Richter 9

1And Abimelech the son of Jerobaal went to Sichem to his mother’s brethren and spoke to them, and to all the kindred of his mother’s father, saying:

2Speak to all the men of Sichem: whether is better for you that seventy men all the sons of Jerobaal should rule over you, or that one man should rule over you? And withal consider that I am your bone, and your flesh.

3And his mother’s brethren spoke of him to all the men of Sichem, all these words, and they inclined their hearts after Abimelech, saying: He is our brother:

4And they gave him seventy weight of silver out of the temple of Baalberith: wherewith he hired to himself men that were needy, and vagabonds, and they followed him.

5And he came to his father’s house in Ephra, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerobaal, seventy men, upon one stone: and there remained only Joatham the youngest son of Jerobaal, who was hidden.

6And all the men of Sichem were gathered together, and all the families of the city of Mello: and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak that stood in Sichem.

7This being told to Joatham, he went and stood on the top of mount Garizim: and lifting up his voice, he cried, and said: Hear me, ye men of Sichem, so may God hear you.

8The trees went to anoint a king over them: and they said to the olive tree: Reign thou over us.

9And it answered: Can I leave my fatness, which both gods and men make use of, to come to be promoted among the trees?

10And the trees said to the fig tree: Come thou and reign over us.

11And it answered them: Can I leave my sweetness, and my delicious fruits, and go to be promoted among the other trees?

12And the trees said to the vine: Come thou and reign over us.

13And it answered them: Can I forsake my wine, that cheereth God and men, and be promoted among the other trees?

14And all the trees said to the bramble: Come thou and reign over us.

15And it answered them: If indeed you mean to make me king, come ye and rest under my shadow: but if you mean it not, let fire come out from the bramble, and devour the cedars of Libanus.

16Now therefore if you have done well, and without sin in appointing Abimelech king over you, and have dealt well with Jerobaal, and with his house, and have made a suitable return for the benefits of him, who fought for you,

17And exposed his life to dangers, to deliver you from the hands of Madian,

18And you are now risen up against my father’s house, and have killed his sons seventy men upon one stone, and have made Abimelech the son of his handmaid king over the inhabitants of Sichem, because he is your brother:

19If therefore you have dealt well, and without fault with Jerobaal, and his house, rejoice ye this day in Abimelech, and may he rejoice in you.

20But if unjustly: let fire come out from him, and consume the inhabitants of Sichem, and the town of Mello: and let fire come out from the men of Sichem, and from the town of Mello, and devour Abimelech.

21And when he had said thus he fled, and went into Bera: and dwelt there for fear of Abimelech his brother.

22So Abimelech reigned over Israel for three years.

23And the Lord sent a very evil spirit between Abimelech and the inhabitants of Sichem: who began to detest him,

24And to leave the crime of the murder of the seventy sons of Jerobaal, and the shedding of their blood upon Abimelech their brother, and upon the rest of the princes of the Sichemites, who aided him.

25And they set an ambush against him on the top of the mountains: and while they waited for his coming, they committed robberies, taking spoils of all that passed by: and it was told Abimelech.

26And Gaal the son of Obed came with his brethren, and went over to Sichem. And the inhabitants of Sichem taking courage at his coming,

27Went out into the fields, wasting the vineyards, and treading down the grapes: and singing and dancing they went into the temple of their god, and in their banquets and cups they cursed Abimelech.

28And Gaal the son of Obed cried: Who is Abimelech, and what is Sichem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerobaal, and hath made Zebul his servant ruler over the men of Emor the father of Sichem? Why then shall we serve him?

29Would to God that some man would put this people under my hand, that I might remove Abimelech out of the way. And it was said to Abimelech: Gather together the multitude of an army, and come.

30For Zebul the ruler of the city, hearing the words of Gaal, the son of Obed, was very angry,

31And sent messengers privately to Abimelech, saying: Behold Gaal the son of Obed is come into Sichem with his brethren, and endeavoureth to set the city against thee.

32Arise therefore in the night with the people that is with thee and he hid in the field:

33And betimes in the morning at sun rising set upon the city. And when he shall come out against thee with his people, do to him what thou shalt be able.

34Abimelech therefore arose with all his army by night, and laid ambushes near Sichem in four places.

35And Gaal the son of Obed went out, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city. And Abimelech rose up, and all his army with him from the places of the ambushes.

36And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul: Behold a multitude cometh down from the mountains. And he answered him: Thou seest the shadows of the mountains as if they were the heads of men, and this is thy mistake.

37Again Gaal said: Behold there cometh people down from the middle of the land, and one troop cometh by the way that looketh towards the oak.

