sayH559 of me, ‘A womanH802 killed himH2026.’”

So Abimelech’s armor-bearer ran his sword through himH1856H5288, and he diedH4191. 55And when the IsraelitesH376H3478 sawH7200 thatH3588 AbimelechH40 was deadH4191, they allH376 wentH1980 homeH4725.

56In this way GodH430 repaidH7725 the wickednessH7451 thatH834 AbimelechH40 had doneH6213 to his fatherH1 in murderingH2026 his seventyH7657 brothersH251. 57AndH853 GodH430 also broughtH7725 allH3605 the wickednessH7451 of the menH582 of ShechemH7927 back upon their own headsH7218. So the curseH7045 of JothamH3147 sonH1121 of JerubbaalH3378 cameH935 upon themH413.