Judges 9
Lexham English Bible
Abimelech Attempts to Become King
9 And Abimelech son of Jerub-Baal went to Shechem, to the relatives of his mother, and he said to them and to the house of his mother’s father, 2 “Speak to[a] the lords of Shechem, ‘What is better for you, that seventy men all from the sons of Jerub-Baal rule over you, or that one man rules over you?’ Remember that I am your bone and your flesh.” 3 And his mother’s relatives spoke all these words concerning him to[b] all the lords of Shechem; and they supported Abimelech,[c] for they said, “He is our relative.”[d] 4 And they gave to him seventy pieces of silver from the temple[e] of Baal-Berith, and Abimelech hired with them[f] worthless and reckless men, and they followed him.[g] 5 And he went to his father’s house at Ophrah, and he killed his brothers, the sons of Jerub-Baal, seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerub-Baal survived, because he hid himself. 6 All the lords of Shechem and Beth-Millo gathered, and they went and made Abimelech as king, near the oak[h] of the pillar that is at Shechem.
7 And they told Jotham, and he went up and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and he cried out loud[i] and said to them, “Listen to me, lords of Shechem, so that God may listen to you.
8 “The trees went certainly,
to anoint a king over themselves.
And they said to the olive tree,
‘Rule over us.’
9 And the olive tree replied,
‘Should I stop producing my oil,
which by me gods and men are honored,
to go sway over the trees?’
10 Then the trees said to the fig tree,
‘You, come rule over us.’
11 But the fig tree said to them,
‘Should I stop producing my sweetness,
and my good crop,
to go sway over the trees?’
12 And the trees said to the vine,
‘You, come rule over us.’
13 But the vine said to them,
‘Should I stop producing my wine
that makes the gods and men happy,
to go sway over the trees?’
14 So all the trees said to the thornbush,
‘You, come rule over us.’
15 And the thornbush said to the trees,
‘If in good faith[j] you are anointing
me as king over you,
then come and take refuge in my shade;
if not, may fire go out from the thornbush
and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’
16 “So then, if you have acted in good faith[k] and sincerity in making Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerub-Baal and his house, and have dealt with him according to his accomplishments[l]— 17 for my father fought and risked his life[m] for you and delivered you from the hand of Midian; 18 but today you have risen against the house of my father and killed his sons, seventy men on one stone, and you have made Abimelech, the son of his slave woman, a king over the lords of Shechem, because he is your relative[n]— 19 if you have acted in good faith[o] and sincerity with Jerub-Baal and his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you. 20 But if not, let a fire come out from Abimelech and let it devour the lords of Shechem and Beth-Millo; and let a fire come out from the lords of Shechem, and from Beth-Millo, and let it devour Abimelech.” 21 And Jotham escaped and fled, and went to Beer; he remained there because of Abimelech his brother.
The Downfall of Shechem and Abimelech
22 Abimelech ruled over Israel three years. 23 And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the lords of Shechem, and the lords of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, 24 so that the violence done to the seventy brothers of Abimelech would be avenged and their blood be placed on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the lords of Shechem, who helped[p] to kill his brothers. 25 And the lords of Shechem set for him ambushes on the top of the mountains, and they robbed all who passed by them along the road; and it was reported to Abimelech.
26 And Gaal son of Ebel and his relatives came, and they crossed over into Shechem, and the lords of Shechem gave him confidence.[q] 27 They went out into the field and harvested their vineyards and trod them, and they held a festival.[r] And they went into the temple[s] of their god, and they ate and drank and cursed Abimelech. 28 Then Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who are we of Shechem that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerub-Baal, and is not Zebul his chief officer?[t] Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem. Why should we serve him?[u] 29 If only this people were in my command![v] Then I would remove Abimelech, and I would have said,[w] ‘Increase your army and come out!’”
