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Judges 9

The Bible in Basic English BBE

1 Now Abimelech, the son of Jerubbaal, went to Shechem to his mother's family, and said to them and to all the family of his mother's father,

2 Say now in the ears of all the townsmen of Shechem, Is it better for you to be ruled by all the seventy sons of Jerubbaal or by one man only? And keep in mind that I am your bone and your flesh.

3 So his mother's family said all this about him in the ears of all the townsmen of Shechem: and their hearts were turned to Abimelech, for they said, He is our brother.

4 And they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the house of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech got the support of a number of uncontrolled and good-for-nothing persons.

5 Then he went to his father's house at Ophrah, and put his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, to death on the same stone; however, Jotham, the youngest, kept himself safe by going away to a secret place.

6 And all the townsmen of Shechem and all Beth-millo came together and went and made Abimelech their king, by the oak of the pillar in Shechem.

7 Now Jotham, on hearing of it, went to the top of Mount Gerizim, and crying out with a loud voice said to them, Give ear to me, you townsmen of Shechem, so that God may give ear to you.

8 One day the trees went out to make a king for themselves; and they said to the olive-tree, Be king over us.

9 But the olive-tree said to them, Am I to give up my wealth of oil, by which men give honour to God, and go waving over the trees?

10 Then the trees said to the fig-tree, You come and be king over us.

11 But the fig-tree said to them, Am I to give up my sweet taste and my good fruit and go waving over the trees?

12 Then the trees said to the vine, You come and be king over us.

13 But the vine said to them, Am I to give up my wine, which makes glad God and men, to go waving over the trees?

14 Then all the trees said to the thorn, You come and be king over us.

15 And the thorn said to the trees, If it is truly your desire to make me your king, then come and put your faith in my shade; and if not, may fire come out of the thorn, burning up the cedars of Lebanon.

16 So now, if you have done truly and uprightly in making Abimelech king, and if you have done well to Jerubbaal and his house in reward for the work of his hands;

17 (For my father made war for you, and put his life in danger, and made you free from the hands of Midian;

18 And you have gone against my father's family this day, and have put to death his sons, even seventy men on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his servant-wife, king over the townsmen of Shechem because he is your brother;)

19 If then you have done what is true and upright to Jerubbaal and his family this day, may you have joy in Abimelech, and may he have joy in you;

20 But if not, may fire come out from Abimelech, burning up the townsmen of Shechem and Beth-millo; and may fire come out from the townsmen of Shechem and Beth-millo, for the destruction of Abimelech.

21 Then Jotham straight away went in flight to Beer, and was living there for fear of his brother Abimelech.

22 So Abimelech was chief over Israel for three years.

23 And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the townsmen of Shechem; and the townsmen of Shechem were false to Abimelech;

24 So that punishment for the violent attack made on the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, and for their blood, might come on Abimelech, their brother, who put them to death, and on the townsmen of Shechem who gave him their help in putting his brothers to death.

25 And the townsmen of Shechem put secret watchers on the tops of the mountains, and they made attacks on all who went by on the road and took their goods; and word of this came to Abimelech.

26 Then Gaal, the son of Ebed, came with his brothers, and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their faith in him.

27 And they went out into their fields and got in the fruit of their vines, and when the grapes had been crushed, they made a holy feast and went into the house of their god, and over their food and drink they were cursing Abimelech.

28 And Gaal, the son of Ebed, said, Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem, that we are to be his servants? Is it not right for the son of Jerubbaal and Zebul his captain to be servants to the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem? But why are we to be his servants?

29 If only I had authority over this people! I would put Abimelech out of the way, and I would say to Abimelech, Make your army strong, and come out.

30 Now Zebul, the ruler of the town, hearing what Gaal, the son of Ebed, had said, was moved to wrath.

31 And he sent to Abimelech at Arumah, saying, See, Gaal, the son of Ebed, and his brothers have come to Shechem, and they are working up the town against you.

32 So now, get up by night, you and your people, and keep watch in the field secretly;

33 And in the morning, when the sun is up, get up early and make a rush on the town; and when he and his people come out against you, do to them whatever you have a chance to do.

34 So Abimelech and the people with him got up by night, in four bands, to make a surprise attack on Shechem.

35 And Gaal, the son of Ebed, went out, and took his place at the doorway into the town; then Abimelech and his people got up from the place where they had been waiting.

36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, See! people are coming down from the tops of the mountains. And Zebul said to him, You see the shade of the mountains like men.

37 And Gaal said again, See! people are coming down from the middle of the land, and one band is coming by way of the oak-tree of the Seers.

38 Then Zebul said to him, Now where is your loud talk when you said, Who is Abimelech that we are to be his servants? Is this not the people whom you were rating so low? Go out now, and make war on them.

39 So Gaal went out at the head of the townsmen of Shechem and made war on Abimelech.

40 And Abimelech went after him and he went in flight before him; and a great number were falling by the sword all the way up to the town.

