Abimelech Rules over Shechem

9 One day Gideon’s^[a] son Abimelech went to Shechem to visit his uncles—his mother’s brothers. He said to them and to the rest of his mother’s family,

³¹ He also had a concubine in Shechem, who gave birth to a son, whom he named Abimelech.

A Plot against Jeremiah

¹⁸ Then the people said, “Come on, let’s plot a way to stop Jeremiah. We have plenty of priests and wise men and prophets. We don’t need him to teach the word and give us advice and prophecies. Let’s spread rumors about him and ignore what he says.”

²⁰ When the people of Israel learned of Jeroboam’s return from Egypt, they called an assembly and made him king over all Israel. So only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the family of David.

³ The leaders of Israel summoned him, and Jeroboam and the whole assembly of Israel went to speak with Rehoboam.

The Northern Tribes Revolt

12 Rehoboam went to Shechem, where all Israel had gathered to make him king.

⁶ Absalom did this with everyone who came to the king for judgment, and so he stole the hearts of all the people of Israel.

² But when the local prince, Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, saw Dinah, he seized her and raped her.

¹⁸ Later, having traveled all the way from Paddan-aram, Jacob arrived safely at the town of Shechem, in the land of Canaan. There he set up camp outside the town.