1 And Abimelech40 the son1121 of Jerubbaal3378 went1980 to Shechem7927 unto413 his mother's517 brethren,251 and communed1696 with413 them, and with413 all3605 the family4940 of the house1004 of his mother's517 father,1 saying,559

2 Speak,1696 I pray you,4994 in the ears241 of all3605 the men1167 of Shechem,7927 Whether4100 is better2896 for you, either that all3605 the sons1121 of Jerubbaal,3378 which are threescore and ten7657 persons,376 reign4910 over you, or518 that one259 reign4910 over you? remember2142 also that3588 I589 am your bone6106 and your flesh.1320

3 And his mother's517 brethren251 spoke1696 of5921 him in the ears241 of all3605 the men1167 of Shechem7927 853 all3605 these428 words:1697 and their hearts3820 inclined to follow5186 310 Abimelech;40 for3588 they said,559 He1931 is our brother.251

4 And they gave5414 him threescore and ten7657 pieces of silver3701 out of the house4480 1004 of Baal-berith,1170 wherewith Abimelech40 hired7936 vain7386 and light6348 persons,376 which followed1980 310 him.

5 And he went935 unto his father's1 house1004 at Ophrah,6084 and slew2026 853 his brethren251 the sons1121 of Jerubbaal,3378 being threescore and ten7657 persons,376 upon5921 one259 stone:68 notwithstanding yet Jotham3147 the youngest6996 son1121 of Jerubbaal3378 was left;3498 for3588 he hid himself.2244

6 And all3605 the men1167 of Shechem7927 gathered together,622 and all3605 the house of Millo,1037 and went,1980 and made4427 853 Abimelech40 king,4428 by5973 the plain436 of the pillar5324 that834 was in Shechem.7927

7 And when they told5046 it to Jotham,3147 he went1980 and stood5975 in the top7218 of mount2022 Gerizim,1630 and lifted up5375 his voice,6963 and cried,7121 and said559 unto them, Hearken8085 unto413 me, ye men1167 of Shechem,7927 that God430 may hearken8085 unto413 you.

8 The trees6086 went forth1980 1980 on a time to anoint4886 a king4428 over5921 them; and they said559 unto the olive tree,2132 Reign4427 thou over5921 us.

9 But the olive tree2132 said559 unto them, Should I leave2308 853 my fatness,1880 wherewith834 by me they honor3513 God430 and man,376 and go1980 to be promoted5128 over5921 the trees?6086

10 And the trees6086 said559 to the fig tree,8384 Come1980 thou,859 and reign4427 over5921 us.

11 But the fig tree8384 said559 unto them, Should I forsake2308 853 my sweetness,4987 and my good2896 fruit,8570 and go1980 to be promoted5128 over5921 the trees?6086

12 Then said559 the trees6086 unto the vine,1612 Come1980 thou,859 and reign4427 over5921 us.

13 And the vine1612 said559 unto them, Should I leave2308 853 my wine,8492 which cheereth8055 God430 and man,376 and go1980 to be promoted5128 over5921 the trees?6086

14 Then said559 all3605 the trees6086 unto413 the bramble,329 Come1980 thou,859 and reign4427 over5921 us.

15 And the bramble329 said559 unto413 the trees,6086 If518 in truth571 ye859 anoint4886 me king4428 over5921 you, then come935 and put your trust2620 in my shadow:6738 and if518 not,369 let fire784 come out3318 of4480 the bramble,329 and devour398 853 the cedars730 of Lebanon.3844

16 Now6258 therefore, if518 ye have done6213 truly571 and sincerely,8549 in that ye have made Abimelech king,4427 853 40 and if518 ye have dealt6213 well2896 with5973 Jerubbaal3378 and his house,1004 and have done6213 unto him according to the deserving1576 of his hands;3027

17 (For834 my father1 fought3898 for5921 you, and adventured7993 853 his life5315 far,4480 5048 and delivered5337 you out of the hand4480 3027 of Midian: 4080

18 And ye859 are risen up6965 against5921 my father's1 house1004 this day,3117 and have slain2026 853 his sons,1121 threescore and ten7657 persons,376 upon5921 one259 stone,68 and have made853 Abimelech,40 the son1121 of his maidservant,519 king4427 over5921 the men1167 of Shechem,7927 because3588 he1931 is your brother;)251

19 If518 ye then have dealt6213 truly571 and sincerely8549 with5973 Jerubbaal3378 and with5973 his house1004 this2088 day,3117 then rejoice8055 ye in Abimelech,40 and let him1931 also1571 rejoice8055 in you:

20 But if518 not,369 let fire784 come out3318 from Abimelech,4480 40 and devour398 853 the men1167 of Shechem,7927 and the house1004 of Millo;4407 and let fire784 come out3318 from the men4480 1167 of Shechem,7927 and from the house4480 1004 of Millo,4407 and devour398 853 Abimelech.40

21 And Jotham3147 ran away,5127 and fled,1272 and went1980 to Beer,876 and dwelt3427 there,8033 for fear4480 6440 of Abimelech40 his brother.251

22 When Abimelech40 had reigned7786 three7969 years8141 over5921 Israel,3478

23 Then God430 sent7971 an evil7451 spirit7307 between996 Abimelech40 and the men1167 of Shechem;7927 and the men1167 of Shechem7927 dealt treacherously898 with Abimelech: 40

24 That the cruelty2555 done to the threescore and ten7657 sons1121 of Jerubbaal3378 might come,935 and their blood1818 be laid7760 upon5921 Abimelech40 their brother,251 which834 slew2026 them; and upon5921 the men1167 of Shechem,7927 which834 aided2388 853 3027 him in the killing2026 of853 his brethren.251

25 And the men1167 of Shechem7927 set7760 liers in wait693 for him in5921 the top7218 of the mountains,2022 and they robbed1497 853 all3605 that834 came along5674 that way1870 by5921 them: and it was told5046 Abimelech.40

26 And Gaal1603 the son1121 of Ebed5651 came935 with his brethren,251 and went over5674 to Shechem:7927 and the men1167 of Shechem7927 put their confidence982 in him.

27 And they went out3318 into the fields,7704 and gathered1219 853 their vineyards,3754 and trod1869 the grapes, and made6213 merry,1974 and went into935 the house1004 of their god,430 and did eat398 and drink,8354 and cursed7043 853 Abimelech.40

28 And Gaal1603 the son1121 of Ebed5651 said,559 Who4310 is Abimelech,40 and who4310 is Shechem,7927 that3588 we should serve5647 him? is not3808 he the son1121 of Jerubbaal?3378 and Zebul2083 his officer?6496 serve5647 853 the men376 of Hamor2544 the father1 of Shechem:7928 for why4069 should we587 serve5647 him?

29 And would to God4310 5414 853 this2088 people5971 were under my hand!3027 then would I remove5493 853 Abimelech.40 And he said559 to Abimelech,40 Increase7235 thine army,6635 and come out.3318

30 And when Zebul2083 the ruler8269 of the city5892 heard8085 853 the words1697 of Gaal1603 the son1121 of Ebed,5651 his anger639 was kindled.2734

31 And he sent7971 messengers4397 unto413 Abimelech40 privily,8649 saying,559 Behold,2009 Gaal1603 the son1121 of Ebed5651 and his brethren251 be come935 to Shechem;7927 and, behold,2009 they fortify6696 853 the city5892 against5921 thee.

32 Now6258 therefore up6965 by night,3915 thou859 and the people5971 that834 is with854 thee, and lie in wait693 in the field: 7704

33 And it shall be,1961 that in the morning,1242 as soon as the sun8121 is up,2224 thou shalt rise early,7925 and set6584 upon5921 the city:5892 and, behold,2009 when he1931 and the people5971 that834 is with854 him come out3318 against413 thee, then mayest thou do6213 to them as834 thou shalt find4672 occasion.3027

34 And Abimelech40 rose up,6965 and all3605 the people5971 that834 were with5973 him, by night,3915 and they laid wait693 against5921 Shechem7927 in four702 companies.7218

35 And Gaal1603 the son1121 of Ebed5651 went out,3318 and stood5975 in the entering6607 of the gate8179 of the city:5892 and Abimelech40 rose up,6965 and the people5971 that834 were with854 him, from4480 lying in wait.3993

36 And when Gaal1603 saw7200 853 the people,5971 he said559 to413 Zebul,2083 Behold,2009 there come people down3381 5971 from the top4480 7218 of the mountains.2022 And Zebul2083 said559 unto413 him, Thou859 seest7200 853 the shadow6738 of the mountains2022 as if they were men.376

37 And Gaal1603 spoke1696 again3254 and said,559 See2009 there come people down3381 5971 by4480 5973 the middle2872 of the land,776 and another259 company7218 come935 along by4480 5973 the plain436 of Meonenim.6049

38 Then said559 Zebul2083 unto413 him, Where346 is now645 thy mouth,6310 wherewith834 thou saidst,559 Who4310 is Abimelech,40 that3588 we should serve5647 him? is not3808 this2088 the people5971 that834 thou hast despised?3988 go out,3318 I pray4994 now,6258 and fight3898 with them.

