1995 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Judges 9

1 Abimelech by conspiracy with the Shechemites, and murder of his brethren, is made king. 7 Jotham by a parable rebuketh them, and foretelleth their ruin. 22 Gaal conspireth with the Shechemites against him. 30 Zebul revealeth it. 34 Abimelech overcometh them, and soweth the city with salt. 46 He burneth the hold of the god Berith. 50 At Thebez he is slain by a piece of a millstone. 56 Jotham's curse is fulfilled.

 9:1 And Abimelech 40 the son 1121 of Jerubbaal 3378 went 1980 to Shechem 7927 to his mother’s 517 relatives 251, and spoke 1696 to them and to the whole 3605 clan 4940 of the household 1004 of his mother’s 517 father 1, saying 559,

 9:2 “Speak 1696, now 4994, in the hearing 241 of all 3605 the leaders 1167 of Shechem 7927, ‘Which 4100 is better 2896a for you, that seventy 7657 men 376, all 3605 the sons 1121 of Jerubbaal 3378, rule 4910 over you, or 518 that one 259 man 376 rule 4910 over you?’ Also, remember 2142 that I am your bone 6106 and your flesh 1320.”

 9:3 And his mother’s 517 relatives 251 spoke 1696 all 3605 these 428 words 1697 on his behalf 5921 in the hearing 241 of all 3605 the leaders 1167 of Shechem 7927; and they were inclined 5186 to follow 310 Abimelech 40, for they said 559, “He is our relative 251.”

 9:4 They gave 5414 him seventy 7657 [pieces] of silver 3701 from the house 1004 of Baal-berith 1170 with which 1992a Abimelech 40 hired 7936 worthless 7386 and reckless 6348 fellows 376, and they followed 1980 310 him.

 9:5 Then he went 935 to his father’s 1 house 1004 at Ophrah 6084 and killed 2026 his brothers 251 the sons 1121 of Jerubbaal 3378, seventy 7657 men 376, on one 259 stone 68. But Jotham 3147 the youngest 6996b son 1121 of Jerubbaal 3378 was left 3498, for he hid 2244 himself.

 9:6 All 3605 the men 1167 of Shechem 7927 and all 3605 Beth-millo 1037 assembled 622 together, and they went 1980 and made 4427a Abimelech 40 king 4428, by the oak 436 of the pillar 5324 which 834 was in Shechem 7927.

 9:7 ¶ Now when they told 5046 Jotham 3147, he went 1980 and stood 5975 on the top 7218 of Mount 2022 Gerizim 1630, and lifted 5375 his voice 6963 and called 7121 out. Thus he said 559 to them, “Listen 8085 to me, O men 1167 of Shechem 7927, that God 430 may listen 8085 to you.

 9:8 “Once 1980 the trees 6086 went 1980 forth 1980 to anoint 4886 a king 4428 over 5921 them, and they said 559 to the olive 2132 tree 2132, ‘Reign 4427a over 5921 us!’

 9:9 “But the olive 2132 tree 2132 said 559 to them, ‘Shall I leave 2308 my fatness 1880 with which 834 God 430 and men 376 are honored 3513, and go 1980 to wave 5128 over 5921 the trees 6086?’

 9:10 “Then the trees 6086 said 559 to the fig 8384 tree 8384, ‘You come 1980, reign 4427a over 5921 us!’

 9:11 “But the fig 8384 tree 8384 said 559 to them, ‘Shall I leave 2308 my sweetness 4987 and my good 2896a fruit 8570, and go 1980 to wave 5128 over 5921 the trees 6086?’

 9:12 “Then the trees 6086 said 559 to the vine 1612, ‘You come 1980, reign 4427a over 5921 us!’

 9:13 “But the vine 1612 said 559 to them, ‘Shall I leave 2308 my new 8492 wine 8492, which cheers 8055 God 430 and men 376, and go 1980 to wave 5128 over 5921 the trees 6086?’

 9:14 “Finally all 3605 the trees 6086 said 559 to the bramble 329, ‘You come 1980, reign 4427a over 5921 us!’

 9:15 “The bramble 329 said 559 to the trees 6086, ‘If 518 in truth 571 you are anointing 4886 me as king 4428 over 5921 you, come 935 and take 2620 refuge 2620 in my shade 6738; but if 518 not, may fire 784 come 3318 out from the bramble 329 and consume 398 the cedars 730 of Lebanon 3844.’

 9:16 ¶ “Now 6258 therefore, if 518 you have dealt 6213a in truth 571 and integrity 8549 in making 4427a Abimelech 40 king 4427a, and if 518 you have dealt 6213a well 2899b with Jerubbaal 3378 and his house 1004, and have dealt 6213a with him as he deserved 1576 3027—

 9:17 for my father 1 fought 3898a for you and risked 7993 5048 his life 5315 and delivered 5337 you from the hand 3027 of Midian 4080;

 9:18 but you have risen 6965 against 5921 my father’s 1 house 1004 today 3117 and have killed 2026 his sons 1121, seventy 7657 men 376, on one 259 stone 68, and have made 4427a Abimelech 40, the son 1121 of his maidservant 519, king 4427a over 5921 the men 1167 of Shechem 7927, because 3588 he is your relative 251—

 9:19 if 518 then you have dealt 6213a in truth 571 and integrity 8549 with Jerubbaal 3378 and his house 1004 this 2088 day 3117, rejoice 8055 in Abimelech 40, and let him also 1571 rejoice 8055 in you.

