Judges 9
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- 1Abimelech, the son of Jerubbaal, traveled to Shechem to visit his mother's brothers. He spoke with them and with his mother's entire extended family, saying,
- 2Speak in the ears of all the men of Shechem. Ask them, "Which is better for you: that all 70 sons of Jerubbaal reign over you, or that one reign over you?" Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.
- 3His mother's brothers spoke about him to all the men of Shechem, and their hearts were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, 'He is our brother.'
- 4They gave him 70 pieces of silver from the temple of Baal Berith, and Abimelech used it to hire reckless and worthless men who followed him.
- 5He went to his father's house in Ophrah and murdered his brothers, the 70 sons of Jerubbaal, on one stone. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived because he hid himself.
- 6Then all the men of Shechem and all the house of Millo gathered together and made Abimelech king by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.
- 7When Jotham heard about this, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted down to them, "Listen to me, men of Shechem, so that God may listen to you!
- 8One day the trees decided to anoint a king over themselves. They went to the olive tree and said, 'Rule over us.'
- 9But the olive tree replied, 'Should I give up my rich oil, which is used to honor God and people, and go to be promoted over the other trees?'
- 10So the trees went to the fig tree and said, 'Come and rule over us.'
- 11But the fig tree replied, 'Should I give up my sweetness and my good fruit to be promoted over the other trees?'
- 12Then the trees went to the grapevine and said, 'Come and rule over us.'
- 13But the grapevine replied, 'Should I give up my wine, which brings joy to God and people, and go to be promoted over the other trees?'
- 14Finally, all the trees went to the thornbush and said, 'Come and rule over us.'
- 15The thornbush replied, 'If you truly want to anoint me as your king, then come and take shelter in my shade. But if not, let fire blaze out of this thornbush and burn down even the cedars of Lebanon!'
- 16Now then — did you act with honesty and integrity when you made Abimelech king? Have you treated Jerubbaal and his family fairly? Have you given him what he deserved?
- 17Remember, my father fought for you. He risked his life and rescued you from the Midianites.
- 18But today you've turned on my father's family. You slaughtered his 70 sons on a single stone and made Abimelech — the son of his slave woman — king over Shechem, just because he's your relative.
- 19So if you've acted with honesty and integrity toward Jerubbaal and his family today, then enjoy Abimelech, and may he enjoy you!
- 20But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem and the house of Millo. Let fire come out from the men of Shechem and from the house of Millo and devour Abimelech.
- 21Then Jotham fled and escaped to Beer, where he settled down because he was afraid of his brother Abimelech.
- 22Abimelech ruled over Israel for 3 years.
- 23Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem, and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech.
- 24This happened so that the violent murder of Jerubbaal's 70 sons would be avenged — their blood falling on Abimelech, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who helped him do it.
- 25The men of Shechem posted ambushes for him on the hilltops and robbed everyone who traveled past on the roads. Word of this reached Abimelech.
- 26Meanwhile, a man named Gaal son of Ebed moved to Shechem with his brothers, and the leaders of Shechem put their trust in him.
- 27They went out into the fields, harvested their grapes, stomped them into wine, and threw a festival. Then they went into the temple of their god, where they ate and drank and hurled insults at Abimelech.
- 28Gaal son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech, and why should Shechem serve him? Isn't he the son of Jerubbaal, and Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech?"
- 29And I wish to God that these people were under my command! Then I would remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, 'Increase your army and come out.'
- 30When Zebul, the governor of the city, heard what Gaal son of Ebed had said, he was furious.
- 31He secretly sent messengers to Abimelech, warning him, "Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem, and they're turning the whole city against you.
- 32Move out tonight with your forces and set up an ambush in the fields.
- 33In the morning, as soon as the sun is up, rise early and attack the city. Look, when he and the people with him come out against you, then you may do to them as you find opportunity.
- 34So Abimelech and all his men moved out during the night and set up an ambush around Shechem in 4 groups.
- 35When Gaal son of Ebed came out and stood at the entrance of the city gate, Abimelech and his men rose from their hiding places.
- 36Gaal spotted the troops and said to Zebul, "Look — people are coming down from the hilltops!" But Zebul replied, "You're just seeing the shadows of the mountains. They look like men."
- 37Gaal spoke again and said, "Look, people are coming down from the middle of the land, and another group is coming along by the plain of Meonenim."
- 38Zebul turned on him and said, "Where's all that big talk now? You're the one who said, 'Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?' These are the very people you mocked. Go out and fight them!"
- 39So Gaal led the men of Shechem out to battle against Abimelech.
- 40But Abimelech chased him, and Gaal fled. Many of his men fell wounded all the way back to the city gate.
- 41Abimelech then stationed himself at Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem so they could no longer live there.
- 42The next day, the people of Shechem went out into the fields, and someone reported this to Abimelech.
- 43He divided his forces into 3 groups and set an ambush in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he attacked them.
- 44Abimelech and his group rushed forward and seized the city gate, while the other 2 groups charged everyone out in the fields and cut them down.
- 45Abimelech fought against the city all day long. He captured it, killed everyone inside, tore the city down to the ground, and scattered salt over the ruins.
- 46When all the men of the tower of Shechem heard this, they took refuge in the stronghold of the house of the god Berith.
- 47Abimelech was told that everyone from the tower of Shechem had gathered there.
- 48He led all his men up Mount Zalmon, grabbed an ax, and chopped off a tree branch. He hoisted it onto his shoulder and told his men, "You saw what I just did — hurry and do the same thing!"
- 49So each man cut a branch and followed Abimelech. They piled the branches against the stronghold and set it on fire with the people still inside. Everyone in the tower of Shechem died that day — about 1,000 men and women.
- 50From there, Abimelech marched to Thebez, besieged it, and captured it.
- 51But there was a fortified tower inside the city, and all the men and women — everyone in the city — fled into it, locked the door behind them, and climbed up to the roof.
- 52Abimelech advanced on the tower and attacked it. He went right up to the entrance, intending to set it on fire.
- 53A certain woman threw a piece of a millstone on Abimelech's head and completely broke his skull.
- 54He quickly called to the young man who carried his armor and said, "Draw your sword and kill me, so no one can say a woman killed me." So the young man ran him through, and he died.
- 55When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they all went home.
- 56In this way, God repaid Abimelech for the evil he had done to his father by murdering his 70 brothers.
- 57God also brought down on the men of Shechem all the evil they had done, and the curse that Jotham son of Jerubbaal had spoken came true against them.