Judges 9 CSB ISV Parallel

◄ Judges 9 ►

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1Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem and spoke to his uncles and to his mother's whole clan, saying,

1Then Jerubbaal's son Abimelech went to his mother's relatives in Shechem. He spoke to the entire family of his mother's father, telling them,

2"Please speak in the hearing of all the citizens of Shechem, 'Is it better for you that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you or that one man rule over you?' Remember that I am your own flesh and blood."

2"Ask all the "lords" of Shechem, 'What's better for you? That 70 men, each of them Jerubbaal's sons, rule over you? Or that one man rule over you?' Keep in mind that I'm like your own close relative."

3His mother's relatives spoke all these words about him in the hearing of all the citizens of Shechem, and they were favorable to Abimelech, for they said, "He is our brother."

3So his mother's relatives spoke all of this on his behalf in the presence of all the "lords" of Shechem. Since they were inclined to follow Abimelech, they said, "He's our relative!"

4So they gave him seventy pieces of silver from the temple of Baal-berith. Abimelech used it to hire worthless and reckless men, and they followed him.

4and they gave him 70 silver coins from the temple that they had built to Baal-berith. Abimelech hired some worthless and useless men, who followed him

5He went to his father's house in Ophrah and killed his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, on top of a large stone. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived, because he hid.

5to his father's house in Ophrah. There he murdered his own brothers, Jerubbaal's sons—all 70 of them—in one place. But Jerubbaal's youngest son Jotham survived by hiding himself.

6Then all the citizens of Shechem and of Beth-millo gathered together and proceeded to make Abimelech king at the oak of the pillar in Shechem.

6All the men from Shechem and Beth-millo gathered together and set up Abimelech as king near the pillar erected in Shechem.

7When they told Jotham, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim, raised his voice, and called to them: Listen to me, citizens of Shechem, and may God listen to you:

7When Jotham was informed about this, he went out, took his stand on top of Mount Gerizim, and cried out loudly, "Listen to me, you "lords" of Shechem, and God will listen to you.

8The trees decided to anoint a king over themselves. They said to the olive tree, "Reign over us."

8"Once upon a time the trees went out to consecrate a king for themselves. "So they told the olive tree, 'Reign over us!'

9But the olive tree said to them, "Should I stop giving my oil that people use to honor both God and men, and rule over the trees?"

9But the olive tree asked them, 'Should I stop producing my rich oils by which both God and men are honored and go take dominion over trees?'

10Then the trees said to the fig tree, "Come and reign over us."

10"So the trees told the fig tree, 'Hey you! Come and reign over us!'

11But the fig tree said to them, "Should I stop giving my sweetness and my good fruit, and rule over trees?"

11But the fig tree asked them, 'Should I leave my sweet, good fruit and go take dominion over trees?'

12Later, the trees said to the grapevine, "Come and reign over us."

12"So the trees told the grape vine, 'Hey you! Come and reign over us!'

13But the grapevine said to them, "Should I stop giving my wine that cheers both God and man, and rule over trees?"

13But the grape vine asked them, 'Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go take dominion over trees?'

14Finally, all the trees said to the bramble, "Come and reign over us."

14"So all the trees told the bramble bush, 'Hey you! Come and reign over us!'

15The bramble said to the trees, "If you really are anointing me as king over you, come and find refuge in my shade. But if not, may fire come out from the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon."

15Then the bramble bush replied to the trees, 'If you really are consecrating me to rule you, come and put your confidence in my shade; but if not, may fire spring out from the bramble bush and burn up the cedars of Lebanon…'

16"Now if you have acted faithfully and honestly in making Abimelech king, if you have done well by Jerubbaal and his family, and if you have rewarded him appropriately for what he did--

16"Now then, if you have been acting in good faith and integrity by making a king out of Abimelech, if you have treated Jerubbaal and his household appropriately by acting toward him as he deserved —

17for my father fought for you, risked his life, and rescued you from Midian,

17because my father fought on your behalf, throwing away all concern for his own life, and delivered you from Midian's domination.

18and now you have attacked my father's family today, killed his seventy sons on top of a large stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his slave woman, king over the citizens of Shechem 'because he is your brother'--

18"But now as for you, you've rebelled against my father's house today. You've murdered his sons—70 men—in one place, and you've installed Abimelech, the son of his mistress, as king to rule over the "lords" of Shechem, since he's related to you.

19so if you have acted faithfully and honestly with Jerubbaal and his house this day, rejoice in Abimelech and may he also rejoice in you.

