Judges 9:6-37

6AllH3605 the menH1167 of ShechemH7927 and allH3605 1Beth-milloH1037 assembledH622 together, and they wentH1980 and madeH4427 AbimelechH40 kingH4428, by the 2oakH436 of the pillarH5324 whichH834 was in ShechemH7927.

7Now when they toldH5046 JothamH3147, he wentH1980 and stoodH5975 on the topH7218 of 3MountH2022 GerizimH1630, and liftedH5375 his voiceH6963 and calledH7121 out. Thus he saidH559 to them, “ListenH8085 to me, O menH1167 of ShechemH7927, that GodH430 may listenH8085 to you. 8OnceH1980 the treesH6086 wentH1980 forthH1980 to anointH4886 a kingH4428 overH5921 them, and they saidH559 to the oliveH2132 treeH2132, ‘ReignH4427 overH5921 us!’ 9But the oliveH2132 treeH2132 saidH559 to them, ‘Shall I leaveH2308 my fatnessH1880 with 4whichH834 GodH430 and menH376 are honoredH3513, and goH1980 to waveH5128 overH5921 the treesH6086?’ 10Then the treesH6086 saidH559 to the figH8384 treeH8384, ‘You comeH1980, reignH4427 overH5921 us!’ 11But the figH8384 treeH8384 saidH559 to them, ‘Shall I leaveH2308 my sweetnessH4987 and my goodH2896 5fruitH8570, and goH1980 to waveH5128 overH5921 the treesH6086?’ 12Then the treesH6086 saidH559 to the vineH1612, ‘You comeH1980, reignH4427 overH5921 us!’ 13But the vineH1612 saidH559 to them, ‘Shall I leaveH2308 my newH8492 wineH8492, which cheersH8055 GodH430 and menH376, and goH1980 to waveH5128 overH5921 the treesH6086?’ 14Finally allH3605 the treesH6086 saidH559 to the brambleH329, ‘You comeH1980, reignH4427 overH5921 us!’ 15The brambleH329 saidH559 to the treesH6086, ‘IfH518 in 6truthH571 you are anointingH4886 me as kingH4428 overH5921 you, comeH935 and takeH2620 refugeH2620 in my shadeH6738; but ifH518 not, may fireH784 comeH3318 out from the brambleH329 and consumeH398 the cedarsH730 of LebanonH3844.’

16“NowH6258 therefore, ifH518 you have dealtH6213 in 7truthH571 and integrityH8549 in makingH4427 AbimelechH40 kingH4427, and ifH518 you have dealtH6213 wellH2899 with 8JerubbaalH3378 and his houseH1004, and 9have dealtH6213 with him 10as he deservedH1576H3027-- 17for my fatherH1 foughtH3898 for you and 11riskedH7993H5048 his lifeH5315 and deliveredH5337 you from the handH3027 of MidianH4080; 18but you have risenH6965 againstH5921 my father’sH1 houseH1004 todayH3117 and have killedH2026 12his sonsH1121, seventyH7657 menH376, on oneH259 stoneH68, and have madeH4427 AbimelechH40, 13the sonH1121 of his maidservantH519, kingH4427 overH5921 the menH1167 of ShechemH7927, becauseH3588 he is your 14relativeH251-- 19ifH518 then you have dealtH6213 in 15truthH571 and integrityH8549 with JerubbaalH3378 and his houseH1004 thisH2088 dayH3117, rejoiceH8055 in AbimelechH40, and let him alsoH1571 rejoiceH8055 in you. 20But ifH518 not, let fireH784 comeH3318 out from AbimelechH40 and consumeH398 the menH1167 of ShechemH7927 and 16Beth-milloH1037; and let fireH784 comeH3318 out from the menH1167 of ShechemH7927 and from 17Beth-milloH1037, and consumeH398 AbimelechH40.” 21Then JothamH3147 escapedH5127 and fledH1272, and wentH1980 to BeerH876 and remainedH3427 thereH8033 becauseH4480H6440 of AbimelechH40 his brotherH251.

