Shechem and Abimelech Fall

22 Now Abimelech ruled over Israel for three years. 23 (A)Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the [a]leaders of Shechem; and the [b]leaders of Shechem (B)dealt treacherously with Abimelech, 24 (C)so that the violence [c]done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal would come, and the responsibility for (D)their blood would be placed on their brother Abimelech, who killed them, and on the [d]leaders of Shechem, who [e]encouraged him to kill his brothers. 25 The [f]leaders of Shechem set up men in ambush against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed everyone who would pass by them on the road; and it was reported to Abimelech.

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Footnotes

  1. Judges 9:23 Or landowners
  2. Judges 9:23 Or landowners
  3. Judges 9:24 Lit of the seventy
  4. Judges 9:24 Or landowners
  5. Judges 9:24 Lit strengthened his hands
  6. Judges 9:25 Or landowners

The Destruction of Shechem

22 Abimelech dominated Israel for three years. 23 Then God sent an evil spirit to divide Abimelech and the “lords” of Shechem 24 so that the violence committed against the 70 sons of Jerubbaal might come back on their brother Abimelech, who murdered them, and so it might come back on the “lords” of Shechem, who provoked him to murder his brothers. 25 The “lords” of Shechem sent out men to ambush him on the mountain tops, and they robbed everyone who came by them along the roads, and this was reported to Abimelech.

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