1 abiit autem Abimelech filius Hierobbaal in Sychem ad fratres matris suae
et locutus est ad eos
et ad omnem cognationem domus patris matris suae dicens
2 loquimini ad omnes viros Sychem quid vobis est melius
ut dominentur vestri septuaginta viri omnes filii Hierobbaal
an ut dominetur vobis unus vir
simulque considerate quia os vestrum et caro vestra sum
3 locutique sunt fratres matris eius de eo ad omnes viros Sychem
universos sermones istos
et inclinaverunt cor eorum post Abimelech dicentes frater noster est
4 dederuntque illi septuaginta pondo argenti de fano Baalbrith
qui conduxit sibi ex eo viros inopes et vagos secutique sunt eum
5 et venit in domum patris sui Ephra
et occidit fratres suos filios Hierobbaal
septuaginta viros super lapidem unum
remansitque Ioatham filius Hierobbaal minimus et absconditus est
6 congregati sunt autem omnes viri Sychem
et universae familiae urbis Mello
abieruntque et constituerunt regem Abimelech
iuxta quercum quae stabat in Sychem
7 quod cum nuntiatum esset Ioatham
ivit et stetit in vertice montis Garizim
elevataque voce clamavit et dixit
audite me viri Sychem ita audiat vos Deus
8 ierunt ligna ut unguerent super se regem
dixeruntque olivae impera nobis
9 quae respondit
numquid possum deserere pinguedinem meam
qua et dii utuntur et homines
et venire ut inter ligna promovear
10 dixeruntque ligna ad arborem ficum veni et super nos regnum accipe
11 quae respondit eis
numquid possum deserere dulcedinem meam fructusque suavissimos
et ire ut inter cetera ligna commovear
12 locuta sunt quoque ligna
ad vitem
veni et impera nobis
13 quae respondit
numquid possum deserere vinum meum
quod laetificat Deum et homines
et inter ligna cetera commoveri
14 dixeruntque omnia ligna ad ramnum veni et impera super nos
15 quae respondit eis
si vere me regem vobis constituitis
venite et sub mea umbra
requiescite
sin autem non vultis
egrediatur ignis de ramno et devoret cedros Libani
16 nunc igitur si recte et absque peccato constituistis super vos regem
Abimelech
et bene egistis cum Hierobbaal et cum domo eius
et reddidistis vicem beneficiis eius
qui pugnavit pro vobis
17 et animam suam dedit periculis
ut erueret vos de manu Madian
18 qui nunc surrexistis contra domum patris mei
et interfecistis filios eius septuaginta viros super unum lapidem
et constituistis regem Abimelech filium ancillae eius super habitatores
Sychem
eo quod frater vester sit
19 si ergo recte et absque vitio egistis cum Hierobbaal et domo eius
hodie laetamini in Abimelech et ille laetetur in vobis
20 sin autem perverse egrediatur ignis ex eo
et consumat habitatores Sychem et oppidum Mello
egrediaturque ignis de viris Sychem et de oppido Mello
et devoret Abimelech
21 quae cum dixisset fugit et abiit in Bera
habitavitque ibi metu Abimelech fratris sui
22 regnavit itaque Abimelech super Israhel tribus annis
23 misitque Deus spiritum pessimum
inter Abimelech et habitatores Sychem
qui coeperunt eum detestari
24 et scelus interfectionis septuaginta filiorum Hierobbaal
et effusionem sanguinis eorum
conferre in Abimelech fratrem suum
et in ceteros Sycimarum principes
qui eum adiuverant
25 posueruntque insidias adversum eum in montium summitate
et dum illius praestolantur adventum
exercebant latrocinia agentes praedas de praetereuntibus
nuntiatumque est Abimelech
26 venit autem Gaal filius Obed cum fratribus suis
et transivit in Sycimam
ad cuius adventum erecti habitatores Sychem
27 egressi sunt in agros
vastantes vineas uvasque calcantes
et factis cantantium choris ingressi sunt fanum dei sui
et inter epulas et pocula maledicebant Abimelech
28 clamante Gaal filio Obed
quis est Abimelech et quae est Sychem ut serviamus ei
numquid non est filius Hierobbaal
et constituit principem Zebul servum suum super viros Emmor patris
