1 And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother’s brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying, 2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh. 3 And his mother’s brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother. 4 And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him. 5 And he went unto his father’s house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself. 6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.
7 ¶ And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you. 8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. 9 But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? 10 And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. 11 But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees? 12 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. 13 And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? 14 Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. 15 And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon. 16 Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands; 17 (For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian: 18 And ye are risen up against my father’s house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;) 19 If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you: 20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour 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 devour Abimelech. 21 And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
22 ¶ When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel, 23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: 24 That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren. 25 And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech. 26 And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him. 27 And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode the grapes , and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech. 28 And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve 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? 29 And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.
30 ¶ And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled. 31 And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem; and, behold, they fortify the city against thee. 32 Now therefore up by night, thou and the people that is with thee, and lie in wait in the field: 33 And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, thou shalt rise early, and set upon the city: and, behold, when he and the people that is with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to them as thou shalt find occasion.
34 ¶ And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies. 35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from lying in wait. 36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men. 37 And Gaal spake again and said, See there come people down by the middle of the land, and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim. 38 Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them. 39 And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. 40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate. 41 And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem. 42 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech. 43 And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field, and looked, and, behold, the people were come forth out of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote them. 44 And Abimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and the two other companies ran upon all the people that were in the fields, and slew them. 45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.
46 ¶ And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that , they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith. 47 And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. 48 And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done . 49 And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.
50 ¶ Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it. 51 But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled 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. 52 And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire. 53 And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and all to brake his skull. 54 Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died. 55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.
56 ¶ Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren: 57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
1 Καὶ ἐπορεύθη Αβιμελεχ υἱὸς Ιεροβααλ εἰς Σικιμα πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐλάλησεν πρὸς αὐτοὺς καὶ πρὸς πᾶσαν τὴν συγγένειαν τοῦ οἴκου τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ λέγων 2 Λαλήσατε δὴ ἐν ὠσὶν τῶν ἀνδρῶν Σικιμων Ποῖον βέλτιόν ἐστιν, τὸ ἄρχειν ὑμῶν ἑβδομήκοντα ἄνδρας, πάντας υἱοὺς Ιεροβααλ, ἢ κυριεύειν ὑμῶν ἄνδρα ἕνα; καὶ μνήσθητε ὅτι σὰρξ ὑμῶν καὶ ὀστοῦν ὑμῶν ἐγώ εἰμι. 3 καὶ ἐλάλησαν περὶ αὐτοῦ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς ὠσὶν πάντων τῶν ἀνδρῶν Σικιμων πάντας τοὺς λόγους τούτους, καὶ ἔκλινεν καρδία αὐτῶν ὀπίσω Αβιμελεχ, ὅτι εἶπαν Ἀδελφὸς ἡμῶν ἐστιν. 4 καὶ ἔδωκαν αὐτῷ ἑβδομήκοντα ἀργυρίου ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου Βααλ διαθήκης, καὶ ἐμισθώσατο ἐν αὐτοῖς Αβιμελεχ ἄνδρας κενοὺς καὶ θαμβουμένους, καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ. 5 καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ εἰς Εφραθα καὶ ἀπέκτεινεν τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ υἱοὺς Ιεροβααλ ἑβδομήκοντα ἄνδρας ἐπὶ λίθον ἕνα· καὶ ἀπελείφθη Ιωαθαμ υἱὸς Ιεροβααλ ὁ νεώτερος, ὅτι ἐκρύβη.
