Judges, 9

1. And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother's brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying,

1. Abimelech, the son of Jerubaal, marched to Shechem where the brothers of his mother were, and he said to them and to the whole paternal family of his mother,

2. Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether [is] better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, [which are] threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I [am] your bone and your flesh.

2. "Please ask this of all the lords of Shechem: Which is better for you, that you be governed by all the seventy sons of Jerubaal, or by only one man? Remember that I am of the same blood as you are."

3. And his mother's brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He [is] our brother.

3. The brothers of his mother sent this message to all the lords of Shechem. The lords of Shechem took sides with Abimelech, saying, "He is our brother."

4. And they gave him threescore and ten [pieces] of silver out of the house of Baalberith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him.

4. So they gave him seventy pieces of silver from the temple of Baal-berith which Abimelech used to hire wicked mercenaries to set out with him.

5. And he went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, [being] threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.

5. Abimelech went with them to the house of his father in Ophrah, and on one stone killed all his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerubaal. Only Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubaal, was able to escape by hiding himself.

6. And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that [was] in Shechem.

6. Then all the lords of Shechem and the whole council assembled together by the oak at the pillar in Shechem, and proclaimed Abimelech king.

7. And when they told [it] to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.

7. When Jotham was told about this, he went to the top of Mount Gerizim. There he cried out to them, "Listen to me, lords of Shechem, that God may listen to you!

8. The trees went forth [on a time] to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.

8. The trees once set out to find and anoint a king. They said to the olive tree, 'Be our king.'

9. But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

9. The olive tree answered, 'Am I going to renounce the oil by which - thanks to me - gods and men are honored, to hold sway over the trees?'

10. And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, [and] reign over us.

10. The trees said to the fig tree: 'Come and reign over us.'

11. But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?

11. The fig tree answered them, 'Am I going to renounce my sweetness and my delicious fruit, to hold sway over the trees?'

12. Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, [and] reign over us.

12. The trees said to the vine: 'Come and reign over us.'

13. And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

13. The vine answered, 'Am I going to renounce my juice which cheers gods and men to hold sway over the trees?'

14. Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, [and] reign over us.

14. Then the trees said to the bramble bush: 'Come, reign over us.'

15. And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, [then] come [and] put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.

15. The bramble bush answered the trees, 'If you come in sincerity to anoint me as your king, then come near and take shelter in my shade; but if not, let fire break out of the bramble bush to devour even the cedars of Lebanon.'

16. Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands;

16. And now, tell me, have you acted rightly and truthfully in choosing Abimelech king? Have you treated Jerubaal and his family well and given him what he deserves according to his merits?

17. (For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:

17. For my father fought for you, risking his life to free you from the hands of Midian.

18. And ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he [is] your brother;)

18. But now, you have risen against the family of my father. You have killed all his seventy sons with one stone, and have declared Abimelech, the son of his slave, as king over the lords of Shechem because he is your brother.

19. If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, [then] rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:

19. If you have acted rightly and truthfully toward Jerubaal and his family today, then may Abimelech rejoice in you and you in him.

20. But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech.

20. But if not, let fire break forth from Abimelech to devour the lords of Shechem and their council; and let fire break forth from their council to devour Abimelech."

21. And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.

21. Jotham fled to the safety of Beer, where he lived far from his brother Abimelech.

22. When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel,

22. Abimelech ruled over Israel for three years.

23. Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:

23. But Yahweh sent a spirit of discord between Abimelech and the lords of Shechem; and the lords of Shechem betrayed Abimelech.

24. That the cruelty [done] to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren.

24. Yahweh did this so that the seventy sons of Jerubaal might be avenged. Their blood had to fall back upon their brother Abimelech who murdered them, and the lords of Shechem who helped him murder his brothers.

25. And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech.

25. To do him harm, the lords of Shechem prepared ambushes against Abimelech on the mountaintops, and intimidated everyone who passed by the way. Abimelech was informed of this.

26. And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.

26. Then Gaal, the son of Ebed, came with his brothers, and he won the confidence of the lords of Shechem.

27. And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode [the grapes], and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech.

27. One day they went to the vineyards and gathered grapes and trod on them. Then they feasted in the temple of their god. While eating and drinking, they cursed Abimelech.

28. And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who [is] Abimelech, and who [is] Shechem, that we should serve him? [is] not [he] the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serve him?

28. Then Gaal, the son of Ebed, exclaimed, "Who is Abimelech for the Shechemites that we should serve him? He is only the son of Jerubaal, and Zebul is but his town captain. Let us serve the people of Hamor, the father of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech?