 9:20 “But if 518 not, let fire 784 come 3318 out from Abimelech 40 and consume 398 the men 1167 of Shechem 7927 and Beth-millo 1037; and let fire 784 come 3318 out from the men 1167 of Shechem 7927 and from Beth-millo 1037, and consume 398 Abimelech 40.”

 9:21 Then Jotham 3147 escaped 5127 and fled 1272, and went 1980 to Beer 876 and remained 3427 there 8033 because 4480 6440 of Abimelech 40 his brother 251.

 9:22 ¶ Now Abimelech 40 ruled 8323 over 5921 Israel 3478 three 7969 years 8141.

 9:23 Then God 430 sent 7971 an evil 7451a spirit 7307 between 996 Abimelech 40 and the men 1167 of Shechem 7927; and the men 1167 of Shechem 7927 dealt 898 treacherously 898 with Abimelech 40,

 9:24 so that the violence 2555 done to the seventy 7657 sons 1121 of Jerubbaal 3378 might come 935, and their blood 1818 might be laid 7760 on Abimelech 40 their brother 251, who 834 killed 2026 them, and on the men 1167 of Shechem 7927, who 834 strengthened 2388 his hands 3027 to kill 2026 his brothers 251.

 9:25 The men 1167 of Shechem 7927 set 7760 men in ambush 693 against him on the tops 7218 of the mountains 2022, and they robbed 1497 all 3605 who 834 might pass 5674a by them along the road 1870; and it was told 5046 to Abimelech 40.

 9:26 ¶ Now Gaal 1603 the son 1121 of Ebed 5651 came 935 with his relatives 251, and crossed 5674a over 5674a into Shechem 7927; and the men 1167 of Shechem 7927 put 982 their trust 982 in him.

 9:27 They went 3318 out into the field 7704 and gathered 1219 [the grapes of] their vineyards 3754 and trod 1869 [them], and held 6213a a festival 1974; and they went 935 into the house 1004 of their god 430, and ate 398 and drank 8354 and cursed 7043 Abimelech 40.

 9:28 Then Gaal 1603 the son 1121 of Ebed 5651 said 559, “Who 4310 is Abimelech 40, and who 4310 is Shechem 7927, that we should serve 5647 him? Is he not the son 1121 of Jerubbaal 3378, and [is] Zebul 2083 [not] his lieutenant 6496? Serve 5647 the men 376 of Hamor 2544 the father 1 of Shechem 7927; but why 4069 should we serve 5647 him?

 9:29 “Would 4310 5414, therefore, that this 2088 people 5971a were under my authority 3027! Then I would remove 5493 Abimelech 40.” And he said 559 to Abimelech 40, “Increase 7235a your army 6635 and come 3318 out.”

 9:30 ¶ When Zebul 2083 the ruler 8269 of the city 5892b heard 8085 the words 1697 of Gaal 1603 the son 1121 of Ebed 5651, his anger 639 burned 2734.

 9:31 He sent 7971 messengers 4397 to Abimelech 40 deceitfully 8649a, saying 559, “Behold 2009, Gaal 1603 the son 1121 of Ebed 5651 and his relatives 251 have come 935 to Shechem 7927; and behold 2009, they are stirring 6696a up the city 5892b against 5921 you.

 9:32 “Now 6258 therefore, arise 6965 by night 3915, you and the people 5971a who 834 are with you, and lie 693 in wait 693 in the field 7704.

 9:33 “In the morning 1242, as soon as the sun 8121 is up, you shall rise 7925 early 7925 and rush 6584 upon the city 5892b; and behold 2009, when he and the people 5971a who 834 are with him come 3318 out against 413 you, you shall do 6213a to them whatever 3512c you can.”

 9:34 ¶ So Abimelech 40 and all 3605 the people 5971a who 834 [were] with him arose 6965 by night 3915 and lay 693 in wait 693 against 5921 Shechem 7927 in four 702 companies 7218.

 9:35 Now Gaal 1603 the son 1121 of Ebed 5651 went 3318 out and stood 5975 in the entrance 6607 of the city 5892b gate 8179; and Abimelech 40 and the people 5971a who 834 [were] with him arose 6965 from the ambush 3993.

 9:36 When Gaal 1603 saw 7200 the people 5971a, he said 559 to Zebul 2083, “Look 2009, people 5971a are coming 3381 down 3381 from the tops 7218 of the mountains 2022.” But Zebul 2083 said 559 to him, “You are seeing 7200 the shadow 6738 of the mountains 2022 as [if they were] men 376.”

 9:37 Gaal 1603 spoke 1696 again 5750 3254 and said 559, “Behold 2009, people 5971a are coming 3381 down 3381 from the highest 2872 part 2872 of the land 776, and one 259 company 7218 comes 935 by the way 1870 of the diviners’ 6049a oak 436.”

