07_JUD_09_01 And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother's brethren , And communed with them , And with all the family of the house of his mother's Father , saying ,
07_JUD_09_02 speak , I pray you , in the ears of all the men of Shechem , whether [ Is ] Better for you , either that all the sons of Jerubbaal , [ which are ] threescore And ten persons , reign over you , or that one reign over you ? Remember also that I [ am ] your bone And your flesh .
07_JUD_09_03 And his mother's brethren spake 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 .
07_JUD_09_04 And they gave him threescore And ten [ pieces ] of silver out of the house of Baalberith , wherewith Abimelech hired vain And light persons , which followed him .
07_JUD_09_05 And he went unto his father's house at Ophrah , And slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal , [ being ] threescore And ten persons , upon one stone : Notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left ; for he hid himself .
07_JUD_09_06 And all the men of Shechem gathered together , And all the house of Millo , And went , And made Abimelech king , by the plain of the pillar that [ was ] in Shechem .
07_JUD_09_07 And when they told [ it ] to Jotham , he went And stood in the top of mount Gerizim , And lifted up his voice , And cried , And said unto them , hearken unto me , ye men of Shechem , that God may hearken unto you .
07_JUD_09_08 the trees went forth [ on A time ] to anoint A king over them ; And they said unto the olive tree , reign thou over us .
07_JUD_09_09 but the olive tree said unto them , should I leave my fatness , wherewith by me they honour God And man , And go to be promoted over the trees ?
07_JUD_09_10 And the trees said to the fig tree , come thou , [ And ] reign over us .
07_JUD_09_11 but the fig tree said unto them , should I forsake my sweetness , And my good fruit , And go to be promoted over the trees ?
07_JUD_09_12 Then said the trees unto the vine , come thou , [ And ] reign over us .
07_JUD_09_13 And the vine said unto them , should I leave my wine , which cheereth God And man , And go to be promoted over the trees ?
07_JUD_09_14 Then said all the trees unto the bramble , come thou , [ And ] reign over us .
07_JUD_09_15 And the bramble said unto the trees , if in truth ye anoint me king over you , [ Then ] come [ And ] put your trust in my shadow : And if not , let fire come out of the bramble , And devour the cedars of Lebanon .
07_JUD_09_16 now therefore , if ye have done truly And sincerely , in that ye have made Abimelech king , And if ye have dealt Well with Jerubbaal And his house , And have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands ;
07_JUD_09_17 [ for my Father fought for you , And adventured his life far , And delivered you out of the hand of Midian :
07_JUD_09_18 And ye are risen up against my father's house this day , And have slain his sons , threescore And ten persons , upon one stone , And have made Abimelech , the son of his maidservant , king over the men of Shechem , because he [ Is ] your brother ; ]
07_JUD_09_19 if ye Then have dealt truly And sincerely with Jerubbaal And with his house this day , [ Then ] Rejoice ye in Abimelech , And let him also Rejoice in you :
07_JUD_09_20 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 .
07_JUD_09_21 And Jotham ran away , And fled , And went to Beer , And dwelt there , for Fear of Abimelech his brother .
07_JUD_09_22 when Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel ,
07_JUD_09_23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech And the men of Shechem ; And the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech :
07_JUD_09_24 that the cruelty [ done ] to the threescore And ten sons of Jerubbaal might come , And their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother , which slew them ; And upon the men of Shechem , which aided him in the killing of his brethren .
07_JUD_09_25 And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains , And they robbed all that came along that way by them : And it was told Abimelech .
07_JUD_09_26 And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren , And went over to Shechem : And the men of Shechem put their confidence in him .
07_JUD_09_27 And they went out into the fields , And gathered their vineyards , And trode [ the grapes ] , And made merry , And went into the house of their God , And did eat And drink , And Cursed Abimelech .
07_JUD_09_28 And Gaal the son of Ebed said , who [ Is ] Abimelech , And who [ Is ] Shechem , that we should serve him ? [ Is ] not [ he ] the son of Jerubbaal ? And Zebul his officer ? serve the men of Hamor the Father of Shechem : for why should we serve him ?
