Verse
BSB
Berean Standard Bible
KJV
King James Version
Now
Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to his
mother’s
brothers
at
Shechem and said
to
them and to
all the clan
of his mother
,
And
Abimelech the
son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto
his
mother's
brethren,
and communed
with
them ,
and with
all the family
of the
house
of
his mother's
father
, saying,
“Please
ask
all the leaders
of Shechem, ‘
Is it
better for you that
seventy
men
, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule
over you, or just
one man
? ’
Remember that I am your own
flesh
and blood
. ”
Speak,
I
pray
you,
in
the
ears
of
all the men
of Shechem, Whether
is better for you, either
that
all the sons of Jerubbaal, which
are
threescore
and
ten
persons,
reign
over you, or that
one reign
over
you
? remember also
that I am your bone
and your
flesh
.
And when
his mother’s
brothers
spoke
all
these
words
about
him in the presence
of all the leaders
of Shechem ,
their hearts were
inclined to follow Abimelech ,
for they said, “
He is our brother. ”
And his mother's
brethren
spake
of
him in the ears
of all the men
of Shechem all
these
words:
and
their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech ;
for they said, He is our brother.
So
they gave him seventy
shekels
of silver from
the temple
of Baal-berith
, with
which
Abimelech hired some
worthless
and reckless
men
to
follow
him.
And
they gave him threescore
and
ten
pieces
of silver out
of
the house
of Baalberith
, wherewith
Abimelech hired vain
and light
persons,
which
followed
him.
He went to
his father’s
house in
Ophrah, and on
one
stone
murdered
his seventy
brothers,
the sons of Jerubbaal .
But
Jotham
, the youngest son of Jerubbaal ,
survived,
because
he hid himself.
And
he went unto
his father's
house at
Ophrah, and slew
his brethren
the sons of Jerubbaal, being
threescore
and
ten
persons,
upon
one
stone:
notwithstanding
yet
Jotham
the youngest son of Jerubbaal was
left;
for
he hid himself.
Then
all the leaders
of Shechem and Beth-
millo gathered
beside
the oak
at
the pillar in Shechem and
proceeded
to
make
Abimelech
their
king
.
And
all the men
of Shechem gathered
together,
and all
the
house
of
Millo ,
and
went,
and
made
Abimelech
king,
by
the plain
of
the pillar that
was
in Shechem.
When this
was
reported
to Jotham, he climbed
to
the top of Mount Gerizim, raised
his voice, and cried out:
“Listen
to
me, O
leaders
of Shechem, and
may
God listen
to
you.
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, ye
men
of Shechem, that
God may
hearken
unto
you.
One
day
the trees set
out
to anoint a king for
themselves.
They said to
the olive tree, ‘
Reign over us. ’
The trees went
forth
on
a
time
to anoint a king over
them;
and
they said unto
the olive tree, Reign thou
over us.
But the olive tree replied
, ‘
Should I stop
giving
my oil
that
honors
both
God and man, to hold
sway
over the trees? ’
But the olive tree said
unto
them
, Should I leave
my fatness,
wherewith
by
me
they
honor
God and man, and
go
to be
promoted
over the trees?
Then
the trees said to the fig tree, ‘
Come and reign over us. ’
And
the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou,
and reign over us.
But the fig tree replied
, ‘
Should I stop
giving
my sweetness and my good fruit, to hold
sway
over the trees? ’
But the fig tree said
unto
them
, Should I forsake
my sweetness ,
and my good fruit, and
go
to be
promoted
over the trees?
Then the trees said
to
the grapevine
, ‘
Come and reign over us. ’
Then said
the trees unto
the vine
, Come thou,
and reign over us.
But
the grapevine
replied
, ‘
Should I stop
giving
my wine that
cheers
both
God and man, to hold
sway
over the trees? ’
And
the vine
said
unto
them
, Should I leave
my wine ,
which
cheereth
God and man, and
go
to be
promoted
over the trees?
Finally
all the trees said
to
the thornbush
, ‘
Come and reign over us. ’
Then
said
all the trees unto
the bramble
, Come thou,
and reign over us.
But
the thornbush
replied
, ‘
If you
really
are
anointing
me as
king over you, come and find
refuge
in my shade.
