Judges 9

1And AbimelechH40 the sonH1121 of JerubbaalH3378 wentH3212 to ShechemH7927 to his mother’sH517 brethrenH251, and talkedH1696 with them, and with all the familyH4940 of the houseH1004 of his mother’sH517 fatherH1, sayingH559, 2SpeakH1696, I pray you, in the earsH241 of all the menH1167 of ShechemH7927, Which is betterH2896 for you, either that all the sonsH1121 of JerubbaalH3378, which are seventyH7657 personsH376, should reignH4910 over you, or that oneH259 should reignH4910 over you? rememberH2142 also that I am your boneH6106 and your fleshH1320.1 3And his mother’sH517 brethrenH251 spokeH1696 of him in the earsH241 of all the menH1167 of ShechemH7927 all these wordsH1697: and their heartsH3820 inclinedH5186 to followH310 AbimelechH40; for they saidH559, He is our brotherH251.2 4And they gaveH5414 him seventyH7657 pieces of silverH3701 out of the houseH1004 of BaalberithH1170, with which AbimelechH40 hiredH7936 worthlessH7386 and lightH6348 personsH582, who followedH3212 himH310. 5And he wentH935 to his father’sH1 houseH1004 at OphrahH6084, and slewH2026 his brethrenH251 the sonsH1121 of JerubbaalH3378, being seventyH7657 personsH376, upon oneH259 stoneH68: however JothamH3147 the youngestH6996 sonH1121 of JerubbaalH3378 was leftH3498; for he hidH2244 himself. 6And all the menH1167 of ShechemH7927 gathered togetherH622, and all the houseH1004 of MilloH4407H1037, and wentH3212, and madeH4427 AbimelechH40 kingH4428, by the plainH436 of the pillarH5324 that was in ShechemH7927.3

7And when they toldH5046it to JothamH3147, he wentH3212 and stoodH5975 in the topH7218 of mountH2022 GerizimH1630, and lifted upH5375 his voiceH6963, and criedH7121, and saidH559 to them, HearkenH8085 to me, ye menH1167 of ShechemH7927, that GodH430 may hearkenH8085 to you. 8The treesH6086 went forthH1980 once to anointH4886 a kingH4428 over them; and they saidH559 to the olive treeH2132, ReignH4427 thou over us. 9But the olive treeH2132 saidH559 to them, Should I leaveH2308 my fatnessH1880, with which by me they honourH3513 GodH430 and manH582, and goH1980 to be promotedH5128 over the treesH6086?4 10And the treesH6086 saidH559 to the fig treeH8384, ComeH3212 thou, and reignH4427 over us. 11But the fig treeH8384 saidH559 to them, Should I forsakeH2308 my sweetnessH4987, and my goodH2896 fruitH8570, and goH1980 to be promotedH5128 over the treesH6086? 12Then saidH559 the treesH6086 to the vineH1612, ComeH3212 thou, and reignH4427 over us. 13And the vineH1612 saidH559 to them, Should I leaveH2308 my wineH8492, which cheerethH8055 GodH430 and manH582, and goH1980 to be promotedH5128 over the treesH6086? 14Then saidH559 all the treesH6086 to the brambleH329, ComeH3212 thou, and reignH4427 over us.5 15And the brambleH329 saidH559 to the treesH6086, If in truthH571 ye anointH4886 me kingH4428 over you, then comeH935 and put your trustH2620 in my shadowH6738: and if not, let fireH784 come outH3318 of the brambleH329, and devourH398 the cedarsH730 of LebanonH3844. 16Now therefore, if ye have doneH6213 trulyH571 and sincerelyH8549, in that ye have made AbimelechH40 kingH4427, and if ye have dealtH6213 wellH2896 with JerubbaalH3378 and his houseH1004, and have doneH6213 to him according to the deservingH1576 of his handsH3027; 17(For my fatherH1 foughtH3898 for you, and adventuredH7993 his lifeH5315 farH5048, and deliveredH5337 you from the handH3027 of MidianH4080:6 18And ye have risen upH6965 against my father’sH1 houseH1004 this dayH3117, and have slainH2026 his sonsH1121, seventyH7657 personsH376, upon oneH259 stoneH68, and have made AbimelechH40, the sonH1121 of his maidservantH519, kingH4427 over the menH1167 of ShechemH7927, because he is your brotherH251;) 19If ye then have dealtH6213 trulyH571 and sincerelyH8549 with JerubbaalH3378 and with his houseH1004 this dayH3117, then rejoiceH8055 ye in AbimelechH40, and let him also rejoiceH8055 in you: 20But if not, let fireH784 come outH3318 from AbimelechH40, and devourH398 the menH1167 of ShechemH7927, and the houseH1004 of MilloH4407H1037; and let fireH784 come outH3318 from the menH1167 of ShechemH7927, and from the houseH1004 of MilloH4407H1037, and devourH398 AbimelechH40. 21And JothamH3147 ran awayH1272, and fledH5127, and wentH3212 to BeerH876, and dweltH3427 there, for fearH6440 of AbimelechH40 his brotherH251.

