Now ^aAbimelech the son of ¹Jerubbaal went to Shechem, to his mother’s relatives, and spoke to them and to the entire family of the household of his mother’s father, saying, 2 “Speak, now, in the hearing of all the ¹leaders of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you: for ^aseventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, to rule over you, or for one man to rule over you?’ Also, remember that I am ^byour bone and your flesh.” 3 So his mother’s relatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the hearing of all the ¹leaders of Shechem; and ²they were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is ^aour relative.” 4 And they gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of ^aBaal-berith, with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men, and they followed him. 5 Then he went to his father’s house in Ophrah and ^akilled his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, ^bseventy men, ¹on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, because he hid himself. 6 All the ¹leaders of Shechem and all ²Beth-millo assembled together, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the ³oak of the memorial stone which was in Shechem.

7 Now when they told Jotham, he went and stood on the top of ^aMount Gerizim, and raised his voice and called out. And he said to them, “Listen to me, you ¹leaders of Shechem, that God may listen to you. 8 Once the trees went to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us!’ 9 But the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I give up my fatness with ¹which God and mankind are honored, and go to wave over the trees?’ 10 Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You, come, reign over us!’ 11 But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I give up my sweetness and my good ¹fruit, and go to wave over the trees?’ 12 Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You, come, reign over us!’ 13 But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I give up my new wine, which cheers God and mankind, and go to wave over the trees?’ 14 Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You, come, reign over us!’ 15 And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If you ¹really are anointing me as king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, may fire come out of the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’

16 “Now then, if you have acted with ¹honesty and integrity in making Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with ^aJerubbaal and his house, and ²have dealt with him ³as he deserved— 17 for my father fought for you, and ¹risked his life and saved you from the hand of Midian; 18 but in fact you have risen against my father’s house today and have killed ^ahis sons, seventy men, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, ^bthe son of his female slave, king over the ¹leaders of Shechem, because he is your relative— 19 so if you have acted with ¹honesty and integrity toward Jerubbaal and his house this day, be joyful about Abimelech, and may he also be joyful about you. 20 But if not, may fire come out of Abimelech and consume the ¹leaders of Shechem and ²Beth-millo; and may fire come out of the ³leaders of Shechem and from ⁴Beth-millo, and consume Abimelech.” 21 Then Jotham escaped and fled, and went to Beer; and he stayed there because of his brother Abimelech.

22 Now Abimelech ruled over Israel for three years. 23 ^aThen God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the ¹leaders of Shechem; and the ²leaders of Shechem ^bdealt treacherously with Abimelech, 24 ^aso that the violence ¹done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal would come, and the responsibility for ^btheir blood would be placed on their brother Abimelech, who killed them, and on the ²leaders of Shechem, who ³encouraged him to kill his brothers. 25 The ¹leaders of Shechem set up men in ambush against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed everyone who would pass by them on the road; and it was reported to Abimelech.

26 Now Gaal the son of Ebed came with his relatives, and crossed over into Shechem; and the ¹leaders of Shechem trusted him. 27 So they went out to the field and gathered the grapes of their vineyards and trampled them, and held a festival; and they went into the house of ^atheir 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 is Zebul not his governor? Serve the men of ^aHamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? 29 ^1aIf only this people were under my authority! Then I would do away with Abimelech.” And he said to Abimelech, “Enlarge your army and come out!”

30 When Zebul the leader of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger burned. 31 So using deception, he successfully sent messengers to Abimelech, saying, “Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his relatives have come to Shechem; and behold, they are ¹stirring up the city against you. 32 So now, arise by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field. 33 Then in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, you shall rise early and attack the city; and behold, when he and the people who are with him come out against you, you shall ^ado to them ¹whatever you can.”

