Judges 9

Abimelech Becomes King

1 Abimelech son of Gideon went to his uncles in the city of Shechem. He said to his uncles and all of his mother’s family group,

2 “Ask the leaders of Shechem, ‘Is it better for the seventy sons of Gideon to rule over you or for one man to rule?’ Remember, I am your relative.”
3 Abimelech’s uncles spoke to all the leaders of Shechem about this. And they decided to follow Abimelech, because they said, “He is our relative.”4 So the leaders of Shechem gave Abimelech about one and three-quarter pounds of silver from the temple of the god Baal-Berith. Abimelech used the silver to hire some worthless, reckless men, who followed him wherever he went.5 He went to Ophrah, the hometown of his father, and murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Gideon. He killed them all on one stone. But Gideon’s youngest son, Jotham, hid from Abimelech and escaped.

6 Then all of the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo gathered beside the great tree standing in Shechem. There they made Abimelech their king.

Jotham’s Story

7 When Jotham heard this, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim. He shouted to the people: “Listen to me, you leaders of Shechem, so that God will listen to you!

8 One day the trees decided to appoint a king to rule over them. They said to the olive tree, ‘You be king over us!’

9 “But the olive tree said, ‘Men and gods are honored by my oil. Should I stop making it and go and sway over the other trees?’

10 “Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and be king over us!’

11 “But the fig tree answered, ‘Should I stop making my sweet and good fruit and go and sway over the other trees?’

12 “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and be king over us!’

13 “But the vine answered, ‘My new wine makes men and gods happy. Should I stop making it and go and sway over the trees?’

14 “Then all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be king over us.’

15 “But the thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to appoint me king over you, come and find shelter in my shade! But if not, let fire come out of the thornbush and burn up the cedars of Lebanon!’
16 “Now, were you completely honest and sincere when you made Abimelech king? Have you been fair to Gideon 17 Remember, my father fought for you and risked his life to save you from the power of the Midianites.18 But now you have turned against my father’s family and have killed his seventy sons on one stone. You have made Abimelech, the son of my father’s slave girl, king over the leaders of Shechem just because he is your relative!19 So then, if you have been honest and sincere to Gideon and his family today, be happy with Abimelech as your king. And may he be happy with you!

20 But if not, may fire come out of Abimelech and completely burn you leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo! Also may fire come out of the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo and burn up Abimelech!”

21 Then Jotham ran away and escaped to the city of Beer. He lived there because he was afraid of his brother Abimelech.

Abimelech Fights Against Shechem

22 Abimelech ruled Israel for three years.23 Then God sent an evil spirit to make trouble between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem so that the leaders of Shechem turned against him.24 Abimelech had killed Gideon’s 

25 The leaders of Shechem were against Abimelech then. They put men on the hilltops in ambush who robbed everyone going by. And Abimelech was told.
26 A man named Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers moved into Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem trusted him.27 They went out to the vineyards to pick grapes, and they squeezed the grapes. Then they had a feast in the temple of their god, where they ate and drank and cursed Abimelech.28 Gaal son of Ebed said, “We are the men of Shechem. Who is Abimelech that we should serve him? Isn’t he one of Gideon’s sons, and isn’t Zebul his officer? We should serve the men of Hamor, Shechem’s father. Why should we serve Abimelech?

29 If you made me commander of these people, I would get rid of Abimelech. I would say to him, ‘Get your army ready and come out to battle.’ ”
30 Now when Zebul, the ruler of Shechem, heard what Gaal son of Ebed said, he was very angry.31 He sent secret messengers to Abimelech, saying, “Gaal son of Ebed and Gaal’s brothers have come to Shechem, and they are turning the city against you!32 You and your men should get up during the night and hide in the fields outside the city.

33 As soon as the sun comes up in the morning, attack the city. When Gaal and his men come out to fight you, do what you can to them.”
34 So Abimelech and all his soldiers got up during the night and hid near Shechem in four groups.

35 Gaal son of Ebed went out and was standing at the entrance to the city gate. As he was standing there, Abimelech and his soldiers came out of their hiding places.

36 When Gaal saw the soldiers, he said to Zebul, “Look! There are people coming down from the mountains!”
But Zebul said, “You are seeing the shadows of the mountains. The shadows just look like people.”

37 But again Gaal said, “Look, there are people coming down from the center of the land, and there is a group coming from the fortune-tellers’ tree!”

