Judges 9:3-46

Judges 9:3-46

[3] 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.  [4] And they gave  him threescore and ten  pieces of silver  out of the house  of Baalberith,  wherewith Abimelech  hired  vain  and light  persons,  him.  [5] 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. [6] And all the men  of Shechem  gathered together,  and all the house  of Millo,  and made  Abimelech  king,  by the plain  of the pillar  that was in Shechem.  [7] And when they told  it to Jotham,  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. [8] The trees  went forth  on a time to anoint  a king  over them; and they said  unto the olive tree,  Reign  thou over us. [9] But the olive tree  said  unto them, Should I leave  my fatness,  wherewith by me they honour  God  and go  to be promoted  over the trees?  [10] And the trees  said  to the fig tree,  thou, and reign  [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?  [12] Then said  the trees  unto the vine,  thou, and reign  over us. [13] And the vine  said  unto them, Should I leave  my wine,  which cheereth  God  and go  to be promoted  over the trees?  [14] Then said  all the trees  unto the bramble,  thou, and reign  [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.  [16] Now therefore, if ye have done  truly  and sincerely,  in that ye have made Abimelech  king,  and if ye have dealt  with Jerubbaal  and his house,  and have done  unto him according to the deserving  of his hands;  [17] (For my father  fought  for you, and adventured  his life  far,  and delivered  you out of the hand  of Midian:  [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;)  [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: [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.  [21] And Jotham  ran away,  and fled,  to Beer,  and dwelt  there, for fear  of Abimelech  his brother.  [22] When Abimelech  had reigned  three  years  over Israel,  [23] Then God  sent  an evil  spirit  between Abimelech  and the men  of Shechem;  and the men  of Shechem  dealt treacherously  with Abimelech:  [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.  [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.  [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. [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.  [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  of Hamor  the father  of Shechem:  for why should we serve  [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.  [30] And when Zebul  the ruler  of the city  heard  the words  of Gaal  the son  of Ebed,  his anger  was kindled.  [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  [32] Now therefore up  by night,  thou and the people  that is with thee, and lie in wait  in the field:  [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.  [34] And Abimelech  rose up,  and all the people  that were with him, by night,  and they laid wait  against Shechem  in four  companies.  [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.  [36] And when Gaal  saw  the people,  he said  to Zebul,  people  down  from the top  of the mountains.  And Zebul  said  unto him, Thou seest  the shadow  of the mountains  [37] And Gaal  spake  again  and said,  people  down  by the middle  of the land,  and another  company  come  along by the plain  of  Meonenim.  [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. [39] And Gaal  went out  before  the men  of Shechem,  and fought  with Abimelech.  [40] And Abimelech  chased  him, and he fled  before  him, and many  were overthrown  and wounded,  even unto the entering  of the gate.  [41] And Abimelech  dwelt  at Arumah:  and Zebul  thrust out  Gaal  and his brethren,  that they should not dwell  in Shechem.  [42] And it came to pass on the morrow,  that the people  went out  into the field;  and they told  Abimelech.  [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  [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  [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.  [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.