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Judges 9

New Century Version NCV

1 Abimelech son of Gideonn went to his uncles in the city of Shechem. He said to his uncles and all of his mother's family group,

2 "Ask the leaders of Shechem, 'Is it better for the seventy sons of Gideon to rule over you or for one man to rule?' Remember, I am your relative."

3 Abimelech's uncles spoke to all the leaders of Shechem about this. And they decided to follow Abimelech, because they said, "He is our relative."

4 So the leaders of Shechem gave Abimelech about one and three-quarter pounds of silver from the temple of the god Baal-Berith. Abimelech used the silver to hire some worthless, reckless men, who followed him wherever he went.

5 He went to Ophrah, the hometown of his father, and murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Gideon. He killed them all on one stone. But Gideon's youngest son, Jotham, hid from Abimelech and escaped.

6 Then all of the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo gathered beside the great tree standing in Shechem. There they made Abimelech their king.

7 When Jotham heard this, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim. He shouted to the people: "Listen to me, you leaders of Shechem, so that God will listen to you!

8 One day the trees decided to appoint a king to rule over them. They said to the olive tree, 'You be king over us!'

9 "But the olive tree said, 'Men and gods are honored by my oil. Should I stop making it and go and sway over the other trees?'

10 "Then the trees said to the fig tree, 'Come and be king over us!'

11 "But the fig tree answered, 'Should I stop making my sweet and good fruit and go and sway over the other trees?'

12 "Then the trees said to the vine, 'Come and be king over us!'

13 "But the vine answered, 'My new wine makes men and gods happy. Should I stop making it and go and sway over the trees?'

14 "Then all the trees said to the thornbush, 'Come and be king over us.'

15 "But the thornbush said to the trees, 'If you really want to appoint me king over you, come and find shelter in my shade! But if not, let fire come out of the thornbush and burn up the cedars of Lebanon!'

16 "Now, were you completely honest and sincere when you made Abimelech king? Have you been fair to Gideonn and his family? Have you treated Gideon as you should?

17 Remember, my father fought for you and risked his life to save you from the power of the Midianites.

18 But now you have turned against my father's family and have killed his seventy sons on one stone. You have made Abimelech, the son of my father's slave girl, king over the leaders of Shechem just because he is your relative!

19 So then, if you have been honest and sincere to Gideon and his family today, be happy with Abimelech as your king. And may he be happy with you!

20 But if not, may fire come out of Abimelech and completely burn you leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo! Also may fire come out of the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo and burn up Abimelech!"

21 Then Jotham ran away and escaped to the city of Beer. He lived there because he was afraid of his brother Abimelech.

22 Abimelech ruled Israel for three years.

23 Then God sent an evil spirit to make trouble between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem so that the leaders of Shechem turned against him.

24 Abimelech had killed Gideon'sn seventy sons, his own brothers, and the leaders of Shechem had helped him. So God sent the evil spirit to punish them.

25 The leaders of Shechem were against Abimelech then. They put men on the hilltops in ambush who robbed everyone going by. And Abimelech was told.

26 A man named Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers moved into Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem trusted him.

27 They went out to the vineyards to pick grapes, and they squeezed the grapes. Then they had a feast in the temple of their god, where they ate and drank and cursed Abimelech.

28 Gaal son of Ebed said, "We are the men of Shechem. Who is Abimelech that we should serve him? Isn't he one of Gideon's sons, and isn't Zebul his officer? We should serve the men of Hamor, Shechem's father. Why should we serve Abimelech?

29 If you made me commander of these people, I would get rid of Abimelech. I would say to him, 'Get your army ready and come out to battle.'"

30 Now when Zebul, the ruler of Shechem, heard what Gaal son of Ebed said, he was very angry.

31 He sent secret messengers to Abimelech, saying, "Gaal son of Ebed and Gaal's brothers have come to Shechem, and they are turning the city against you!

32 You and your men should get up during the night and hide in the fields outside the city.

33 As soon as the sun comes up in the morning, attack the city. When Gaal and his men come out to fight you, do what you can to them."

34 So Abimelech and all his soldiers got up during the night and hid near Shechem in four groups.

35 Gaal son of Ebed went out and was standing at the entrance to the city gate. As he was standing there, Abimelech and his soldiers came out of their hiding places.

36 When Gaal saw the soldiers, he said to Zebul, "Look! There are people coming down from the mountains!" But Zebul said, "You are seeing the shadows of the mountains. The shadows just look like people."

37 But again Gaal said, "Look, there are people coming down from the center of the land, and there is a group coming from the fortune-tellers' tree!"

38 Zebul said to Gaal, "Where is your bragging now? You said, 'Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?' You made fun of these men. Now go out and fight them."

39 So Gaal led the men of Shechem out to fight Abimelech.

40 Abimelech and his men chased them, and many of Gaal's men were killed before they could get back to the city gate.

41 While Abimelech stayed at Arumah, Zebul forced Gaal and his brothers to leave Shechem.

42 The next day the people of Shechem went out to the fields. When Abimelech was told about it,

43 he separated his men into three groups and hid them in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he jumped up and attacked them.

44 Abimelech and his group ran to the entrance gate to the city. The other two groups ran out to the people in the fields and struck them down.

45 Abimelech and his men fought the city of Shechem all day until they captured it and killed its people. Then he tore it down and threw saltn over the ruins.

46 When the leaders who were in the Tower of Shechem heard what had happened to Shechem, they gathered in the safest room of the temple of El Berith.

47 Abimelech heard that all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem had gathered there.

48 So he and all his men went up Mount Zalmon, near Shechem. Abimelech took an ax and cut some branches and put them on his shoulders. He said to all those with him, "Hurry! Do what I have done!"

49 So all those men cut branches and followed Abimelech and piled them against the safest room of the temple. Then they set them on fire and burned the people inside. So all the people who were at the Tower of Shechem also died -- about a thousand men and women.

50 Then Abimelech went to the city of Thebez. He surrounded the city, attacked it, and captured it.

51 But inside the city was a strong tower, so all the men, women, and leaders of that city ran to the tower. When they got inside, they locked the door behind them. Then they climbed up to the roof of the tower.

52 Abimelech came to the tower to attack it. He approached the door of the tower to set it on fire,

53 but as he came near, a woman dropped a grinding stone on his head, crushing his skull.

54 He quickly called to the officer who carried his armor and said, "Take out your sword and kill me. I don't want people to say, 'A woman killed Abimelech.'" So the officer stabbed Abimelech, and he died.

55 When the people of Israel saw Abimelech was dead, they all returned home.

56 In that way God punished Abimelech for all the evil he had done to his father by killing his seventy brothers.

57 God also punished the men of Shechem for the evil they had done. So the curse spoken by Jotham, the youngest son of Gideon, came true. Tola, the Judge

The Complete Jewish Bible CJB

1 Avimelekh the son of Yeruba'al went to Sh'khem, to his mother's brothers, and spoke with them and with the whole clan of his maternal grandfather. He said,

2 "Please ask all the men of Sh'khem, 'Which is better for you - that all seventy sons of Yeruba'al rule over you, or that one person rule over you? And remember that I am your blood relative.'"

3 His mother's brothers spoke to all the men of Sh'khem and said all this about him, so that they followed their feelings and supported Avimelekh, arguing, "After all, he's our brother."

4 They also gave him seventy pieces of silver from the temple of Ba'al-B'rit; and he used these to pay good-for-nothing thugs to follow him.

5 He went back to his father's house in 'Ofrah and killed his brothers the sons of Yeruba'al, all seventy of them, on a single rock, except for Yotam Yeruba'al's youngest son, who stayed alive because he hid himself.

6 All the men of Sh'khem and all Beit-Millo got together and went and made Avimelekh king at the oak by the cult-pillar in Sh'khem.

7 When they told this to Yotam, he went and stood on top of Mount G'rizim and shouted, "Listen to me, you leaders of Sh'khem; then God will listen to you!

8 Once the trees went out to choose a king to rule them. They said to the olive tree, 'Rule over us!'

9 But the olive tree replied, 'Am I supposed to leave my oil, which is used to honor both God and humanity, just to go and hold sway over the trees?'

10 So the trees said to the fig tree, 'You, come and rule over us!'

11 But the fig tree replied, 'Am I supposed to leave my sweetness and my good fruit just to go and hold sway over the trees?'

12 So the trees said to the grapevine, 'You, come and rule over us!'

13 But the grapevine replied, 'Am I supposed to leave my wine, which gives cheer to God and humanity, just to go and hold sway over the trees?'

14 Finally, all the trees said to the thorn bush, 'You, come and rule over us!'

15 The thorn bush replied, 'If you really make me king over you, then come and take shelter in my shade. But if not, let fire come out of the thorn bush and burn down the cedars of the L'vanon!'

16 "Here's the point. Have you been honest and straightforward in making Avimelekh king? Have you been fair with Yeruba'al and his household and treated him as he deserves?

17 My father fought on your behalf, risking his life, and rescued you from the power of Midyan;

18 and now you are rebelling against my father's household. You've killed his seventy sons on a single stone and made Avimelekh, the son of his slave-girl, king over the men of Sh'khem, because he's your brother.

19 I say this: if you are dealing honestly and righteously with Yeruba'al and his household today, then may you enjoy Avimelekh and may he enjoy you!

20 But if not, let fire come out from Avimelekh and burn up the men of Sh'khem and Beit-Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Sh'khem and Beit-Millo and burn up Avimelekh!"