38And Zebul said to him: Where is now thy mouth wherewith thou saidst? Who is Abimelech that we should serve him? Is not this the people which thou didst despise? Go out, and fight against him.

39So Gaal went out in the sight of the people of Sichem, and fought against Abimelech,

40Who chased and put him to flight, and drove him to the city: and many were slain of his people, even to the gate of the city:

41And Abimelech sat down in Ruma: but Zebul drove Gaal, and his companions out of the city, and would not suffer them to abide in it.

42So the day following the people went out into the field. And it was told Abimelech.

43And he took his army, and divided it into three companies, and laid ambushes in the fields. And seeing that the people came out of the city, he arose and set upon them,

44With his own company, assaulting and besieging the city: whilst the two other companies chased the enemies that were scattered about the field.

45And Abimelech assaulted the city all that day: and took it, and killed the inhabitants thereof, and demolished it, so that he sowed salt in it.

46And when they who dwelt in the tower of Sichem had heard this, they went into the temple of their god Berith where they had made a covenant with him, and from thence the place had taken its name, and it was exceeding strong.

47Abimelech also hearing that the men of the tower of Sichem were gathered together,

48Went up into mount Selmon he and all his people with him: and taking an axe, he cut down the bough of a tree, and laying it on his shoulder and carrying it, he said to his companions: What you see me do, do you out of hand.

49So they cut down boughs from the trees, every man as fast as he could, and followed their leader. And surrounding the fort they set it on fire: and so it came to pass that with the smoke and with the fire a thousand persons were killed, men and women together, of the inhabitants of the tower of Sichem.

50Then Abimelech departing from thence came to the town of Thebes, which he surrounded and besieged with his army.

51And there was in the midst of the city a high tower, to which both the men and the women were fled together, and all the princes of the city, and having shut and strongly barred the gate, they stood upon the battlements of the tower to defend themselves.

52And Abimelech coming near the tower, fought stoutly: and approaching to the gate, endeavoured to set fire to it:

53And behold a certain woman casting a piece of a millstone from above, dashed it against the head of Abimelech, and broke his skull.

54And he called hastily to his armourbearer, and said to him: Draw thy sword, and kill me: lest it should be said that I was slain by a woman. He did as he was commanded, and slew him.

55And when he was dead, all the men of Israel that were with him, returned to their homes.

56And God repaid the evil, that Abimelech had done against his father, killing his seventy brethren.

57The Sichemites also were rewarded for what they had done, and the curse of Joatham the son of Jerobaal came upon them.

1Abiit autem Abimelech filius Jerobaal in Sichem ad fratres matris suæ, et locutus est ad eos, et ad omnem cognationem domus patris matris suæ, dicens:

2Loquimini ad omnes viros Sichem: Quid vobis est melius, ut dominentur vestri septuaginta viri omnes filii Jerobaal, an ut dominetur unus vir? simulque considerate quod os vestrum et caro vestra sum.

3Locutique sunt fratres matris ejus de eo ad omnes viros Sichem universos sermones istos, et inclinaverunt cor eorum post Abimelech, dicentes: Frater noster est.

4Dederuntque illi septuaginta pondo argenti de fano Baalberit. Qui conduxit sibi ex eo viros inopes et vagos, secutique sunt eum.

5Et venit in domum patris sui in Ephra, et occidit fratres suos filios Jerobaal, septuaginta viros super lapidem unum: remansitque Joatham filius Jerobaal minimus, et absconditus est.

6Congregati sunt autem omnes viri Sichem, et universæ familiæ urbis Mello: abieruntque et constituerunt regem Abimelech, juxta quercum quæ stabat in Sichem.

7Quod cum nuntiatum esset Joatham, ivit, et stetit in vertice montis Garizim: elevataque voce, clamavit, et dixit: Audite me, viri Sichem; ita audiat vos Deus.

8Ierunt ligna, ut ungerent super se regem: dixeruntque olivæ: Impera nobis.

9Quæ respondit: Numquid possum deserere pinguedinem meam, qua et dii utuntur et homines, et venire ut inter ligna promovear?

10Dixeruntque ligna ad arborem ficum: Veni, et super nos regnum accipe.

11Quæ respondit eis: Numquid possum deserere dulcedinem meam, fructusque suavissimos, et ire ut inter cetera ligna promovear?

12Locutaque sunt ligna ad vitem: Veni, et impera nobis.

13Quæ respondit eis: Numquid possum deserere vinum meum, quod lætificat Deum et homines, et inter ligna cetera promoveri?

14Dixeruntque omnia ligna ad rhamnum: Veni, et impera super nos.