30 When Zebul the commander of the city heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed, he became angry,[x] 31 and he sent messengers to Abimelech in Tormah, saying, “Look, Gaal son of Ebed and his relatives are coming to Shechem, and they are stirring up the city against you. 32 So then, get up by night, you and the army that is with you, and lie in ambush in the field. 33 And in the morning at sunrise, get up and rush the city; and look, when he and the troops who are with him come out to you, you must act according to whatever opportunity offers itself.[y]
34 So Abimelech and all the army that was with him got up by night, and they lay in ambush against Shechem in four divisions.[z] 35 Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate, and Abimelech and the army that was with him got up from the ambush. 36 When Gaal saw the army, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the top of the mountains!” And Zebul said to him, “The shadows of the mountains look like people to you.”[aa] 37 And Gaal spoke again[ab] and said, “Look, people are coming down from Tabbur-erez, and one division[ac] is coming from the direction of Elon-meonenim.”[ad] 38 And Zebul said to him, “Where then is your boast,[ae] you who said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Is this not the army that you rejected? Please, go out now and fight against them.”[af] 39 So Gaal went out before the lords of Shechem and fought against Abimelech. 40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him; many fell slain up to the entrance of the gate. 41 So Abimelech resided at Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal and his relatives[ag] from living in Shechem.
42 On the next day the people went out to the field; and it was reported to Abimelech, 43 so he took the army and divided them into three divisions,[ah] and he laid an ambush in the field. And he saw the people were coming out from the city, and he arose against them and killed them. 44 Then Abimelech and the divisions[ai] that were with him dashed out and stood at the entrance of the city gate, and the two divisions dashed out against all who were in the field, and they killed them. 45 Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and he captured the city and killed the people that were in it; then he broke down the city and sowed it with salt.
46 When all the lords of the tower of Shechem heard, they went to the vault[aj] of the temple[ak] of El-Berith. 47 It was told to Abimelech that all the lords of the tower of Shechem had gathered. 48 So Abimelech went up Mount Zalmon, he and all his army that were with him, and Abimelech took the ax[al] in his hand and cut down a bundle of brushwood, and he lifted it and put it on his shoulder. And he said to the army that was with him, “What you have seen me do, quickly do also.” 49 So the whole army cut down each one branch for himself and followed Abimelech, and they put them against the vault[am] and set the vault ablaze with fire on those inside, so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died, about a thousand men and women.
50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and he encamped against Thebez and captured it. 51 But there was a strong tower in the middle of the city, and all the men, women, and lords of the city fled there and shut themselves in; and they went up to the roof of the tower. 52 Abimelech came up to the tower and fought against it, and he came near the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire. 53 But a certain woman[an] threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and cracked open his skull. 54 He called quickly to the young man carrying his weapons, and he said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, so that they will not say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” So the young man[ao] stabbed him, and he died. 55 When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, each one went to his home.[ap] 56 So God repaid[aq] the wickedness[ar] that Abimelech committed against his father by killing his seventy brothers. 57 And God also repaid all the wickedness[as] of the men of Shechem on their heads, and the curse of Jotham son of Jerub-Baal fell on them.
