9:1 And Abimelech son of Jerobaal went to
Sychem to his mother's brethren; and he spoke to them and to all the kindred
of the house of his mother's father, saying,
9:2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Sychem, saying, Which
[is] better for you, that seventy men, even all the sons of Jerobaal, should
reign over you, or that one man should reign over you? and remember that I
am your bone and your flesh.
9:3 And his mother's brethren spoke concerning him in the ears of all the
men of Sychem all these words; and their heart turned after Abimelech, for
they said, He is our brother.
9:4 And they gave him seventy [pieces] of silver out of the house of
Baalberith; and Abimelech hired for himself vain and cowardly men, and they
went after him.
9:5 And he went to the house of his father to Ephratha, and slew his
brethren the sons of Jerobaal, seventy men upon one stone; but Joatham the
youngest son of Jerobaal was left, for he hid himself.
9:6 And all the men of Sicima, and all the house of Bethmaalo, were gathered
together, and they went and made Abimelech king by the oak of Sedition,
which was at Sicima.
9:7 And it was reported to Joatham, and he went and stood on the top of
mount Garizin, and lifted up his voice, and wept, and said to them, Hear me,
ye men of Sicima, and Elohim shall hear you.
9:8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said
to the olive, Reign over us.
9:9 But the olives said to them, Shall I leave my fatness, with which men
shall glorify Elohim, and go to be promoted over he trees?
9:10 And the trees said to the fig-tree, Come, reign over us.
9:11 But the fig-tree said to them, Shall I leave my sweetness an my good
fruits, and go to be promoted over the trees?
9:12 And the trees said to the vine, Come, reign over us.
9:13 And the vine said to them, Shall I leave my wine that cheers Elohim and
men, and go to be promoted over the trees?
9:14 Then all the trees said to the bramble, Come thou and [reign] over us.
9:15 And the bramble said to the trees, If ye in truth anoint me to reign
over you, come, stand under my shadow; and if not, let fire come out from me
and devour the cedars of Libanus.
9:16 And now, if ye have done it in truth and integrity, and have made
Abimelech king, and if ye have wrought well with Jerobaal, and with his
house, and if ye have done to him according to the reward of his hand,
9:17 as my father fought for you, and put his life in jeopardy, and
delivered you out of the hand of Madiam;
9:18 and ye are risen up this day against the house of my father, and have
slain his sons, being seventy men, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech
the son of his bondwoman king over the men of Sicima, because he is your
brother:
9:19 if then ye have done truly and faithfully with Jerobaal, and with his
house this day, rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice over you:
9:20 but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of
Sicima, and the house of Bethmaalo; and let fire come out from the men of
Sicima and from the house of Bethmaalo, and devour Abimelech.
9:21 And Joatham fled, and ran away, and went as far as Baeer, and dwelt
there out of the way of his brother Abimelech.
9:22 And Abimelech reigned over Israel three years.
9:23 And Elohim sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Sicima;
and the men of Sicima dealt treacherously with the house of Abimelech:
9:24 to bring the injury done to the seventy sons of Jerobaal, and to lay
their blood upon their brother Abimelech, who slew them, and upon the men of
Sicima, because they strengthened is hands to slay his brethren.
9:25 And the men of Sicima set liers in wait against him on the top of the
mountains, and robbed every one who passed by them on the way; and it was
reported to the king Abimelech.
9:26 And Gaal son of Jobel came, and his brethren, and passed by Sicima, and
the men of Sicima trusted in him.
9:27 And they went out into the field, and gathered their grapes, and trod
them, and made merry; and they brought [the grapes] into the house of their
god, and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech.
9:28 And Gaal the son of Jobel said, Who is Abimelech, and who is the son of
Sychem, that we should serve him? [Is he] not the son of Jerobaal, and [is]
not Zebul his steward, his servant with the son of Emmor the father of
Sychem? and why should we serve him?
9:29 And would that this people were under my hand! then would I remove
Abimelech, and I would say to him, Multiply thy host, and come out.
9:30 And Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of
Jobel, and he was very angry.
9:31 And he sent messengers to Abimelech secretly, saying, Behold, Gaal the
son of Jobel and his brethren are come to Sychem; and behold, they have
besieged the city against thee.
9:32 And now rise up by night, thou and the people with thee, and lay wait
in the field.
9:33 And it shall come to pass in the morning at sunrising, thou shalt rise
up early and draw toward the city; and behold, he and the people with him
will come forth against thee, and thou shalt do to him according to thy
power.
9:34 And Abimelech and all the people with him rose up by night, and formed
an ambuscade against Sychem in four companies.
