JudgesChapter 9
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1Now Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to his mother's brothers in Shechem. He spoke to them and to his mother's whole clan. He said, 2"Please ask all the leaders of Shechem this: 'Which is better for you? Should 70 men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you? Or should just one man?' Remember that I am your own flesh and blood." 3His mother's brothers told all these words to the leaders of Shechem for him. Then the leaders' hearts leaned toward following Abimelech. They said, "He is our brother." 4So they gave him 70 shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-berith. Abimelech used it to hire some worthless, reckless men to follow him.a 5He went to his father's house in Ophrah. There, on one stone, he murdered his 70 brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, stayed alive, because he hid. 6Then all the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo gathered by the oak tree at the stone pillar in Shechem. There they made Abimelech their king. 7Jotham was told about this. So he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted loudly. He said, "Listen to me, leaders of Shechem! Then God may listen to you. 8One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, 'Be our king.' 9But the olive tree answered, 'Should I stop making my oil? It is used to honor both God and people. Should I give that up just to wave over the trees?' 10Next the trees said to the fig tree, 'Come and be our king.' 11But the fig tree answered, 'Should I stop making my sweet, good fruit just to wave over the trees?' 12Then the trees said to the grapevine, 'Come and be our king.' 13But the grapevine answered, 'Should I stop making my wine? It cheers both God and people. Should I give that up just to wave over the trees?' 14At last all the trees said to the thornbush, 'Come and be our king.' 15The thornbush answered, 'Do you really mean to anoint me as your king? Then come and find safety in my shade. But if not, may fire come out of the thornbush! May it burn up the cedars of Lebanon!' 16Now suppose you acted in a faithful and honest way when you made Abimelech king. Suppose you treated Jerubbaal and his family well and gave him what he deserves. 17For my father fought for you. He risked his life to rescue you from the power of Midian. 18But today you have turned against my father's family. You killed his 70 sons on one stone. You made Abimelech king over the leaders of Shechem because he is your relative. He is only the son of my father's slave woman. 19So if you have acted in a faithful and honest way toward Jerubbaal and his family today, then be happy with Abimelech. And may he be happy with you. 20But if not, may fire come out from Abimelech! May it burn up the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo. And may fire come out from the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo! May it burn up Abimelech!" 21Then Jotham ran away and escaped to Beer. He lived there because he was afraid of his brother Abimelech. 22Abimelech ruled over Israel for three years. 23Then God sent a spirit of hatred between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem. He made them turn against Abimelech and betray him. 24God did this so that the crime against Jerubbaal's 70 sons would be punished. Their blood would be paid back on their brother Abimelech. It would also be paid back on the leaders of Shechem, who helped him murder his brothers. 25The leaders of Shechem set men to hide and wait for Abimelech on the hilltops. These men robbed everyone who passed by on the road. Abimelech was told about this. 26Meanwhile, Gaal son of Ebed came into Shechem with his brothers. The leaders of Shechem trusted him. 27They went out into the fields and picked grapes from their vineyards. They crushed the grapes with their feet. Then they held a festival and went into the temple of their god. While they ate and drank, they cursed Abimelech. 28Then Gaal son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech? And who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Isn't he the son of Jerubbaal? Isn't Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem! Why should we serve Abimelech? 29If only these people were under my command! Then I would get rid of Abimelech. I would say to him, 'Call up your army and come out to fight!'" 30Zebul was the ruler of the city. He heard what Gaal son of Ebed said, and he burned with anger. 31So he secretly sent messengers to Abimelech. They said, "Look, Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem. They are turning the city against you. 32So tonight, you and your men should come. Hide and wait in the fields. 33In the morning, as soon as the sun comes up, get up and march against the city. Gaal and his men will come out against you. Then do to them whatever you can." 34So Abimelech and all his troops set out at night. They split into four groups and hid near Shechem, waiting. 35Now Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate. Just then, Abimelech and his men came out from their hiding places. 36Gaal saw the people and said to Zebul, "Look, people are coming down from the mountaintops!" But Zebul answered, "You're seeing the shadows of the mountains. They just look like men to you." 37But Gaal spoke again. "Look, people are coming down from the center of the land! And one group is coming by the Fortune-Tellers' Oak." 38Then Zebul said to him, "Where is your big talk now? You said, 'Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?' Aren't these the people you made fun of? Go out now and fight them!" 39So Gaal led the leaders of Shechem out and fought against Abimelech. 40But Abimelech chased him, and Gaal ran away from him. Many men of Shechem fell wounded all along the way to the entrance of the gate. 41Abimelech stayed in Arumah. And Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem. 42The next day the people of Shechem went out into the fields. Abimelech was told about it. 43So he took his men and divided them into three groups. They hid in the fields and waited. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he jumped up and attacked them. 44Abimelech and the group with him rushed forward. They took their place at the entrance of the city gate. The other two groups rushed at all the people in the fields and killed them. 45Abimelech fought against the city all that day. At last he captured it and killed its people. Then he tore down the city and spread salt over it. 46All the leaders in the tower of Shechem heard about this. So they went into the inner room of the temple of El-berith. 47Abimelech was told that all the leaders in the tower of Shechem had gathered there. 48So he and all his men went up Mount Zalmon. Abimelech took an axe in his hand and cut a branch from the trees. He lifted it onto his shoulder. He told his men, "Hurry! Do what you've seen me do." 49So each man cut his own branch and followed Abimelech. They piled the branches against the inner room. Then they set it on fire over the people inside. Everyone in the tower of Shechem died, about 1,000 men and women. 50Then Abimelech went to Thebez. He camped around it and captured it. 51But there was a strong tower inside the city. All the men, women, and leaders of the city ran there. They locked themselves in and climbed up to the roof of the tower. 52Abimelech came to attack the tower. He went up to its door to set it on fire. 53But a woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech's head, and it cracked his skull.b 54Right away he called to the man who carried his armor. He said, "Pull out your sword and kill me. I don't want people to say about me, 'A woman killed him.'" So the man who carried his armor stabbed him with his sword, and Abimelech died. 55When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they all went home. 56In this way God paid Abimelech back for the evil he had done to his father. He had murdered his 70 brothers. 57God also made the men of Shechem pay for all their evil. So the curse of Jotham son of Jerubbaal came true for them.