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Judges 9
1599 Geneva Bible

9 1 Abimelech usurpeth the kingdom, and putteth his brethren to death. 7 Jotham proposeth a parable. 23 Hatred between Abimelech and the Shechemites. 26 Gaal conspireth against him, and is overcome. 53 Abimelech is wounded to death by a woman.

1 Then Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his [a]mother’s brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family, and house of his mother’s father, saying,

2 Say, I pray you, in the audience of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are seventy persons, reign over you, either that one reign over you? Remember also, that I am your [b]bone, and your flesh.

3 Then his mother’s brethren spake of him in the audience of all the men of Shechem, all these words: and their hearts were moved to follow Abimelech: for said they, He is our brother.

4 And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-Berith, wherewith Abimelech hired [c]vain and light fellows which followed him.

5 And he went unto his father’s house at Ophrah, and [d]slew his brethren, the sons of Jerubbaal, about seventy persons upon one stone: yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left: for he hid himself.

6 ¶ And all the men of Shechem gathered together with all the house of [e]Millo, and came and made Abimelech King in the plain, where the stone was erected in Shechem.

7 And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, you men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.

8 [f]The trees went forth to anoint a King over them, and said unto the Olive tree, Reign thou over us.

9 But the Olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honor God and man, and go to advance me above the trees?

10 Then the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and be king over us.

11 But the fig tree answered them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to advance me above the trees?

12 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and be king over us.

13 But the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, whereby I cheer God and man, and go to advance me above the trees?

14 Then said all the trees unto the [g]bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.

15 And the bramble said unto the trees, If ye will indeed anoint me king over you, come, and put your trust under my shadow: and if not, the [h]fire shall come out of the bramble, and consume the Cedars of Lebanon.

16 Now therefore, if ye do truly and incorruptly to make Abimelech King, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and with his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands,

17 (For my father fought for you, and [i]adventured his life, and delivered you out of the hands of Midian.

18 And ye are risen up against my father’s house this day, and have slain his children, about seventy persons upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother.)

19 If ye then have dealt truly and purely with Jerubbaal, and with his house this day, then [j]rejoice ye with Abimelech, and let him rejoice with you.

20 But if not, let a fire come out from Abimelech, and consume the men of Shechem and the house of Millo: also let a fire come forth from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and consume Abimelech.

21 And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there for fear of Abimelech his brother.

22 So Abimelech reigned three years over Israel.

23 But God [k]sent an evil spirit between Abimelech, and the men of Shechem: and the men of Shechem brake their promise to Abimelech,

24 That the cruelty toward the seventy sons of Jerubbaal and their blood might come and be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which had slain them, and upon the men of Shechem, which had aided him to kill his brethren.

25 So the men of Shechem set men in wait for him in the tops of the mountains: who robbed all that passed that way by them: and it was told Abimelech.

26 Then Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and they went to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.

27 Therefore they [l]went out into the field, and gathered in their grapes, and trode them, and made merry, and went into the house of their gods, and did eat and drink, 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 Zebul is his officer? Serve rather the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serve him?

29 Now would God this people were under mine hand: then would I put away Abimelech. And he said to [m]Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.

30 ¶ And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his wrath was kindled.

31 Therefore he sent messengers unto Abimelech [n]privily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem, and behold, they fortify the city against thee.

32 Now therefore arise by night, thou and the people that is with thee, and lie in wait in the field.

33 And rise early in the morning as soon as the sun is up, and assault the city: and when he and the people that is with him, shall come out against thee, do to him [o]what thou canst.

34 ¶ So Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him by night: and they lay in wait against Shechem in four bands.

35 Then Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the folk that were with him, from lying in wait.

36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the tops of the mountains: and Zebul said unto him, The [p]shadow of the mountains seem men unto thee.

37 And Gaal spake again, and said, See, there come folk down [q]by the middle of the land, and another band cometh by the way of the plain of [r]Meonenim.

38 Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth that said, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? Is not this the people that thou hast despised? Go out now, I pray thee and fight with them.

39 And Gaal [s]went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.

40 But Abimelech pursued him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded even unto the entering of the gate.

41 And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren that they should not dwell in Shechem.

42 ¶ And on the morrow, the people went out into the field: which was told Abimelech.

43 And he took the [t]people, and divided them into three bands, and laid wait in the fields, and looked, and behold, the people were come out of the city, and he rose up against them, and smote them.

44 And Abimelech, and the bands that were with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and the two other bands ran upon all the people that were in the field, and slew them.

45 And when Abimelech had fought against the city all that day, he took the city, and slew the people that was therein, and destroyed the city, and sowed [u]salt in it.

46 ¶ And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard it, they entered into an hold of the house of the god [v]Berith.

47 And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.

48 And Abimelech got him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him: and Abimelech took axes with him, and cut down boughs of trees, and took them, and bare them on his shoulder, and said unto the folk that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do like me.