Sychem
cur igitur servimus ei
29 utinam daret aliquis populum istum sub manu mea
ut auferrem de medio Abimelech
dictumque est Abimelech congrega exercitus multitudinem et veni
30 Zebul enim princeps civitatis
auditis sermonibus Gaal filii Obed iratus
est valde
31 et misit clam ad Abimelech nuntios dicens
ecce Gaal filius Obed venit in Sycimam cum fratribus suis
et obpugnat adversum te civitatem
32 surge itaque nocte cum populo qui tecum est et latita in agro
33 et primo mane oriente sole inrue super civitatem
illo autem egrediente adversum te cum populo suo
fac ei quod potueris
34 surrexit itaque Abimelech cum omni exercitu suo nocte
et tetendit insidias iuxta Sycimam in quattuor locis
35 egressusque est Gaal filius Obed
et stetit in introitu portae civitatis
surrexit autem Abimelech et omnis exercitus cum eo de insidiarum loco
36 cumque vidisset populum Gaal dixit ad Zebul
ecce de montibus multitudo descendit
cui ille respondit
umbras montium vides quasi hominum capita
et hoc errore deciperis
37 rursumque Gaal ait ecce populus de umbilico terrae descendit
et unus cuneus venit per viam quae respicit quercum
38 cui dixit Zebul ubi est nunc os tuum quo
loquebaris
quis est Abimelech ut serviamus ei
nonne iste est populus quem despiciebas
egredere et pugna contra eum
39 abiit ergo Gaal spectante Sycimarum populo
et pugnavit contra Abimelech
40 qui persecutus est eum fugientem et in urbem conpulit
cecideruntque ex parte eius plurimi usque ad portam civitatis
41 et Abimelech sedit in Ruma
Zebul autem Gaal et socios eius expulit de urbe
nec in ea passus est commorari
42 sequenti ergo die egressus est populus in campum
quod cum nuntiatum esset Abimelech
43 tulit exercitum suum et divisit in tres turmas tendens insidias in agris
vidensque quod egrederetur populus de civitate
surrexit et inruit in eos
44 cum cuneo suo
obpugnans et obsidens civitatem
duae autem turmae palantes per campum adversarios sequebantur
45 porro Abimelech omni illo die obpugnabat urbem
quam cepit interfectis habitatoribus eius
ipsaque destructa ita ut sal in ea dispergeret
46 quod cum audissent qui habitabant in turre Sycimorum
ingressi sunt fanum dei sui Berith
ubi foedus cum eo pepigerant et ex eo locus nomen acceperat
qui erat valde munitus
47 Abimelech quoque audiens viros turris Sycimorum pariter conglobatos
48 ascendit in montem Selmon cum omni populo suo
et arrepta securi praecidit arboris ramum
inpositumque ferens umero dixit ad socios
quod me vidistis facere cito facite
49 igitur certatim ramos de arboribus praecidentes sequebantur ducem
quos circumdantes praesidio succenderunt
atque ita factum est
ut fumo et igne mille hominum necarentur
viri pariter ac mulieres habitatorum turris Sychem
50 Abimelech autem inde proficiscens venit ad oppidum Thebes
quod circumdans obsidebat exercitu
51 erat autem turris excelsa in media civitate
ad quam confugerant viri simul ac mulieres
et omnes principes civitatis
clausa firmissime ianua et super turris tectum stantes per propugnacula
52 accedensque Abimelech iuxta turrem pugnabat fortiter
et adpropinquans ostio ignem subponere nitebatur
53 et ecce una mulier fragmen molae
desuper iaciens
inlisit capiti Abimelech et confregit cerebrum eius
54 qui vocavit cito armigerum suum et ait ad eum
evagina gladium tuum et percute me
ne forte dicatur quod a femina interfectus sim
qui iussa perficiens interfecit eum
55 illoque mortuo omnes qui cum eo erant de Israhel reversi sunt in sedes suas
56 et reddidit Deus malum quod fecerat Abimelech contra patrem suum
interfectis septuaginta fratribus suis
57 Sycimitis quoque quod operati erant retributum est
et venit super eos maledictio Ioatham filii Hierobbaal
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.