41 Then Abimelech went back to Arumah; and Zebul sent Gaal and his brothers away and would not let them go on living in Shechem.

42 Now the day after, the people went out into the fields; and news of it came to Abimelech.

43 And he took his people, separating them into three bands, and was waiting secretly in the field; and when he saw the people coming out of the town, he went up and made an attack on them.

44 And Abimelech with his band made a rush, and took up their position at the doorway into the town; and the other two bands made a rush on all those who were in the fields, and overcame them.

45 And all that day Abimelech was fighting against the town; and he took it, and put to death the people who were in it, and had the town pulled down and covered with salt.

46 Then all the townsmen of the tower of Shechem, hearing of it, went into the inner room of the house of El-berith.

47 And word was given to Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem were there together.

48 Then Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, with all his people; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand and, cutting down branches of trees, took them and put them on his back. And he said to the people who were with him, Be quick and do as you have seen me do.

49 So all the people got branches, every man cutting down a branch, and they went with Abimelech at their head and, massing the branches against the inner room, put fire to the room over them; so all those who were in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women, were burned to death with it.

50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and put his army in position against Thebez and took it.

51 But in the middle of the town there was a strong tower, to which all the men and women of the town went in flight and, shutting themselves in, went up to the roof of the tower.

52 And Abimelech came to the tower and made an attack on it, and got near to the door of the tower for the purpose of firing it.

53 But a certain woman sent a great stone, such as is used for crushing grain, on to the head of Abimelech, cracking the bone.

54 Then quickly crying out to his body-servant, he said to him, Take out your sword and put an end to me straight away, so that men may not say of me, His death was the work of a woman. So the young man put his sword through him, causing his death.

55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they went away, every man to his place.

56 In this way Abimelech was rewarded by God for the evil he had done to his father in putting his seventy brothers to death;

57 And God sent back on to the heads of the men of Shechem all the evil they had done, and the curse of Jotham, the son of Jerubbaal, came on them.

Orthodox Jewish Bible OJB

1 And Avimelech ben Yerubaal went to Shechem unto achei immo, and spoke with them, and with all the mishpakhat bais avi immo, saying,

2 Speak, now, in the ears of all the ba’alei Shechem, Which is better for you, either that all the Bnei Yerubaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one man reign over you? Remember also that I am your etzem (bone) and your basar (flesh).

3 And the achei immo spoke of him in the ears of all the ba’alei Shechem all these words; and their lev inclined to follow Avimelech; for they said, He is acheinu.

4 And they gave him 70 pieces of kesef out of the bais Baal-brit, wherewith Avimelech hired morally empty and reckless persons, which followed him.

5 And he went unto his bais avi at Ophrah, and slaughtered his brethren the Bnei Yerubaal, being 70 persons, upon one even (stone); notwithstanding yet Yotam the youngest ben Yerubaal escaped; for he hid himself.

6 And all the ba’alei Shechem gathered together, and all the Bais Millo, and went, and crowned Avimelech melech, by the great tree near the pillar that was in Shechem.

7 And when they told it to Yotam, he went and stood on top of Mt Gerizim, lifted up his voice, cried out, and said unto them, Pay heed unto me, ye ba’alei Shechem, that Elohim may pay heed unto you.

8 The etzim (trees) went forth one day to anoint a melech over them; and they said unto the zayit (olive tree), Reign thou over us.

9 But the zayit said unto them, Should I leave my oil, wherewith by me they honor Elohim and anashim, and go to be promoted over the etzim?

10 And the etzim (trees) said to the te’enah (fig tree), Come thou, and reign over us.

11 But the te’enah said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the etzim (trees)?

12 Then said the etzim (trees) unto the gefen, Come thou, and reign over us.

13 And the gefen said unto them, Should I leave my tirosh, which cheereth Elohim and anashim, and go to be promoted over the etzim?

14 Then said all the etzim (trees) unto the thornbush, Come thou, and reign over us.

15 And the thornbush said unto the etzim (trees), If b’emes ye anoint me melech over you, then come and take refuge in my tzel (shade): and if not, let eish come out of the thornbush, and devour the cedars of the Levanon.

16 Now therefore, if ye have done b’emes and in good faith, in that ye have made Avimelech melech, and if ye have dealt tovah with Yerubaal [Gid’on] and his bais, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands—

17 For avi [Gid’on] fought for you, and risked his nefesh, and delivered you out of the yad Midyan;

18 And ye are risen up against bais avi this day, and have slain his banim, threescore and ten persons, upon one even (stone), and have made Avimelech, ben amah (son of his slave girl), melech over the ba’alei Shechem, because he is your brother—

19 If ye then have dealt b’emes and in good faith with Yerubaal and with his bais this day, then rejoice ye in Avimelech, and let him also rejoice in you;

20 But if not, let eish come out from Avimelech, and devour the ba’alei Shechem, and the Bais Millo; and let eish come out from the ba’alei Shechem, and from the Bais Millo, and devour Avimelech.