38 Zebul said to Gaal, “Where is your bragging now? You said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ You made fun of these men. Now go out and fight them.”
39 So Gaal led the men of Shechem out to fight Abimelech.40 Abimelech and his men chased them, and many of Gaal’s men were killed before they could get back to the city gate.

41 While Abimelech stayed at Arumah, Zebul forced Gaal and his brothers to leave Shechem.
42 The next day the people of Shechem went out to the fields. When Abimelech was told about it,43 he separated his men into three groups and hid them in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he jumped up and attacked them.44 Abimelech and his group ran to the entrance gate to the city. The other two groups ran out to the people in the fields and struck them down.45 Abimelech and his men fought the city of Shechem all day until they captured it and killed its people. Then he tore it down and threw salt 

The Tower of Shechem Burns

46 When the leaders who were in the Tower of Shechem heard what had happened to Shechem, they gathered in the safest room of the temple of El Berith.47 Abimelech heard that all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem had gathered there.48 So he and all his men went up Mount Zalmon, near Shechem. Abimelech took an ax and cut some branches and put them on his shoulders. He said to all those with him, “Hurry! Do what I have done!”

49 So all those men cut branches and followed Abimelech and piled them against the safest room of the temple. Then they set them on fire and burned the people inside. So all the people who were at the Tower of Shechem also died—about a thousand men and women.

Abimelech’s Death

50 Then Abimelech went to the city of Thebez. He surrounded the city, attacked it, and captured it.51 But inside the city was a strong tower, so all the men, women, and leaders of that city ran to the tower. When they got inside, they locked the door behind them. Then they climbed up to the roof of the tower.52 Abimelech came to the tower to attack it. He approached the door of the tower to set it on fire,

53 but as he came near, a woman dropped a grinding stone on his head, crushing his skull.
54 He quickly called to the officer who carried his armor and said, “Take out your sword and kill me. I don’t want people to say, ‘A woman killed Abimelech.’ ” So the officer stabbed Abimelech, and he died.

55 When the people of Israel saw Abimelech was dead, they all returned home.
56 In that way God punished Abimelech for all the evil he had done to his father by killing his seventy brothers.57 God also punished the men of Shechem for the evil they had done. So the curse spoken by Jotham, the youngest son of Gideon, 

Judges 9

Abimelech Murders His Brothers

1 Now Abimelech son of Jerub-Baal went to Shechem to see his mother’s relatives.t He said to them and to his mother’s entire extended family,t2 “Tellt all the leaders of Shechem this: ‘Why would you wantt to have seventy men, all Jerub-Baal’s sons, ruling over you, when you can have just one ruler? Recall that I am your own flesh and blood.’”t3 His mother’s relativest spoke on his behalf tot all the leaders of Shechem and reported his proposal.t The leaders were drawn to Abimelech;t they said, “He is our close relative.”t4 They paid him seventy silver shekels out of the temple of Baal-Berith. Abimelech then used the silver to hire some lawless, dangeroust men as his followers.t5 He went to his father’s home in Ophrah and murdered his half-brothers,t the seventy legitimatet sons of Jerub-Baal, on one stone. Only Jotham, Jerub-Baal’s youngest son, escaped,t because he hid.

6 All the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo assembled and then went and made Abimelech king by the oak near the pillars in Shechem.

Jotham’s Parable

7 When Jotham heard the news,t he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim. He spoke loudly to the people below,t “Listen to me, leaders of Shechem, so that God may listen to you!
8 “The trees were determined to go outt and choose a king for themselves.t They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king!’t

9 But the olive tree said to them, ‘I am not going to stop producing my oil, which is used to honor gods and men, just to sway above the other trees!’t
10 “So the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and be our king!’t

11 But the fig tree said to them, ‘I am not going to stop producing my sweet figs, my excellent fruit, just to sway above the other trees!’t
12 “So the trees said to the grapevine, ‘You come and be our king!’t

13 But the grapevine said to them, ‘I am not going to stop producing my wine, which makes gods and men so happy, just to sway above the other trees!’t
14 “So all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘You come and be our king!’t

15 The thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to chooset me as your king, then come along, find safety under my branches!t Otherwiset may fire blaze from the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’
16 “Now, if you have shown loyalty and integrity when you made Abimelech king, if you have done right to Jerub-Baal and his family,t if you have properly repaid himt –17 my father fought for you; he risked his lifes and delivered you from Midian’s power.t18 But you have attackedt my father’s familyt today. You murdered his seventy legitimatet sons on one stone and made Abimelech, the son of his female slave, king over the leaders of Shechem, just because he is your close relative.t19 So if you have shown loyalty and integrity to Jerub-Baal and his familyt today, then may Abimelech bring you happiness and may you bring him happiness!t20 But if not, may fire blaze from Abimelech and consume the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo! May fire also blaze from the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo and consume Abimelech!”