15Quæ respondit eis: Si vere me regem vobis constituitis, venite, et sub umbra mea requiescite: si autem non vultis, egrediatur ignis de rhamno, et devoret cedros Libani.

16Nunc igitur, si recte et absque peccato constituistis super vos regem Abimelech, et bene egistis cum Jerobaal, et cum domo ejus, et reddidistis vicem beneficiis ejus, qui pugnavit pro vobis,

17et animam suam dedit periculis, ut erueret vos de manu Madian,

18qui nunc surrexistis contra domum patris mei, et interfecistis filios ejus septuaginta viros super unum lapidem, et constituistis regem Abimelech filium ancillæ ejus super habitatores Sichem, eo quod frater vester sit:

19si ergo recte et absque vitio egistis cum Jerobaal et domo ejus, hodie lætamini in Abimelech, et ille lætetur in vobis.

20Sin autem perverse: egrediatur ignis ex eo, et consumat habitatores Sichem, et oppidum Mello: egrediaturque ignis de viris Sichem, et de oppido Mello, et devoret Abimelech.

21Quæ cum dixisset, fugit, et abiit in Bera: habitavitque ibi ob metum Abimelech fratris sui.

22Regnavit itaque Abimelech super Israël tribus annis.

23Misitque Dominus spiritum pessimum inter Abimelech et habitatores Sichem: qui cœperunt eum detestari,

24et scelus interfectionis septuaginta filiorum Jerobaal, et effusionem sanguinis eorum conferre in Abimelech fratrem suum, et in ceteros Sichimorum principes, qui eum adjuverant.

25Posueruntque insidias adversus eum in summitate montium: et dum illius præstolabantur adventum, exercebant latrocinia, agentes prædas de prætereuntibus: nuntiatumque est Abimelech.

26Venit autem Gaal filius Obed cum fratribus suis, et transivit in Sichimam. Ad cujus adventum erecti habitatores Sichem,

27egressi sunt in agros, vastantes vineas, uvasque calcantes: et factis cantantium choris, ingressi sunt fanum dei sui, et inter epulas et pocula maledicebant Abimelech,

28clamante Gaal filio Obed: Quis est Abimelech, et quæ est Sichem, ut serviamus ei? numquid non est filius Jerobaal, et constituit principem Zebul servum suum super viros Emor patris Sichem? cur ergo serviemus ei?

29utinam daret aliquis populum istum sub manu mea, ut auferrem de medio Abimelech. Dictumque est Abimelech: Congrega exercitus multitudinem, et veni.

30Zebul enim princeps civitatis, auditis sermonibus Gaal filii Obed, iratus est valde,

31et misit clam ad Abimelech nuntios, dicens: Ecce Gaal filius Obed venit in Sichimam cum fratribus suis, et oppugnat adversum te civitatem.

32Surge itaque nocte cum populo qui tecum est, et latita in agro:

33et primo mane, oriente sole, irrue super civitatem. Illo autem egrediente adversum te cum populo suo, fac ei quod potueris.

34Surrexit itaque Abimelech cum omni exercitu suo nocte, et tetendit insidias juxta Sichimam in quatuor locis.

35Egressusque est Gaal filius Obed, et stetit in introitu portæ civitatis. Surrexit autem Abimelech, et omnis exercitus cum eo, de insidiarum loco.

36Cumque vidisset populum Gaal, dixit ad Zebul: Ecce de montibus multitudo descendit. Cui ille respondit: Umbras montium vides quasi capita hominum, et hoc errore deciperis.

37Rursumque Gaal ait: Ecce populus de umbilico terræ descendit, et unus cuneus venit per viam quæ respicit quercum.

38Cui dixit Zebul: Ubi est nunc os tuum, quo loquebaris: Quis est Abimelech ut serviamus ei? nonne hic populus est, quem despiciebas? egredere, et pugna contra eum.

39Abiit ergo Gaal, spectante Sichimorum populo, et pugnavit contra Abimelech,

40qui persecutus est eum fugientem, et in urbem compulit: cecideruntque ex parte ejus plurimi, usque ad portam civitatis.

41Et Abimelech sedit in Ruma: Zebul autem Gaal et socios ejus expulit de urbe, nec in ea passus est commorari.

42Sequenti ergo die, egressus est populus in campum. Quod cum nuntiatum esset Abimelech,

43tulit exercitum suum, et divisit in tres turmas, tendens insidias in agris. Vidensque quod egrederetur populus de civitate, surrexit, et irruit in eos

44cum cuneo suo, oppugnans et obsidens civitatem: duæ autem turmæ palantes per campum adversarios persequebantur.

