| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Now Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s relatives and said to them and to the whole clan of his mother’s family, | 1Now Abimelech son of Jerub-Baal went to Shechem to see his mother's relatives. He said to them and to his mother's entire extended family, |
| 2“Say in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal rule over you, or that one rule over you?’ Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.” | 2"Tell all the leaders of Shechem this: 'Why would you want to have seventy men, all Jerub-Baal's sons, ruling over you, when you can have just one ruler? Recall that I am your own flesh and blood.'" |
| 3And his mother’s relatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.” | 3His mother's relatives spoke on his behalf to all the leaders of Shechem and reported his proposal. The leaders were drawn to Abimelech; they said, "He is our close relative." |
| 4And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, who followed him. | 4They paid him seventy silver shekels out of the temple of Baal-Berith. Abimelech then used the silver to hire some lawless, dangerous men as his followers. |
| 5And he went to his father’s house at Ophrah and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself. | 5He went to his father's home in Ophrah and murdered his half-brothers, the seventy legitimate sons of Jerub-Baal, on one stone. Only Jotham, Jerub-Baal's youngest son, escaped, because he hid. |
| 6And all the leaders of Shechem came together, and all Beth-millo, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar at Shechem. | 6All the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo assembled and then went and made Abimelech king by the oak near the pillar in Shechem. |
| 7When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim and cried aloud and said to them, “Listen to me, you leaders of Shechem, that God may listen to you. | 7When Jotham heard the news, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim. He spoke loudly to the people below, "Listen to me, leaders of Shechem, so that God may listen to you! |
| 8The trees once went out to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’ | 8"The trees were determined to go out and choose a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, 'Be our king!' |
| 9But the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my abundance, by which gods and men are honored, and go hold sway over the trees?’ | 9But the olive tree said to them, 'I am not going to stop producing my oil, which is used to honor gods and men, just to sway above the other trees!' |
| 10And the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and reign over us.’ | 10"So the trees said to the fig tree, 'You come and be our king!' |
| 11But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit and go hold sway over the trees?’ | 11But the fig tree said to them, 'I am not going to stop producing my sweet figs, my excellent fruit, just to sway above the other trees!' |
| 12And the trees said to the vine, ‘You come and reign over us.’ | 12"So the trees said to the grapevine, 'You come and be our king!' |
| 13But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my wine that cheers God and men and go hold sway over the trees?’ | 13But the grapevine said to them, 'I am not going to stop producing my wine, which makes gods and men so happy, just to sway above the other trees!' |
| 14Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come and reign over us.’ | 14"So all the trees said to the thornbush, 'You come and be our king!' |
| 15And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in good faith you are anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade, but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’ | 15The thornbush said to the trees, 'If you really want to choose me as your king, then come along, find safety under my branches! Otherwise may fire blaze from the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!' |
| 16“Now therefore, if you acted in good faith and integrity when you made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house and have done to him as his deeds deserved— | 16"Now, if you have shown loyalty and integrity when you made Abimelech king, if you have done right to Jerub-Baal and his family, if you have properly repaid him-- |
| 17for my father fought for you and risked his life and delivered you from the hand of Midian, | 17my father fought for you; he risked his life and delivered you from Midian's power. |
| 18and you have risen up against my father’s house this day and have killed his sons, seventy men on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the leaders of Shechem, because he is your relative— | 18But you have attacked my father's family today. You murdered his seventy legitimate sons on one stone and made Abimelech, the son of his female slave, king over the leaders of Shechem, just because he is your close relative. |
| 19if you then have acted in good faith and integrity with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you. | 19So if you have shown loyalty and integrity to Jerub-Baal and his family today, then may Abimelech bring you happiness and may you bring him happiness! |
| 20But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the leaders of Shechem and from Beth-millo and devour Abimelech.” | 20But if not, may fire blaze from Abimelech and consume the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo! May fire also blaze from the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo and consume Abimelech!" |
| 21And Jotham ran away and fled and went to Beer and lived there, because of Abimelech his brother. | 21Then Jotham ran away to Beer and lived there to escape from Abimelech his half-brother. |
| 22Abimelech ruled over Israel three years. | 22Abimelech commanded Israel for three years. |
| 23And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, | 23God sent a spirit to stir up hostility between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem. He made the leaders of Shechem disloyal to Abimelech. |
| 24that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. | 24He did this so the violent deaths of Jerub-Baal's seventy sons might be avenged and Abimelech, their half-brother who murdered them, might have to pay for their spilled blood, along with the leaders of Shechem who helped him murder them. |
| 25And the leaders of Shechem put men in ambush against him on the mountaintops, and they robbed all who passed by them along that way. And it was told to Abimelech. | 25The leaders of Shechem rebelled against Abimelech by putting bandits in the hills, who robbed everyone who traveled by on the road. But Abimelech found out about it. |
| 26And Gaal the son of Ebed moved into Shechem with his relatives, and the leaders of Shechem put confidence in him. | 26Gaal son of Ebed came through Shechem with his brothers. The leaders of Shechem transferred their loyalty to him. |
| 27And they went out into the field and gathered the grapes from their vineyards and trod them and held a festival; and they went into the house of their god and ate and drank and reviled Abimelech. | 27They went out to the field, harvested their grapes, squeezed out the juice, and celebrated. They came to the temple of their god and ate, drank, and cursed Abimelech. |
| 28And Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who are we of Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? | 28Gaal son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerub-Baal, and is not Zebul the deputy he appointed? Serve the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem! But why should we serve Abimelech? |
| 29Would that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech. I would say to Abimelech, ‘Increase your army, and come out.’” | 29If only these men were under my command, I would get rid of Abimelech!" He challenged Abimelech, "Muster your army and come out for battle!" |