22Now AbimelechH40 ruledH8323 overH5921 IsraelH3478 threeH7969 yearsH8141. 2318Then GodH430 sentH7971 an evilH7451 spiritH7307 betweenH996 AbimelechH40 and the menH1167 of ShechemH7927; and the menH1167 of ShechemH7927 19dealtH898 treacherouslyH898 with AbimelechH40, 2420so that the violenceH2555 21done to the seventyH7657 sonsH1121 of JerubbaalH3378 might comeH935, and 22their bloodH1818 might be laidH7760 on AbimelechH40 their brotherH251, whoH834 killedH2026 them, and on the menH1167 of ShechemH7927, whoH834 strengthenedH2388 his handsH3027 to killH2026 his brothersH251. 25The menH1167 of ShechemH7927 setH7760 23men in ambushH693 against him on the topsH7218 of the mountainsH2022, and they robbedH1497 allH3605 whoH834 might passH5674 by them along the roadH1870; and it was toldH5046 to AbimelechH40.

26Now GaalH1603 the sonH1121 of EbedH5651 cameH935 with his 24relativesH251, and crossedH5674 overH5674 into ShechemH7927; and the menH1167 of ShechemH7927 putH982 their trustH982 in him. 27They wentH3318 out into the fieldH7704 and gatheredH1219 the grapes of their vineyardsH3754 and trodH1869 them, and heldH6213 a 25festivalH1974; and they wentH935 into the houseH1004 of 26their godH430, and ateH398 and drankH8354 and cursedH7043 AbimelechH40. 28Then GaalH1603 the sonH1121 of EbedH5651 saidH559, “WhoH4310 is AbimelechH40, and whoH4310 is ShechemH7927, that we should serveH5647 him? Is he not the sonH1121 of JerubbaalH3378, and is ZebulH2083 not his 27lieutenantH6496? ServeH5647 the menH376 of 28HamorH2544 the fatherH1 of ShechemH7927; but whyH4069 should we serveH5647 him? 292930WouldH4310H5414, therefore, that thisH2088 peopleH5971 were under my authorityH3027! Then I would removeH5493 AbimelechH40.” And he saidH559 to AbimelechH40, “IncreaseH7235 your armyH6635 and comeH3318 out.”

30When ZebulH2083 the rulerH8269 of the cityH5892 heardH8085 the wordsH1697 of GaalH1603 the sonH1121 of EbedH5651, his angerH639 burnedH2734. 31He sentH7971 messengersH4397 to AbimelechH40 31deceitfullyH8649, sayingH559, “BeholdH2009, GaalH1603 the sonH1121 of EbedH5651 and his 32relativesH251 have comeH935 to ShechemH7927; and beholdH2009, they are 33stirringH6696 up the cityH5892 againstH5921 you. 32NowH6258 therefore, ariseH6965 by nightH3915, you and the peopleH5971 whoH834 are with you, and lieH693 in waitH693 in the fieldH7704. 33In the morningH1242, as soon as the sunH8121 is up, you shall riseH7925 earlyH7925 and rushH6584 upon the cityH5892; and beholdH2009, when he and the peopleH5971 whoH834 are with him comeH3318 out againstH413 you, you shall 34doH6213 to them 35whateverH3512 you can.”

34So AbimelechH40 and allH3605 the peopleH5971 whoH834 were with him aroseH6965 by nightH3915 and layH693 in waitH693 againstH5921 ShechemH7927 in fourH702 36companiesH7218. 35Now GaalH1603 the sonH1121 of EbedH5651 wentH3318 out and stoodH5975 in the entranceH6607 of the cityH5892 gateH8179; and AbimelechH40 and the peopleH5971 whoH834 were with him aroseH6965 from the ambushH3993. 36When GaalH1603 sawH7200 the peopleH5971, he saidH559 to ZebulH2083, “37LookH2009, peopleH5971 are comingH3381 downH3381 from the topsH7218 of the mountainsH2022.” But ZebulH2083 saidH559 to him, “You are seeingH7200 the shadowH6738 of the mountainsH2022 as if they were menH376.” 37GaalH1603 spokeH1696 againH5750H3254 and saidH559, “BeholdH2009, peopleH5971 are comingH3381 downH3381 from 38the 39highestH2872 partH2872 of the landH776, and oneH259 40companyH7218 comesH935 by the wayH1870 of 41the diviners’H6049 42oakH436.”