| New International Version | New Living Translation |
| 1Abimelek son of Jerub-Baal went to his mother's brothers in Shechem and said to them and to all his mother's clan, | 1One day Gideon’s son Abimelech went to Shechem to visit his uncles—his mother’s brothers. He said to them and to the rest of his mother’s family, |
| 2"Ask all the citizens of Shechem, 'Which is better for you: to have all seventy of Jerub-Baal's sons rule over you, or just one man?' Remember, I am your flesh and blood." | 2“Ask the leading citizens of Shechem whether they want to be ruled by all seventy of Gideon’s sons or by one man. And remember that I am your own flesh and blood!” |
| 3When the brothers repeated all this to the citizens of Shechem, they were inclined to follow Abimelek, for they said, "He is related to us." | 3So Abimelech’s uncles gave his message to all the citizens of Shechem on his behalf. And after listening to this proposal, the people of Shechem decided in favor of Abimelech because he was their relative. |
| 4They gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, and Abimelek used it to hire reckless scoundrels, who became his followers. | 4They gave him seventy silver coins from the temple of Baal-berith, which he used to hire some reckless troublemakers who agreed to follow him. |
| 5He went to his father's home in Ophrah and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerub-Baal. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerub-Baal, escaped by hiding. | 5He went to his father’s home at Ophrah, and there, on one stone, they killed all seventy of his half brothers, the sons of Gideon. But the youngest brother, Jotham, escaped and hid. |
| 6Then all the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo gathered beside the great tree at the pillar in Shechem to crown Abimelek king. | 6Then all the leading citizens of Shechem and Beth-millo called a meeting under the oak beside the pillar at Shechem and made Abimelech their king. Jotham’s Parable |
| 7When Jotham was told about this, he climbed up on the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted to them, "Listen to me, citizens of Shechem, so that God may listen to you. | 7When Jotham heard about this, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted, “Listen to me, citizens of Shechem! Listen to me if you want God to listen to you! |
| 8One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, 'Be our king.' | 8Once upon a time the trees decided to choose a king. First they said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king!’ |
| 9"But the olive tree answered, 'Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and humans are honored, to hold sway over the trees?' | 9But the olive tree refused, saying, ‘Should I quit producing the olive oil that blesses both God and people, just to wave back and forth over the trees?’ |
| 10"Next, the trees said to the fig tree, 'Come and be our king.' | 10“Then they said to the fig tree, ‘You be our king!’ |
| 11"But the fig tree replied, 'Should I give up my fruit, so good and sweet, to hold sway over the trees?' | 11But the fig tree also refused, saying, ‘Should I quit producing my sweet fruit just to wave back and forth over the trees?’ |
| 12"Then the trees said to the vine, 'Come and be our king.' | 12“Then they said to the grapevine, ‘You be our king!’ |
| 13"But the vine answered, 'Should I give up my wine, which cheers both gods and humans, to hold sway over the trees?' | 13But the grapevine also refused, saying, ‘Should I quit producing the wine that cheers both God and people, just to wave back and forth over the trees?’ |
| 14"Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, 'Come and be our king.' | 14“Then all the trees finally turned to the thornbush and said, ‘Come, you be our king!’ |
| 15"The thornbush said to the trees, 'If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, then let fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!' | 15And the thornbush replied to the trees, ‘If you truly want to make me your king, come and take shelter in my shade. If not, let fire come out from me and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’” |
| 16"Have you acted honorably and in good faith by making Abimelek king? Have you been fair to Jerub-Baal and his family? Have you treated him as he deserves? | 16Jotham continued, “Now make sure you have acted honorably and in good faith by making Abimelech your king, and that you have done right by Gideon and all of his descendants. Have you treated him with the honor he deserves for all he accomplished? |
| 17Remember that my father fought for you and risked his life to rescue you from the hand of Midian. | 17For he fought for you and risked his life when he rescued you from the Midianites. |
| 18But today you have revolted against my father's family. You have murdered his seventy sons on a single stone and have made Abimelek, the son of his female slave, king over the citizens of Shechem because he is related to you. | 18But today you have revolted against my father and his descendants, killing his seventy sons on one stone. And you have chosen his slave woman’s son, Abimelech, to be your king just because he is your relative. |
| 19So have you acted honorably and in good faith toward Jerub-Baal and his family today? If you have, may Abimelek be your joy, and may you be his, too! | 19“If you have acted honorably and in good faith toward Gideon and his descendants today, then may you find joy in Abimelech, and may he find joy in you. |