But
if not, may
fire come out of the thornbush
and consume
the cedars of Lebanon. ’
And
the bramble
said
unto
the
trees
, If in
truth
ye
anoint
me king over you, then
come and put
your
trust
in my shadow:
and
if not, let
fire come out of the bramble,
and devour
the cedars of Lebanon.
Now if you
have acted
faithfully
and honestly
in making
Abimelech king, if you
have done
well by
Jerubbaal and his family
, and if
you
have done to
him as
he
deserves—
Now therefore,
if ye
have done
truly
and sincerely,
in that
ye
have
made
Abimelech king, and
if ye
have dealt
well with
Jerubbaal and his house
, and have done unto
him according
to
the
deserving
of
his
hands;
for my father fought for you and risked
his life to
deliver
you from
the hand of Midian ,
(
For my father fought for you ,
and adventured
his life far,
and
delivered
you out
of
the hand of Midian :
but
you
have
risen up against my father’s
house this day and killed
his seventy
sons on
a
single
stone, and you
have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the leaders
of Shechem because he is your brother —
And
ye
are
risen up against my father's
house this day ,
and have
slain
his sons ,
threescore
and
ten
persons,
upon
one
stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men
of Shechem ,
because he is your brother ;)
if you
have acted
faithfully
and honestly
toward
Jerubbaal and his house this day, then may
you
rejoice in Abimelech, and he
in you .
If ye
then
have dealt
truly
and sincerely
with
Jerubbaal and with
his house this day, then rejoice ye
in Abimelech, and let
him
also
rejoice
in you :
But if not, may
fire come from Abimelech and consume
the leaders
of Shechem and Beth-
millo ,
and may
fire come from the leaders
of Shechem and Beth-
millo and consume
Abimelech. ”
But if not, let
fire come out
from Abimelech ,
and devour
the men
of Shechem ,
and the
house
of
Millo ;
and let
fire come out
from the men
of Shechem ,
and from
the
house
of
Millo ,
and devour
Abimelech.
Then
Jotham ran away, escaping
to Beer, and he
lived
there for fear of his brother Abimelech
.
And
Jotham ran away, and
fled,
and
went
to Beer, and dwelt
there ,
for fear of Abimelech
his brother.
After
Abimelech had reigned over
Israel
for
three years,
When
Abimelech had reigned three years over
Israel
,
God sent a
spirit of
animosity
between Abimelech and the leaders
of Shechem and caused
them
to
treat
Abimelech deceitfully,
Then
God sent an
evil
spirit between Abimelech and the men
of Shechem ;
and the
men
of
Shechem
dealt
treacherously
with
Abimelech :
in
order
that the crime
against
the seventy
sons of Jerubbaal might come to
justice
and their blood be avenged
on
their brother Abimelech
and on
the leaders
of Shechem, who
had
helped
him murder
his brothers
.
That the cruelty
done
to
the threescore
and
ten
sons of Jerubbaal might come ,
and their blood be laid
upon
Abimelech
their brother ,
which
slew
them;
and upon
the men
of Shechem, which
aided
him in
the
killing
of
his brethren
.
The leaders
of Shechem set up
an
ambush
against
Abimelech
on
the hilltops
, and they robbed all who
passed
by them on
the
road.
So
this
was reported
to
Abimelech.
And
the men
of Shechem set liers
in
wait
for
him
in
the top
of
the
mountains
, and they robbed all that
came
along
that
way
by them :
and
it
was told
Abimelech.
Meanwhile,
Gaal son of Ebed came with his brothers
and crossed
into
Shechem ,
and the leaders
of Shechem put their confidence in him.
And
Gaal the
son of Ebed came with his brethren,
and went
over
to
Shechem :
and the men
of Shechem put their confidence in him.
And after
they had
gone
out into the fields, gathered grapes
from
their vineyards, and trodden
them
, they
held
a
festival
and went into the house of their god ;
and as
they
ate
and drank
, they
cursed Abimelech.
And they went
out into the fields, and
gathered their vineyards, and trode
the
grapes
, and made
merry,
and
went into the house of their god ,
and did
eat
and drink
, and
cursed Abimelech.
Then
Gaal 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
not
Zebul his officer? You
are
to
serve the men of Hamor ,
the father of Shechem .
Why should we serve Abimelech
?
And
Gaal the
son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he
the son of Jerubbaal ?
and Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem :
for
why should we serve him
?
If
only
this people were under my authority,
I
would remove Abimelech ;
I
would
say
to him
, ‘Muster
your
army and come out !’”