| 30When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled. | 30When Zebul, the city commissioner, heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed, he was furious. |
| 31And he sent messengers to Abimelech secretly, saying, “Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his relatives have come to Shechem, and they are stirring up the city against you. | 31He sent messengers to Abimelech, who was in Arumah, reporting, "Beware! Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers are coming to Shechem and inciting the city to rebel against you. |
| 32Now therefore, go by night, you and the people who are with you, and set an ambush in the field. | 32Now, come up at night with your men and set an ambush in the field outside the city. |
| 33Then in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, rise early and rush upon the city. And when he and the people who are with him come out against you, you may do to them as your hand finds to do.” | 33In the morning at sunrise quickly attack the city. When he and his men come out to fight you, do what you can to him." |
| 34So Abimelech and all the men who were with him rose up by night and set an ambush against Shechem in four companies. | 34So Abimelech and all his men came up at night and set an ambush outside Shechem--they divided into four units. |
| 35And Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city, and Abimelech and the people who were with him rose from the ambush. | 35When Gaal son of Ebed came out and stood at the entrance to the city's gate, Abimelech and his men got up from their hiding places. |
| 36And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the mountaintops!” And Zebul said to him, “You mistake the shadow of the mountains for men.” | 36Gaal saw the men and said to Zebul, "Look, men are coming down from the tops of the hills." But Zebul said to him, "You are seeing the shadows on the hills--it just looks like men." |
| 37Gaal spoke again and said, “Look, people are coming down from the center of the land, and one company is coming from the direction of the Diviners’ Oak.” | 37Gaal again said, "Look, men are coming down from the very center of the land. A unit is coming by way of the Oak Tree of the Diviners." |
| 38Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your mouth now, you who said, ‘Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?’ Are not these the people whom you despised? Go out now and fight with them.” | 38Zebul said to him, "Where now are your bragging words, 'Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?' Are these not the men you insulted? Go out now and fight them!" |
| 39And Gaal went out at the head of the leaders of Shechem and fought with Abimelech. | 39So Gaal led the leaders of Shechem out and fought Abimelech. |
| 40And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him. And many fell wounded, up to the entrance of the gate. | 40Abimelech chased him, and Gaal ran from him. Many Shechemites fell wounded at the entrance of the gate. |
| 41And Abimelech lived at Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal and his relatives, so that they could not dwell at Shechem. | 41Abimelech went back to Arumah; Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem. |
| 42On the following day, the people went out into the field, and Abimelech was told. | 42The next day the Shechemites came out to the field. When Abimelech heard about it, |
| 43He took his people and divided them into three companies and set an ambush in the fields. And he looked and saw the people coming out of the city. So he rose against them and killed them. | 43he took his men and divided them into three units and set an ambush in the field. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he attacked and struck them down. |
| 44Abimelech and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city, while the two companies rushed upon all who were in the field and killed them. | 44Abimelech and his units attacked and blocked the entrance to the city's gate. Two units then attacked all the people in the field and struck them down. |
| 45And Abimelech fought against the city all that day. He captured the city and killed the people who were in it, and he razed the city and sowed it with salt. | 45Abimelech fought against the city all that day. He captured the city and killed all the people in it. Then he leveled the city and spread salt over it. |
| 46When all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered the stronghold of the house of El-berith. | 46When all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem heard the news, they went to the stronghold of the temple of El-Berith. |
| 47Abimelech was told that all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem were gathered together. | 47Abimelech heard that all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem were in one place. |
| 48And Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him. And Abimelech took an axe in his hand and cut down a bundle of brushwood and took it up and laid it on his shoulder. And he said to the men who were with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry and do as I have done.” | 48He and all his men went up on Mount Zalmon. He took an ax in his hand and cut off a tree branch. He put it on his shoulder and said to his men, "Quickly, do what you have just seen me do!" |
| 49So every one of the people cut down his bundle and following Abimelech put it against the stronghold, and they set the stronghold on fire over them, so that all the people of the Tower of Shechem also died, about 1,000 men and women. | 49So each of his men also cut off a branch and followed Abimelech. They put the branches against the stronghold and set fire to it. All the people of the Tower of Shechem died--about a thousand men and women. |
| 50Then Abimelech went to Thebez and encamped against Thebez and captured it. | 50Abimelech moved on to Thebez; he besieged and captured it. |
| 51But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men and women and all the leaders of the city fled to it and shut themselves in, and they went up to the roof of the tower. | 51There was a fortified tower in the center of the city, so all the men and women, as well as the city's leaders, ran into it and locked the entrance. Then they went up to the roof of the tower. |
| 52And Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it and drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire. | 52Abimelech came and attacked the tower. When he approached the entrance of the tower to set it on fire, |
| 53And a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull. | 53a woman threw an upper millstone down on his head and shattered his skull. |
| 54Then he called quickly to the young man his armor-bearer and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” And his young man thrust him through, and he died. | 54He quickly called to the young man who carried his weapons, "Draw your sword and kill me, so they will not say, 'A woman killed him.'" So the young man stabbed him and he died. |
| 55And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, everyone departed to his home. | 55When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they went home. |
| 56Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers. | 56God repaid Abimelech for the evil he did to his father by murdering his seventy half-brothers. |
| 57And God also made all the evil of the men of Shechem return on their heads, and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal. | 57God also repaid the men of Shechem for their evil deeds. The curse spoken by Jotham son of Jerub-Baal fell on them. |
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