1
And
Abimelech the
son of
Jerubbaal went to
Shechem to his
mother's relatives, and
spoke to them and to the
whole clan of the
household of his
mother's father,
saying,
yex]a -l,a h'm,k.v l;[;BUr.y -n,B .$,l,myib]a .$,leY;w ? t;x;P.vim -l'K -l,a.w ~,hyel]a reB;d.y;w w{Mia ? r{mael w{Mia yib]a -tyeB
2
"Speak,
now, in the
hearing of
all the
leaders of
Shechem,
'Which is
better for you, that
seventy men,
all the
sons of
Jerubbaal,
rule over you,
or that
one man rule over you?' Also,
remember that I am your
bone and your
flesh."
bw{J -h;m ~,k.v yel][;B -l'k yen.z'a.B a'n -.Wr.B;D ? l;[;BUr.y yen.B l{K vyia ~yi[.biv ~,k'B l{v.m;h ~,k'l ? ~,kem.c;[ -yiK ~,T.r;k.z.W d'x,a vyia ~,k'B l{v.m -mia ? yin'a ~,k.r;f.b.W
3
And his
mother's relatives spoke all these words on his
behalf in the
hearing of
all the
leaders of
Shechem; and they were
inclined to
follow Abimelech, for they
said, "He is our
relative."
yel][;B -l'K yen.z'a.B wy'l'[ w{Mia -yex]a .Wr.B;d.y;w ? ~'Bil jeY;w h,Lea'h ~yir'b.D;h -l'K tea ~,k.v ? a.Wh .Wnyix'a .Wr.m'a yiK .$,l,myib]a yer]x;a
4
They
gave him
seventy pieces of
silver from the
house of
Baal-berith with
which Abimelech hired worthless and
reckless fellows, and they
followed * him.
tyir.B l;[;B tyeBim @,s,K ~yi[.biv w{l -.Wn.TiY;w ? ~yiz]x{p.W ~yiqyer ~yiv'n]a .$,l,myib]a ~,h'B r{K.fiY;w ? wy'r]x;a .Wk.leY;w
5
Then he
went to his
father's house at
Ophrah and
killed his
brothers the
sons of
Jerubbaal,
seventy men, on
one stone. But
Jotham the
youngest son of
Jerubbaal was
left, for he
hid himself.
wy'x,a -t,a g{r]h;Y;w h't'r.p'[ wyib'a -tyeb a{b'Y;w ? t'x,a !,b,a -l;[ vyia ~yi[.biv l;[;BUr.y -yen.B ? a'B.x,n yiK !{j'Q;h l;[;BUr.y -n,B ~'tw{y ret\WiY;w
6
All the
men of
Shechem and
all Beth-millo assembled together, and they
went and
made Abimelech king, by the
oak of the
pillar which was in
Shechem.
aw{Lim tyeB -l'k.w ~,k.v yel][;B -l'K .Wp.s'aeY;w ? !w{lea -mi[ .$,l,m.l .$,l,myib]a -t,a .Wkyil.m;Y;w .Wk.leY;w ? ~,k.viB r,v]a b'CUm
7
Now when they
told Jotham, he
went and
stood on the
top of
Mount Gerizim, and
lifted his
voice and
called out. Thus he
said to them,
"Listen to me, O
men of
Shechem, that
God may
listen to you.
~yizir.G -r;h va{r.B d{m][;Y;w .$,leY;w ~'tw{y.l .WdiG;Y;w ? .W[.miv ~,h'l r,ma{Y;w a'r.qiY;w w{lw{q a'FiY;w ? ~yih{l/a ~,kyel]a [;m.vIy.w ~,k.v yel][;B y;lea
8
"Once the
trees went forth to
anoint a
king over them, and they
said to the
olive tree,
'Reign over us!'