45Porro Abimelech omni die illo oppugnabat urbem: quam cepit, interfectis habitatoribus ejus, ipsaque destructa, ita ut sal in ea dispergeret.

46Quod cum audissent qui habitabant in turre Sichimorum, ingressi sunt fanum dei sui Berith, ubi fœdus cum eo pepigerant, et ex eo locus nomen acceperat: qui erat munitus valde.

47Abimelech quoque audiens viros turris Sichimorum pariter conglobatos,

48ascendit in montem Selmon cum omni populo suo: et arrepta securi, præcidit arboris ramum, impositumque ferens humero, dixit ad socios: Quod me videtis facere, cito facite.

49Igitur certatim ramos de arboribus præcidentes, sequebantur ducem. Qui circumdantes præsidium, succenderunt: atque ita factum est, ut fumo et igne mille homines necarentur, viri pariter et mulieres, habitatorum turris Sichem.

50Abimelech autem inde proficiscens venit ad oppidum Thebes, quod circumdans obsidebat exercitu.

51Erat autem turris excelsa in media civitate, ad quam confugerant simul viri ac mulieres, et omnes principes civitatis, clausa firmissime janua, et super turris tectum stantes per propugnacula.

52Accedensque Abimelech juxta turrim, pugnabat fortiter: et appropinquans ostio, ignem supponere nitebatur:

53et ecce una mulier fragmen molæ desuper jaciens, illisit capiti Abimelech, et confregit cerebrum ejus.

54Qui vocavit cito armigerum suum, et ait ad eum: Evagina gladium tuum, et percute me, ne forte dicatur quod a femina interfectus sim. Qui jussa perficiens, interfecit eum.

55Illoque mortuo, omnes qui cum eo erant de Israël, reversi sunt in sedes suas:

56et reddidit Deus malum quod fecerat Abimelech contra patrem suum, interfectis septuaginta fratribus suis.

57Sichimitis quoque quod operati erant, retributum est, et venit super eos maledictio Joatham filii Jerobaal.

1Now Abimelech, the son of Jerubbaal, went to Shechem, to his maternal brothers, and he spoke to them, and to all the relatives of the house of his maternal grandfather, saying:

2“Speak to all the men of Shechem: Which is better for you: that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, should rule over you, or that one man should rule over you? And consider also that I am your bone and your flesh.”

3And his maternal brothers spoke about him to all the men of Shechem, all these words, and they inclined their hearts after Abimelech, saying, “He is our brother.”

4And they gave to him the weight of seventy silver coins from the shrine of Baal-berith. With this, he hired for himself indigent and wandering men, and they followed him.

5And he went to his father’s house in Ophrah, and he killed his brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, upon one stone. And there remained only Joatham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, and he was in hiding.

6Then all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the families of the city of Millo, and they went and appointed Abimelech as king, beside the oak that stood at Shechem.

7When this had been reported to Jotham, he went and stood at the top of Mount Gerizim. And lifting up his voice, he cried out and said: “Listen to me, men of Shechem, so that God may listen to you.

8The trees went to anoint a king over themselves. And they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’

9And it responded, ‘How could I abandon my fatness, which both gods and men make use of, and depart to be promoted among the trees?’

10And the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and accept royal power over us.’

11And it responded to them, ‘How could I abandon my sweetness, and my very sweet fruits, and depart to be promoted among the other trees?’

12And the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and reign over us.’

13And it responded to them, ‘How could I abandon my wine, which gives joy to God and men, and be promoted among the other trees?’

14And all the trees said to the bramble, ‘Come and reign over us.’

15And it responded to them: ‘If truly you would appoint me as king, come and rest under my shadow. But if you are not willing, let fire go forth from the bramble, and let it devour the cedars of Lebanon.’ ”

16So now, if you are upright and without sin in appointing Abimelech as a king over you, and if you have acted well with Jerubbaal, and with his house, and if you have repaid, in turn, the benefits of him who fought on your behalf,

17and who gave his life to dangers, so that he might rescue you from the hand of Midian,

18though you now have risen up against my father’s house, and have killed his sons, seventy men, upon one stone, and have appointed Abimelech, the son of his handmaid, as a king over the inhabitants of Shechem, since he is your brother,

19if therefore you are upright and have acted without fault with Jerubbaal and his house, then you should rejoice on this day in Abimelech, and he should rejoice in you.

20But if you have acted perversely, may fire go forth from him and consume the inhabitants of Shechem and the town of Millo. And may fire go forth from the men of Shechem and from the town of Millo, and devour Abimelech.”

21And when he had said these things, he fled and went away to Beer. And he lived in that place, out of fear of Abimelech, his brother.

22And so Abimelech reigned over Israel for three years.

