Historical
Gideon Pursues Zebah and Zalmunna
8 Then the men of Ephraim said to him, “(A)What is this thing you have done to us, not calling us when you went to fight against Midian?” And they strongly contended with him. 2 But he said to them, “What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the grape harvest of Abiezer? 3 God has given the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, into your hands; and what was I able to do in comparison with you?” Then their [a]anger toward him subsided when he spoke this word.
4 Then Gideon and the 300 men who were with him came (B)to the Jordan and crossed over, weary yet pursuing. 5 And he said to the men of (C)Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who are following me, for they are weary, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.” 6 But the princes of Succoth said, “[b](D)Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hands, that we should give bread to your army?” 7 And Gideon said, “Thus, (E)when Yahweh has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will [c]thrash your [d]bodies with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.” 8 So he went up from there to [e](F)Penuel and spoke similarly to them; and the men of Penuel answered him just as the men of Succoth had answered. 9 So he spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, “When I return safely, (G)I will tear down this tower.”
10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their camps with them, about 15,000 men, all who were left of the entire camp of the sons of the east; (H)for the fallen were 120,000 men who drew the sword. 11 And Gideon went up by the way of those who dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah and struck the camp when the camp was [f]unsuspecting. 12 Then Zebah and Zalmunna fled. And he pursued them and captured the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and he threw the whole camp into utter fright.
13 Then Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle [g]by the ascent of Heres. 14 And he captured a youth from the men of Succoth and questioned him. So the youth wrote down for him the princes of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men. 15 Then he came to the men of Succoth and said, “Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you reproached me, saying, ‘[h](I)Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary?’” 16 Then he took the elders of the city as well as thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he [i]taught the men of Succoth a lesson. 17 (J)And he tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.
18 Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?” And they said, “They were like you, each one [j]resembling the son of a king.” 19 And he said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As Yahweh lives, if only you had let them live, I would not kill you.” 20 So he said to Jether his firstborn, “Rise, kill them.” But the youth did not draw his sword, for he was afraid because he was still a youth. 21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Rise up yourself, and smite us; for as the man, so is his might.” (K)So Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna and (L)took the crescent ornaments which were on their camels’ necks.
Gideon Makes an Ephod
22 Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you and your son, also your son’s son, for you have saved us from the hand of Midian.” 23 But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; (M)Yahweh shall rule over you.” 24 Yet Gideon said to them, “I would [k]make one request of you, that each of you give me [l]an earring from his spoil.” (For they had gold earrings because they were (N)Ishmaelites.) 25 And they said, “We will surely give them.” So they spread out a garment, and every one of them threw an earring there from his spoil. 26 And the weight of the gold earrings that he requested was 1,700 shekels of gold, besides the crescent ornaments and the pendants and the purple robes which were on the kings of Midian, and besides the neck bands that were on their camels’ necks. 27 Then Gideon made it into (O)an ephod and placed it in his city, Ophrah, and all Israel played the harlot with it there, so that it became a snare to Gideon and his household. 28 So Midian was subdued before the sons of Israel, and they did not lift up their heads anymore. And the land was quiet for forty years in the days of Gideon.
The Death and Burial of Gideon
29 Then (P)Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house. 30 Now Gideon had (Q)seventy sons who [m]were his direct descendants, for he had many wives. 31 And his concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he [n]named him Abimelech. 32 Then Gideon the son of Joash died at a good old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
33 Then it happened, as soon as Gideon was dead, (R)that the sons of Israel turned back and played the harlot with the Baals and made (S)Baal-berith their god. 34 Thus the sons of Israel (T)did not remember Yahweh their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side; 35 (U)nor did they show lovingkindness to the household of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) in accord with all the good that he had done to Israel.
Abimelech Kills His Brothers
9 And (V)Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s [o]relatives and spoke to them and to the whole family of the household of his mother’s father, saying, 2 “Speak, now, in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you, that (W)seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or that one man rule over you?’ Also, remember that I am (X)your bone and your flesh.” 3 And his mother’s [p]relatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem; and [q]they were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is (Y)our [r]relative.” 4 So they gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of (Z)Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, and they followed him. 5 Then he came to his father’s house at Ophrah and (AA)killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, (AB)seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself. 6 Then all the lords of Shechem and all [s]Beth-millo assembled together, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the [t]oak of the pillar which was in Shechem.