.$,l,m ~,hyel][ ;x{v.mil ~yice['h .Wk.l'h .$w{l'h ? .Wnyel'[ h'kw{l'm tIy;Z;l .Wr.ma{Y;w
9
"But the
olive tree said to them, 'Shall I
leave my
fatness with
which God and
men are
honored, and
go to
wave over the
trees?'
yin.viD -t,a yiT.l;d\x,h tIy;Z;h ~,h'l r,ma{Y;w ? yiT.k;l'h.w ~yiv'n]a;w ~yih{l/a .Wd.B;k.y yiB -r,v]a ? ~yice['h -l;[ ;[.Wn'l
10
"Then the
trees said to the
fig tree, 'You
come,
reign over us!'
yik.l'm .T;a -yik.l h'nea.T;l ~yice['h .Wr.ma{Y;w ? .Wnyel'[
11
"But the
fig tree said to them, 'Shall I
leave my
sweetness and my
good fruit, and
go to
wave over the
trees?'
-t,a yiT.l;d\x,h h'nea.T;h ~,h'l r,ma{T;w ? ~yice['h -l;[ ;[.Wn'l yiT.k;l'h.w h'bw{J;h yit'b.Wn.T -t,a.w yiq.t'm
12
"Then the
trees said to the
vine, 'You
come,
reign over us!'
yikw{l'm .T;a -yik.l !,p'G;l ~yice['h .Wr.ma{Y;w ? .Wnyel'[
13
"But the
vine said to them, 'Shall I
leave my
new wine, which
cheers God and
men, and
go to
wave over the
trees?'
yivw{ryiT -t,a yiT.l;d\x,h !,p,G;h ~,h'l r,ma{T;w ? ;[.Wn'l yiT.k;l'h.w ~yiv'n]a;w ~yih{l/a ;xeM;f.m;h ? ~yice['h -l;[
14
"Finally
all the
trees said to the
bramble, 'You
come,
reign over us!'
h'T;a .$el d'j'a'h -l,a ~yice['h -l'k .Wr.ma{Y;w ? .Wnyel'[ -.k'l.m
15
"The
bramble said to the
trees,
'If in
truth you are
anointing me as
king over you,
come and
take refuge in my
shade; but
if not, may
fire come out from the
bramble and
consume the
cedars of
Lebanon.'
~,T;a t,m/a,B ~ia ~yice['h -l,a d'j'a'h r,ma{Y;w ? yiLic.b .Ws]x .Wa{B ~,kyel][ .$,l,m.l yit{a ~yix.v{m ? l;ka{t.w d'j'a'h -nim vea aeceT !Iy;a -mia.w ? !w{n'b.L;h yez.r;a -t,a
16
"Now therefore,
if you have
dealt in
truth and
integrity in
making Abimelech king, and
if you have
dealt well with
Jerubbaal and his
house, and have
dealt with him as he
deserved * -
.Wkyil.m;T;w ~,tyif][ ~yim't.b.W t,m/a,B -mia h'T;[.w ? l;[;BUr.y -mi[ ~,tyif][ h'bw{j -mia.w .$,l,myib]a -t,a ? ~,tyif][ wy'd'y l.Wm.giK -mia.w w{tyeB -mi[.w ? w{l
17
for my
father fought for you and
risked * his
life and
delivered you from the
hand of
Midian;
w{v.p;n -t,a .$el.v;Y;w ~,kyel][ yib'a ~;x.lin -r,v]a ? !'y.dim d;Yim ~,k.t,a leC;Y;w d,g,Nim
18
but you have
risen against my
father's house today and have
killed his
sons,
seventy men, on
one stone, and have
made Abimelech, the
son of his
maidservant,
king over the
men of
Shechem,
because he is your
relative -
.Wg.r;h;T;w ~w{Y;h yib'a tyeB -l;[ ~,T.m;q ~,T;a.w ? t'x,a<0251)> !,b,a -l;[ vyia ~yi[.biv wy'n'B -t,a ? yel][;B -l;[ w{t'm]a -n,B .$,l,myib]a -t,a .Wkyil.m;T;w ? a.Wh ~,kyix]a yiK ~,k.v
19
if then you have
dealt in
truth and
integrity with
Jerubbaal and his
house this day,
rejoice in
Abimelech, and let him
also rejoice in you.