22When AbimelechH40 had reignedH7786 threeH7969 yearsH8141 over IsraelH3478, 23Then GodH430 sentH7971 an evilH7451 spiritH7307 between AbimelechH40 and the menH1167 of ShechemH7927; and the menH1167 of ShechemH7927 dealt treacherouslyH898 with AbimelechH40: 24That the crueltyH2555 done to the seventyH7657 sonsH1121 of JerubbaalH3378 might comeH935, and their bloodH1818 be laidH7760 upon AbimelechH40 their brotherH251, who slewH2026 them; and upon the menH1167 of ShechemH7927, who aidedH2388H3027 him in the killingH2026 of his brethrenH251.7 25And the menH1167 of ShechemH7927 setH7760 an ambushH693 for him on the topH7218 of the mountainsH2022, and they robbedH1497 all that cameH5674 along that wayH1870 by them: and it was toldH5046 AbimelechH40. 26And GaalH1603 the sonH1121 of EbedH5651 cameH935 with his brethrenH251, and went overH5674 to ShechemH7927: and the menH1167 of ShechemH7927 put their confidenceH982 in him. 27And they went outH3318 into the fieldsH7704, and gatheredH1219 their vineyardsH3754, and trodH1869 the grapes, and madeH6213 merryH1974, and wentH935 into the houseH1004 of their godH430, and ateH398 and drankH8354, and cursedH7043 AbimelechH40.8 28And GaalH1603 the sonH1121 of EbedH5651 saidH559, Who is AbimelechH40, and who is ShechemH7927, that we should serveH5647 him? is not he the sonH1121 of JerubbaalH3378? and ZebulH2083 his officerH6496? serveH5647 the menH582 of HamorH2544 the fatherH1 of ShechemH7927: for why should we serveH5647 him? 29And would that this peopleH5971 were underH5414 my handH3027! then would I removeH5493 AbimelechH40. And he saidH559 to AbimelechH40, IncreaseH7235 thy armyH6635, and come outH3318. 30And when ZebulH2083 the rulerH8269 of the cityH5892 heardH8085 the wordsH1697 of GaalH1603 the sonH1121 of EbedH5651, his angerH639 was kindledH2734.9 31And he sentH7971 messengersH4397 to AbimelechH40 deceitfullyH8649, sayingH559, Behold, GaalH1603 the sonH1121 of EbedH5651 and his brethrenH251 are comeH935 to ShechemH7927; and, behold, they fortifyH6696 the cityH5892 against thee.10 32Now therefore rise upH6965 by nightH3915, thou and the peopleH5971 that are with thee, and lie in waitH693 in the fieldH7704: 33And it shall be, that in the morningH1242, as soon as the sunH8121 hath risenH2224, thou shalt rise earlyH7925, and rushH6584 upon the cityH5892: and, behold, when he and the peopleH5971 that are with him come outH3318 against thee, then mayest thou doH6213 to them as thouH3027 shalt find occasionH4672.11 34And AbimelechH40 roseH6965, and all the peopleH5971 that were with him, by nightH3915, and they laid waitH693 against ShechemH7927 in fourH702 companiesH7218. 35And GaalH1603 the sonH1121 of EbedH5651 went outH3318, and stoodH5975 in the entranceH6607 of the gateH8179 of the cityH5892: and AbimelechH40 roseH6965, and the peopleH5971 that were with him, from lying in waitH3993. 36And when GaalH1603 sawH7200 the peopleH5971, he saidH559 to ZebulH2083, Behold, there comeH3381 peopleH5971 downH3381 from the topH7218 of the mountainsH2022. And ZebulH2083 saidH559 to him, Thou seestH7200 the shadowH6738 of the mountainsH2022 as if they were menH582. 37And GaalH1603 spokeH1696 againH3254 and saidH559, See there comeH3381 peopleH5971 downH3381 by the middleH2872 of the landH776, and anotherH259 companyH7218 comeH935 along by the plainH436 ofH1870 MeonenimH6049.1213 38Then saidH559 ZebulH2083 to him, Where is nowH645 thy mouthH6310, with which thou saidstH559, Who is AbimelechH40, that we should serveH5647 him? are not these the peopleH5971 that thou hast despisedH3988? go outH3318, I pray nowH4994, and fightH3898 with them. 39And GaalH1603 went outH3318 beforeH6440 the menH1167 of ShechemH7927, and foughtH3898 with AbimelechH40. 