21 Then Jotham ran awayt to Beer and lived there to escape fromt Abimelech his half-brother.t

God Fulfills Jotham’s Curse

22 Abimelech commandedts Israel for three years.23 God sent a spirit to stir up hostilityt between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem. He made the leaders of Shechem disloyalt to Abimelech.24 He did this so the violent deaths of Jerub-Baal’s seventy sons might be avenged and Abimelech, their half-brothert who murdered them, might have to pay for their spilled blood, along with the leaders of Shechem who helped him murder them.t

25 The leaders of Shechem rebelled against Abimelech by puttingts bandits int the hills, who robbed everyone who traveled by on the road. But Abimelech found out about it.t
26 Gaal son of Ebeds came through Shechem with his brothers. The leaders of Shechem transferred their loyalty to him.t27 They went out to the field, harvested their grapes,t squeezed out the juice,t and celebrated. They came to the templet of their god and ate, drank, and cursed Abimelech.28 Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerub-Baal, and is not Zebul the deputy he appointed?t Serve the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem! But why should we serve Abimelech?t

29 If only these ment were under my command,ts I would get rid of Abimelech!” He challenged Abimelech,t “Mustert your army and come out for battle!”t
30 When Zebul, the city commissioner, heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed, he was furious.t31 He sent messengers to Abimelech, who was in Arumah,t reporting, “Beware!t Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers are comingt to Shechem and inciting the city to rebel against you.t32 Now, come upt at night with your ment and set an ambush in the field outside the city.t

33 In the morning at sunrise quickly attack the city. When he and his men come out to fight you, do what you can to him.”t
34 So Abimelech and all his men came upt at night and set an ambush outside Shechem – they divided intot four units.35 When Gaal son of Ebed came out and stood at the entrance to the city’s gate, Abimelech and his men got up from their hiding places.36 Gaal saw the ment and said to Zebul, “Look, men are coming down from the tops of the hills.” But Zebul said to him, “You are seeing the shadows on the hills – it just looks like men.”t37 Gaal again said, “Look, men are coming down from the very centert of the land. A unitt is coming by way of the Oak Tree of the Diviners.”t38 Zebul said to him, “Where now are your bragging words,t ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Are these not the ment you insulted?t Go out now and fight them!”39 So Gaal led the leaders of Shechem outt and fought Abimelech.40 Abimelech chased him, and Gaalt ran from him. Many Shechemitest fell wounded at the entrance of the gate.

41 Abimelech went backs to Arumah; Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem.t
42 The next day the Shechemitest came out to the field. When Abimelech heard about it,t43 he took his ment and divided them into three units and set an ambush in the field. When he saw the people coming out of the city,t he attacked and struck them down.t44 Abimelech and his unitst attacked and blockedt the entrance to the city’s gate. Two units then attacked all the people in the field and struck them down.

45 Abimelech fought against the city all that day. He captured the city and killed all the people in it. Then he leveledt the city and spread salt over it.ts
46 When all the leaders of the Tower of Shechems heard the news, they went to the strongholdt of the temple of El-Berith.s47 Abimelech heardt that all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem were in one place.t48 He and all his ment went up on Mount Zalmon. Het took an axt in his hand and cut off a tree branch. He put itt on his shoulder and said to his men, “Quickly, do what you have just seen me do!”t

49 So each of his men also cut off a branch and followed Abimelech. They put the branchest against the stronghold and set fire to it.t All the peoplet of the Tower of Shechem died – about a thousand men and women.
50 Abimelech moved ont to Thebez; he besieged and captured it.t51 There was a fortifiedt towert in the center of the city, so all the men and women, as well as the city’s leaders, ran into it and locked the entrance. Then they went up to the roof of the tower.52 Abimelech came and attacked the tower. When he approached the entrance of the tower to set it on fire,53 a woman threw an upper millstones down on hist head and shattered his skull.54 He quickly called to the young man who carried his weapons,t “Draw your sword and kill me, so they will not say,t ‘A woman killed him.’” So the young man stabbed him and he died.

55 When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they went home.t
56 God repaid Abimelech for the evil he did to his father by murdering his seventy half-brothers.t

57 God also repaid the men of Shechem for their evil deeds. The curse spoken by Jotham son of Jerub-Baal fellt on them.