l;[;BUr.y -mi[ ~,tyif][ ~yim't.b.W t,m/a,B -mia.w ? .$,l,myib]a;B .Wx.mif h,Z;h ~w{Y;h w{tyeB -mi[.w ? ~,k'B a.Wh -m;G x;m.fIy.w
20
"But
if not, let
fire come out from
Abimelech and
consume the
men of
Shechem and
Beth-millo; and let
fire come out from the
men of
Shechem and from
Beth-millo, and
consume Abimelech."
yel][;B -t,a l;ka{t.w .$,l,myib]aem vea aeceT !Iy;a -mia.w ? yel][;Bim vea aecet.w aw{Lim tyeB -t,a.w ~,k.v ? .$,l,myib]a -t,a l;ka{t.w aw{Lim tyeBim.W ~,k.v
21
Then
Jotham escaped and
fled, and
went to
Beer and
remained there because * of
Abimelech his
brother.
b,veY;w h'rea.B .$,leY;w x;r.biY;w ~'tw{y s'n'Y;w ? wyix'a .$,l,myib]a yen.Pim ~'v
22
Now
Abimelech ruled over Israel three years.
~yin'v v{l'v lea'r.fIy -l;[ .$,l,myib]a r;f'Y;w
23
Then
God sent an
evil spirit between Abimelech and the
men of
Shechem; and the
men of
Shechem dealt treacherously with
Abimelech,
.$,l,myib]a !yeB h'['r ;x.Wr ~yih{l/a x;l.viY;w ? ~,k.v -yel][;b .Wd.G.biY;w ~,k.v yel][;B !yeb.W ? .$,l,myib]a;B
24
so that the
violence done to the
seventy sons of
Jerubbaal might
come, and 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.
~'m'd.w l;['BUr.y -yen.B ~yi[.biv s;m]x aw{b'l ? ~'tw{a g;r'h r,v]a ~,hyix]a .$,l,myib]a -l;[ ~.Wf'l ? wy'd'y -t,a .Wq.Zix -r,v]a ~,k.v yel][;B l;[.w ? wy'x,a -t,a g{r]h;l
25
The
men of
Shechem set men in
ambush against him on the
tops of the
mountains, and they
robbed all who might
pass by them along the
road; and it was
told to
Abimelech.
yeva'r l;[ ~yib.r'a.m ~,k.v yel][;b w{l .Wmyif'Y;w ? ~,hyel][ r{b][;y -r,v]a -l'K tea .Wl.z.giY;w ~yir'h,h ? .$,l,myib]a;l d;GUY;w .$,r'D;B
26
Now
Gaal the
son of
Ebed came with his
relatives, and
crossed over into
Shechem; and the
men of
Shechem put their
trust in him.
~,k.viB .Wr.b;[;Y;w wy'x,a.w d,b,[ -n,B l;[;G a{b'Y;w ? ~,k.v yel][;B w{b -.Wx.j.biY;w
27
They
went out into the
field and
gathered the grapes of their
vineyards and
trod them, and
held a
festival; and they
went into the
house of their
god, and
ate and
drank and
cursed Abimelech.
.Wk.r.diY;w ~,hyem.r;K -t,a .Wr.c.biY;w h,d'F;h .Wa.ceY;w ? .Wl.ka{Y;w ~,hyeh{l/a tyeB .Wa{b'Y;w ~yil.WLih .Wf][;Y;w ? .$,l,myib]a -t,a .Wl.l;q.y;w .WT.viY;w
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 is
Zebul not his
lieutenant?
Serve the
men of
Hamor the
father of
Shechem; but
why should we
serve him?