21 And Yotam ran away, and escaped, and went to Be’er, and dwelt there, for fear of Avimelech his brother.

22 When Avimelech had reigned shalosh shanim over Yisroel,

23 Then Elohim sent a ruach ra’ah between Avimelech and the ba’alei Shechem; and the ba’alei Shechem dealt treacherously with Avimelech;

24 That the chamas done to the 70 Bnei Yerubaal might come, and their dahm be laid upon Avimelech their brother, which slaughtered them; and upon the ba’alei Shechem, which aided him in the slaughter of his brethren.

25 And the ba’alei Shechem set ambushers in wait for him on top of the hills, and they robbed all that passed along that derech by them; and it was told Avimelech.

26 And Gaal ben Eved came with his achim, went over to Shechem; the ba’alei Shechem put their confidence in him.

27 And they went out into the sadeh, and gathered their kramim, and trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into the bais eloheihem, and did eat and drink, and cursed Avimelech.

28 And Gaal ben Eved said, Who is Avimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is not he ben Yerubaal? And Zevul his pakid? Serve the anshei Chamor avi Shechem. For why should we serve him?

29 O that this people were under my yad! Then would I remove Avimelech. And he said to Avimelech, Gather thine tze’va (army), and come out!

30 And when Zevul the sar of the Ir heard the words of Gaal ben Eved, his anger was kindled.

31 And he sent malachim unto Avimelech covertly, saying, Hinei, Gaal ben Eved and his brethren have come to Shechem; and, hinei, they incite the Ir against thee.

32 Now therefore go up by lailah, thou and the people with thee, and lie in wait in the sadeh:

33 And it shall be, that in the boker, as soon as the shemesh is up, thou shalt rise early, and set upon the Ir; and, hinei, when he and the people with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to them just as thy hand finds to do.

34 And Avimelech rose up, and kol haAm that were with him, by lailah, and they laid wait in ambush against Shechem in four companies.

35 And Gaal ben Eved went out, and stood in the petach sha’ar haIr; and Avimelech and the people that were with him rose up from lying in wait for ambush.

36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zevul, Hinei, there come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zevul said unto him, Thou seest the tzel of the mountains as if seeing anashim.

37 And Gaal spoke again, and said, Hinei, there come people down the middle of the land, and another company come along by the Elon Me’onenim.

38 Then said Zevul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, Who is Avimelech that we should serve him? Is not this the people that thou hast despised? Go out, now, and fight against him.

39 And Gaal went out before the ba’alei Shechem, and fought with Avimelech.

40 And Avimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and chalalim (wounded), even unto the petach hasha’ar.

41 And Avimelech dwelt at Arumah; and Zevul thrust out Gaal and his achim, that they should not dwell in Shechem.

42 And it came to pass on the next day, that the people went out into the sadeh; and they told Avimelech.

43 And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait concealed in the sadeh, and looked, and, hinei, the people were come forth out of the Ir; and he rose up against them, and attacked them.

44 And Avimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed forward, and stood in the petach sha’ar of the Ir; and the two other companies rushed upon all who were in the sadeh, and slaughtered them.

45 And Avimelech fought against the Ir all that day; and he took the Ir, and slaughtered the people that was therein, and destroyed the Ir, and sowed it with melach (salt).

46 And when all the ba’alei migdal Shechem heard that, they entered into the stronghold of the bais el brit.

47 And it was told Avimelech, that all the ba’alei migdal Shechem were gathered together.

48 And Avimelech got him up to Mt Tzalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Avimelech took axes in his yad, and cut down a branch from the etzim (trees), and lifted 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.

49 And kol haAm likewise cut down every man his branch, and followed Avimelech, and piled them against the stronghold, and set the stronghold on eish over them; so that all the anshei migdal Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.

50 Then went Avimelech to Tevetz, and encamped against Tevetz, and captured it.

51 But there was a migdal oz within the Ir, and there fled all the anashim and nashim, and all ba’alei haIr, and locked it after them, and got them up to the top of the migdal.

52 And Avimelech came unto the migdal, and fought against it, and drew near unto the petach of the migdal to burn it with eish.

53 And a certain woman dropped an upper millstone upon Avimelech’s head, and cracked his gulgolet (skull).

54 Then he called hastily unto the na’ar his armorbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy cherev, and slay me, that men say not of me, An isha slaughtered him. And his na’ar thrust him through, and he died.

55 And when the Ish Yisroel saw that Avimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.

56 Thus Elohim repaid the wickedness of Avimelech, which he did unto his av, in slaying his seventy brethren;

57 And all the evil of the anshei Shechem did Elohim render upon their heads: and upon them came the Kelalat Yotam ben Yerubaal.