 9:38 Then Zebul 2083 said 559 to him, “Where 346 is your boasting 6310 now 645 with which 834 you said 559, ‘Who 4310 is Abimelech 40 that we should serve 5647 him?’ Is this 2088 not the people 5971a whom 834 you despised 3988a? Go 3318 out now 6258 and fight 3898a with them!”

 9:39 So Gaal 1603 went 3318 out before 6440 the leaders 1167 of Shechem 7927 and fought 3898a with Abimelech 40.

 9:40 Abimelech 40 chased 7291 him, and he fled 5127 before 4480 6440 him; and many 7227a fell 5307 wounded 2491a up to the entrance 6607 of the gate 8179.

 9:41 Then Abimelech 40 remained 3427 at Arumah 725, but Zebul 2083 drove 1644 out Gaal 1603 and his relatives 251 so 4480 that they could not remain 3427 in Shechem 7927.

 9:42 ¶ Now it came 1961 about the next 4283 day 4283, that the people 5971a went 3318 out to the field 7704, and it was told 5046 to Abimelech 40.

 9:43 So he took 3947 his people 5971a and divided 2673 them into three 7969 companies 7218, and lay 693 in wait 693 in the field 7704; when he looked 7200 and saw 7200 the people 5971a coming 3318 out from the city 5892b, he arose 6965 against 5921 them and slew 5221 them.

 9:44 Then Abimelech 40 and the company 7218 who 834 was with him dashed 6584 forward and stood 5975 in the entrance 6607 of the city 5892b gate 8179; the other two 8147 companies 7218 then dashed 6584 against 5921 all 3605 who 834 [were] in the field 7704 and slew 5221 them.

 9:45 Abimelech 40 fought 3898a against the city 5892b all 3605 that day 3117, and he captured 3920 the city 5892b and killed 2026 the people 5971a who 834 [were] in it; then he razed 5422 the city 5892b and sowed 2232 it with salt 4417.

 9:46 ¶ When all 3605 the leaders 1167 of the tower 4026 of Shechem 7927 heard 8085 of [it], they entered 935 the inner 6877 chamber 6877 of the temple 1004 of El-berith 410 1285.

 9:47 It was told 5046 Abimelech 40 that all 3605 the leaders 1167 of the tower 4026 of Shechem 7927 were gathered 6908 together.

 9:48 So Abimelech 40 went 5927 up to Mount 2022 Zalmon 6756a, he and all 3605 the people 5971a who 834 [were] with him; and Abimelech 40 took 3947 an axe 7134 in his hand 3027 and cut 3772 down 3772 a branch 7754b from the trees 6086, and lifted 5375 it and laid 7760 [it] on his shoulder 7926. Then he said 559 to the people 5971a who 834 [were] with him, “What 4100 you have seen 7200 me do 6213a, hurry 4116 [and] do 6213a likewise 3644.”

 9:49 All 3605 the people 5971a also 1571 cut 3772 down 3772 each 376 one 376 his branch 7754a and followed 1980 310 Abimelech 40, and put 7760 [them] on the inner 6877 chamber 6877 and set 3341 the inner 6877 chamber 6877 on fire 784 over 5921 those [inside], so that all 3605 the men 376 of the tower 4026 of Shechem 7927 also 1571 died 4191, about a thousand 505 men 376 and women 802.

 9:50 ¶ Then Abimelech 40 went 1980 to Thebez 8405, and he camped 2583 against Thebez 8405 and captured 3920 it.

 9:51 But there was a strong 5797 tower 4026 in the center 8432 of the city 5892b, and all 3605 the men 376 and women 802 with all 3605 the leaders 1167 of the city 5892b fled 5127 there 8033 and shut 5462 themselves in; and they went 5927 up on the roof 1406 of the tower 4026.

 9:52 So Abimelech 40 came 935 to the tower 4026 and fought 3898a against it, and approached 5066 the entrance 6607 of the tower 4026 to burn 8313 it with fire 784.

 9:53 But a certain 259 woman 802 threw 7993 an upper 7393 millstone 7393 on Abimelech’s 40 head 7218, crushing 7533 his skull 1538.

 9:54 Then he called 7121 quickly 4120 to the young 5288 man 5288, his armor 3627 bearer 5375, and said 559 to him, “Draw 8025 your sword 2719 and kill 4191 me, so 6435 that it will not be said 559 of me, ‘A woman 802 slew 2026 him.’” So the young 5288 man 5288 pierced 1856 him through 1856, and he died 4191.

 9:55 When the men 376 of Israel 3478 saw 7200 that Abimelech 40 was dead 4191, each 376 departed 1980 to his home 4725.

 9:56 Thus God 430 repaid 7725 the wickedness 7463a of Abimelech 40, which 834 he had done 6213a to his father 1 in killing 2026 his seventy 7657 brothers 251.

 9:57 Also God 430 returned 7725 all 3605 the wickedness 7463a of the men 376 of Shechem 7927 on their heads 7218, and the curse 7045 of Jotham 3147 the son 1121 of Jerubbaal 3378 came 935 upon them.