6 Καὶ συνήχθησαν πάντες οἱ ἄνδρες Σικιμων καὶ πᾶς ὁ οἶκος Μααλλων καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν καὶ ἐβασίλευσαν τὸν Αβιμελεχ εἰς βασιλέα πρὸς τῇ βαλάνῳ τῆς στάσεως ἐν Σικιμοις. 7 καὶ ἀνήγγειλαν τῷ Ιωαθαμ, καὶ ἐπορεύθη καὶ ἔστη ἐπὶ τῆς κορυφῆς τοῦ ὄρους Γαριζιν καὶ ἐπῆρεν τὴν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκάλεσεν καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Ἀκούσατέ μου, ἄνδρες Σικιμων, καὶ ἀκούσαι ὑμῶν ὁ θεός. 8 πορευόμενα ἐπορεύθησαν τὰ ξύλα τοῦ χρῖσαι ἑαυτοῖς βασιλέα καὶ εἶπον τῇ ἐλαίᾳ Βασίλευσον ἐφ᾽ ἡμῶν. 9 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ἡ ἐλαία Ἀφεῖσα τὴν πιότητά μου, ἣν ἐν ἐμοὶ ἐδόξασεν ὁ θεὸς καὶ ἄνθρωποι, πορευθῶ ἄρχειν τῶν ξύλων; 10 καὶ εἶπαν τὰ ξύλα τῇ συκῇ Δεῦρο βασίλευσον ἐφ᾽ ἡμῶν. 11 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ἡ συκῆ Ἀφεῖσα τὴν γλυκύτητά μου καὶ τὸ γένημά μου τὸ ἀγαθὸν πορευθῶ ἄρχειν ξύλων; 12 καὶ εἶπαν τὰ ξύλα τῇ ἀμπέλῳ Δεῦρο βασίλευσον ἐφ᾽ ἡμῶν. 13 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ἡ ἄμπελος Ἀφεῖσα τὸν οἶνόν μου, τὴν εὐφροσύνην τὴν παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, πορευθῶ ἄρχειν ξύλων; 14 καὶ εἶπαν τὰ ξύλα πρὸς τὴν ῥάμνον Δεῦρο σὺ βασίλευσον ἐφ᾽ ἡμῶν. 15 καὶ εἶπεν ἡ ῥάμνος πρὸς τὰ ξύλα Εἰ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ ὑμεῖς χρίετέ με εἰς βασιλέα ἐφ᾽ ὑμῶν, δεῦτε πεποίθατε ἐν τῇ σκέπῃ μου· καὶ εἰ μή, ἐξέλθοι πῦρ ἐκ τῆς ῥάμνου καὶ καταφάγοι τὰς κέδρους τοῦ Λιβάνου. — 16 καὶ νῦν εἰ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ καὶ ἐν τελειότητι ἐποιήσατε καὶ ἐβασιλεύσατε τὸν Αβιμελεχ, καὶ εἰ καλῶς ἐποιήσατε μετὰ Ιεροβααλ καὶ μετὰ τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἰ κατὰ τὸ ἀνταπόδομα τῆς χειρὸς αὐτοῦ ἐποιήσατε αὐτῷ, 17 — ὡς ἐπολέμησεν ὁ πατήρ μου ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν καὶ ἔρριψεν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἐξ ἐναντίας καὶ ἐξείλατο ὑμᾶς ἐκ χειρὸς Μαδιαμ, 18 καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐπανέστητε ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον τοῦ πατρός μου σήμερον καὶ ἀπεκτείνατε τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ ἑβδομήκοντα ἄνδρας ἐπὶ λίθον ἕνα καὶ ἐβασιλεύσατε τὸν Αβιμελεχ υἱὸν τῆς παιδίσκης αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας Σικιμων, ὅτι ἀδελφὸς ὑμῶν ἐστιν, — 19 καὶ εἰ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ καὶ τελειότητι ἐποιήσατε μετὰ Ιεροβααλ καὶ τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ, εὐλογηθείητε ὑμεῖς καὶ εὐφρανθείητε ἐν Αβιμελεχ, καὶ εὐφρανθείη καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν ὑμῖν. 20 καὶ εἰ μή, ἐξέλθοι πῦρ ἐξ Αβιμελεχ καὶ καταφάγοι τοὺς ἄνδρας Σικιμων καὶ τὸν οἶκον Μααλλων, καὶ εἰ μή, ἐξέλθοι πῦρ ἀπὸ ἀνδρῶν Σικιμων καὶ ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου Μααλλων καὶ καταφάγοι τὸν Αβιμελεχ. — 21 καὶ ἀπέδρα Ιωαθαμ καὶ ἐπορεύθη ἐν ὁδῷ καὶ ἔφυγεν εἰς Ραρα καὶ κατῴκησεν ἐκεῖ ἀπὸ προσώπου Αβιμελεχ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ.
