Judges 9:6-37

6AllH3605 the 1leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927 and allH3605 2Beth-milloH1037 assembledH622 together, and they wentH1980 and madeH4427 AbimelechH40 kingH4428, by the 3oakH436 of the memorialH4676 stoneH4676 whichH834 was in ShechemH7927.

7Now when they toldH5046 JothamH3147, he wentH1980 and stoodH5975 on the topH7218 of 4MountH2022 GerizimH1630, and raisedH5375 his voiceH6963 and calledH7121 outH7121. And he saidH559 to them, “ListenH8085 to me, you 5leadersH1167 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 6whichH834 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 7fruitH8570, 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 8reallyH571 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 9honestyH571 and integrityH8549 in makingH4427 AbimelechH40 kingH4427, and ifH518 you have dealtH6213 wellH2899 with 10JerubbaalH3378 and his houseH1004, and 11have dealtH6213 with him 12as he deservedH1576H3027-- 17for my fatherH1 foughtH3898 for you, and 13riskedH7993H5048 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 14his sonsH1121, seventyH7657 menH376, on oneH259 stoneH68, and have madeH4427 AbimelechH40, 15the sonH1121 of his femaleH519 slaveH519, kingH4427 overH5921 the 16leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927, becauseH3588 he is your relativeH251-- 19so ifH518 you have actedH6213 with 17honestyH571 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 18leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927 and 19Beth-milloH1037; and may fireH784 comeH3318 outH3318 of the 20leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927 and from 21Beth-milloH1037, and consumeH398 AbimelechH40.” 21Then JothamH3147 escapedH5127 and fledH1272, and wentH1980 to BeerH876; and he stayedH3427 thereH8033 becauseH4480H6440 of his brotherH251 AbimelechH40.

22Now AbimelechH40 ruledH8323 overH5921 IsraelH3478 for threeH7969 yearsH8141. 2322Then GodH430 sentH7971 an evilH7451 spiritH7307 betweenH996 AbimelechH40 and the 23leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927; and the 24leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927 25dealtH898 treacherouslyH898 with AbimelechH40, 2426so that the violenceH2555 27done to the seventyH7657 sonsH1121 of JerubbaalH3378 would comeH935, and the responsibility for 28their bloodH1818 would be placedH7760 on their brotherH251 AbimelechH40, whoH834 killedH2026 them, and on the 29leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927, whoH834 30encouragedH2388H3027 him to killH2026 his brothersH251. 25The 31leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927 setH7760 upH7760 menH693 inH693 ambushH693 against him on the topsH7218 of the mountainsH2022, and they robbedH1497 everyoneH3605 whoH834 would passH5674 by them on the roadH1870; and it was reportedH5046 to AbimelechH40.

26Now GaalH1603 the sonH1121 of EbedH5651 cameH935 with his relativesH251, and crossedH5674 overH5674 into ShechemH7927; and the 32leadersH1167 of ShechemH7927 trustedH982 him. 27So they wentH3318 outH3318 to the fieldH7704 and gatheredH1219 theH1219 grapesH1219 of their vineyardsH3754 and trampledH1869 them, and heldH6213 a festivalH1974; and they wentH935 into the houseH1004 of 33their 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 governorH6496? ServeH5647 the menH376 of 34HamorH2544 the fatherH1 of ShechemH7927; but whyH4069 should we serveH5647 him? 293536IfH4310H5414 onlyH4310H5414 thisH2088 peopleH5971 were under my authorityH3027! Then I would doH5493 awayH5493 withH5493 AbimelechH40.” And he saidH559 to AbimelechH40, “EnlargeH7235 your armyH6635 and comeH3318 outH3318!”

30When ZebulH2083 the leaderH8269 of the cityH5892 heardH8085 the wordsH1697 of GaalH1603 the sonH1121 of EbedH5651, his angerH639 burnedH2734. 31So using deceptionH8649, he successfully sentH7971 messengersH4397 to AbimelechH40, sayingH559, “BeholdH2009, GaalH1603 the sonH1121 of EbedH5651 and his relativesH251 have comeH935 to ShechemH7927; and beholdH2009, they are 37stirringH6696 upH6696 the cityH5892 againstH5921 you. 32So nowH6258, ariseH6965 by nightH3915, you and the peopleH5971 whoH834 are with you, and lieH693 inH693 waitH693 in the fieldH7704. 33Then in the morningH1242, as soon as the sunH8121 is up, you shall riseH7925 earlyH7925 and attackH6584 the cityH5892; and beholdH2009, when he and the peopleH5971 whoH834 are with him comeH3318 outH3318 againstH413 you, you shall 38doH6213 to them 39whateverH3512 you can.”

34So AbimelechH40 and allH3605 the peopleH5971 whoH834 were with him gotH6965 upH6965 at nightH3915, and layH693 inH693 waitH693 againstH5921 ShechemH7927, in fourH702 40unitsH7218. 35Now GaalH1603 the sonH1121 of EbedH5651 wentH3318 outH3318 and stoodH5975 at 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, “41LookH2009, 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 peopleH376.” 37And GaalH1603 spokeH1696 yetH5750 againH3254 and saidH559, “LookH2009, peopleH5971 are comingH3381 downH3381 from 42the 43highestH2872 partH2872 of the landH776, and oneH259 44unitH7218 is comingH935 by wayH1870 of 45the diviners’H6049 46oakH436.”