And
would
to
God
this people were under my hand!
then
would I
remove Abimelech .
And
he
said
to Abimelech
, Increase
thine
army ,
and come out .
When Zebul the governor
of the city heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed, he
burned
with
anger.
And
when Zebul the ruler
of the city heard the words of Gaal the
son of Ebed, his
anger was
kindled
.
So
he covertly
sent messengers to
Abimelech to
say
, “Look
, Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers
have
come to Shechem and are
stirring
up
the city against you
.
And
he sent messengers unto
Abimelech privily
, saying
, Behold,
Gaal the
son of Ebed and his brethren
be
come to Shechem ;
and ,
behold,
they
fortify
the city against thee
.
Now then
, tonight
you
and the people with you
are
to
come
and lie in wait in the fields.
Now therefore
up
by
night
, thou
and the people that
is
with thee,
and lie in wait in the field:
And in the morning at
sunrise
, get
up and advance
against
the city .
When Gaal
and his
men
come out against you
, do to them whatever
you
are
able
. ”
And it
shall
be,
that
in the morning, as
soon
as
the
sun
is
up ,
thou
shalt
rise
early,
and set
upon
the city :
and,
behold,
when he
and the
people
that
is
with
him
come out against thee
, then
mayest
thou
do to them as
thou
shalt
find
occasion
.
So
Abimelech and all his
troops
set
out
by night and lay
in
wait against Shechem in four companies.
And
Abimelech rose
up,
and all the
people
that
were
with
him,
by night ,
and they
laid
wait against Shechem in four companies.
Now
Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood at
the entrance
of the city
gate just
as
Abimelech and his
men
came
out
from their
hiding
places
.
And
Gaal the
son of Ebed went out ,
and stood in
the entering
of the gate of
the
city:
and
Abimelech rose
up,
and the
people
that
were
with
him,
from lying
in
wait
.
When Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, “Look
, people are
coming
down from the mountains !”
But
Zebul replied
, “
The shadows
of the mountains look
like
men to
you
. ”
And
when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold
, there
come
people down from the top
of
the
mountains .
And
Zebul said
unto
him
, Thou
seest
the shadow
of the mountains as
if
they
were
men.
Then
Gaal spoke
up
again, “Look
, people are
coming
down from
the center
of the land, and one
company is
coming
by way
of
the Diviners’
Oak
. ”
And
Gaal spake
again, and
said
, See
there
come
people down by
the middle
of the land, and another
company come
along
by the plain
of
Meonenim
.
“
Where is your
gloating
now ?”
Zebul
replied.
“You
said
, ‘
Who is Abimelech that we should serve him? ’
Are
these
not the people you
ridiculed
? Go out now and fight them !”
Then
said
Zebul
unto
him,
Where is now thy
mouth
, wherewith
thou
saidst,
Who is Abimelech ,
that we should serve him? is
not this
the people that
thou
hast
despised
? go out ,
I
pray
now ,
and fight with
them .
So
Gaal went out before the leaders
of Shechem and fought against
Abimelech ,
And
Gaal went out before the men
of Shechem ,
and fought with
Abimelech .
but
Abimelech pursued
him, and Gaal
fled before him .
And many Shechemites
fell
wounded all
the
way
to
the entrance
of the gate.
And
Abimelech chased
him, and he
fled before him ,
and many were
overthrown
and
wounded ,
even
unto
the entering
of the gate.
Abimelech stayed
in
Arumah ,
and Zebul drove
Gaal and his brothers
out
of
Shechem.
And
Abimelech dwelt
at
Arumah :
and Zebul thrust
out
Gaal and his brethren,
that
they
should
not
dwell
in
Shechem.
The next
day
the people of
Shechem
went out into the fields,
and this
was
reported
to
Abimelech.
And
it
came
to
pass
on
the morrow,
that
the people went out into the field;
and they
told
Abimelech.
So
he took his
men
, divided them into three companies, and lay
in
wait in the fields.
When
he
saw
the people coming
out of the city ,
he rose up against them and attacked
them.
And
he took the
people
, and
divided them into three companies, and laid
wait in the field,
and
looked,
and,
behold,
the people were
come
forth
out of the city ;
and
he rose up against them ,
and smote
them.
Then
Abimelech and the companies
with him rushed forward and took
their
stand
at
the entrance
of the city
gate .