19So if you've acted in good faith and integrity toward Jerubbaal and his household today, then you're welcome to Abimelech, and he's welcome to you…

20But if not, may fire come from Abimelech and consume the citizens of Shechem and Beth-millo, and may fire come from the citizens of Shechem and Beth-millo and consume Abimelech."

20But if not, may fire spring out from Abimelech and consume the "lords" of Shechem and Beth-millo, and may fire spring out from the "lords" of Shechem and Beth-millo to consume Abimelech."

21Then Jotham fled, escaping to Beer, and lived there because of his brother Abimelech.

21Then Jotham escaped by running away. He went to Beer and remained there because of his brother Abimelech.

22When Abimelech had ruled over Israel three years,

22Abimelech dominated Israel for three years.

23God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem. They treated Abimelech deceitfully,

23Then God sent an evil spirit to divide Abimelech and the "lords" of Shechem

24so that the crime against the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come to justice and their blood would be avenged on their brother Abimelech, who killed them, and on the citizens of Shechem, who had helped him kill his brothers.

24so that the violence committed against the 70 sons of Jerubbaal might come back on their brother Abimelech, who murdered them, and so it might come back on the "lords" of Shechem, who provoked him to murder his brothers.

25The citizens of Shechem rebelled against him by putting men in ambush on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed everyone who passed by them on the road. So this was reported to Abimelech.

25The "lords" of Shechem sent out men to ambush him on the mountain tops, and they robbed everyone who came by them along the roads, and this was reported to Abimelech.

26Gaal son of Ebed came with his brothers and crossed into Shechem, and the citizens of Shechem trusted him.

26Meanwhile, Ebed's son Gaal arrived with his relatives and crossed over into Shechem. The "lords" of Shechem put their faith in him.

27So they went out to the countryside and harvested grapes from their vineyards. They trampled the grapes and held a celebration. Then they went to the house of their god, and as they ate and drank, they cursed Abimelech.

27They went out into the fields, harvested their vineyards, made some wine, and threw a party. Then they went into the temple of their god, ate, drank, and cursed Abimelech.

28Gaal son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem that we should serve him? Isn't he the son of Jerubbaal, and isn't Zebul his officer? You are to serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech?

28Then Ebed's son Gaal remarked, "Who is this Abimelech? And who is Shechem? Should we serve him? Isn't he Jerubbaal's son? Isn't Zebul his lieutenant? Serve the men of Hamor, Shechem's ancestor—but why are we serving him?

29If only these people were in my power, I would remove Abimelech." So he said to Abimelech, "Gather your army and come out."

29If only authority over this people were given to me. Then I would remove Abimelech!" Then he challenged Abimelech: "Build up your army and then come out and fight!"

30When Zebul, the ruler of the city, heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed, he was angry.

30When Zebul, the ruler of the city, heard what Ebed's son Gaal had said, he flew into a rage.

31So he secretly sent messengers to Abimelech, saying, "Beware! Gaal son of Ebed, with his brothers, have come to Shechem and are turning the city against you.

31He sent messengers to Abimelech in secret and told him, "Look out! Ebed's son Gaal and his family have arrived here in Shechem. Watch out! They're stirring up the city against you.

32Now tonight, you and the troops with you, come and wait in ambush in the countryside.

32So get up at night, take your soldiers with you, and wait in ambush out in the field.

33Then get up early, and at sunrise attack the city. When he and the troops who are with him come out against you, do to him whatever you can."

33Tomorrow morning when the sun is up, get up early and attack the city. When Gaal and his army come out to fight you, do whatever you can to them."

34So Abimelech and all the troops with him got up at night and waited in ambush for Shechem in four units.

34So Abimelech and his entire army got up that night and waited in ambush against Shechem in four separate companies.

35Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate. Then Abimelech and the troops who were with him got up from their ambush.

35Ebed's son Gaal went out and stood in the entrance to the city gate while Abimelech and his army were creeping out of their ambush.

36When Gaal saw the troops, he said to Zebul, "Look, troops are coming down from the mountaintops!" But Zebul said to him, "The shadows of the mountains look like men to you."

36When Gaal saw the army, he observed to Zebul, "Look there! People are coming down from the top of the mountains." But Zebul replied to him, "You're looking at morning shadows cast by the mountains. They just look like men to you."

37Then Gaal spoke again, "Look, troops are coming down from the central part of the land, and one unit is coming from the direction of the Diviners' Oak."

37Gaal spoke up again to say, "Look! People are coming down from the highest part of the land, and there's a company approaching from the diviner's oak tree."

38Zebul replied,"What do you have to say now? You said, 'Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?' Aren't these the troops you despised? Now go and fight them!"