Footnotes
- Judges 9:2 Literally “Speak into the ears”
- Judges 9:3 Literally “in the ears of”
- Judges 9:3 Literally “it reached their heart after Abimelech”
- Judges 9:3 Or “brother”
- Judges 9:4 Or “house”
- Judges 9:4 That is, the pieces of silver
- Judges 9:4 Literally “They went after him”
- Judges 9:6 Or “terebinth”
- Judges 9:7 Literally “he lifted his voice and called”
- Judges 9:15 Or “honesty”
- Judges 9:16 Or “honesty”
- Judges 9:16 Literally “according to the dealings of his hand”
- Judges 9:17 Literally “he threw his life in front”
- Judges 9:18 Or “brother”
- Judges 9:19 Or “honesty”
- Judges 9:24 Literally “who strengthened his hands”
- Judges 9:26 Literally “put confidence into him”
- Judges 9:27 Literally “made a rejoicing”
- Judges 9:27 Or “house”
- Judges 9:28 Or “overseer”
- Judges 9:28 That is, Abimelech
- Judges 9:29 Literally “were in my hand”
- Judges 9:29 Hebrew “he said”; the translation “I would have said” follows the LXX
- Judges 9:30 Literally “his nose became hot”
- Judges 9:33 Literally “you must do to him just as it will find your hand”
- Judges 9:34 Or “companies”
- Judges 9:36 Literally “the shadows of the mountains you are seeing as men”
- Judges 9:37 Literally “And he did again again Gaal to speak”
- Judges 9:37 Or “company”
- Judges 9:37 Or “the Sorcerer’s Oak”
- Judges 9:38 Literally “is your mouth”
- Judges 9:38 Hebrew “against him”
- Judges 9:41 Or “brothers”
- Judges 9:43 Or “companies”
- Judges 9:44 Or “companies”
- Judges 9:46 Or “cellar”
- Judges 9:46 Or “house”
- Judges 9:48 Hebrew “axes”
- Judges 9:49 Or “cellar”
- Judges 9:53 Or “But one woman”
- Judges 9:54 Hebrew “his young man”
- Judges 9:55 Or “place”
- Judges 9:56 Or “returned”
- Judges 9:56 Or “evil”
- Judges 9:57 Or “evil”
Judges 9
New King James Version
Abimelech’s Conspiracy
9 Then Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem, to (A)his mother’s brothers, and spoke with them and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying, 2 “Please speak in the hearing of all the men of Shechem: ‘Which is better for you, that all (B)seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal reign over you, or that one reign over you?’ Remember that I am your own flesh and (C)bone.”
3 And his mother’s brothers spoke all these words concerning him in the hearing of all the men of Shechem; and their heart was inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our (D)brother.” 4 So they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of (E)Baal-Berith, with which Abimelech hired (F)worthless and reckless men; and they followed him. 5 Then he went to his father’s house (G)at Ophrah and (H)killed his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, because he hid himself. 6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together, all of Beth Millo, and they went and made Abimelech king beside the terebinth tree at the pillar that was in Shechem.
The Parable of the Trees
7 Now when they told Jotham, he went and stood on top of (I)Mount Gerizim, and lifted his voice and cried out. And he said to them:
“Listen to me, you men of Shechem,
That God may listen to you!
8 “The(J) trees once went forth to anoint a king over them.
And they said to the olive tree,
(K)‘Reign over us!’
9 But the olive tree said to them,
‘Should I cease giving my oil,
(L)With which they honor God and men,
And go to sway over trees?’
10 “Then the trees said to the fig tree,
‘You come and reign over us!’
11 But the fig tree said to them,
‘Should I cease my sweetness and my good fruit,
And go to sway over trees?’
12 “Then the trees said to the vine,
‘You come and reign over us!’
13 But the vine said to them,
‘Should I cease my new wine,
(M)Which cheers both God and men,
And go to sway over trees?’
14 “Then all the trees said to the bramble,
‘You come and reign over us!’
15 And the bramble said to the trees,
‘If in truth you anoint me as king over you,
Then come and take shelter in my (N)shade;
But if not, (O)let fire come out of the bramble
And devour the (P)cedars of Lebanon!’
16 “Now therefore, if you have acted in truth and sincerity in making Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him (Q)as[a] he deserves— 17 for my (R)father fought for you, risked his life, and (S)delivered you out of the hand of Midian; 18 (T)but you have risen up against my father’s house this day, and killed his seventy sons on one stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his (U)female servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother— 19 if then you have acted in truth and sincerity with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then (V)rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you. 20 But if not, (W)let fire come from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem and Beth Millo; and let fire come from the men of Shechem and from Beth Millo and devour Abimelech!” 21 And Jotham ran away and fled; and he went to (X)Beer and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
Downfall of Abimelech
22 After Abimelech had reigned over Israel three years, 23 (Y)God sent a (Z)spirit of ill will between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem (AA)dealt treacherously with Abimelech, 24 (AB)that the crime done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might be settled and their (AC)blood be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who aided him in the killing of his brothers. 25 And the men of Shechem set [b]men in ambush against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who passed by them along that way; and it was told Abimelech.