The other
two companies rushed
against
all who
were in the fields and struck
them down
.
And
Abimelech ,
and the company
that
was
with him ,
rushed forward ,
and stood
in
the entering
of the gate of
the city:
and
the
two other
companies ran
upon
all the
people
that
were in the fields ,
and slew
them.
And all
that
day
Abimelech fought against the city until
he had
captured
it
and killed
its
people .
Then
he
demolished
the city and sowed it with salt.
And Abimelech fought against the city all
that
day;
and
he took
the
city,
and slew
the
people that
was
therein,
and
beat
down
the city ,
and sowed it with salt.
On
hearing
of
this,
all the leaders
in
the tower of Shechem entered the
inner
chamber
of the temple
of El-
berith.
And
when
all the men
of
the tower of Shechem heard
that,
they
entered into
an
hold
of the house
of the
god
Berith.
And when
Abimelech
was told that all the leaders
in
the tower of Shechem were gathered there,
And it
was told Abimelech,
that all the men
of
the tower of Shechem were gathered together.
he
and all
his
men
went
up to Mount Zalmon .
Abimelech took his
axe in his hand and cut a branch
from the trees, which
he
lifted
to
his
shoulder
, saying
to
his men
, “Hurry
and do
what you
have seen me do. ”
And Abimelech
gat
him
up to mount Zalmon ,
he
and
all
the
people
that
were
with
him;
and
Abimelech took an
axe in his hand ,
and cut down
a bough
from the trees, and
took
it
, and
laid
it
on
his shoulder
, and said
unto
the
people
that
were
with
him,
What ye
have seen me do ,
make
haste,
and
do
as
I
have
done
.
So
each
man
also
cut his own
branch
and followed Abimelech .
Then
they
piled
the
branches
against
the inner
chamber
and set it
on fire above
them ,
killing
everyone
in
the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women.
And
all
the
people
likewise
cut down
every
man
his bough,
and followed Abimelech ,
and
put
them
to
the hold,
and set the
hold
on fire upon
them ;
so
that
all
the men
of
the
tower of Shechem died
also
, about a thousand men and women.
Then Abimelech
went to Thebez, encamped against it
, and captured
it.
Then went Abimelech
to Thebez, and
encamped against Thebez
, and took
it.
But there was a strong tower inside
the city, and all the men ,
women, and leaders
of the city fled
there.
They
locked
themselves
in
and went
up to the roof
of the tower.
But there was a strong tower within
the city, and thither
fled
all the men and
women, and all
they
of the city ,
and shut
it
to
them,
and
gat
them
up to the top
of the tower.
When
Abimelech came to
attack
the tower, he
approached
its
entrance
to set
it on
fire.
And
Abimelech came unto
the tower, and
fought
against
it,
and
went
hard
unto
the
door
of
the
tower
to burn
it with
fire.
But
a woman dropped
an
upper
millstone on
Abimelech’s
head, crushing
his skull.
And
a certain
woman cast
a
piece
of
a
millstone upon
Abimelech's
head, and
all
to
brake
his skull.
He quickly
called his armor-bearer
, saying
, “
Draw your
sword and kill
me, lest
they
say of me, ‘
A woman
killed
him. ’”
So
Abimelech’s
armor-bearer
ran
his sword
through
him, and he died.
Then
he called hastily
unto
the
young
man
his armourbearer
, and
said
unto
him
, Draw thy
sword ,
and slay
me, that
men
say not
of me, A women
slew
him. And
his young
man
thrust
him through
, and he died.
And when the Israelites
saw that Abimelech was dead, they all
went
home
.
And when the men
of
Israel
saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed
every
man
unto
his
place
.
In
this
way
God repaid
the wickedness that
Abimelech had
done
to
his father in murdering
his seventy brothers.
Thus
God rendered
the wickedness of
Abimelech ,
which
he
did
unto
his father ,
in slaying
his seventy brethren:
And God
also
brought
all the wickedness
of the men of Shechem back
upon their own
heads .
So
the curse of Jotham son of Jerubbaal came
upon
them
.
And all the evil
of the men of Shechem did
God
render
upon their heads :
and
upon
them
came
the curse of Jotham the
son of Jerubbaal.
Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible and King James Version. Public domain; source text distributed by BSB Publishing, LLC.; UK publication rights are administered by the Crown's patentee; public domain in most other jurisdictions..