21 Then Yotam fled, making his way to Be'er, and he lived there for fear of Avimelekh his brother.

22 Avimelekh was chief over Isra'el for three years.

23 But God sent a spirit of discord between Avimelekh and the men of Sh'khem, so that the men of Sh'khem dealt treacherously with Avimelekh.

24 This came about so that the crime against the seventy sons of Yeruba'al might be avenged and the responsibility for their bloody death be placed on Avimelekh their brother, who murdered them, and on the men of Sh'khem, who helped him kill his brothers.

25 So the men of Sh'khem sent out men to ambush him on the mountaintops. They robbed everyone who went past them, and Avimelekh was told about it.

26 Ga'al the son of a slave came with his brothers and went on to Sh'khem, and the men of Sh'khem put their trust in him.

27 They went out into the field, gathered their grapes and pressed the juice out of them. Then they held a feast and went into the house of their god to eat and drink, and there they insulted Avimelekh.

28 Ga'al the son of a slave said, "Who is Avimelekh? Think of the contrast with Sh'khem! Why should we serve Avimelekh? Isn't he the son of Yeruba'al? Isn't Z'vul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Sh'khem! Why should we serve Avimelekh?

29 If I were in control of this people, I'd get rid of Avimelekh!" Then, addressing his words to Avimelekh, he said, "Come out and fight! I don't care if you make your army even larger!"

30 When Z'vul the ruler of the city heard the words of Ga'al the son of a slave, he was enraged.

31 He sent messengers to Avimelekh in Tormah with this message: "Ga'al the son of a slave and his brothers have come to Sh'khem, and they're inciting the city against you.

32 You and the men with you should come up now at night and lie in wait in the field.

33 In the morning, get up early, as soon as the sun rises; and attack the city. Then, when Ga'al and the men with him come out to fight you, do whatever you can to them."

34 Avimelekh and all the men with him came up by night and lay in wait against Sh'khem in four groups.

35 Ga'al the son of a slave went out and stationed himself at the entrance to the city gate. Then Avimelekh and his men rose from their ambush.

36 When Ga'al saw the men, he said to Z'vul, "Look, there are men coming down from the mountaintops." Z'vul answered, "You're seeing the shadows of the mountains as if they were men."

37 Ga'al said again, "Look, there are men coming down from the main hill in the land, and one group is coming on the road from the Fortuneteller's Oak.

38 Z'vul said to him, "Where's your mouth now? You said, 'Who is Avimelekh? Why should we serve him?' Aren't these the people you despise? Go on out and fight them!"

39 So Ga'al went out, leading the men of Sh'khem, and fought Avimelekh.

40 But Avimelekh gave chase, and Ga'al took to flight; many fell wounded, strewn all along the way to the city gate.

41 Then Avimelekh took up residence in Arumah, and Z'vul drove out Ga'al and his brothers, so that they could not live in Sh'khem.

42 But the very next day, the people went out into the field, and Avimelekh was told about it.

43 He took his men, divided them into three groups, and lay in wait in the field. When he saw the people going out of the city, he came out of hiding and slaughtered them.

44 Avimelekh and his group rushed forward and occupied the entrance to the city gate, while the other two groups attacked all those in the field and killed them.

45 Avimelekh fought against the city all that day; captured it, killed its people, destroyed its buildings and sowed its land with salt.

46 When all the men in the fortress at Sh'khem heard about this, they took refuge in the stronghold of the temple of El-B'rit.

47 Avimelekh was told that all the men from the Sh'khem fortress had gathered together;

48 so he led all his men up to Mount Tzalmon, where he took an axe in his hand, cut a branch off a tree, and laid it on his shoulder. Then he said to those with him, "Quick! Do just what you saw me do!"

49 They all did likewise, each man cutting off his branch; and they followed Avimelekh. They put the branches up against the stronghold, set them on fire, and burned down the stronghold; so that all the people from the Sh'khem fortress died, about a thousand men and women.

50 Then Avimelekh went to Tevetz, set up camp against Tevetz and captured it.

51 But there was a fortified tower inside the city; and all the men and women took refuge in it, everyone in the city. They shut themselves inside and went up onto the roof of the tower.

52 However, when Avimelekh approached the tower, attacked it, and then came up close to the tower's door in order to burn it down,

53 a woman dropped an upper millstone on Avimelekh's head, cracking his skull.

54 He quickly called out to the young man holding his armor, "Draw your sword, and finish me off, so that people won't say a woman killed me." So his attendant ran him through, and he died.

55 When the men of Isra'el saw that Avimelekh was dead, they all went back home.

56 This is how God paid back Avimelekh for the wrong he did to his father in murdering his seventy brothers.

57 God also repaid the men of Sh'khem for all the wrong they had done; on them came the curse of Yotam the son of Yeruba'al.