Judges 9:6-37

6Then allH3605 the leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927 andH3605H1037 Beth-milloH1037 gatheredH622 besideH5973 the oakH4361 at the pillarH5324 in ShechemH7927 and proceededH1980 to makeH4427 AbimelechH40 their kingH4428.

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.

22After AbimelechH40 had reignedH7786 overH5921 IsraelH3478 for threeH7969 yearsH8141, 23GodH430 sentH7971 a spiritH7307 of animosityH74512 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!’”3

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 AbimelechH404 to sayH559, “LookH2009, GaalH1603 sonH1121 of EbedH5651 and his brothersH251 have comeH935 to ShechemH7927H2009 and are stirring upH66965 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 landH776,6 and oneH259 companyH7218 is comingH935 by way ofH1870 the DivinersH6049’ OakH436.7”