34 So Abimelech and all the people who were with him got up at night, and lay in wait against Shechem, in four ¹units. 35 Now Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate; and Abimelech and the people who were with him arose from the ambush. 36 When Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, “¹Look, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains.” But Zebul said to him, “You are seeing the shadow of the mountains as if they were people.” 37 And Gaal spoke yet again and said, “Look, people are coming down from ^athe ¹highest part of the land, and one ²unit is coming by way of ³the diviners’ ⁴oak.” 38 Then Zebul said to him, “Where then is your ¹boasting with which you said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Is this not the people whom you rejected? Go out now and fight them!” 39 So Gaal went out ¹in the sight of the ²leaders of Shechem and fought Abimelech. 40 But Abimelech chased him, and he fled from him; and many fell wounded up to the entrance of the gate. 41 Then Abimelech stayed in Arumah, but Zebul drove out Gaal and his relatives so that they could not stay in Shechem.

42 Now it came about the next day, that the people went out to the field, and it was reported to Abimelech. 43 So he took ¹his people and divided them into three ²units, and lay in wait in the field; when he looked and ³saw the people coming out from the city, he ⁴attacked them and killed them. 44 Then Abimelech and the ¹company who was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the city gate; the other two ²companies then attacked all who were in the field and killed them. 45 Abimelech fought against the city that whole day, and he captured the city and killed the people who were in it; then he ^atore down the city and sowed it with salt.

46 When all the ¹leaders of the tower of Shechem heard about it, they entered the inner chamber of the ²temple of ^aEl-berith. 47 And it was reported to Abimelech that all the ¹leaders of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. 48 So Abimelech went up to Mount ^aZalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took ¹an axe in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees, and lifted it and put it on his shoulder. Then he said to the people who were with him, “What you saw me do, hurry and do ²likewise.” 49 So all the people also cut down, each one, his branch and followed Abimelech, and put them on top of the inner chamber and set the inner chamber on fire over those inside, so that all the people of the tower of Shechem also died, about a thousand men and women.

50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and he camped against Thebez and captured it. 51 But there was a strong tower in the center of the city, and all the men and women with all the ¹leaders of the city fled there and shut themselves in; and they went up on the roof of the tower. 52 So Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it, and approached the entrance of the tower to burn it down with fire. 53 But ^aa woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, crushing his skull. 54 Then ^ahe called quickly to the young man, his armor bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, so that it will not be said of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” So ¹the young man pierced him through, and he died. 55 Now when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, each left for his ¹home. 56 So ^aGod repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father in killing his seventy brothers. 57 God also returned all the wickedness of the men of Shechem on their heads, and the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal came ¹upon them.

And ^aAbimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s ¹relatives and spoke to them and to the whole family of the household of his mother’s father, saying, 2 “Speak, now, in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you, that ^aseventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or that one man rule over you?’ Also, remember that I am ^byour bone and your flesh.” 3 And his mother’s ¹relatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem; and ²they were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is ^aour ³relative.” 4 So they gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of ^aBaal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, and they followed him. 5 Then he came to his father’s house at Ophrah and ^akilled his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, ^bseventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself. 6 Then all the lords of Shechem and all ¹Beth-millo assembled together, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the ²oak of the pillar which was in Shechem.

7 Then they told Jotham, so he went and stood on the top of ^aMount Gerizim and lifted his voice and called out. Thus he said to them, “Listen to me, O lords of Shechem, that God may listen to you. 8 The trees surely went forth to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us!’ 9 But the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my fatness, with ¹which God and men are honored, and go to wave over the trees?’ 10 Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come, reign over us!’ 11 But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good produce and go to wave over the trees?’ 12 Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You come, reign over us!’ 13 But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my new wine, which makes God and men glad, and go to wave over the trees?’ 14 Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come, reign over us!’ 15 And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in ¹truth you are anointing me as king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, may fire come out from the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’

16 “So now, if you have dealt in ¹truth and integrity and made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with ^aJerubbaal and his house and ²have dealt with him according to the bountiful works of his hands— 17 for my father fought for you and ¹risked his life and delivered you from the hand of Midian; 18 but you have risen against my father’s house today and have killed ^ahis sons, seventy men, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, ^bthe son of his maidservant, king over the lords of Shechem, because he is your ¹relative— 19 if then you have dealt in ¹truth and integrity with Jerubbaal and his house this day, be glad in Abimelech, and let him also be glad in you. 20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and consume the lords of Shechem and ¹Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the lords of Shechem and from ²Beth-millo and consume Abimelech.” 21 Then Jotham escaped and fled and went to Beer and remained there because of Abimelech his brother.

