CHAPTER 9
Now Abimelech
son
of Jerubbaal
went
to
his mother’s
brothers
at Shechem
and said
to
them
and all
the clan
of his mother,
“Please
ask
all
the leaders
of Shechem,
‘Is it better
for you
that seventy
men,
all
the sons
of Jerubbaal,
rule
over you,
or
just one
man?’
Remember
that
I
am your own flesh
and blood."
And when his mother’s
brothers
spoke
all
these
words
about
him in the presence
of all
the leaders
of Shechem,
their hearts
were inclined
to follow
Abimelech,
for
they said,
“He
is our brother.”
So they gave
him
seventy shekels
of silver
from the temple
of
Baal-berith,
with which
Abimelech
hired
some worthless
and reckless
men
to follow
him.
He went
to his father’s
house
in Ophrah,
and on
one
stone
murdered
his seventy
brothers,
the sons
of Jerubbaal.
But Jotham,
the youngest
son
of Jerubbaal,
survived,
because
he hid himself.
Then all
the leaders
of Shechem
and
Beth-millo
gathered
beside
the oak
at the pillar
in Shechem
and proceeded
to make
Abimelech
their king.
When this was reported
to Jotham,
he climbed
to the top
of Mount
Gerizim,
raised
his voice,
and cried out:
“Listen
to me,
O leaders
of Shechem,
and may God
listen
to you.
One day the trees
set out
to anoint
a king
for themselves.
They said
to the olive tree,
‘Reign
over us.’
But the olive tree
replied,
‘Should I stop giving
my oil
that
honors
both God
and man,
to hold
sway
over
the trees?’
But the fig tree
replied,
‘Should I stop giving
my sweetness
and my good
fruit,
to hold
sway
over
the trees?’
But the grapevine
replied,
‘Should I stop giving
my wine
that cheers
both God
and man,
to hold
sway
over
the trees?’
But the thornbush
replied,
‘If
you
really
are anointing me
as king
over you,
come
and find refuge
in my shade.
But if
not,
may fire
come out
of
the thornbush
and consume
the cedars
of Lebanon.”
Now
if
you have acted
faithfully
and honestly
in making Abimelech
king,
if
you have done well
by
Jerubbaal
and his family,
and if
you have done
to him
as he
deserves—
but you
have risen up
against
my father's
house
this day
and killed
his seventy
sons
on
a single
stone,
and you have made Abimelech,
the son
of his maidservant,
king
over
the leaders
of Shechem
because
he
is your brother"
if
you have acted
faithfully
and honestly
toward
Jerubbaal
and his house
this
day,
then may you rejoice
in Abimelech,
and
he
in you.
But if
not,
may fire
come
from Abimelech
and consume
the leaders
of Shechem
and
Beth-millo,
and may fire
come
from the leaders
of Shechem
and
Beth-millo
and consume
Abimelech.”
God
sent
an evil
spirit
between
Abimelech
and
the leaders
of Shechem
and caused them
to treat Abimelech
deceitfully,
in order that the crime
against the seventy
sons
of Jerubbaal
might come to justice
and their blood
be avenged
on
their brother
Abimelech
and on
the leaders
of Shechem,
who
had helped
him
murder
his brothers.
The leaders
of Shechem
set
an ambush
against Abimelech
on
the hilltops,
and they robbed
all
who
passed
by them
on the road.
So this was reported
to Abimelech.
Meanwhile, Gaal
son
of Ebed
came
with his brothers
and crossed
into Shechem,
and the leaders
of Shechem
put their confidence
in him.
And after they had gone out
into the fields,
gathered grapes
from their vineyards,
and trodden them,
they held
a festival
and went
into the house
of their god;
and as they ate
and drank,
they cursed
Abimelech.
Then Gaal
son
of Ebed
said,
“Who
is Abimelech,
and who
is Shechem,
that
we should serve him?
Is he not
the son
of Jerubbaal,
and is not Zebul
his officer?
You are to serve
the men
of Hamor,
the father
of Shechem.
Why
should we
serve Abimelech?
If only
this
people
were under my authority,
I would remove
Abimelech;
I would say
to him,
‘Muster
your army
and come out!’”
So he covertly sent
messengers
to
Abimelech
to say,
“Look,
Gaal
son
of Ebed
and his brothers
have come
to Shechem
and are stirring up
the city
against you.
And
in the morning
at sunrise,
get up
and advance
against
the city.
When Gaal
and his men
come out
against you,
do
to them
whatever
you are able.”
So Abimelech
and all
his troops
set out
by night
and lay in wait
against
Shechem
in four
companies.
Now Gaal
son
of Ebed
went out
and stood
at the entrance
of the city
gate
just as Abimelech
and his men
came out
from
their hiding places.
When Gaal
saw
the people,
he said
to
Zebul,
“Look,
people
are coming down
from the mountains!”
But Zebul
replied,
“The shadows
of the mountains
look
like men
to you.”
Then Gaal
spoke up
again,
“Look,
people
are coming down
from
the center
of the land,
and one
company
is coming
by way of
the Diviners’
Oak.”
“Where
is your gloating
now?”
Zebul
replied.
“You said,
‘Who
is Abimelech
that
we should serve him?’
Are these not
the people
you ridiculed?
Go out
now
and fight them!”
but Abimelech
pursued him,
and Gaal fled
before him.
And many Shechemites
fell
wounded
all the way
to the entrance
of the gate.
So he took
his men,
divided
them into three
companies,
and waited in ambush
in the fields.
When he saw
the people
coming out
of
the city,
he rose up
against them
and attacked them.
Then Abimelech
and the companies
with him
rushed forward
and took their stand
at the entrance
of the city
gate.
The other two
companies
rushed
against
all
who were
in the fields
and struck them down.
And all
that
day
Abimelech
fought
against the city
until he had captured it
and killed
its people.
Then he demolished
the city
and sowed
it with salt.
On hearing of this,
all
the leaders
in the tower
of Shechem
entered
the inner chamber
of the temple
of El-berith.
And when it was reported
to Abimelech
that
all
the leaders
in the tower
of Shechem
were gathered there,
he
and all
his men
went up
to Mount
Zalmon.
Abimelech
took
his ax
in his hand
and cut
a branch
from the trees,
which he lifted
to
his shoulder,
saying
to
his men,
"Hurry
and do
what
you have seen
me do."
So each
man
also
cut
his own branch
and followed
Abimelech.
Then they piled the branches
against
the inner chamber
and set it
on fire
above them,
killing
everyone
in the tower
of Shechem,
about a thousand
men
and women.
But there was
a strong
tower
inside
the city,
and all
the men,
women,
and leaders
of the city
fled
there.
They locked themselves in
and went up
to
the roof
of the tower.
He quickly
called
his armor-bearer,
saying,
“Draw
your sword
and kill me,
lest
they say
of me,
‘A woman
killed him.’”
So Abimelech’s armor-bearer ran [his swo
and he died.
In this way God
repaid
the wickedness
that
Abimelech
had done
to his father
by murdering
his seventy
brothers.
And God
also brought back
upon their own heads
all
the evil
of the men
of Shechem.
So the curse
of Jotham
son
of Jerubbaal
came
upon them.