40And AbimelechH40 chasedH7291 him, and he fledH5127 beforeH6440 him, and manyH7227 were overthrownH5307 and woundedH2491, even to the entranceH6607 of the gateH8179. 41And AbimelechH40 dweltH3427 at ArumahH725: and ZebulH2083 thrust outH1644 GaalH1603 and his brethrenH251, that they should not dwellH3427 in ShechemH7927. 42And it came to pass on the next dayH4283, that the peopleH5971 went outH3318 into the fieldH7704; and they toldH5046 AbimelechH40. 43And he tookH3947 the peopleH5971, and dividedH2673 them into threeH7969 companiesH7218, and laid waitH693 in the fieldH7704, and lookedH7200, and, behold, the peopleH5971 had comeH3318 out of the cityH5892; and he rose upH6965 against them, and smoteH5221 them. 44And AbimelechH40, and the companyH7218 that was with him, rushed forwardH6584, and stoodH5975 in the entranceH6607 of the gateH8179 of the cityH5892: and the twoH8147 other companiesH7218 ran uponH6584 all the people that were in the fieldsH7704, and slewH5221 them. 45And AbimelechH40 foughtH3898 against the cityH5892 all that dayH3117; and he tookH3920 the cityH5892, and slewH2026 the peopleH5971 that were in it, and beat downH5422 the cityH5892, and sowedH2232 it with saltH4417. 46And when all the menH1167 of the towerH4026 of ShechemH7927 heardH8085 that, they enteredH935 into a strong holdH6877 of the houseH1004 of the godH410 BerithH1286. 47And it was toldH5046 to AbimelechH40, that all the menH1167 of the towerH4026 of ShechemH7927 were gathered togetherH6908. 48And AbimelechH40 went upH5927 to mountH2022 ZalmonH6756, he and all the peopleH5971 that were with him; and AbimelechH40 tookH3947 an axeH7134 in his handH3027, and cut downH3772 a boughH7754 from the treesH6086, and tookH5375 it, and laidH7760 it on his shoulderH7926, and saidH559 to the peopleH5971 that were with him, What ye have seenH7200 me doH6213, make hasteH4116, and doH6213 as IH3644 have done .14 49And all the peopleH5971 likewise cut downH3772 every manH376 his boughH7754, and followedH3212H310 AbimelechH40, and putH7760 them to the strong holdH6877, and setH3341 the strong holdH6877 on fireH784 upon them; so that all the menH582 of the towerH4026 of ShechemH7927 diedH4191 also, about a thousandH505 menH376 and womenH802.

50Then wentH3212 AbimelechH40 to ThebezH8405, and encampedH2583 against ThebezH8405, and tookH3920 it. 51But there was a strongH5797 towerH4026 withinH8432 the cityH5892, and to there fledH5127 all the menH582 and womenH802, and all theyH1167 of the cityH5892, and shutH5462 it after them, and went upH5927 to the topH1406 of the towerH4026. 52And AbimelechH40 cameH935 to the towerH4026, and foughtH3898 against it, and came nearH5066 to the doorH6607 of the towerH4026 to burnH8313 it with fireH784. 53And a certainH259 womanH802 castH7993 a pieceH6400 of a millstoneH7393 upon Abimelech’sH40 headH7218, and brokeH7533 his skullH1538. 54Then he calledH7121 hastilyH4120 to the young manH5288 his armourbearerH5375H3627, and saidH559 to him, DrawH8025 thy swordH2719, and slayH4191 me, that men sayH559 not of me, A womanH802 slewH2026 him. And his young manH5288 thrust him throughH1856, and he diedH4191. 55And when the menH376 of IsraelH3478 sawH7200 that AbimelechH40 was deadH4191, they departedH3212 every manH376 to his placeH4725. 56Thus GodH430 renderedH7725 the wickednessH7451 of AbimelechH40, which he didH6213 to his fatherH1, in slayingH2026 his seventyH7657 brethrenH251: 57And all the evilH7451 of the menH582 of ShechemH7927 did GodH430 renderH7725 upon their headsH7218: and upon them cameH935 the curseH7045 of JothamH3147 the sonH1121 of JerubbaalH3378.