7 Then they told Jotham, so he went and stood on the top of (AC)Mount Gerizim and lifted his voice and called out. Thus he said to them, “Listen to me, O lords of Shechem, that God may listen to you. 8 The trees surely went forth to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us!’ 9 But the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my fatness, with [u]which God and men are honored, and go to wave over the trees?’ 10 Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come, reign over us!’ 11 But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good produce and go to wave over the trees?’ 12 Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You come, reign over us!’ 13 But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my new wine, which makes God and men glad, and go to wave over the trees?’ 14 Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come, reign over us!’ 15 And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in [v]truth you are anointing me as king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, may fire come out from the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’
16 “So now, if you have dealt in [w]truth and integrity and made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with (AD)Jerubbaal and his house and [x]have dealt with him according to the bountiful works of his hands— 17 for my father fought for you and [y]risked his life and delivered you from the hand of Midian; 18 but you have risen against my father’s house today and have killed (AE)his sons, seventy men, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, (AF)the son of his maidservant, king over the lords of Shechem, because he is your [z]relative— 19 if then you have dealt in [aa]truth and integrity with Jerubbaal and his house this day, be glad in Abimelech, and let him also be glad in you. 20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and consume the lords of Shechem and [ab]Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the lords of Shechem and from [ac]Beth-millo and consume Abimelech.” 21 Then Jotham escaped and fled and went to Beer and remained there because of Abimelech his brother.
Zebul Deceives Abimelech
22 And Abimelech governed over Israel three years. 23 (AG)Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the lords of Shechem; and the lords of Shechem (AH)dealt treacherously with Abimelech, 24 (AI)so that the violence [ad]done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and (AJ)their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the lords of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. 25 And the lords of Shechem set [ae]men in ambush against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who might pass by them along the road; and it was told to Abimelech.
26 Then Gaal the son of Ebed came with his [af]relatives, and they crossed over into Shechem; and the lords of Shechem put their trust in him. 27 And they went out into the field and gathered the grapes of their vineyards and trod them and celebrated a [ag]festival; and they came into the house of (AK)their god and ate and drank and cursed Abimelech. 28 Then Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is Zebul not his [ah]officer? Serve the men of (AL)Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? 29 [ai](AM)Would, therefore, that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech.” And he said to Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out.”
30 Then Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, and his anger burned. 31 And he sent messengers to Abimelech [aj]deceitfully, saying, “Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his [ak]relatives have come to Shechem; and behold, they are [al]stirring up the city against you. 32 So now, arise by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field. 33 And it will be in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, that you shall rise early and rush upon the city; and behold, he and the people who are with him will come out against you, and you shall (AN)do to them [am]whatever your hand finds pleasing.”
34 So Abimelech and all the people who were with him arose by night and lay in wait against Shechem in four [an]companies. 35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the city gate; and Abimelech and the people who were with him arose from the ambush. 36 Then Gaal saw the people and said to Zebul, “Behold, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains.” But Zebul said to him, “You are seeing the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.” 37 Yet Gaal spoke again and said, “Behold, people are coming down from (AO)the [ao]highest part of the land, and one [ap]company comes by the way of [aq]the soothsayers’ [ar]oak.” 38 Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your [as]boasting now with which you said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Is this not the people whom you rejected? Go out now and fight with them!” 39 So Gaal went out before the lords of Shechem and fought with Abimelech. 40 And Abimelech pursued him, and he fled before him; and many fell slain up to the entrance of the gate. 41 Then Abimelech remained at Arumah, but Zebul drove out Gaal and his [at]relatives so that they could not remain in Shechem.
42 Now it happened the next day, that the people went out to the field, and it was told to Abimelech. 43 So he took [au]his people and divided them into three [av]companies and lay in wait in the field; then he looked, and behold, the people were coming out from the city. So he arose against them and struck them down. 44 Then Abimelech and the [aw]company who was with him rushed forward and stood in the entrance of the city gate; but the other two [ax]companies rushed upon all who were in the field and struck them down. 45 So Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and he captured the city and killed the people who were in it; then he (AP)tore the city down and sowed it with salt.
46 Then all the lords of the tower of Shechem heard of it, and they entered the inner chamber of the [ay]temple of (AQ)El-berith. 47 And it was told to Abimelech that all the lords of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. 48 So Abimelech went up to Mount (AR)Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took [az]an axe in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees and lifted it and laid it on his shoulder. Then he said to the people who were with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry and do [ba]likewise.” 49 And all the people also cut down each one his branch and followed Abimelech and put them on the inner chamber and set the inner chamber on fire over those inside, so that all the men of the tower of Shechem also died, about one thousand men and women.
50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and he camped against Thebez and captured it. 51 But there was a strong tower in the center of the city, and all the men and women with all the lords of the city fled there and shut themselves in; and they went up on the roof of the tower. 52 So Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it and approached the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire. 53 But (AS)a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, and she smashed his skull. 54 Then (AT)he called quickly to the young man, his armor bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and put me to death, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” So [bb]the young man pierced him through, and he died. 55 Then the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, so each went away to his [bc]home. 56 Thus (AU)God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he had done to his father in killing his seventy brothers. 57 God also returned all the evil of the men of Shechem on their own heads, and the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal came [bd]upon them.
Legacy Standard Bible Copyright ©2021 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org For Permission to Quote Information visit https://www.LSBible.org.