Verse
WEB
World English Bible
BSB
Berean Standard Bible
Abimelech the
son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem
to
his mother's
brothers ,
and spoke
with
them ,
and with
all the family
of
the
house
of his mother's
father,
saying
,
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
,
Please speak
in
the
ears
of
all the men
of Shechem, Whether
is better for you ,
that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who
are
seventy
persons,
rule over you, or that
one rule
over
you
? Remember also
that I am your bone
and
your
flesh.
“
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
. ”
His mother's
brothers spoke 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.
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. ”
They gave him seventy [pieces]
of silver out
of
the house
of Baal Berith, with which Abimelech hired vain
and light
fellows,
who
followed
him.
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.
He went to his father's
house at
Ophrah, and killed
his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal ,
being
seventy
persons,
on
one
stone:
but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was
left;
for
he hid himself.
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.
All the men
of Shechem assembled
themselves
together,
and all
the
house
of
Millo ,
and
went
and
made
Abimelech
king,
by
the oak of
the pillar that
was
in Shechem.
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
.
When they
told
it
to Jotham, he went
and
stood
on
the top of Mount Gerizim, and
lifted
up
his voice, and cried ,
and
said
to
them,
Listen to me, you
men
of Shechem, that
God
may listen to you.
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.
The trees went
forth
on
a
time
to anoint a king over
them;
and
they said to the olive tree, Reign you
over us.
One
day
the trees set
out
to anoint a king for
themselves.
They said to the olive tree, ‘
Reign over us. ’
But the olive tree said
to
them
, Should I leave
my fatness,
with
which
by
me
they
honor
God and man, and
go
to wave
back
and
forth
over the trees?
But the olive tree replied
, ‘
Should I stop
giving
my oil
that
honors
both
God and man, to hold
sway
over the trees? ’
The trees said to the fig tree, Come you,
and reign over us.
Then
the trees said to the fig tree, ‘
Come and reign over us. ’
But the fig tree said
to
them
, Should I leave
my sweetness ,
and my good fruit, and
go
to wave
back
and
forth
over the trees?
But the fig tree replied
, ‘
Should I stop
giving
my sweetness and my good fruit, to hold
sway
over the trees? ’
The trees said to the vine
, Come you,
and reign over us.
Then
the trees said to the grapevine
, ‘
Come and reign over us. ’
The vine
said
to
them
, Should I leave
my new
wine ,
which
cheers God and man, and
go
to wave
back
and
forth
over the trees?
But
the grapevine
replied
, ‘
Should I stop
giving
my wine that
cheers both
God and man, to hold
sway
over the trees? ’
Then
said
all the trees to the bramble
, Come you,
and reign over us.
Finally
all the trees said
to the thornbush
, ‘
Come and reign over us. ’
The
bramble
said
to
the trees
, If in
truth
you anoint
me king over you, then
come and take
refuge in my shade ;
and
if not, let
fire come out of the bramble,
and devour
the cedars of Lebanon.
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. ’
Now therefore,
if you have dealt
truly
and righteously,
in that
you
have
made
Abimelech king, and
if you have dealt
well with
Jerubbaal and his house
, and have done to him according
to
the
deserving
of
his
hands
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—
(
for my father fought for you ,
and adventured
his life ,
and
delivered
you out
of
the hand of Midian :
for my father fought for you and risked
his life to
deliver
you from
the hand of Midian ,
and
you are
risen up against my father's
house this day ,
and have
slain
his sons,
seventy persons,
on one
stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maid-servant
, king over the men
of Shechem ,
because he is your brother );
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 —
if you then
have dealt
truly
and righteously
with
Jerubbaal and with
his house this day, then rejoice
you in Abimelech, and let
him
also
rejoice
in you :
if you have acted
faithfully
and honestly
toward
Jerubbaal and his house this day, then may
you rejoice
in Abimelech, and he
in you .
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.
