Judges 9

1Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother's brothers, spoke to them and to all the family of his mother's father's house, saying,

2Speak, please, in the ears of all the lords of Shechem: "What is better for you, that seventy men—all the sons of Jerubbaal—rule over you, or that one man rule over you? Remember that I am your bone and your flesh."

3His mother's brothers spoke about him in the ears of all the lords of Shechem all these words, and their hearts inclined after Abimelech, because they said, "He is our brother."

4They gave him seventy shekels of silver from the house of Baal-berith, and Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men with it who followed him.

5He came to his father's house at Ophrah and killed his brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal—seventy men—on one stone, yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal remained, for he had hidden himself.

6All the men of Shechem assembled with all the house of Millo, went, and made Abimelech king by the oak of the pillar that stood in Shechem.

7When they told Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, raised his voice, called out, and said to them, "Listen to me, men of Shechem, so that God may listen to you."

8The trees went to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, "Reign over us."

9The olive tree said to them, "Should I give up my fatness, by which they honor God and people through me, and go to sway over the trees?"

10The trees said to the fig tree, "Come, you, and be king over us."

11But the fig tree said to them, "Should I give up my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to sway over the trees?"

12The trees said to the vine, "Come, reign over us."

13The vine said to them, "Should I leave my new wine that gladdens God and men, and go to wave over the trees?"

14All the trees said to the bramble, "Come, reign over us."

15The thornbush said to the trees, "If you faithfully anoint me king over you, come seek refuge in my shade; but if not, fire will go forth from the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon."

16Now if you have acted faithfully and with integrity by making Abimelech king, and if you have treated Jerubbaal and his house well, and if you have repaid him according to the recompense of his hands.

17as my father fought on your behalf and cast his life far and rescued you from the hand of Midian.

18You have risen against my father's house today, killed his seventy sons—seventy men—upon one stone, and made Abimelech, son of his bondwoman, king over the lords of Shechem, because he is your brother.

19If you have acted in truth and integrity with Jerubbaal and his house today, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you.

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

21Jotham fled and escaped to Beer and lived there, away from his brother Abimelech.

22Abimelech ruled over Israel three years.

23God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem, and the men of Shechem betrayed Abimelech.

24that the violence against the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother who killed them, and on the men of Shechem who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers.

25The men of Shechem stationed ambushers for him atop the mountains and robbed everyone passing by them on the road, and Abimelech was informed.

26Gaal son of Ebed came with his brothers to Shechem, and the men of Shechem trusted in him.

27They went out to the field, harvested their vineyards, trod the grapes, held festivals, entered the house of their gods, ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech.

28Gaal son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not Jerubbaal's son, and Zebul his governor? Serve the men of Hamor, Shechem's father—but why should we serve him?"

29Who will give this people into my hand? Then I would remove Abimelech. He said to Abimelech, "Increase your army, and come out."

30Zebul the city's ruler heard Gaal son of Ebed's words, and his anger burned.

31He sent messengers to Abimelech secretly, saying, "See, Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers are coming to Shechem, and see, they are turning the city against you."

32Now, then, arise by night—you and the people who are with you—and lie in ambush in the field.

33In the morning, as the sun rises, rise early and rush upon the city; and look, when he and the people who are with him come out against you, do to him as your hand finds.

34Abimelech arose with all the people who were with him that night, and they lay in ambush against Shechem in four companies.

35Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate, and Abimelech rose up with the people who were with him from the ambush.

36Gaal saw the people and said to Zebul, "Look, people are coming down from the summits of the mountains." Zebul said to him, "You see the shadow of the mountains as men."

37Gaal spoke again and said, "Look, people are coming down from the center of the land, and one company is approaching along the road by the oak of Meonenim."

38Zebul said to him, "Where is your mouth now that you said, 'Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?' Is this not the people you despised? Go out now and fight them."

39Gaal came out before the men of Shechem and fought Abimelech.

40Abimelech put him to flight, and he fled before him, and many slain fell to the entrance of the gate.

41Abimelech dwelt in Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem to prevent their dwelling there.

42It happened the next day that the people went out into the field and informed Abimelech.

43He took the people and divided them into three bands, then lay in ambush in the field. He looked, and behold, the people were coming out from the city, so he rose up against them and struck them.

44Abimelech and the companies with him charged ahead and took their stand at the entrance to the city gate, and the two companies attacked everyone in the field and struck them.

45Abimelech fought the city all that day, captured the city, killed the people who were in it, demolished the city, and sowed it with salt.

46All the men of the tower of Shechem heard and entered the stronghold of the house of El-berith.

47Abimelech was informed that all the men of Shechem's tower had gathered.

48Abimelech climbed Mount Zalmon—he and all the people with him. Abimelech took the axes in his hand, cut down a tree branch, lifted it, and placed it on his shoulder. He said to the people with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry and do likewise.”

49All the people likewise cut down a branch each and followed Abimelech, put them on the tower, and set the tower ablaze upon them; so all the men of Shechem's tower also died, about a thousand men and women.

50Abimelech went to Thebez, encamped against Thebez, and captured it.

51A fortified tower stood within the city, and all the men and women, every resident of the city, fled there, shut themselves inside, and climbed up onto the roof of the tower.

52Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it, approaching the door of the tower to burn it with fire.

53A certain woman hurled a millstone piece onto Abimelech's head, and it crushed his skull.

54He called quickly to his armorbearer, the young man, and said to him, "Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, 'A woman killed him.'" His young man thrust him through, and he died.

55When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they each went to his place.

56Thus God repaid Abimelech for the evil he did his father by killing his seventy brothers.

57God repaid all the wickedness of Shechem's men on their heads, and Jotham son of Jerubbaal's curse came upon them.