22 Καὶ ἦρξεν Αβιμελεχ ἐπὶ Ισραηλ τρία ἔτη. 23 καὶ ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ θεὸς πνεῦμα πονηρὸν ἀνὰ μέσον Αβιμελεχ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν ἀνδρῶν Σικιμων, καὶ ἠθέτησαν οἱ ἄνδρες Σικιμων ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ Αβιμελεχ, 24 τοῦ ἐπαγαγεῖν τὴν ἀδικίαν τῶν ἑβδομήκοντα υἱῶν Ιεροβααλ καὶ τὸ αἷμα αὐτῶν ἐπιθεῖναι ἐπὶ Αβιμελεχ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτῶν τὸν ἀποκτείναντα αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας Σικιμων τοὺς κατισχύσαντας τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ ὥστε ἀποκτεῖναι τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ. 25 καὶ ἔθεντο αὐτῷ οἱ ἄνδρες Σικιμων ἔνεδρα ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς τῶν ὀρέων καὶ ἀνήρπαζον πάντας τοὺς διαπορευομένους ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ· καὶ ἀπηγγέλη τῷ Αβιμελεχ. 26 καὶ ἦλθεν Γααλ υἱὸς Αβεδ καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ εἰς Σικιμα, καὶ ἐπεποίθησαν ἐν αὐτῷ οἱ ἄνδρες Σικιμων. 27 καὶ ἦλθον εἰς ἀγρὸν καὶ ἐτρύγησαν τοὺς ἀμπελῶνας αὐτῶν καὶ κατεπάτουν καὶ ἐποίησαν χοροὺς καὶ εἰσῆλθον εἰς οἶκον θεοῦ αὐτῶν καὶ ἔφαγον καὶ ἔπιον καὶ κατηρῶντο τὸν Αβιμελεχ. 28 καὶ εἶπεν Γααλ υἱὸς Αβεδ Τί ἐστιν Αβιμελεχ, καὶ τίς ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς Συχεμ, ὅτι δουλεύσομεν αὐτῷ; οὐχ οὗτος υἱὸς Ιεροβααλ, καὶ Ζεβουλ ἐπίσκοπος αὐτοῦ δοῦλος αὐτοῦ σὺν τοῖς ἀνδράσιν Εμμωρ πατρὸς Συχεμ; καὶ τί ὅτι δουλεύσομεν αὐτῷ ἡμεῖς; 29 καὶ τίς δῴη τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον ἐν χειρί μου; καὶ μεταστήσω τὸν Αβιμελεχ καὶ ἐρῶ τῷ Αβιμελεχ Πλήθυνον τὴν δύναμίν σου καὶ ἔξελθε. 30 καὶ ἤκουσεν Ζεβουλ ὁ ἄρχων τῆς πόλεως τοὺς λόγους Γααλ υἱοῦ Αβεδ καὶ ἐθυμώθη ὀργῇ. 31 καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἀγγέλους πρὸς Αβιμελεχ μετὰ δώρων λέγων Ἰδοὺ Γααλ υἱὸς Αβεδ καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ παραγεγόνασιν εἰς Σικιμα, καὶ οἵδε πολιορκοῦσιν τὴν πόλιν ἐπὶ σέ· 32 καὶ νῦν ἀνάστηθι νυκτὸς σὺ καὶ ὁ λαὸς ὁ μετὰ σοῦ καὶ ἐνέδρευσον ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ, 33 καὶ ἔσται τὸ πρωὶ ἅμα τῷ ἀνατεῖλαι τὸν ἥλιον καὶ ὀρθρίσεις καὶ ἐκτενεῖς ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν, καὶ ἰδοὺ αὐτὸς καὶ ὁ λαὸς ὁ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐκπορεύονται πρὸς σέ, καὶ ποιήσεις αὐτῷ καθάπερ ἐὰν εὕρῃ ἡ χείρ σου. 34 καὶ ἀνέστη Αβιμελεχ καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ὁ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ νυκτὸς καὶ ἐνήδρευσαν ἐπὶ Σικιμα τέσσαρας ἀρχάς. 