~,k.v -yim.W .$,l,myib]a -yim d,b,[ -n,B l;[;G r,ma{Y;w ? w{dyiq.P lUb.z.W l;[;BUr.y -n,b a{l]h .WN,d.b;[;n yiK ? ;[.WD;m.W ~,k.v yib]a rw{m]x yev.n;a -t,a .Wd.bi[ ? .Wn.x'n]a .WN,d.b;[;n
29
"Would *, therefore, that
this people were under my
authority! Then I would
remove Abimelech." And he
said to
Abimelech,
"Increase your
army and
come out."
h'ryis'a.w yid'y.B<03027!> h,Z;h ~'['h -t,a !eTIy yim.W ? '$]a'b.c h,B;r .$,l,myib]a;l r,ma{Y;w .$,l,myib]a -t,a ? h'aec'w
30
When
Zebul the
ruler of the
city heard the
words of
Gaal the
son of
Ebed, his
anger burned.
l;[;G yer.biD -t,a ryi['h -r;f lUb.z [;m.viY;w ? w{P;a r;xiY;w d,b'[ -n,B
31
He
sent messengers to
Abimelech deceitfully,
saying,
"Behold,
Gaal the
son of
Ebed and his
relatives have
come to
Shechem; and
behold, they are
stirring up the
city against you.
r{mael h'm.r't.B .$,l,myib]a -l,a ~yik'a.l;m x;l.viY;w ? h'm,k.v ~yia'B wy'x,a.w d,b,[ -n,B l;[;g heNih ? '$y,l'[ ryi['h -t,a ~yir'c ~'Nih.w
32
"Now therefore,
arise by
night, you and the
people who are with you, and
lie in
wait in the
field.
.$'Tia -r,v]a ~'['h.w h'T;a h'l.y;l ~.Wq h'T;[.w ? h,d'F;B b{r/a,w
33
"In the
morning, as soon as the
sun is up, you shall
rise early and
rush upon the
city; and
behold, when he and the
people who are with him
come out
against you, you shall
do to them
whatever you can."
'T.j;v'p.W ~yiK.v;T v,m,V;h ;x{r.ziK r,q{B;b h'y'h.w ? w{Tia -r,v]a ~'['h.w a.Wh -heNih.w ryi['h -l;[ ? '$,d'y a'c.miT r,v]a;K w{L 'tyif'[.w '$y,lea ~yia.c{y
34
So
Abimelech and
all the
people who were with him
arose by
night and
lay in
wait against Shechem in
four companies.
h'l.y'l w{Mi[ -r,v]a ~'['h -l'k.w .$,l,myib]a ~'q'Y;w ? ~yiva'r h'['B.r;a ~,k.v -l;[ .Wb.r,a,Y;w
35
Now
Gaal the
son of
Ebed went out and
stood in the
entrance of the
city gate; and
Abimelech and the
people who were with him
arose from the
ambush.
r;[;v x;t,P d{m][;Y;w d,b,[ -n,B l;[;G aeceY;w ? w{Tia -r,v]a ~'['h.w .$,l,myib]a ~'q'Y;w ryi['h ? b'r.a;M;h -nim
36
When
Gaal saw the
people, he
said to
Zebul,
"Look,
people are
coming down from the
tops of the
mountains." But
Zebul said to him, "You are
seeing the
shadow of the
mountains as if they were
men."
lUb.z -l,a r,ma{Y;w ~'['h -t,a l;[;G -a.r;Y;w ? r,ma{Y;w ~yir'h,h yeva'rem derw{y ~'[ -heNih ? ~yiv'n]a'K h,a{r h'T;a ~yir'h,h lec tea lUb.z wy'lea
37
Gaal spoke again * and
said,
"Behold,
people are
coming down from the
highest part of the
land, and
one company comes by the
way of the
diviners' oak."
~'[ -heNih r,ma{Y;w reB;d.l l;[;G dw{[ @,s{Y;w ? d'x,a -va{r.w #,r'a'h r.WB;j ~i[em ~yid.rw{y ? ~yin.nw{[.m !w{lea .$,r,Dim a'B
38
Then
Zebul said to him,
"Where is your
boasting now with
which you
said,
'Who is
Abimelech that we should
serve him?' Is
this not the
people whom you
despised?