| 20But if you have not, let fire come out from Abimelek and consume you, the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and let fire come out from you, the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and consume Abimelek!" | 20But if you have not acted in good faith, then may fire come out from Abimelech and devour the leading citizens of Shechem and Beth-millo; and may fire come out from the citizens of Shechem and Beth-millo and devour Abimelech!” |
| 21Then Jotham fled, escaping to Beer, and he lived there because he was afraid of his brother Abimelek. | 21Then Jotham escaped and lived in Beer because he was afraid of his brother Abimelech. Shechem Rebels against Abimelech |
| 22After Abimelek had governed Israel three years, | 22After Abimelech had ruled over Israel for three years, |
| 23God stirred up animosity between Abimelek and the citizens of Shechem so that they acted treacherously against Abimelek. | 23God sent a spirit that stirred up trouble between Abimelech and the leading citizens of Shechem, and they revolted. |
| 24God did this in order that the crime against Jerub-Baal's seventy sons, the shedding of their blood, might be avenged on their brother Abimelek and on the citizens of Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers. | 24God was punishing Abimelech for murdering Gideon’s seventy sons, and the citizens of Shechem for supporting him in this treachery of murdering his brothers. |
| 25In opposition to him these citizens of Shechem set men on the hilltops to ambush and rob everyone who passed by, and this was reported to Abimelek. | 25The citizens of Shechem set an ambush for Abimelech on the hilltops and robbed everyone who passed that way. But someone warned Abimelech about their plot. |
| 26Now Gaal son of Ebed moved with his clan into Shechem, and its citizens put their confidence in him. | 26One day Gaal son of Ebed moved to Shechem with his brothers and gained the confidence of the leading citizens of Shechem. |
| 27After they had gone out into the fields and gathered the grapes and trodden them, they held a festival in the temple of their god. While they were eating and drinking, they cursed Abimelek. | 27During the annual harvest festival at Shechem, held in the temple of the local god, the wine flowed freely, and everyone began cursing Abimelech. |
| 28Then Gaal son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelek, and why should we Shechemites be subject to him? Isn't he Jerub-Baal's son, and isn't Zebul his deputy? Serve the family of Hamor, Shechem's father! Why should we serve Abimelek? | 28“Who is Abimelech?” Gaal shouted. “He’s not a true son of Shechem, so why should we be his servants? He’s merely the son of Gideon, and this Zebul is merely his deputy. Serve the true sons of Hamor, the founder of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech? |
| 29If only this people were under my command! Then I would get rid of him. I would say to Abimelek, 'Call out your whole army!'" | 29If I were in charge here, I would get rid of Abimelech. I would say to him, ‘Get some soldiers, and come out and fight!’” |
| 30When Zebul the governor of the city heard what Gaal son of Ebed said, he was very angry. | 30But when Zebul, the leader of the city, heard what Gaal was saying, he was furious. |
| 31Under cover he sent messengers to Abimelek, saying, "Gaal son of Ebed and his clan have come to Shechem and are stirring up the city against you. | 31He sent messengers to Abimelech in Arumah, telling him, “Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers have come to live in Shechem, and now they are inciting the city to rebel against you. |
| 32Now then, during the night you and your men should come and lie in wait in the fields. | 32Come by night with an army and hide out in the fields. |
| 33In the morning at sunrise, advance against the city. When Gaal and his men come out against you, seize the opportunity to attack them." | 33In the morning, as soon as it is daylight, attack the city. When Gaal and those who are with him come out against you, you can do with them as you wish.” |
| 34So Abimelek and all his troops set out by night and took up concealed positions near Shechem in four companies. | 34So Abimelech and all his men went by night and split into four groups, stationing themselves around Shechem. |
| 35Now Gaal son of Ebed had gone out and was standing at the entrance of the city gate just as Abimelek and his troops came out from their hiding place. | 35Gaal was standing at the city gates when Abimelech and his army came out of hiding. |
| 36When Gaal saw them, he said to Zebul, "Look, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains!" Zebul replied, "You mistake the shadows of the mountains for men." | 36When Gaal saw them, he said to Zebul, “Look, there are people coming down from the hilltops!” Zebul replied, “It’s just the shadows on the hills that look like men.” |
| 37But Gaal spoke up again: "Look, people are coming down from the central hill, and a company is coming from the direction of the diviners' tree." | 37But again Gaal said, “No, people are coming down from the hills. And another group is coming down the road past the Diviners’ Oak. ” |
| 38Then Zebul said to him, "Where is your big talk now, you who said, 'Who is Abimelek that we should be subject to him?' Aren't these the men you ridiculed? Go out and fight them!" | 38Then Zebul turned on him and asked, “Now where is that big mouth of yours? Wasn’t it you that said, ‘Who is Abimelech, and why should we be his servants?’ The men you mocked are right outside the city! Go out and fight them!” |
| 39So Gaal led out the citizens of Shechem and fought Abimelek. | 39So Gaal led the leading citizens of Shechem into battle against Abimelech. |
| 40Abimelek chased him all the way to the entrance of the gate, and many were killed as they fled. | 40But Abimelech chased him, and many of Shechem’s men were wounded and fell along the road as they retreated to the city gate. |
| 41Then Abimelek stayed in Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal and his clan out of Shechem. | 41Abimelech returned to Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem. |
| 42The next day the people of Shechem went out to the fields, and this was reported to Abimelek. | 42The next day the people of Shechem went out into the fields to battle. When Abimelech heard about it, |
| 43So he took his men, divided them into three companies and set an ambush in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he rose to attack them. | 43he divided his men into three groups and set an ambush in the fields. When Abimelech saw the people coming out of the city, he and his men jumped up from their hiding places and attacked them. |
| 44Abimelek and the companies with him rushed forward to a position at the entrance of the city gate. Then two companies attacked those in the fields and struck them down. | 44Abimelech and his group stormed the city gate to keep the men of Shechem from getting back in, while Abimelech’s other two groups cut them down in the fields. |
| 45All that day Abimelek pressed his attack against the city until he had captured it and killed its people. Then he destroyed the city and scattered salt over it. | 45The battle went on all day before Abimelech finally captured the city. He killed the people, leveled the city, and scattered salt all over the ground. |
| 46On hearing this, the citizens in the tower of Shechem went into the stronghold of the temple of El-Berith. | 46When the leading citizens who lived in the tower of Shechem heard what had happened, they ran and hid in the temple of Baal-berith. |
| 47When Abimelek heard that they had assembled there, | 47Someone reported to Abimelech that the citizens had gathered in the temple, |
| 48he and all his men went up Mount Zalmon. He took an ax and cut off some branches, which he lifted to his shoulders. He ordered the men with him, "Quick! Do what you have seen me do!" | 48so he led his forces to Mount Zalmon. He took an ax and chopped some branches from a tree, then put them on his shoulder. “Quick, do as I have done!” he told his men. |
| 49So all the men cut branches and followed Abimelek. They piled them against the stronghold and set it on fire with the people still inside. So all the people in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women, also died. | 49So each of them cut down some branches, following Abimelech’s example. They piled the branches against the walls of the temple and set them on fire. So all the people who had lived in the tower of Shechem died—about 1,000 men and women. |
| 50Next Abimelek went to Thebez and besieged it and captured it. | 50Then Abimelech attacked the town of Thebez and captured it. |
| 51Inside the city, however, was a strong tower, to which all the men and women--all the people of the city--had fled. They had locked themselves in and climbed up on the tower roof. | 51But there was a strong tower inside the town, and all the men and women—the entire population—fled to it. They barricaded themselves in and climbed up to the roof of the tower. |
| 52Abimelek went to the tower and attacked it. But as he approached the entrance to the tower to set it on fire, | 52Abimelech followed them to attack the tower. But as he prepared to set fire to the entrance, |
| 53a woman dropped an upper millstone on his head and cracked his skull. | 53a woman on the roof dropped a millstone that landed on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull. |
| 54Hurriedly he called to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword and kill me, so that they can't say, 'A woman killed him.'" So his servant ran him through, and he died. | 54He quickly said to his young armor bearer, “Draw your sword and kill me! Don’t let it be said that a woman killed Abimelech!” So the young man ran him through with his sword, and he died. |
| 55When the Israelites saw that Abimelek was dead, they went home. | 55When Abimelech’s men saw that he was dead, they disbanded and returned to their homes. |
| 56Thus God repaid the wickedness that Abimelek had done to his father by murdering his seventy brothers. | 56In this way, God punished Abimelech for the evil he had done against his father by murdering his seventy brothers. |
| 57God also made the people of Shechem pay for all their wickedness. The curse of Jotham son of Jerub-Baal came on them. | 57God also punished the men of Shechem for all their evil. So the curse of Jotham son of Gideon was fulfilled. |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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