1For Abimelech the son of Jerobaal went to Sichem, unto his mother's brethren, and communed with them and with all his mother's father's kindred saying:
2say I pray you, in the ears of all the inhabiters of Sichem: whether is better for you that all the sons of Jerobaal which are seventy persons reign over you, either that one reign over you. And remember thereto, that I am your bones and your flesh.
3And his mother's brethren rehearsed of him in the audience of all the Citizens of Sichem, all these words, and moved their hearts to follow Abimelech, in that they said how he was their brother.
4And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal Berith, with which Abimelech hired Jehel and light persons which went with him.
5And they went unto his father's house at Ephrah, and slew all his brethren, the sons of Jerobaal, even seventy persons with one stone. Notwithstanding yet Joatham the youngest son of Jerobaal escaped, for he hid himself.
6And all the citizens of Sichem gathered together with all the house of Mello, and went and made Abimelech king at a certain oak that was by Sichem.
7And when it was told Joatham, he went and stood in the top of mount Garizim, and lift up his voice and called, and said unto them: Hearken unto me you citizens of Sichem, that God may hearken unto you.
8The trees went to anoint a king over them, and said unto the olive tree, reign over us.
9But the olive tree said unto them: should I leave my fatness which both God and man praiseth in me, and go to be promoted over the trees.
10Then said the trees to the fig tree, come thou and be king over us.
11And the fig tree answered them, should I forsake my sweetness and my good fruit, and should go to be promoted over the trees.
12Then said the trees unto the vine, come thou and be king over us.
13And the vine answered, should I leave my wine that cheereth both God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees.
14Then said all the trees unto the furze bush come thou and reign over us.
15And the furze bush said unto the trees: if it will be true that ye will anoint me king over you, then come and rest under my shadow, and ye shall see that a fire shall come out of the furze bush and waste the cypress trees of Libanon.
16And even so now, if ye have done truly and uncorruptly to make Abimelech king. And if ye have dealt well with Jerobaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands,
17forasmuch as my father fought for you and adventured his life, and rid you out of the hands of the Madianites.
18And ye are risen up against my father's house this day. And have slain his children, even seventy persons with one stone and have made Abimelech the son of his maidservant king over the citizens of Sichem, because he is your brother,
19if then ye have dealt purely and truly with Jerobaal and with his house this day: then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you.
20But if ye have not dealt truly, then I pray God a fire may come out of Abimelech and consume the citizens of Sichem and the house of Mello. And that there come a fire out of the citizens of Sichem, and out of the house Mello and consume Abimelech.
21And Joatham ran away and fled and went to Beer and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
22When Abimelech had reigned three years
23God sent an hate between Abimelech and the citizens of Sichem. And the citizens of Sichem railed upon Abimelech,
24and wished that the wickedness done to the seventy sons of Jerobaal might come on him, and laid the blood of them unto Abimelech their brother which slew them, and unto the other citizens of Sichem which aided him in the killing of his brethren.
25And the citizens of Sichem set men to lay await for him in the top of the mountains, which men robbed all that came along the way by them. And it was told Abimelech.
26And Gaal the son of Abed and his brethren went and gat them to Sichem. And the men of Sichem put their confidence in him.
27And they went out into the fields and gathered in their grapes and trod them and made merry: and went into the house of their God, and did eat and drink and cursed Abimelech.
28And Gaal the son of Abed said: what is Abimelech? and what is Sichem? that we should serve him, is he not the son of Jerobaal? and Zebul is his officer? serve such as come of Hemor the father of Sichem, for what reason is it that we should serve him?
29would God this people were under my hand, then I would take Abimelech out of the way. And one said unto Abimelech, make thine host greater and go out.
30And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Abed, he was wroth
31and sent messengers unto Abimelech privily saying: Behold Gaal the son of Abed and his brethren be come to Sichem: and behold they set the city against thee.
32Now therefore up by night, both thou and all the people that is with thee, and lie in wait in the fields.
33And rise early in the morning as soon as the son is up and come upon the city. And when he and the people that is with him come out against thee, do to him what thine hands shall be able.
34And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night. And they laid await to the city in four companies.
35And Gaal the son of Abed went out and stood in the entering of the gate of the city. And Abimelech rose up and the folk that were with him, from lying await.
36And 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: the shadow of the hills seem men unto thee.
37And Gaal answered again and said: see there come folk down by the middle of the land and another company come along by the charmer's Oak.
38Then said Zebul unto him: where is now thy mouth that said, what fellow is Abimelech, that we should serve him. These are the people that thou so despisest. Go out now a fellowship and fight with them.
39And Gaal went out before the citizens of Sichem, and fought with Abimelech.
40And Abimelech chased him that he fled before him and many were overthrown and slain, even until they came unto the entering of the gate.
41And then Abimelech went and dwelt at Arumah. And then Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, and would not suffer them to dwell in Sichem.
42And on the morrow the people went out into the field. And it was told Abimelech.
43And he took his people and divided them into three companies and lay await in the fields. And when he saw that the people were come out of the city, he ran upon them and laid upon them.
44And Abimelech and the companies that were with him, ran 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.
45And then Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and took it, and slew the people that were therein, and destroyed the city and sowed salt in the place.
46And when all the men of the town of Sichem heard that, they entered into a stronghold of the house of their god Baal Berith.
47And when it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Sichem were gathered together,
48he gat him to mount Zelmon, both he and all that were with him, and took axes with him and cut down an arm of a tree, and took it up, and put it on his shoulder, and said unto the folk that were with him, whatsoever ye see me do: speed yourselves and do likewise.
49And all the people cut down also every man a bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them into the hold, and set the hold a fire upon them: so that all the men of the tower of Sichem were slain, upon a thousand persons what of men and women together.
50Then went Abimelech to Thebes and besieged it and took it.
51But there was a strong tower in the midst of the city, and thither ran all the men and women and all the citizens of the city and shut it to them, and got them up upon the top of the tower.
52Then came Abimelech unto the tower and fought against it, and went hard unto the entering of the gate, to set it on fire.
53But a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon his head and all to brake his brain pan.
54Then Abimelech called hastily unto the young man that bare his harness, and said unto him: draw thy sword and slay me, that men say not of me, a woman slew him. And his lad thrust him thorow and he died.
55And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed, every man unto his own house.
56And thus all the wickedness of Abimelech which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren,
57and thereto all the wickedness of the men of Sichem, God did bring upon their heads: And upon them came the curse of Joatham the son of Jerobaal.