Downfall of Abimelech

22 After Abimelech had reigned over Israel three years, 23 (A)God sent a (B)spirit of ill will between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem (C)dealt treacherously with Abimelech, 24 (D)that the crime done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might be settled and their (E)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 [a]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 [b]made merry. And they went into (F)the house of their god, and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech. 28 Then Gaal the son of Ebed said, (G)“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 (H)Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? 29 (I)If only this people were under my [c]authority! Then I would remove Abimelech.” So [d]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 [e]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 [f]as you find opportunity.”

34 So Abimelech and all the people who were with him rose by night, and [g]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 [h]Diviners’ Terebinth Tree.”

38 Then Zebul said to him, “Where indeed is your mouth now, with which you (J)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 [i]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 [j]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; (K)he took the city and killed the people who were in it; and he (L)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 [k]stronghold of the temple (M)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 (N)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 [l]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 [m]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 (O)dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull. 54 Then (P)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 [n]place.

56 (Q)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 (R)the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.

Tola

10 After Abimelech there (S)arose to save Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in the mountains of Ephraim. He judged Israel twenty-three years; and he died and was buried in Shamir.

Jair

After him arose Jair, a Gileadite; and he judged Israel twenty-two years. Now he had thirty sons who (T)rode on thirty donkeys; they also had thirty towns, (U)which are called [o]“Havoth Jair” to this day, which are in the land of Gilead. And Jair died and was buried in Camon.

Israel Oppressed Again

Then (V)the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, and (W)served the Baals and the Ashtoreths, (X)the gods of Syria, the gods of (Y)Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the people of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines; and they forsook the Lord and did not serve Him. So the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel; and He (Z)sold them into the hands of the (AA)Philistines and into the hands of the people of (AB)Ammon. From that year they [p]harassed and oppressed the children of Israel for eighteen years—all the children of Israel who were on the other side of the Jordan in the (AC)land of the Amorites, in Gilead. Moreover the people of Ammon crossed over the Jordan to fight against Judah also, against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was severely distressed.

10 (AD)And the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, saying, “We have (AE)sinned against You, because we have both forsaken our God and served the Baals!”

11 So the Lord said to the children of Israel, “Did I not deliver you (AF)from the Egyptians and (AG)from the Amorites and (AH)from the people of Ammon and (AI)from the Philistines? 12 Also (AJ)the Sidonians (AK)and Amalekites and [q]Maonites (AL)oppressed you; and you cried out to Me, and I delivered you from their hand. 13 (AM)Yet you have forsaken Me and served other gods. Therefore I will deliver you no more. 14 “Go and (AN)cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in your time of distress.”

15 And the children of Israel said to the Lord, “We have sinned! (AO)Do to us whatever seems best to You; only deliver us this day, we pray.” 16 (AP)So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord. And (AQ)His soul could no longer endure the misery of Israel.

17 Then the people of Ammon gathered together and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled together and encamped in (AR)Mizpah. 18 And the people, the leaders of Gilead, said to one another, “Who is the man who will begin the fight against the people of Ammon? He shall (AS)be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”

Footnotes

  1. Judges 9:25 Lit. liers-in-wait for
  2. Judges 9:27 rejoiced
  3. Judges 9:29 Lit. hand
  4. Judges 9:29 So with MT, Tg.; DSS they; LXX I
  5. Judges 9:32 Set up an ambush
  6. Judges 9:33 Lit. as your hand can find
  7. Judges 9:34 Set up an ambush
  8. Judges 9:37 Heb. Meonenim
  9. Judges 9:41 exiled
  10. Judges 9:43 Lit. struck
  11. Judges 9:46 fortified room
  12. Judges 9:49 fortified room
  13. Judges 9:50 besieged
  14. Judges 9:55 home
  15. Judges 10:4 Lit. Towns of Jair, Num. 32:41; Deut. 3:14
  16. Judges 10:8 Lit. shattered
  17. Judges 10:12 LXX mss. Midianites

The Road to Emmaus(A)

13 (B)Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was [a]seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that (C)Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. 16 But (D)their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.

17 And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you [b]walk and are sad?”

18 Then the one (E)whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?”

19 And He said to them, “What things?”

So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, (F)who was a Prophet (G)mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 (H)and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. 21 But we were hoping (I)that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. 22 Yes, and (J)certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. 23 When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. 24 And (K)certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.”

25 Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 (L)Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His (M)glory?” 27 And beginning at (N)Moses and (O)all the Prophets, He [c]expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

The Disciples’ Eyes Opened

28 Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and (P)He [d]indicated that He would have gone farther. 29 But (Q)they constrained Him, saying, (R)“Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them.

30 Now it came to pass, as (S)He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.

32 And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” 33 So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and (T)has appeared to Simon!” 35 And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was [e]known to them in the breaking of bread.

Jesus Appears to His Disciples(U)

36 (V)Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” 37 But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen (W)a spirit. 38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. (X)Handle Me and see, for a (Y)spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”

40 [f]When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. 41 But while they still did not believe (Z)for joy, and marveled, He said to them, (AA)“Have you any food here?” 42 So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish [g]and some honeycomb. 43 (AB)And He took it and ate in their presence.

The Scriptures Opened

44 Then He said to them, (AC)“These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” 45 And (AD)He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

46 Then He said to them, (AE)“Thus it is written, [h]and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and (AF)remission of sins should be preached in His name (AG)to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And (AH)you are witnesses of these things. 49 (AI)Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city [i]of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

The Ascension(AJ)

50 And He led them out (AK)as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 (AL)Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. 52 (AM)And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually (AN)in the temple [j]praising and blessing God. [k]Amen.

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 24:13 Lit. 60 stadia
  2. Luke 24:17 NU walk? And they stood still, looking sad.
  3. Luke 24:27 explained
  4. Luke 24:28 acted as if
  5. Luke 24:35 recognized
  6. Luke 24:40 Some printed New Testaments omit v. 40. It is found in nearly all Gr. mss.
  7. Luke 24:42 NU omits and some honeycomb
  8. Luke 24:46 NU that the Christ should suffer and rise
  9. Luke 24:49 NU omits of Jerusalem
  10. Luke 24:53 NU omits praising and
  11. Luke 24:53 NU omits Amen.

A Song of Praise for the Lord’s Faithfulness to His People

(A)A Psalm of Thanksgiving.

100 Make (B)a joyful shout to the Lord, [a]all you lands!
Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
Know that the Lord, He is God;
(C)It is He who has made us, and [b]not we ourselves;
(D)We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

(E)Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
For the Lord is good;
(F)His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 100:1 Lit. all the earth
  2. Psalm 100:3 So with Kt., LXX, Vg.; Qr., many Heb. mss., Tg. we are His

11 (A)The house of the wicked will be overthrown,
But the tent of the upright will flourish.

12 (B)There is a way that seems right to a man,
But (C)its end is the way of (D)death.

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