35 καὶ ἐγένετο πρωὶ καὶ ἐξῆλθεν Γααλ υἱὸς Αβεδ καὶ ἔστη πρὸς τῇ θύρᾳ τῆς πύλης τῆς πόλεως, καὶ ἀνέστη Αβιμελεχ καὶ ὁ λαὸς ὁ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐκ τῶν ἐνέδρων. 36 καὶ εἶδεν Γααλ υἱὸς Αβεδ τὸν λαὸν καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς Ζεβουλ Ἰδοὺ λαὸς καταβαίνων ἀπὸ τῶν κορυφῶν τῶν ὀρέων. καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν Ζεβουλ Τὴν σκιὰν τῶν ὀρέων σὺ ὁρᾷς ὡς ἄνδρας. 37 καὶ προσέθετο ἔτι Γααλ τοῦ λαλῆσαι καὶ εἶπεν Ἰδοὺ λαὸς καταβαίνων κατὰ θάλασσαν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐχόμενα τοῦ ὀμφαλοῦ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἀρχὴ μία παραγίνεται ἀπὸ ὁδοῦ δρυὸς ἀποβλεπόντων. 38 καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν Ζεβουλ Ποῦ ἐστιν νῦν τὸ στόμα σου τὸ λέγον Τίς ἐστιν Αβιμελεχ, ὅτι δουλεύσομεν αὐτῷ; οὐκ ἰδοὺ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ λαός, ὃν ἐξουδένωσας; ἔξελθε νῦν καὶ πολέμει πρὸς αὐτόν. 39 καὶ ἐξῆλθεν Γααλ ἀπὸ προσώπου τῶν ἀνδρῶν Σικιμων καὶ ἐπολέμησεν ἐν Αβιμελεχ. 40 καὶ κατεδίωξεν αὐτὸν Αβιμελεχ, καὶ ἔφυγεν ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἔπεσον τραυματίαι πολλοὶ ἕως θυρῶν τῆς πόλεως. 41 καὶ ἐκάθισεν Αβιμελεχ ἐν Αριμα· καὶ ἐξέβαλεν Ζεβουλ τὸν Γααλ καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ τοῦ μὴ οἰκεῖν ἐν Σικιμοις. 42 καὶ ἐγενήθη τῇ ἐπαύριον καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ λαὸς εἰς τὸ πεδίον, καὶ ἀπηγγέλη τῷ Αβιμελεχ. 43 καὶ παρέλαβεν τὸν λαὸν καὶ διεῖλεν αὐτὸν τρεῖς ἀρχὰς καὶ ἐνήδρευσεν ἐν αὐτῷ· καὶ εἶδεν καὶ ἰδοὺ λαὸς ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ τῆς πόλεως, καὶ ἐπανέστη αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτούς. 44 καὶ Αβιμελεχ καὶ αἱ ἀρχαὶ αἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐξετάθησαν καὶ ἔστησαν παρὰ τὴν πύλην τῆς πόλεως, καὶ αἱ δύο ἀρχαὶ ἐξεχύθησαν ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ, καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτούς. 45 καὶ Αβιμελεχ ἐπολέμει ἐν τῇ πόλει ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην, καὶ κατελάβοντο τὴν πόλιν, καὶ τὸν λαὸν τὸν ἐν αὐτῇ ἀνεῖλεν καὶ τὴν πόλιν καθεῖλεν καὶ ἔσπειρεν αὐτὴν ἅλας. 46 καὶ ἤκουσαν πάντες οἱ ἄνδρες πύργου Σικιμων καὶ εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὸ ὀχύρωμα οἴκου τοῦ Βααλ διαθήκης. 