Judges 9:26-41
Lexham English Bible
26 And Gaal son of Ebel and his relatives came, and they crossed over into Shechem, and the lords of Shechem gave him confidence.[a] 27 They went out into the field and harvested their vineyards and trod them, and they held a festival.[b] And they went into the temple[c] 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?[d] Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem. Why should we serve him?[e] 29 If only this people were in my command![f] Then I would remove Abimelech, and I would have said,[g] ‘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,[h] 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.[i]
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.[j] 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.”[k] 37 And Gaal spoke again[l] and said, “Look, people are coming down from Tabbur-erez, and one division[m] is coming from the direction of Elon-meonenim.”[n] 38 And Zebul said to him, “Where then is your boast,[o] 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.”[p] 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[q] from living in Shechem.
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- 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 9:26-41
Common English Bible
26 Then Gaal, Ebed’s son, and his relatives came passing through Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem shifted their allegiance to him. 27 They went out into the field, cut off clusters from their vineyards, trampled them out, and had a celebration. They entered their god’s temple and ate, drank, and made fun of Abimelech. 28 Gaal, Ebed’s son, said, “Who is Abimelech, and who are we of Shechem that we ought to serve him? Didn’t this son of Jerubbaal and his deputy Zebul once serve the men of Hamor, Shechem’s father? Why should we of all people serve him? 29 If only this people were under my command! I would push Abimelech aside! I[a] would tell Abimelech, ‘Build up your army and march out for battle.’”
30 When Zebul the city’s ruler heard the words of Gaal, Ebed’s son, he became angry. 31 He sent messengers to Abimelech at Arumah[b] to say, “Watch out! Gaal, Ebed’s son, and his relatives have come to Shechem and are stirring up the city against you. 32 Now, you and the men who are with you: Get up tonight and set an ambush in the fields. 33 Then in the morning, at sunrise, rise early and rush on the city. Just as he and the men with him are marching out to face you, you can do to him whatever you wish.”
34 So Abimelech and all the men who were with him got up that night and set an ambush around Shechem in four companies. 35 When Gaal, Ebed’s son, came out and stood in the entrance of the city’s gate, Abimelech and the men with him sprang up from the ambush. 36 Gaal saw the men and said to Zebul, “Look! People are coming down from the hilltops.”
Zebul replied to him, “The shadows on the hills just look like persons to you.”
37 But Gaal spoke up again, “Look! People are coming down from Tabbur-erez, and one company is coming from the direction of Elon-meonenim.”[c]
38 Then Zebul replied to him, “Where’s all your talk now, you who said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we ought to serve him?’ Aren’t these the men you despised? Now march out and fight them!” 39 So Gaal marched out at the head of the leaders of Shechem and fought with Abimelech. 40 Abimelech routed him, and he ran away. Many fell wounded, all the way up to the entrance of the gate. 41 Afterward, Abimelech stayed in Arumah, and Zebul drove away Gaal and his relatives so they couldn’t stay in Shechem.
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- Judges 9:29 LXX; MT he
- Judges 9:31 Cf 9:41; Heb Tormah
- Judges 9:37 Or the Diviners’ Oak
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