39 And Gaal1603 went out3318 before6440 the men1167 of Shechem,7927 and fought3898 with Abimelech.40

40 And Abimelech40 chased7291 him, and he fled5127 before4480 6440 him, and many7227 were overthrown5307 and wounded,2491 even unto5704 the entering6607 of the gate.8179

41 And Abimelech40 dwelt3427 at Arumah:725 and Zebul2083 thrust out1644 853 Gaal1603 and his brethren,251 that they should not dwell4480 3427 in Shechem.7927

42 And it came to pass1961 on the morrow,4480 4283 that the people5971 went out3318 into the field;7704 and they told5046 Abimelech.40

43 And he took3947 853 the people,5971 and divided2673 them into three7969 companies,7218 and laid wait693 in the field,7704 and looked,7200 and, behold,2009 the people5971 were come forth3318 out of4480 the city;5892 and he rose up6965 against5921 them, and smote5221 them.

44 And Abimelech,40 and the company7218 that834 was with5973 him, rushed forward,6584 and stood5975 in the entering6607 of the gate8179 of the city:5892 and the two8147 other companies7218 ran6584 upon5921 all3605 the people that834 were in the fields,7704 and slew5221 them.

45 And Abimelech40 fought3898 against the city5892 all3605 that1931 day;3117 and he took3920 853 the city,5892 and slew2026 the people5971 that834 was therein, and beat down5422 853 the city,5892 and sowed2232 it with salt.4417

46 And when all3605 the men1167 of the tower4026 of Shechem7927 heard8085 that, they entered935 into413 a hold6877 of the house1004 of the god410 Berith.1286

47 And it was told5046 Abimelech,40 that3588 all3605 the men1167 of the tower4026 of Shechem7927 were gathered together.6908

48 And Abimelech40 got him up5927 to mount2022 Zalmon,6756 he1931 and all3605 the people5971 that834 were with854 him; and Abimelech40 took3947 853 an axe7134 in his hand,3027 and cut down3772 a bough7754 from the trees,6086 and took5375 it, and laid7760 it on5921 his shoulder,7926 and said559 unto413 the people5971 that834 were with5973 him, What4100 ye have seen7200 me do,6213 make haste,4116 and do6213 as I3644 have done.

49 And all3605 the people5971 likewise1571 cut down3772 every man376 his bough,7754 and followed1980 310 Abimelech,40 and put7760 them to5921 the hold,6877 and set3341 853 the hold6877 on fire784 upon5921 them; so that all3605 the men376 of the tower4026 of Shechem7927 died4191 also,1571 about a thousand505 men376 and women.802

50 Then went1980 Abimelech40 to413 Thebez,8405 and encamped2583 against Thebez,8405 and took3920 it.

51 But there was1961 a strong5797 tower4026 within8432 the city,5892 and thither8033 fled5127 all3605 the men376 and women,802 and all3605 they1167 of the city,5892 and shut5462 it to1157 them, and got them up5927 to5921 the top1406 of the tower.4026

52 And Abimelech40 came935 unto5704 the tower,4026 and fought3898 against it, and went hard5066 unto5704 the door6607 of the tower4026 to burn8313 it with fire.784

53 And a certain259 woman802 cast7993 a piece6400 of a millstone7393 upon5921 Abimelech's40 head,7218 and all to broke7533 853 his skull.1538

54 Then he called7121 hastily4120 unto413 the young man5288 his armorbearer,5375 3627 and said559 unto him, Draw8025 thy sword,2719 and slay4191 me, that6435 men say559 not of me, A woman802 slew2026 him. And his young man5288 thrust him through,1856 and he died.4191

55 And when the men376 of Israel3478 saw7200 that3588 Abimelech40 was dead,4191 they departed1980 every man376 unto his place.4725

56 Thus God430 rendered7725 853 the wickedness7451 of Abimelech,40 which834 he did6213 unto his father,1 in slaying2026 853 his seventy7657 brethren: 251

57 And all3605 the evil7451 of the men376 of Shechem7927 did God430 render7725 upon their heads:7218 and upon413 them came935 the curse7045 of Jotham3147 the son1121 of Jerubbaal.3378