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. ”
Jotham ran away, and
fled,
and
went
to Beer, and lived there ,
for fear of Abimelech
his brother.
Then
Jotham ran away, escaping
to Beer, and he
lived there for fear of his brother Abimelech
.
Abimelech was
prince
over Israel three years .
After
Abimelech had
reigned
over Israel for
three years ,
God sent an
evil
spirit between Abimelech and the men
of Shechem ;
and the
men
of
Shechem
dealt
treacherously
with
Abimelech :
God sent a
spirit of
animosity
between Abimelech and the leaders
of Shechem and caused
them
to
treat
Abimelech deceitfully,
that the violence
done
to
the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come ,
and that
their blood might
be laid
on Abimelech
their brother ,
who
killed
them,
and on the men
of Shechem, who strengthened
his
hands
to
kill
his brothers.
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.
The men
of Shechem set liers-in-wait
for
him
on the tops
of
the
mountains
, and they robbed all who came
along
that
way
by them :
and
it
was told
Abimelech.
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.
Gaal the
son of Ebed came with his brothers ,
and went
over
to
Shechem ;
and the men
of Shechem put their trust
in him.
Meanwhile,
Gaal son of Ebed came with his brothers and crossed
into
Shechem ,
and the leaders
of Shechem put their confidence
in him.
They went
out into the field
, and
gathered their vineyards, and trod
[the
grapes]
, and
held festival ,
and went into the house of their god ,
and did
eat
and drink
, and
cursed Abimelech.
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.
Gaal the
son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Isn't
he the son of Jerubbaal ?
and Zebul his officer? serve
you the men of Hamor the father of Shechem :
but
why should we serve him
?
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
?
Would
that
this people were under my hand!
then
would
I remove Abimelech .
He
said
to Abimelech
, Increase
your army ,
and come out .
If
only
this people were under my authority,
I would
remove Abimelech ;
I
would
say
to him
, ‘Muster
your army and come out !’”
When Zebul the ruler
of the city heard the words of Gaal the
son of Ebed, his
anger was
kindled
.
When Zebul the governor
of the city heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed, he
burned
with
anger.
He sent messengers to Abimelech craftily,
saying
, Behold
, Gaal the
son of Ebed and his brothers are
come to Shechem ;
and ,
behold,
they
constrain
the city [to
take
part]
against you.
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.
Now therefore,
up
by
night
, you and the people who
are
with you ,
and lie in wait in the field:
Now then
, tonight
you and the people with you are
to
come
and lie in wait in the fields.
and it
shall
be,
that
in the morning, as
soon
as
the
sun
is
up ,
you
shall
rise
early,
and rush
on
the city ;
and,
behold,
when he
and the
people
who
are
with
him
come out against you, then
may
you
do to them as
you shall
find
occasion
.
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
. ”
Abimelech rose
up,
and all the
people
who
were
with
him,
by night ,
and they
laid
wait against Shechem in four companies.
So
Abimelech and all his
troops
set
out
by night and lay
in
wait against Shechem in four companies.
Gaal the
son of Ebed went out ,
and stood in
the entrance of the gate
of
the
city :
and
Abimelech rose
up,
and the
people
who
were
with
him,
from the
ambush
.
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
.
When Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold
, there
come
people down from the tops
of
the
mountains .
Zebul said
to
him
, You
see
the shadow
of the mountains as
if
they
were
men.
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
. ”
Gaal spoke again and
said
, Behold
, there
come
people down by
the middle
of the land, and one company comes
by the
way of the oak of
Meonenim
.
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. ”
Then
said
Zebul
to
him,
Where is now
your mouth,
that
you said, Who is Abimelech ,
that we should serve him? is
not this
the people that
you have
despised
? go out now ,
I
pray,
and fight with
them .
“
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 !”
Gaal went out before the men
of Shechem ,
and fought with
Abimelech .