47 καὶ ἀπηγγέλη τῷ Αβιμελεχ ὅτι συνήχθησαν πάντες οἱ ἄνδρες τοῦ πύργου Σικιμων. 48 καὶ ἀνέβη Αβιμελεχ εἰς ὄρος Σελμων, αὐτὸς καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ὁ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔλαβεν Αβιμελεχ ἀξίνην ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔκοψεν φορτίον ξύλων καὶ ἔλαβεν αὐτὸ καὶ ἐπέθηκεν ἐπὶ τοὺς ὤμους αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν λαὸν τὸν μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ Τί εἴδετέ με ποιοῦντα, ταχέως ποιήσατε ὡς καὶ ἐγώ. 49 καὶ ἔκοψαν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἕκαστος φορτίον καὶ ἦραν καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν ὀπίσω Αβιμελεχ καὶ ἐπέθηκαν ἐπὶ τὸ ὀχύρωμα καὶ ἐνέπρησαν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς τὸ ὀχύρωμα ἐν πυρί, καὶ ἀπέθανον πάντες οἱ ἄνδρες πύργου Σικιμων ὡσεὶ χίλιοι ἄνδρες καὶ γυναῖκες.
50 Καὶ ἐπορεύθη Αβιμελεχ εἰς Θεβες καὶ περιεκάθισεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτὴν καὶ προκατελάβετο αὐτήν. 51 καὶ πύργος ἦν ὀχυρὸς ἐν μέσῳ τῆς πόλεως, καὶ ἔφυγον ἐκεῖ πάντες οἱ ἄνδρες καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες καὶ πάντες οἱ ἡγούμενοι τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἀπέκλεισαν ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτοὺς καὶ ἀνέβησαν ἐπὶ τὸ δῶμα τοῦ πύργου. 52 καὶ ἦλθεν Αβιμελεχ ἕως τοῦ πύργου, καὶ ἐξεπολέμησαν αὐτόν· καὶ ἤγγισεν Αβιμελεχ ἕως τῆς θύρας τοῦ πύργου ἐμπρῆσαι αὐτὸν ἐν πυρί. 53 καὶ ἔρριψεν γυνὴ μία κλάσμα μύλου ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν Αβιμελεχ καὶ συνέθλασεν τὸ κρανίον αὐτοῦ. 54 καὶ ἐβόησεν τὸ τάχος πρὸς τὸ παιδάριον τὸν αἴροντα τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Σπάσαι τὴν μάχαιράν σου καὶ θανάτωσόν με, μήποτε εἴπωσιν Γυνὴ ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτόν. καὶ ἐξεκέντησεν αὐτὸν τὸ παιδάριον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀπέθανεν Αβιμελεχ. 55 καὶ εἶδεν ἀνὴρ Ισραηλ ὅτι ἀπέθανεν Αβιμελεχ, καὶ ἀπῆλθον ἀνὴρ εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ. 56 καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν ὁ θεὸς τὴν κακίαν Αβιμελεχ, ἣν ἐποίησεν τῷ πατρὶ αὐτοῦ ἀποκτεῖναι τοὺς ἑβδομήκοντα ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ. 57 καὶ πᾶσαν κακίαν ἀνδρῶν Σικιμων ἐπέστρεψεν ὁ θεὸς εἰς τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐπῆλθεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς ἡ κατάρα Ιωαθαμ τοῦ υἱοῦ Ιεροβααλ.