22 And Abimelech governed over Israel three years. 23 ^aThen God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the lords of Shechem; and the lords of Shechem ^bdealt treacherously with Abimelech, 24 ^aso that the violence ¹done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and ^btheir blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the lords of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. 25 And the lords of Shechem set ¹men in ambush against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who might pass by them along the road; and it was told to Abimelech.

26 Then Gaal the son of Ebed came with his ¹relatives, and they crossed over into Shechem; and the lords of Shechem put their trust in him. 27 And they went out into the field and gathered the grapes of their vineyards and trod them and celebrated a ¹festival; and they came into the house of ^atheir 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 is Zebul not his ¹officer? Serve the men of ^aHamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? 29 ^1aWould, therefore, that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech.” And he said to Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out.”

30 Then Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, and his anger burned. 31 And he sent messengers to Abimelech ¹deceitfully, saying, “Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his ²relatives have come to Shechem; and behold, they are ³stirring up the city against you. 32 So now, arise by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field. 33 And it will be in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, that you shall rise early and rush upon the city; and behold, he and the people who are with him will come out against you, and you shall ^ado to them ¹whatever your hand finds pleasing.”

34 So Abimelech and all the people who were with him arose by night and lay in wait against Shechem in four ¹companies. 35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the city gate; and Abimelech and the people who were with him arose from the ambush. 36 Then Gaal saw the people and said to Zebul, “Behold, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains.” But Zebul said to him, “You are seeing the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.” 37 Yet Gaal spoke again and said, “Behold, people are coming down from ^athe ¹highest part of the land, and one ²company comes by the way of ³the soothsayers’ ⁴oak.” 38 Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your ¹boasting now with which you said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Is this not the people whom you rejected? Go out now and fight with them!” 39 So Gaal went out before the lords of Shechem and fought with Abimelech. 40 And Abimelech pursued him, and he fled before him; and many fell slain up to the entrance of the gate. 41 Then Abimelech remained at Arumah, but Zebul drove out Gaal and his ¹relatives so that they could not remain in Shechem.

42 Now it happened the next day, that the people went out to the field, and it was told to Abimelech. 43 So he took ¹his people and divided them into three ²companies and lay in wait in the field; then he looked, and behold, the people were coming out from the city. So he arose against them and struck them down. 44 Then Abimelech and the ¹company who was with him rushed forward and stood in the entrance of the city gate; but the other two ²companies rushed upon all who were in the field and struck them down. 45 So Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and he captured the city and killed the people who were in it; then he ^atore the city down and sowed it with salt.

46 Then all the lords of the tower of Shechem heard of it, and they entered the inner chamber of the ¹temple of ^aEl-berith. 47 And it was told to Abimelech that all the lords of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. 48 So Abimelech went up to Mount ^aZalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took ¹an axe in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees and lifted it and laid it on his shoulder. Then he said to the people who were with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry and do ²likewise.” 49 And all the people also cut down each one his branch and followed Abimelech and put them on the inner chamber and set the inner chamber on fire over those inside, so that all the men of the tower of Shechem also died, about one thousand men and women.

50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and he camped against Thebez and captured it. 51 But there was a strong tower in the center of the city, and all the men and women with all the lords of the city fled there and shut themselves in; and they went up on the roof of the tower. 52 So Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it and approached the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire. 53 But ^aa certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, and she smashed his skull. 54 Then ^ahe called quickly to the young man, his armor bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and put me to death, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” So ¹the young man pierced him through, and he died. 55 Then the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, so each went away to his ¹home. 56 Thus ^aGod returned the evil of Abimelech, which he had done to his father in killing his seventy brothers. 57 God also returned all the evil of the men of Shechem on their own heads, and the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal came ¹upon them.