So
Gaal went out before the leaders
of Shechem and fought against
Abimelech ,
Abimelech chased
him, and he
fled before him ,
and there
fell
many wounded ,
even
to the entrance of the gate.
but
Abimelech pursued
him, and Gaal
fled before him .
And many Shechemites
fell
wounded all
the
way
to the entrance of the gate.
Abimelech lived
at
Arumah :
and Zebul drove out
Gaal and his brothers ,
that
they
should
not
dwell
in
Shechem.
Abimelech stayed
in
Arumah ,
and Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out
of
Shechem.
It
happened
on
the next day ,
that
the people went out into the field;
and they
told
Abimelech.
The next day the people of
Shechem
went out into the fields,
and this
was
reported
to
Abimelech.
He took the
people
, and
divided them into three companies, and laid
wait in the field;
and
he looked,
and,
behold,
the people came
forth
out of the city ;
He rose up against them ,
and struck
them.
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.
Abimelech ,
and the companies that
were
with him ,
rushed forward ,
and stood
in
the entrance of the gate
of
the
city :
and
the two companies rushed on
all who were in the field,
and struck 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
.
Abimelech fought against the city all
that
day;
and
he took
the
city,
and killed the
people who
were
therein:
and
he beat
down
the city ,
and sowed it with salt.
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.
When
all the men
of
the tower of Shechem heard
of
it,
they
entered into
the stronghold
of the house
of Elberith
.
On
hearing
of
this,
all the leaders
in
the tower of Shechem entered the inner
chamber
of the temple
of El-berith
.
It
was told Abimelech
that all the men
of
the tower of Shechem were gathered together.
And
when
Abimelech
was told that all the leaders
in
the tower of Shechem were gathered there,
Abimelech
got
him
up to Mount Zalmon ,
he
and
all
the
people
who
were
with
him;
and
Abimelech took an
axe in his hand ,
and cut down
a bough
from the trees, and
took
it
up,
and
laid
it
on
his shoulder :
and
he
said
to the
people
who
were
with
him
, What you have seen me do ,
make
haste,
and
do
as
I
have
done
.
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. ”
All
the
people
likewise
cut
down
every
man his bough,
and followed Abimelech ,
and
put
them
to
the stronghold,
and set the
stronghold
on fire on
them ;
so
that
all
the
men
of
the tower of Shechem died
also
, about a thousand men and women.
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.
Then went
Abimelech to Thebez, and
encamped against Thebez
, and took
it.
Then Abimelech went
to Thebez, encamped against it
, and captured
it.
But there was a strong tower within
the city, and there
fled
all the men and
women, and all
they
of the city ,
and
shut
themselves in ,
and got
them
up to the roof of the tower.
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.
Abimelech came to the tower, and
fought
against
it,
and
drew
near
to
the
door
of
the
tower
to burn
it with
fire.
When
Abimelech came to attack
the tower, he
approached
its
entrance
to set
it on
fire.
A certain
woman cast
an upper millstone on Abimelech's
head, and
broke
his skull.
But
a woman dropped
an upper millstone on Abimelech’s
head, crushing
his skull.
Then
he called hastily
to
the
young
man
his armor bearer, and
said
to
him
, Draw your sword ,
and kill me, that
men
not
say of me, A woman killed him. His young
man
thrust
him
through, and he died.
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.
When the men
of
Israel
saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed
every
man
to
his
place
.
And
when the Israelites
saw that Abimelech was dead, they all
went
home
.
Thus
God requited
the wickedness of
Abimelech ,
which
he
did
to his father ,
in killing
his seventy brothers ;
In
this
way
God repaid
the wickedness that
Abimelech had
done
to his father in murdering
his seventy brothers .
and all the wickedness of the men of Shechem did
God
requite
on
their heads :
and
on
them
came
the curse of Jotham the
son of Jerubbaal.
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
.
Scripture text: World English Bible and Berean Standard Bible. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org.; Public domain; source text distributed by BSB Publishing, LLC..