07_JUD_09_29 And would to God this people were under my hand ! Then would I remove Abimelech . And he said to Abimelech , increase thine army , And come out .
07_JUD_09_30 And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed , his anger was kindled .
07_JUD_09_31 And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily , saying , behold , Gaal the son of Ebed And his brethren be come to Shechem ; And , behold , they fortify the city against thee .
07_JUD_09_32 now therefore up by night , thou And the people that [ Is ] with thee , And Lie in wait in the field :
07_JUD_09_33 And it shall be , [ that ] in the morning , as soon as the sun Is up , thou shalt rise early , And set upon the city : And , behold , [ when ] he And the people that [ Is ] with him come out against thee , Then mayest thou do to them as thou shalt find occasion .
07_JUD_09_34 And Abimelech rose up , And all the people that [ were ] with him , by night , And they laid wait against Shechem in four companies .
07_JUD_09_35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out , And stood in the entering of the gate of the city : And Abimelech rose up , And the people that [ were ] with him , from lying in wait .
07_JUD_09_36 And when Gaal saw the people , he said to Zebul , behold , there come people down from the top of the mountains . And Zebul said unto him , thou seest the shadow of the mountains as [ if they were ] men .
07_JUD_09_37 And Gaal spake again And said , see there come people down by the middle of the land , And another company come along by the plain of Meonenim .
07_JUD_09_38 Then said Zebul unto him , where [ Is ] now thy mouth , wherewith thou saidst , who [ Is ] Abimelech , that we should serve him ? [ Is ] not this the people that thou hast despised ? go out , I pray now , And fight with them .
07_JUD_09_39 And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem , And fought with Abimelech .
07_JUD_09_40 And Abimelech chased him , And he fled before him , And Many were overthrown [ And ] wounded , [ even ] unto the entering of the gate .
07_JUD_09_41 And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah : And Zebul thrust out Gaal And his brethren , that they should not dwell in Shechem .
07_JUD_09_42 And it came to pass on the morrow , that the people went out into the field ; And they told Abimelech .
07_JUD_09_43 And he took the people , And divided them into three companies , And laid wait in the field , And looked , And , behold , the people [ were ] come forth out of the city ; And he rose up against them , And smote them .
07_JUD_09_44 And Abimelech , And the company that [ was ] with him , rushed forward , And stood in the entering of the gate of the city : And the two [ other ] companies ran upon all [ the people ] that [ were ] in the fields , And slew them .
07_JUD_09_45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day ; And he took the city , And slew the people that [ was ] therein , And beat down the city , And sowed it with salt .
07_JUD_09_46 And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard [ that ] , they entered into an hold of the house of the God Berith .
07_JUD_09_47 And it was told Abimelech , that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together .
07_JUD_09_48 And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon , he And all the people that [ were ] with him ; And Abimelech took an ax in his hand , And cut down A bough from the trees , And took 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 ] .
07_JUD_09_49 And all the people Likewise cut down every man his bough , And followed Abimelech , And put [ them ] to the hold , And set the hold on fire upon them ; So that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also , about A thousand men And women .
07_JUD_09_50 Then went Abimelech to Thebez , And encamped against Thebez , And took it .
07_JUD_09_51 but there was A strong tower within the city , And thither fled all the men And women , And all they of the city , And shut [ it ] to them , And gat them up to the top of the tower .
07_JUD_09_52 And Abimelech came unto the tower , And fought against it , And went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire .
07_JUD_09_53 And A certain woman cast A piece of A millstone upon Abimelech's head , And all to brake his skull .
07_JUD_09_54 Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer , And said unto him , draw thy sword , And slay me , that men say not of me , A woman slew him . And his young man thrust him through , And he died .
07_JUD_09_55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead , they departed every man unto his place .
07_JUD_09_56 thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech , which he did unto his Father , in slaying his seventy brethren :
07_JUD_09_57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads : And upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal .