And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaalwent to Shechemunto his mother’sbrethren, and communedwiththem, and with all the family of the house of his mother’sfather, saying,
Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, eitherthat all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reignover you, or that one reignover you? rememberalsothat I am yourbone and yourflesh.
And his mother’sbrethrenspake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all thesewords: and theirheartsinclined to followAbimelech; for theysaid, He is our brother.
And he wentunto his father’shouse at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, beingthreescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.
And all the men of Shechemgatheredtogether, and all the house of Millo, and went, and madeAbimelechking, by the plain of the pillarthat was in Shechem.
And whentheytold it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mountGerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and saiduntothem, Hearkenunto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearkenunto you.
And the bramblesaidunto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me kingover you, thencome and put yourtrust in my shadow: and if not, let firecome out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
Now therefore, if ye havedonetruly and sincerely, in that ye havemadeAbimelechking, and if ye havedealtwellwithJerubbaal and his house, and havedoneunto him according to the deserving of his hands;
And ye are risen up against my father’shousethis day, and haveslain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and havemadeAbimelech, the son of his maidservant, kingover the men of Shechem, because he is yourbrother;)
But if not, let firecome out fromAbimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let firecome out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devourAbimelech.
That the crueltydone to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaalmightcome, and theirblood be laiduponAbimelechtheirbrother, whichslewthem; and upon the men of Shechem, whichaided him in the killing of his brethren.
And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and theyrobbed all thatcamealongthat way by them: and it was toldAbimelech.
And theywent out into the fields, and gatheredtheirvineyards, and trode the grapes, and mademerry, and wentinto the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursedAbimelech.
And Gaal the son of Ebedsaid, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we shouldserve 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?
And he sentmessengersuntoAbimelechprivily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem; and, behold, theyfortify the cityagainstthee.
And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, thoushaltriseearly, and set upon the city: and, behold, when he and the peoplethat is with him come out againstthee, thenmayestthou do to them as thoushaltfindoccasion.
And Gaal the son of Ebedwent out, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and Abimelechrose up, and the peoplethatwerewith him, fromlying in wait.
And whenGaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, therecomepeopledownfrom the top of the mountains. And Zebulsaidunto him, Thouseest the shadow of the mountains as if theywere men.
ThensaidZebulunto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewiththousaidst, Who is Abimelech, that we shouldserve him? is not this the peoplethatthouhastdespised? go out, I pray now, and fightwiththem.
And he took the people, and dividedthemintothreecompanies, and laidwait in the field, and looked, and, behold, the peoplewerecomeforth out of the city; and he rose up againstthem, and smotethem.
And Abimelech, and the companythat was with him, rushedforward, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and the two othercompanies ran upon all the peoplethatwere in the fields, and slewthem.
And Abimelechfoughtagainst the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the peoplethat was therein, and beatdown the city, and sowed it withsalt.
And Abimelech gat him up to mountZalmon, he and all the peoplethatwerewith him; and Abimelechtook an ax in his hand, and cut down a boughfrom the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and saidunto the peoplethatwerewith him, What ye haveseen me do, makehaste, and do as I havedone.
And all the peoplelikewise cut downevery man his bough, and followedAbimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fireuponthem; so that all the men of the tower of Shechemdiedalso, about a thousand men and women.
But there was a strongtowerwithin the city, and thitherfled 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.
Then he calledhastilyunto the young man his armourbearer, and saidunto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A womanslew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.