 1 Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem, to his mother's brothers. He talked with them and with all the family of the house of his mother's father saying, 2 I ask you to speak in the hearing+ of all the men of Shechem: Which is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, 70 persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh. 3 His mother's brothers spoke of him in the hearing+ of all the men of Shechem with all these words. Their hearts were bent toward Abimelech, for they said, He is our brother. 4 They gave him 70 pieces of silver out of the house of Baalberith, with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless persons who followed him. 5 He went to his father's house at Ophrah and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, 70 persons, upon one stone. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, was still left. For he hid himself. 6 All the leaders of Shechem gathered together with all the house of Millo and there they made Abimelech king beside the plain of the pillar in Shechem. 7 When they told Jotham, he stood on the top of Mount Gerizim. He lifted up his voice and cried out and said to them, Listen to me, leaders of Shechem, so that God may listen to you. 8 The trees went forth to anoint a king over them. They said to the olive tree, Reign over us. 9 But the olive tree said to them, Should I leave my fatness with which they honor God and man by me and go to be promoted over the trees? 10 The trees said to the fig tree, You come and reign over us. 11 But the fig tree said to them, Should I forsake my sweetness and my good fruit and go to be promoted over the trees? 12 Then the trees said to the vine, You come and reign over us. 13 The vine said to them, Should I leave my wine that cheers God and man and go to be promoted over the trees? 14 Then all the trees said to the bramble bush, You come and reign over us. 15 The bramble bush said to the trees, If you truly anoint me king over you, come put your trust in my shadow. If not, let fire come out of the bramble and burn up the cedars of Lebanon. 16 Now, if you have done truly and sincerely in that you have made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him according to what his hands did, 17 in which my father fought for you and much endangered his life, and delivered you from Midian. 18 You have risen up against my father's house today, and have killed his sons, 70 persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his slave woman, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother; 19 if then you have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house today, rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you. 20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and burn up 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 burn up Abimelech. 21 Jotham ran away and fled, and went to Beer, and lived there for fear of Abimelech his brother. 22 Abimelech reigned three years over Israel. 23 God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. The men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, 24 so that the cruelty to the 70 sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and upon the men of Shechem who helped him in the killing of his brothers. 25 The men of Shechem set men lying in wait for him in the top of the mountains and they robbed all that passed by. This was told to Abimelech. 26 Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers and they went over to Shechem. The men of Shechem put their confidence in him. 27 They went into the fields, gathered their vineyards, trod the grapes, and made merry and went into the house of their god and ate and drank and cursed Abimelech. 28 Then Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal and Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem. But why should we serve Abimelech? 29 I wish this people were under my hand. Then I would remove Abimelech. He said to Abimelech, Increase your army and come out. 30 Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed and his anger was kindled. 31 He sent messengers to Abimelech secretly saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem and they fortify the city against you. 32 Now come up by night, you and the people with you and lie in wait in the field. 33 In the morning, as soon as the sun is up, rise early and set upon the city. Behold, when he and the people who are with him come out against you, you may do to them as you desire. 34 Abimelech rose by night, and all the people with him, and they lay in wait against Shechem in four companies. 35 Gaal the son of Ebed stood in the entrance of the gate of the city. Then Abimelech rose and the people with him from lying in wait. 36 When Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, people are coming down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said to him, You are seeing the shadow of the mountains like men. 37 Gaal spoke again and said, See, people are coming by the middle of the land, and another company coming along by way of the Sorcerers' Oak. 38 Zebul said to him, Where is your mouth now with which you said, Who is Abimelech that we should serve him? Is this not the people whom you have despised? I ask you to go out now and fight with them. 39 Then Gaal went out before the men of Shechem and fought with Abimelech. 40 Abimelech chased him and he fled before him and many were overthrown and wounded to the entrance of the gate. 41 Abimelech lived at Arumah and Zebul put Gaal and his brothers out so that they could not live in Shechem. 42 The next day, the people went out into the field and told Abimelech. 43 He took the people and divided them into three companies and lay in wait in the field. They looked and saw the people come forth out of the city. Then he rose against them and struck them. 44 Abimelech and the company with him rushed forward and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city. The two companies ran upon all the people in the field, and killed them. 45 Abimelech fought against the city all that day. He took the city and killed the people in it. He beat down the city and sowed it with salt. 46 All the men of the tower of Shechem heard, and entered into a stronghold of the house of the god Berith. 47 It was told Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. 48 Abimelech went to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people with him. Then Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a limb from the trees, and took it and laid it on his shoulder, and said to the people who were with him, What you have seen me do, hurry and do likewise. 49 All the people also, each man, cut down a limb for themselves, and followed Abimelech, and set them at the stronghold, and set on fire the stronghold. And about a thousand men and women, all the men of the tower of Shechem, died also. 50 Abimelech went to Thebez, and camped against Thebez, and took it. 51 But there was a strong tower in the middle of the city, and all the men and women, and all the leaders of the city, fled there, and shut it behind them, and got up to the top of the tower. 52 Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it, and went hard to the door of the tower to burn it with fire. 53 A certain woman threw a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head and crushed his skull. 54 Then he called hastily to the young man who was his armor bearer, and said to him, Draw your sword and kill me, so that men may not say of me, A woman killed him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died. 55 When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, each one of them left to go to his place. 56 God repaid the evil of Abimelech for what he did to his father in killing his 70 brothers. 57 All the evil of the men of Shechem God sent back upon their heads. And upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
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