23And the Lord put a very grievous spirit between Abimelech and the inhabitants of Shechem, who began to detest him,

24and to place blame for the crime of the killing of the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, and for the shedding of their blood, upon Abimelech, their brother, and upon the rest of the leaders of the Shechemites, who assisted him.

25And they stationed an ambush against him at the summit of the mountains. And while they were waiting for his arrival, they committed robberies, taking spoils from those passing by. And this was reported to Abimelech.

26Now Gaal, the son of Ebed, went with his brothers, and crossed over to Shechem. And the inhabitants of Shechem, uplifted by his arrival,

27departed into the fields, laying waste to the vineyards, and trampling the grapes. And while singing and dancing, they entered into the shrine of their god. And while feasting and drinking, they cursed Abimelech.

28And Gaal, the son of Ebed, cried out: “Who is Abimelech, and what is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, who has appointed Zebul, his servant, as ruler over the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem? Why then should we serve him?

29I wish that someone would set this people under my hand, so that I might take away Abimelech from their midst.” And it was told to Abimelech, “Gather the multitude of an army, and approach.”

30For Zebul, the ruler of the city, upon hearing the words of Gaal, the son of Ebed, became very angry.

31And he sent messengers secretly to Abimelech, saying: “Behold, Gaal, the son of Ebed, has arrived at Shechem with his brothers, and he has set the city against you.

32And so, rise up in the night, with the people who are with you, and lie hidden in the field.

33And at first light in the morning, as the sun is rising, rush upon the city. And when he goes out against you, with his people, do to him what you are able to do.”

34And so Abimelech rose up, with all his army, by night, and he set ambushes near Shechem in four places.

35And Gaal, the son of Ebed, went out, and he stood at the entrance to the gate of the city. Then Abimelech rose up, and all the army with him, from the places of the ambushes.

36And when Gaal had seen the people, he said to Zebul, “Behold, a multitude is descending from the mountains.” And he responded to him, “You are seeing the shadows of the mountains, as if they were the heads of men, and so you are being deceived by this error.”

37Again, Gaal said, “Behold, a people is descending from the middle of the land, and one company is arriving by the way that looks towards the oak.”

38And Zebul said to him: “Where is your mouth now, with which you said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Is this not the people that you were despising? Go out and fight against him.”

39Therefore, Gaal went out, with the people of Shechem watching, and he fought against Abimelech,

40who pursued him, fleeing, and drove him into the city. And many were cut down on his side, even to the gate of the city.

41And Abimelech made camp at Arumah. But Zebul expelled Gaal and his companions from the city, and he would not permit them to remain in it.

42Therefore, on the following day, the people departed into the field. And when this had been reported to Abimelech,

43he took his army, and divided it into three companies, and he placed ambushes in the fields. And seeing that the people had departed from the city, he rose up and rushed upon them,

44along with his own company, assaulting and besieging the city. But the two other companies pursued the enemies scattered in the field.

45Now Abimelech assaulted the city all that day. And he seized it, and he killed its inhabitants, and he destroyed it, so much so that he scattered salt in it.

46And when those living in the tower of Shechem had heard about this, they entered the temple of their god, Berith, where they had formed a covenant with him. And it was because of this, that the place had taken its name. And it was greatly fortified.

47Abimelech, also hearing that the men of the tower of Shechem had joined together,

48ascended to mount Zalmon, with all his people. And taking an axe, he cut down the branch of a tree. And laying it on his shoulder, and carrying it, he said to his companions, “What you see me do, you must do quickly.”

49And so, eagerly cutting down branches from the trees, they followed their leader. And surrounding the fortified place, they set it on fire. And so it happened that, by smoke and fire, one thousand persons died, men and women together, the occupants of the tower of Shechem.

50Then Abimelech, setting out from there, arrived at the town of Thebez, which he surrounded and besieged with his army.

51Now there was, in the midst of the city, a high tower, to which men and women were fleeing together, with all the leaders of the city. And, having very strongly sealed the gate, they were standing on the roof of the tower to defend themselves.

52And Abimelech, drawing near the tower, fought valiantly. And approaching the gate, he strove to set it on fire.

53And behold, one woman, throwing a fragment of a millstone from above, struck the head of Abimelech, and broke his skull.

54And he quickly called to his armor bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and strike me, otherwise it may be said that I was slain by a woman.” And, doing as he was ordered, he killed him.

55And when he was dead, all those of Israel who were with him returned to their homes.

56And so did God repay the evil that Abimelech had done against his father by killing his seventy brothers.

57The Shechemites also were given retribution for what they had done, and the curse of Jotham, the son of Jerubbaal, fell upon them.