Go out
now and
fight with them!"
r,v]a '$yip aw{pea heY;a lUb.z wy'lea r,ma{Y;w ? h,z a{l]h .WN,d.b;[;n yiK .$,l,myib]a yim r;ma{T ? ~,x'Lih.w h'T;[ a'n -aec w{B h'T.s;a'm r,v]a ~'['h ? w{B
39
So
Gaal went out
before the
leaders of
Shechem and
fought with
Abimelech.
.$,l,myib]a;B ~,x'LiY;w ~,k.v yel][;B yen.pil l;[;g aeceY;w
40
Abimelech chased him, and he
fled before * him; and
many fell wounded up to the
entrance of the
gate.
.Wl.PiY;w wy'n'Pim s'n'Y;w .$,l,myib]a .Whep.D.riY;w ? r;['V;h x;t,P -d;[ ~yiB;r ~yil'l]x
41
Then
Abimelech remained at
Arumah, but
Zebul drove out
Gaal and his
relatives so that they could not
remain in
Shechem.
l;[;G -t,a lUb.z v,r'g.y;w h'm.Wra'B .$,l,myib]a b,veY;w ? ~,k.viB t,b,Vim wy'x,a -t,a.w
42
Now it
came about the
next day, that the
people went out to the
field, and it was
told to
Abimelech.
.WdiG;Y;w h,d'F;h ~'['h aeceY;w t'r\x'Mim yih.y;w ? .$,l,myib]a;l
43
So he
took his
people and
divided them into
three companies, and
lay in
wait in the
field; when he
looked and
saw the
people coming out from the
city, he
arose against them and
slew them.
~yiva'r h'v{l.vil ~ec/x,Y;w ~'['h -t,a x;QiY;w ? ryi['h -nim aec{y ~'['h heNih.w a.r;Y;w h,d'F;B b{r/a,Y;w ? ~eK;Y;w ~,hyel][ ~'q'Y;w
44
Then
Abimelech and the
company who was with him
dashed forward and
stood in the
entrance of the
city gate; the other
two companies then
dashed against all who were in the
field and
slew them.
.Wd.m;[;Y;w .Wj.v'P w{Mi[ r,v]a ~yiva'r'h.w .$,l,myib]a;w ? -l'K -l;[ .Wj.v'P ~yiva'r'h yen.v.W ryi['h r;[;v x;t,P ? ~.WK;Y;w h,d'F;B r,v]a
45
Abimelech fought against the
city all that
day, and he
captured the
city and
killed the
people who were in it; then he
razed the
city and
sowed it with
salt.
a.Wh;h ~w{Y;h l{K ryi['B ~'x.lin .$,l,myib]a;w ? H'B -r,v]a ~'['h -t,a.w ryi['h -t,a d{K.liY;w ? x;l,m 'h,['r.ziY;w ryi['h -t,a #{TiY;w g'r'h
46
When
all the
leaders of the
tower of
Shechem heard of it, they
entered the
inner chamber of the
temple of
El-berith *.
.Wa{b'Y;w ~,k.v -l;D.gim yel][;B -l'K .W[.m.viY;w ? tyir.B lea tyeB ;xyir.c -l,a
47
It was
told Abimelech that
all the
leaders of the
tower of
Shechem were
gathered together.
yel][;B -l'K .Wc.B;q.tih yiK .$,l,myib]a;l d;GUY;w ? ~,k.v -l;D.gim
48
So
Abimelech went up to
Mount Zalmon, he and
all the
people who were with him; and
Abimelech took an
axe in his
hand and
cut down a
branch from the
trees, and
lifted it and
laid it on his
shoulder. Then he
said to the
people who were with him,
"What you have
seen me
do,
hurry and
do likewise."