49 Then all the people also cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire with them so all the men of the tower of Shechem [w]died also, about a thousand men and women.

50 ¶ Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and besieged Thebez, and took it.

51 But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all the chiefs of the city, and shut it to them, and went up to the top of the tower.

52 And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to set it on fire.

53 But a certain woman (A)cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and brake his brainpan.

54 Then Abimelech called hastily his page that bore his harness, and said unto him, Draw thy sword and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his page [x]thrust him through, and he died.

55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his own place.

56 Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father in slaying his seventy brethren.

57 Also all the wickedness of the men of Shechem did God bring upon their heads. So upon them came the [y]curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 9:1 To practice with his kinsfolk for the attaining of the kingdom.
  2. Judges 9:2 Of your kindred by my mother’s side.
  3. Judges 9:4 Or, idle fellows and vagabonds.
  4. Judges 9:5 Thus tyrants to establish their usurped power, spare not the innocent blood, 2 Kings 10:7; 2 Chron. 21:4.
  5. Judges 9:6 Which was as the town house, or common hall, which he calleth the tower of Shechem, verse 49.
  6. Judges 9:8 By this parable he declareth that those that are not ambitious, are most worthy of honor, and that the ambitious abuse their honor both to their own destruction and others.
  7. Judges 9:14 Or, thistle, or brier.
  8. Judges 9:15 Abimelech shall destroy the nobles of Shechem.
  9. Judges 9:17 Hebrew, he cast his life far from him.
  10. Judges 9:19 That he is your king, and you his subjects.
  11. Judges 9:23 Because the people consented with the king in shedding innocent blood, therefore God destroyeth both one and the other.
  12. Judges 9:27 Before they were afraid of Abimelech’s power, and durst not go out of the city.
  13. Judges 9:29 Braggingly, as though he had been present, or to his captain Zebul.
  14. Judges 9:31 Hebrew, craftily.
  15. Judges 9:33 Hebrew, what thine hand can find.
  16. Judges 9:36 Thou art afraid of a shadow.
  17. Judges 9:37 Hebrew, by the navel.
  18. Judges 9:37 Or, charmers.
  19. Judges 9:39 As their captain.
  20. Judges 9:43 Which were in his company.
  21. Judges 9:45 That it should be unfruitful, and never serve to any use.
  22. Judges 9:46 That is, of Baal-Berith, as Judg. 8:33.
  23. Judges 9:49 Meaning, that all were destroyed as well they in the tower, as the other.
  24. Judges 9:54 Thus God by such miserable death taketh vengeance on tyrants even in this life.
  25. Judges 9:57 For making a tyrant their king.
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Judges 9
New International Version

Abimelek

9 Abimelek(A) son of Jerub-Baal(B) went to his mother’s brothers in Shechem and said to them and to all his mother’s clan, 2 “Ask all the citizens of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you: to have all seventy of Jerub-Baal’s sons rule over you, or just one man?’ Remember, I am your flesh and blood.(C)”

3 When the brothers repeated all this to the citizens of Shechem, they were inclined to follow Abimelek, for they said, “He is related to us.” 4 They gave him seventy shekels[a] of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith,(D) and Abimelek used it to hire reckless scoundrels,(E) who became his followers. 5 He went to his father’s home in Ophrah and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers,(F) the sons of Jerub-Baal. But Jotham,(G) the youngest son of Jerub-Baal, escaped by hiding.(H) 6 Then all the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo(I) gathered beside the great tree(J) at the pillar in Shechem to crown Abimelek king.

7 When Jotham(K) was told about this, he climbed up on the top of Mount Gerizim(L) and shouted to them, “Listen to me, citizens of Shechem, so that God may listen to you. 8 One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’

9 “But the olive tree answered, ‘Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and humans are honored, to hold sway over the trees?’

10 “Next, the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and be our king.’

11 “But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I give up my fruit, so good and sweet, to hold sway over the trees?’

12 “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and be our king.’

13 “But the vine answered, ‘Should I give up my wine,(M) which cheers both gods and humans, to hold sway over the trees?’

14 “Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be our king.’

15 “The thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade;(N) but if not, then let fire come out(O) of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’(P)

16 “Have you acted honorably and in good faith by making Abimelek king? Have you been fair to Jerub-Baal and his family? Have you treated him as he deserves? 17 Remember that my father fought for you and risked(Q) his life to rescue you from the hand of Midian. 18 But today you have revolted against my father’s family. You have murdered his seventy sons(R) on a single stone and have made Abimelek, the son of his female slave, king over the citizens of Shechem because he is related to you. 19 So have you acted honorably and in good faith toward Jerub-Baal and his family today?(S) If you have, may Abimelek be your joy, and may you be his, too! 20 But if you have not, let fire come out(T) from Abimelek and consume you, the citizens of Shechem(U) and Beth Millo,(V) and let fire come out from you, the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and consume Abimelek!”