26 Now Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him. 27 So they went out into the fields, and gathered grapes from their vineyards and trod them, and [c]made merry. And they went into (AD)the house of their god, and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech. 28 Then Gaal the son of Ebed said, (AE)“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? Serve the men of (AF)Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? 29 (AG)If only this people were under my [d]authority! Then I would remove Abimelech.” So [e]he said to Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out!”
30 When Zebul, the ruler of the city, heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was aroused. 31 And he sent messengers to Abimelech secretly, saying, “Take note! Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem; and here they are, fortifying the city against you. 32 Now therefore, get up by night, you and the people who are with you, and [f]lie in wait in the field. 33 And it shall be, as soon as the sun is up in the morning, that you shall rise early and rush upon the city; and when he and the people who are with him come out against you, you may then do to them [g]as you find opportunity.”
34 So Abimelech and all the people who were with him rose by night, and [h]lay in wait against Shechem in four companies. 35 When Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance to the city gate, Abimelech and the people who were with him rose from lying in wait. 36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains!”
But Zebul said to him, “You see the shadows of the mountains as if they were men.”
37 So Gaal spoke again and said, “See, people are coming down from the center of the land, and another company is coming from the [i]Diviners’ Terebinth Tree.”
38 Then Zebul said to him, “Where indeed is your mouth now, with which you (AH)said, ‘Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?’ Are not these the people whom you despised? Go out, if you will, and fight with them now.”
39 So Gaal went out, leading the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. 40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled from him; and many fell wounded, to the very entrance of the gate. 41 Then Abimelech dwelt at Arumah, and Zebul [j]drove out Gaal and his brothers, so that they would not dwell in Shechem.
42 And it came about on the next day that the people went out into the field, and they told Abimelech. 43 So he took his people, divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the field. And he looked, and there were the people, coming out of the city; and he rose against them and [k]attacked them. 44 Then Abimelech and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city; and the other two companies rushed upon all who were in the fields and killed them. 45 So Abimelech fought against the city all that day; (AI)he took the city and killed the people who were in it; and he (AJ)demolished the city and sowed it with salt.
46 Now when all the men of the tower of Shechem had heard that, they entered the [l]stronghold of the temple (AK)of the god Berith. 47 And it was told Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. 48 Then Abimelech went up to Mount (AL)Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him. And Abimelech took an ax in his hand and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it and laid it on his shoulder; then he said to the people who were with him, “What you have seen me do, make haste and do as I have done.” 49 So each of the people likewise cut down his own bough and followed Abimelech, put them against the [m]stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire above them, so that all the people of the tower of Shechem died, about a thousand men and women.
50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and he [n]encamped against Thebez and took it. 51 But there was a strong tower in the city, and all the men and women—all the people of the city—fled there and shut themselves in; then they went up to the top of the tower. 52 So Abimelech came as far as the tower and fought against it; and he drew near the door of the tower to burn it with fire. 53 But a certain woman (AM)dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull. 54 Then (AN)he called quickly to the young man, his armorbearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest men say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’ ” So his young man thrust him through, and he died. 55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed, every man to his [o]place.
56 (AO)Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father by killing his seventy brothers. 57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem God returned on their own heads, and on them came (AP)the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
Footnotes
- Judges 9:16 Lit. according to the doing of his hands
- Judges 9:25 Lit. liers-in-wait for
- Judges 9:27 rejoiced
- Judges 9:29 Lit. hand
- Judges 9:29 So with MT, Tg.; DSS they; LXX I
- Judges 9:32 Set up an ambush
- Judges 9:33 Lit. as your hand can find
- Judges 9:34 Set up an ambush
- Judges 9:37 Heb. Meonenim
- Judges 9:41 exiled
- Judges 9:43 Lit. struck
- Judges 9:46 fortified room
- Judges 9:49 fortified room
- Judges 9:50 besieged
- Judges 9:55 home
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