~'['h -l'k.w a.Wh !w{m.l;c -r;h .$,l,myib]a l;[;Y;w ? tw{MUD.r;Q;h -t,a .$,l,myib]a x;QiY;w w{Tia -r,v]a ? ~,f'Y;w 'h,a'FiY;w ~yice[ t;kw{f t{r.kiY;w w{d'y.B ? w{Mi[ -r,v]a ~'['h -l,a r,ma{Y;w w{m.kiv -l;[ ? yinw{m'k .Wf][ .Wr]h;m yityif'[ ~,tyia.r h'm
49
All the
people also cut down each one his
branch and
followed * Abimelech, and
put them on the
inner chamber and
set the
inner chamber on
fire over those inside, so that
all the
men of the
tower of
Shechem also died, about a
thousand men and
women.
.Wk.leY;w h{kw{f vyia ~'['h -l'K -m;g .Wt.r.kiY;w ? .WtyiC;Y;w ;xyir.C;h -l;[ .Wmyif'Y;w .$,l,myib]a yer]x;a ? yev.n;a -l'K ~;G .WtUm'Y;w vea'B ;xyir.C;h -t,a ~,hyel][ ? h'Via.w vyia @,l,a.K ~,k.v -l;D.gim
50
Then
Abimelech went to
Thebez, and he
camped against
Thebez and
captured it.
H'd.K.liY;w #ebet.B !;xiY;w #ebeT -l,a .$,l,myib]a .$,leY;w
51
But there was a
strong tower in the
center of the
city, and
all the
men and
women with
all the
leaders of the
city fled there and
shut themselves in; and they
went up on the
roof of the
tower.
.WsUn'Y;w ryi['h -.kw{t.b h'y'h z{[ -l;D.gim.W ? yel][;B l{k.w ~yiv'N;h.w ~yiv'n]a'h -l'K h'M'v ? l'D.giM;h g;G -l;[ .Wl][;Y;w ~'d][;B .Wr.G.siY;w ryi['h
52
So
Abimelech came to the
tower and
fought against it, and
approached the
entrance of the
tower to
burn it with
fire.
w{B ~,x'LiY;w l'D.giM;h -d;[ .$,l,myib]a a{b'Y;w ? vea'b w{p.r'f.l l'D.giM;h x;t,P -d;[ v;GiY;w
53
But a
certain woman threw an
upper millstone on
Abimelech's head,
crushing his
skull.
.$,l,myib]a va{r -l;[ b,k,r x;l,P t;x;a h'Via .$el.v;T;w ? w{T.l'G.lUG -t,a #ir'T;w
54
Then he
called quickly to the
young man, his
armor bearer, and
said to him,
"Draw your
sword and
kill me,
so that it will not be
said of me, 'A
woman slew him.' " So the
young man pierced him
through, and he
died.
r,ma{Y;w wy'lek aef{n r;[;N;h -l,a h'reh.m a'r.qiY;w ? yil .Wr.ma{y -n,P yinet.tw{m.W '$.B.r;x @{l.v w{l ? t{m'Y;w w{r][;n .Wher.q.diY;w .Wh.t'g'r]h h'Via
55
When the
men of
Israel saw that
Abimelech was
dead,
each departed to his
home.
.Wk.leY;w .$,l,myib]a tem yiK lea'r.fIy -vyia .Wa.riY;w ? w{m{q.mil vyia
56
Thus
God repaid the
wickedness of
Abimelech,
which he had
done to his
father in
killing his
seventy brothers.
h'f'[ r,v]a .$,l,myib]a t;['r tea ~yih{l/a b,v'Y;w ? wy'x,a ~yi[.biv -t,a g{r]h;l wyib'a.l
57
Also
God returned all the
wickedness of the
men of
Shechem on their
heads, and the
curse of
Jotham the
son of
Jerubbaal came upon them.
byiveh ~,k.v yev.n;a t;['r -l'K tea.w ? l;['BUr.y -n,B ~'tw{y t;l]liq ~,hyel]a a{b'T;w ~'va{r.B ~yih{l/a