21 Then Jotham(W) fled, escaping to Beer,(X) and he lived there because he was afraid of his brother Abimelek.

22 After Abimelek had governed Israel three years, 23 God stirred up animosity(Y) between Abimelek and the citizens of Shechem so that they acted treacherously against Abimelek. 24 God did this in order that the crime against Jerub-Baal’s seventy sons,(Z) the shedding(AA) of their blood, might be avenged(AB) on their brother Abimelek and on the citizens of Shechem, who had helped him(AC) murder his brothers. 25 In opposition to him these citizens of Shechem set men on the hilltops to ambush and rob everyone who passed by, and this was reported to Abimelek.

26 Now Gaal son of Ebed(AD) moved with his clan into Shechem, and its citizens put their confidence in him. 27 After they had gone out into the fields and gathered the grapes and trodden(AE) them, they held a festival in the temple of their god.(AF) While they were eating and drinking, they cursed Abimelek. 28 Then Gaal son of Ebed(AG) said, “Who(AH) is Abimelek, and why should we Shechemites be subject to him? Isn’t he Jerub-Baal’s son, and isn’t Zebul his deputy? Serve the family of Hamor,(AI) Shechem’s father! Why should we serve Abimelek? 29 If only this people were under my command!(AJ) Then I would get rid of him. I would say to Abimelek, ‘Call out your whole army!’”[b](AK)

30 When Zebul the governor of the city heard what Gaal son of Ebed said, he was very angry. 31 Under cover he sent messengers to Abimelek, saying, “Gaal son of Ebed and his clan have come to Shechem and are stirring up the city against you. 32 Now then, during the night you and your men should come and lie in wait(AL) in the fields. 33 In the morning at sunrise, advance against the city. When Gaal and his men come out against you, seize the opportunity to attack them.(AM)”

34 So Abimelek and all his troops set out by night and took up concealed positions near Shechem in four companies. 35 Now Gaal son of Ebed had gone out and was standing at the entrance of the city gate(AN) just as Abimelek and his troops came out from their hiding place.(AO)

36 When Gaal saw them, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains!”

Zebul replied, “You mistake the shadows of the mountains for men.”

37 But Gaal spoke up again: “Look, people are coming down from the central hill,[c] and a company is coming from the direction of the diviners’ tree.”

38 Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your big talk now, you who said, ‘Who is Abimelek that we should be subject to him?’ Aren’t these the men you ridiculed?(AP) Go out and fight them!”

39 So Gaal led out[d] the citizens of Shechem and fought Abimelek. 40 Abimelek chased him all the way to the entrance of the gate, and many were killed as they fled. 41 Then Abimelek stayed in Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal and his clan out of Shechem.

42 The next day the people of Shechem went out to the fields, and this was reported to Abimelek. 43 So he took his men, divided them into three companies(AQ) and set an ambush(AR) in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he rose to attack them. 44 Abimelek and the companies with him rushed forward to a position at the entrance of the city gate. Then two companies attacked those in the fields and struck them down. 45 All that day Abimelek pressed his attack against the city until he had captured it and killed its people. Then he destroyed the city(AS) and scattered salt(AT) over it.

46 On hearing this, the citizens in the tower of Shechem went into the stronghold of the temple(AU) of El-Berith. 47 When Abimelek heard that they had assembled there, 48 he and all his men went up Mount Zalmon.(AV) He took an ax and cut off some branches, which he lifted to his shoulders. He ordered the men with him, “Quick! Do what you have seen me do!” 49 So all the men cut branches and followed Abimelek. They piled them against the stronghold and set it on fire with the people still inside. So all the people in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women, also died.

50 Next Abimelek went to Thebez(AW) and besieged it and captured it. 51 Inside the city, however, was a strong tower, to which all the men and women—all the people of the city—had fled. They had locked themselves in and climbed up on the tower roof. 52 Abimelek went to the tower and attacked it. But as he approached the entrance to the tower to set it on fire, 53 a woman dropped an upper millstone on his head and cracked his skull.(AX)

54 Hurriedly he called to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and kill me,(AY) so that they can’t say, ‘A woman killed him.’” So his servant ran him through, and he died. 55 When the Israelites saw that Abimelek was dead, they went home.

56 Thus God repaid the wickedness that Abimelek had done to his father by murdering his seventy brothers. 57 God also made the people of Shechem pay for all their wickedness.(AZ) The curse of Jotham(BA) son of Jerub-Baal came on them.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 9:4 That is, about 1 3/4 pounds or about 800 grams
  2. Judges 9:29 Septuagint; Hebrew him.” Then he said to Abimelek, “Call out your whole army!”
  3. Judges 9:37 The Hebrew for this phrase means the navel of the earth.
  4. Judges 9:39 Or Gaal went out in the sight of
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1599 Geneva Bible (GNV)

Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.

The 1599 Geneva Bible - A publication of Tolle Lege Press
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