29. And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.

29. If only this people were in my hands, then I would remove Abimelech and say to him: Reinforce your army, come out and fight!"

30. And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.

30. When Zebul, the city governor, was informed of the plan of Gaal, the son of Ebed, he was very angry.

31. And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem; and, behold, they fortify the city against thee.

31. He sent messengers to Abimelech in secret to say to him, "See, Gaal, the son of Ebed, has come with his brothers to Shechem and he is stirring up the city against you.

32. Now therefore up by night, thou and the people that [is] with thee, and lie in wait in the field:

32. Therefore, arise, you and the men you have with you, and lay an ambush in the field.

33. And it shall be, [that] in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, thou shalt rise early, and set upon the city: and, behold, [when] he and the people that [is] with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to them as thou shalt find occasion.

33. By early morning at sunrise, go and rush upon the city. When Gaal comes out against you with his men, you may do to him whatever you wish."

34. And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that [were] with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.

34. Abimelech and all his troops rose by night, and they laid an ambush against Shechem in four groups.

35. And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that [were] with him, from lying in wait.

35. When Gaal, the son of Ebed, went out and stood at the entrance of the city, Abimelech and his troops rose from their hiding place.

36. And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as [if they were] men.

36. Gaal saw the troops and said to Zebul, "Look, people are coming down from the mountain tops." But Zebul answered him, "It is the shadow of the mountain that you see. You mistake it for men."

37. And Gaal spake again and said, See there come people down by the middle of the land, and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim.

37. Gaal said again, "Look, people are coming down from the center of the land, and another group is coming from the Diviners' Oak."

38. Then said Zebul unto him, Where [is] now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, Who [is] Abimelech, that we should serve him? [is] not this the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them.

38. Zebul then said, "Did you not say: Who is Abimelech that we should serve him? Are not these men those whom you despised? Go now and fight them."

39. And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.

39. Gaal went out and led the people of Shechem in fighting Abimelech.

40. And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown [and] wounded, [even] unto the entering of the gate.

40. Abimelech pursued Gaal who fled and many fell dead before reaching the gates.

41. And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.

41. Abimelech returned to Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers, and did not let them live in Shechem.

42. And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.

42. The following day, the people went out into the fields. Abimelech was informed about this,

43. And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field, and looked, and, behold, the people [were] come forth out of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote them.

43. so he called his troops, divided them into three groups and laid an ambush in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he rose against them and killed them.

44. And Abimelech, and the company that [was] with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and the two [other] companies ran upon all [the people] that [were] in the fields, and slew them.

44. Abimelech and the group with him attacked and took possession of the entrance to the city gates; other groups rushed upon those who were in the fields.

45. And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that [was] therein, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.

45. Throughout that day, Abimelech attacked the city. He took it and killed all its inhabitants. Then he destroyed the city and sprinkled salt over it.

46. And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard [that], they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.

46. When the inhabitants of the Tower of Shechem heard this, they went to the underground room of the temple of El-Berith.

47. And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.

47. Abimelech was told that all the inhabitants of the Tower of Shechem were together,

48. And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that [were] with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid [it] on his shoulder, and said unto the people that [were] with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, [and] do as I [have done].

48. so he went up to Mount Zalmon with all his troops. Taking an ax, he cut down a branch of a tree, lifted it up and bore it on his shoulders. He then said to the troops with him, "You have seen what I have done, so do the same."

49. And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put [them] to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.

49. So all his men cut the branches, then followed Abimelech. They piled the branches on top of the underground room and set them on fire over the people inside. So all the inhabitants of the Tower of Shechem - about a thousand men and women - died.

50. Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.

50. Abimelech went against Thebez, besieged it and took it.

51. But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut [it] to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower.

51. But inside the city was a strong tower in which all the men and women, all the inhabitants of the city sought refuge. They locked it from within and went up to the roof of the tower.

52. And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.

52. Abimelech came to the tower to attack them; he approached the door, intending to set it on fire.

53. And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and all to brake his skull.

53. But a woman threw a millstone upon his head and shattered his skull.

54. Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

54. He immediately called out to his young armor-bearer and said to him, "Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me: 'A woman killed him'." So his armor-bearer thrust him through, and he died.

55. And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.

55. When the people of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, everyone returned to his home.

56. Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:

56. In this way God repaid Abimelech for the evil he had done to his father when he murdered his seventy brothers.

57. And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.

57. He also made the people of Shechem pay for all their wickedness. So the curse of Jotham, son of Jerubaal, was fulfilled.