Judges Chapter 9
Abimelech’s Conspiracy
1 Abimelech went to his mother’s relatives in Shechem and said to her clan, 2 “Ask the leaders in Shechem which is better, for Jerubbaal’s 70 sons to rule you, or for one man to rule you. Remember, I’m your flesh and bone.” 3 His mother’s relatives circulated that around for him, and the people were inclined to follow him because he was their kin. 4 They gave him 70 pieces of silver from Baal-berith’s temple. He used them to hire worthless, reckless fellows 5 to go with him to his father’s family at Ophrah and kill his 70 brothers on one stone. But Jotham, Jerubbaal’s youngest son, hid. 6 The people in Shechem and Beth-millo gathered and made Abimelech king by the Oak of the Pillar at Shechem. Jud 9:1-6
7 When Jotham heard about it, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim and shouted,
“Listen, men of Shechem, so God will listen to you. 8 The trees went out to anoint a king. They asked the olive tree to rule them. 9 But the olive tree said, ‘Should I leave my richness that honors gods and men, and go sway over the trees?’ 10 The trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and rule us.’ 11 But the fig tree said, ‘Should I leave my sweetness and my good fruit, and go sway over the trees?’ 12 The trees said to the grapevine, ‘You come and rule us.’ 13 But the grapevine said, ‘Should I leave my wine that cheers gods and mortals, and go sway over the trees?’ 14 Then the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come and rule us.’ 15 The bramble said, ‘If you’re anointing me king in good faith, then come and take refuge in my shade. If not, let fire come out of the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’
“[16 ] 17 My father fought for you and risked his life to rescue you from Midian. 18 You’ve risen up against his family and killed his 70 sons on one rock. You’ve made Abimelech, son of his maidservant, king of Shechem because he’s your relative. 19 If you’ve acted honorably in good faith with Jerubbaal and his family as his deeds deserved, then be happy with one another. 20 If not, let fire come out from Abimelech and consume the people in Shechem and Beth-millo.”
21 Jotham fled to Beer and lived there for fear of his half-brother. Jud 9:7-21
22 Abimelech ruled Israel for 3 years. 23 God put animosity between him and the people in Shechem, and they dealt treacherously with him. 24 That was so the violence done to Jerubbaal’s 70 sons might come on Abimelech who murdered them and on the men who helped him. 25 The men in Shechem put men in ambush against him on the mountaintops and robbed everybody that went by. Abimelech heard about it.
26 Gaal Ben-Ebed moved to Shechem with his relatives and gained the confidence of the people there. 27 They went out and gathered grapes from their vineyards, trod them, and held a feast. They went to the temple of their god and ate and drank, and ranted about Abimelech. 28 Gaal said,
“Who is Abimelech? Why should we serve him? Didn’t the son of Jerubbaal and Zebul his officer serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem? Why then should we serve him? 29 If these people were under my command! I’d remove Abimelech. I’d tell him to muster an army and come out and fight.”
Jud 9:22-29
30 When Zebul the ruler of the city heard what Gaal said, he was mad, 31 and sent ambassadors to Abimelech at Arumah,
“Gaal and his relatives have come to Shechem; they’re stirring up the city against you. 32 So you and your men go during the night and lie in ambush in the fields. 33 In the morning at sunup, rush on the city. When he and his men come out against you, do to them what you can.”
34 Abimelech and his men got up during the night and laid in ambush against Shechem in four companies. 35 Gaal went out and stood in the entrance of the city gate, and Abimelech and his men rose up from the ambush. 36 When Gaal saw them, he told Zebul, “Look, men are coming down from the mountain!”
Zebul said, “You’re just seeing the mountains’ shadows.”
37 Gaal said again, “Look, men are coming down from the center of the land, and another company is coming from the direction of the Diviners’ Oak.”
38 Then Zebul said, “Where’s your bragging now, you that said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Aren’t these the men you despised? Go fight them.” 39 Gaal led the men out to fight him. 40 Abimelech chased him and he fled. Many fell wounded all the way back to the entrance of the gate. 41 Abimelech lived at Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal and his relatives so they couldn’t keep living in Shechem. Jud 9:30-41
42 The next day the men went out to the fields. Abimelech heard about it. 43 He divided his men into three companies and laid in wait there. When the men come out of the city, he attacked them and killed them. 44 Abimelech and his company rushed up and stood at the entrance to the city gate while the two companies attacked and killed the ones in the fields. 45 Abimelech fought the city all day and took it. He killed the people in it, tore it down, and scattered salt all over it.
46 When people in the tower at Shechem heard about it, they went into the fortress of El-berith’s temple. 47 When Abimelech found out they were in the tower, 48 he and his men went up to Mount Zalmon. He cut a bundle of brush with an axe and put it on his shoulder. He told his men to hurry and do the same thing. 49 Each one cut a bundle and followed him. He piled the bundles against the fortress and set it on fire over the ones inside. Everybody in the tower died, about 1,000 men and women. Jud 9:42-49
50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, camped against it, and took it. 51 But the city had a strong tower. The men and women fled to it, shut themselves in, and went up to the roof. 52 He attacked it and came to burn down the tower door. 53 A woman threw an upper millstone down on him and cracked his skull. 54 Right away he called to his young armor bearer, “Draw your sword and kill me so people won’t say a woman killed me.” His young man thrust him through, and he died. 55 When Israel saw Abimelech was dead, they went home. 56 So God repaid him for his crime against his father in killing his 70 brothers. 57 God also made the sinfulness of the men in Shechem come back on their heads and made Jotham’s curse fall on them. Jud 9:50-57
Tola Judges Israel