Judges 9:16-29

New International Version

¹⁶ “Have you acted honorably and in good faith by making Abimelek king? Have you been fair to Jerub-Baal and his family? Have you treated him as he deserves? ¹⁷ Remember that my father fought for you and risked^(A) his life to rescue you from the hand of Midian. ¹⁸ But today you have revolted against my father’s family. You have murdered his seventy sons^(B) on a single stone and have made Abimelek, the son of his female slave, king over the citizens of Shechem because he is related to you. ¹⁹ So have you acted honorably and in good faith toward Jerub-Baal and his family today?^(C) If you have, may Abimelek be your joy, and may you be his, too! ²⁰ But if you have not, let fire come out^(D) from Abimelek and consume you, the citizens of Shechem^(E) and Beth Millo,^(F) and let fire come out from you, the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and consume Abimelek!”

²¹ Then Jotham^(G) fled, escaping to Beer,^(H) and he lived there because he was afraid of his brother Abimelek.

²² After Abimelek had governed Israel three years, ²³ God stirred up animosity^(I) between Abimelek and the citizens of Shechem so that they acted treacherously against Abimelek. ²⁴ God did this in order that the crime against Jerub-Baal’s seventy sons,^(J) the shedding^(K) of their blood, might be avenged^(L) on their brother Abimelek and on the citizens of Shechem, who had helped him^(M) murder his brothers. ²⁵ In opposition to him these citizens of Shechem set men on the hilltops to ambush and rob everyone who passed by, and this was reported to Abimelek.

²⁶ Now Gaal son of Ebed^(N) moved with his clan into Shechem, and its citizens put their confidence in him. ²⁷ After they had gone out into the fields and gathered the grapes and trodden^(O) them, they held a festival in the temple of their god.^(P) While they were eating and drinking, they cursed Abimelek. ²⁸ Then Gaal son of Ebed^(Q) said, “Who^(R) is Abimelek, and why should we Shechemites be subject to him? Isn’t he Jerub-Baal’s son, and isn’t Zebul his deputy? Serve the family of Hamor,^(S) Shechem’s father! Why should we serve Abimelek? ²⁹ If only this people were under my command!^(T) Then I would get rid of him. I would say to Abimelek, ‘Call out your whole army!’”^[a](U)