9:35 And Gaal the son of Jobel went forth, and stood by the door of the gate
of the city: and Abimelech and the people with him rose up from the
ambuscade.
9:36 And Gaal the son of Jobel saw the people, and said to Zebul, Behold, a
people comes down from the top of the mountains: and Zebul said to him, Thou
seest the shadow of the mountains as men.
9:37 And Gaal continued to speak and said, Behold a people comes down
westward from the part bordering on the middle of the land, and another
company comes by the way of Helon Maonenim.
9:38 And Zebul said to him, And where is thy mouth as thou spokest, Who is
Abimelech that we should serve him? [Is] not this the people whom thou
despisedst? go forth now, and set the battle in array against him.
9:39 And Gaal went forth before the men of Sychem, and set the battle in
array against Abimelech.
9:40 And Abimelech pursued him, and he fled from before him; and many fell
down slain as far as the door of the gate.
9:41 And Abimelech entered into Arema, and Zebul cast out Gaal and his
brethren, so that they should not dwell in Sychem.
9:42 And it came to pass on the second day that the people went out into the
field, and [one] brought word to Abimelech.
9:43 And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and
formed an ambush in the field; and he looked, and, behold, the people went
forth out of the city, and he rose up against them, and smote them.
9:44 And Abimelech and the chiefs of companies that were with him rushed
forward, and stood by the door of the gate of the city; and the two [other]
companies rushed forward upon all that were in the field, and smote them.
9:45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and took the city,
and slew the people that were in it, and destroyed the city, and sowed it
with salt.
9:46 And all the men of the tower of Sychem heard, and came to the gathering
of Baethel-berith.
9:47 And it was reported to Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of
Sychem were gathered together.
9:48 And Abimelech went up to the mount of Selmon, and all the people that
were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a branch
of a tree, and took it, and laid it on his shoulders; and said to the people
that were with him, What ye see me doing, do quickly as I.
9:49 And they cut down likewise even every man a branch, and went after
Abimelech, and laid them against the place of gathering, and burnt the place
o gathering over them with fire; and they died, even all the men of the
tower of Sicima, about a thousand men and women.
9:50 And Abimelech went out of Baethel-berith, and encamped against Thebes,
and took it.
9:51 And there was a strong tower in the midst of the city; and thither all
the men and the women of the city fled, and shut [the door] without them,
and went up on the roof of the tower.
9:52 And Abimelech drew near to the tower, and they besieged it; and
Abimelech drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
9:53 And a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon the head of Abimelech, and
broke his skull.
9:54 And he cried out quickly to the young man his armour-bearer, and said
to him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, lest at any time they should say, A
woman slew him: and his young man thrust him through and he died.
9:55 And the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead; and they went each
to his place.
9:56 So Elohim requited the wickedness of Abimelech, which he wrought against
his father, in slaying his seventy brethren.
9:57 And all the wickedness of the men of Sychem Elohim requited upon their
head; and the curse of Joatham the son of Jerobaal came upon them. |
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,
9:2 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.
9:3 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.
9:4 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.
9:5 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.
9:6 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.
9:7 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 Elohim may hearken unto you.
9:8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said
unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.
9:9 But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith
by me they honor Elohim and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
9:10 And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.
9:11 But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my
good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?
9:12 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.
9:13 And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth Elohim
and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
9:14 Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.
9:15 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.
9:16 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;
9:17 (For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and
delivered you out of the hand of Midian:
9:18 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;)
9:19 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:
9:20 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.
9:21 And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for
fear of Abimelech his brother.
9:22 When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel,
9:23 Then Elohim sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem;
and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:
9:24 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.
9:25 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.
9:26 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.
9:27 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.
9:28 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?
9:29 And would to Elohim this people were under my hand! then would I remove
Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.
9:30 And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of
Ebed, his anger was kindled.
9:31 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.
9:32 Now therefore up by night, thou and the people that is with thee, and
lie in wait in the field:
9:33 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.
9:34 And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night,
and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.
9:35 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.
9:36 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.
9:37 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.
9:38 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.
9:39 And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
9:40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were
overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate.
9:41 And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his
brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
9:42 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the
field; and they told Abimelech.
9:43 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.
9:44 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.
9:45 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.
9:46 And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered
into an hold of the house of the god Berith.
9:47 And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem
were gathered together.
9:48 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.
9:49 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.
9:50 Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took
it.
9:51 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.
9:52 And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard
unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
9:53 And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head,
and all to brake his skull.
9:54 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 women slew
him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.
9:55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed
every man unto his place.
9:56 Thus Elohim rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his
father, in slaying his seventy brethren:
9:57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem did Elohim render upon their heads:
and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal. |