38So Zebul replied, "Right... So where's your boasting now? You said, 'Who is Abimelech? Should we serve him?' Isn't this the army that you insulted? So go out right now and fight them!"

39So Gaal went out leading the citizens of Shechem and fought against Abimelech,

39So Gaal went out in full view of the "lords" of Shechem and fought Abimelech.

40but Abimelech pursued him, and Gaal fled before him. Numerous bodies were strewn as far as the entrance of the city gate.

40Abimelech chased him, and Gaal ran away from him. Many fell wounded right up to the entrance to the city gate.

41Abimelech stayed in Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers from Shechem.

41Afterwards, Abimelech remained at Arumah, but Zebul expelled Gaal and his family so they couldn't remain in Shechem.

42The next day when the people of Shechem went into the countryside, this was reported to Abimelech.

42The next day, the people went out to the field, and Abimelech learned about it.

43He took the troops, divided them into three companies, and waited in ambush in the countryside. He looked, and the people were coming out of the city, so he arose against them and struck them down.

43So he took his army, divided it into three separate companies, and laid in ambush out in the field. When Abimelech noticed the people coming out from the city, his army attacked them and killed them.

44Then Abimelech and the units that were with him rushed forward and took their stand at the entrance of the city gate. The other two units rushed against all who were in the countryside and struck them down.

44Then Abimelech and the soldiers who were with him rushed forward and commandeered the entrance to the city gate while the other two companies ran out to kill everyone who was in the field.

45So Abimelech fought against the city that entire day, captured it, and killed the people who were in it. Then he tore down the city and sowed it with salt.

45Abimelech fought against the city all that day, captured the city, killed the people in it, then tore the city to the ground and sowed it with salt.

46When all the citizens of the Tower of Shechem heard, they entered the inner chamber of the temple of El-berith.

46When all the "lords" at the tower of Shechem heard what had happened, they retreated into the inner chamber of the temple of El-berith.

47Then it was reported to Abimelech that all the citizens of the Tower of Shechem had gathered.

47Abimilech was told that all of the "lords" of the Shechem Tower had assembled there.

48So Abimelech and all the troops who were with him went up to Mount Zalmon. Abimelech took his ax in his hand and cut a branch from the trees. He picked up the branch, put it on his shoulder, and said to the troops who were with him, "Hurry and do what you have seen me do."

48So he went up to Mount Zalmon, accompanied by his entire army. Abimelech had an axe in his hand, so he cut down a branch from a tree, lifted it up, and laid it on his shoulder. Then he told the army that had accompanied him, "You've seen what I just did. Hurry up! Do the same thing!"

49Each of the troops also cut his own branch and followed Abimelech. They put the branches against the inner chamber and set it on fire; about a thousand men and women died, including all the men of the Tower of Shechem.

49Then his entire army also cut down a branch for each soldier, followed Abimelech to the inner chamber, and set fire to it while they were inside. As a result, all the men of the tower of Shechem died, including about a thousand men and women.

50Abimelech went to Thebez, camped against it, and captured it.

50Later on, Abimelech went to Thebez, set up a siege encampment there, and captured it.

51There was a strong tower inside the city, and all the men, women, and citizens of the city fled there. They locked themselves in and went up to the roof of the tower.

51But there was a fortified tower in the center of the city, and all the men, women, and leaders of the city escaped to it, shut themselves in, and went up to the roof of the tower.

52When Abimelech came to attack the tower, he approached its entrance to set it on fire.

52So Abimelech approached the tower, attacked it, and approached the tower's gate, intending to burn it down.

53But a woman threw the upper portion of a millstone on Abimelech's head and fractured his skull.

53But a certain woman threw an upper millstone down on Abimelech's head, fracturing his skull.

54He quickly called his armor-bearer and said to him, "Draw your sword and kill me, or they'll say about me, 'A woman killed him.'" So his armor-bearer ran him through, and he died.

54So he cried out to his young armor bearer and ordered him, "Draw your sword and kill me, so no one will say about me that 'A woman killed him.'" So the young man pierced him through, and he died.

55When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they all went home.

55When the men of Israel noticed that Abimelech was dead, they each left for home.

56In this way, God brought back Abimelech's evil--the evil that Abimelech had done to his father when he killed his seventy brothers.

56That's how God repaid Abimelech for the evil thing he did to his father by killing his 70 brothers.

57God also brought back to the men of Shechem all their evil. So the curse of Jotham son of Jerubbaal came upon them.

57God also repaid the men of Shechem for their wickedness, and the curse of Jerubbaal's son Jotham came true for them.

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