Judges 9:1-20

1Now 1AbimelechH40 the sonH1121 of 2JerubbaalH3378 wentH1980 to ShechemH7927, to his mother’sH517 relativesH251, and spokeH1696 to them and to the entireH3605 familyH4940 of the householdH1004 of his mother’sH517 fatherH1, sayingH559, 2“SpeakH1696, nowH4994, in the hearingH241 of allH3605 the 3leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927, ‘WhichH4100 is betterH2896 for you: for 4seventyH7657 menH376, allH3605 the sonsH1121 of JerubbaalH3378, to ruleH4910 over you, orH518 for oneH259 manH376 to ruleH4910 over you?’ Also, rememberH2142 that I am 5your boneH6106 and your fleshH1320.” 3So his mother’sH517 relativesH251 spokeH1696 allH3605 theseH428 wordsH1697 onH5921 his behalfH5921 in the hearingH241 of allH3605 the 6leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927; and 7they were inclinedH5186 to followH310 AbimelechH40, for they saidH559, “He is 8our relativeH251.” 4And they gaveH5414 him seventyH7657 pieces of silverH3701 from the houseH1004 of 9Baal-berithH1170, with whichH1992 AbimelechH40 hiredH7936 worthlessH7386 and recklessH6348 menH376, and they followedH1980H310 him. 5Then he wentH935 to his father’sH1 houseH1004 in OphrahH6084 and 10killedH2026 his brothersH251 the sonsH1121 of JerubbaalH3378, 11seventyH7657 menH376, 12on oneH259 stoneH68. But JothamH3147 the youngestH6996 sonH1121 of JerubbaalH3378 was leftH3498, becauseH3588 he hidH2244 himself. 6AllH3605 the 13leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927 and allH3605 14Beth-milloH1037 assembledH622 together, and they wentH1980 and madeH4427 AbimelechH40 kingH4428, by the 15oakH436 of the memorialH4676 stoneH4676 whichH834 was in ShechemH7927.

7Now when they toldH5046 JothamH3147, he wentH1980 and stoodH5975 on the topH7218 of 16MountH2022 GerizimH1630, and raisedH5375 his voiceH6963 and calledH7121 outH7121. And he saidH559 to them, “ListenH8085 to me, you 17leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927, that GodH430 may listenH8085 to you. 8OnceH1980 the treesH6086 wentH1980 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 giveH2308 upH2308 my fatnessH1880 with 18whichH834 GodH430 and mankindH376 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 giveH2308 upH2308 my sweetnessH4987 and my goodH2896 19fruitH8570, 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 giveH2308 upH2308 my newH8492 wineH8492, which cheersH8055 GodH430 and mankindH376, and goH1980 to waveH5128 overH5921 the treesH6086?’ 14Then allH3605 the treesH6086 saidH559 to the brambleH329, ‘You, comeH1980, reignH4427 overH5921 us!’ 15And the brambleH329 saidH559 to the treesH6086, ‘IfH518 you 20reallyH571 are anointingH4886 me as kingH4428 overH5921 you, comeH935 and takeH2620 refugeH2620 in my shadeH6738; but ifH518 not, may fireH784 comeH3318 outH3318 of the brambleH329 and consumeH398 the cedarsH730 of LebanonH3844.’

16“NowH6258 then, ifH518 you have actedH6213 with 21honestyH571 and integrityH8549 in makingH4427 AbimelechH40 kingH4427, and ifH518 you have dealtH6213 wellH2899 with 22JerubbaalH3378 and his houseH1004, and 23have dealtH6213 with him 24as he deservedH1576H3027-- 17for my fatherH1 foughtH3898 for you, and 25riskedH7993H5048 his lifeH5315 and savedH5337 you from the handH3027 of MidianH4080; 18but in fact you have risenH6965 againstH5921 my father’sH1 houseH1004 todayH3117 and have killedH2026 26his sonsH1121, seventyH7657 menH376, on oneH259 stoneH68, and have madeH4427 AbimelechH40, 27the sonH1121 of his femaleH519 slaveH519, kingH4427 overH5921 the 28leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927, becauseH3588 he is your relativeH251-- 19so ifH518 you have actedH6213 with 29honestyH571 and integrityH8549 toward JerubbaalH3378 and his houseH1004 thisH2088 dayH3117, beH8055 joyfulH8055 about AbimelechH40, and may he alsoH1571 beH8055 joyfulH8055 about you. 20But ifH518 not, may fireH784 comeH3318 outH3318 of AbimelechH40 and consumeH398 the 30leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927 and 31Beth-milloH1037; and may fireH784 comeH3318 outH3318 of the 32leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927 and from 33Beth-milloH1037, and consumeH398 AbimelechH40.”