The Reign of Abimelech & His Death |
Judges 9:1-57 The Book of Judges [in Smaller Chunks] |
Abimelech, the son of Jerubbaal, [a.k.a. Gideon,] went to his mother’s [brothers,] & [her father’s family] to [talk] with all [of] them, saying, I pray [that] you speak, [privately] in the ears of all the men of Shechem, [& ask them,] Whether [it’s] better for you, that all the 70 sons of Jerubbaal, [rule] over you, or that one [rules] over you? |
Also, remember that I am your flesh & bone. [When] his mother’s brethren, [spoke] all these words [about Abimelech,] in the ears of all the men of Shechem, their hearts [were] inclined to follow Abimelech, [because] they said, He is our brother. |
They gave [Abimelech] 70 pieces of silver [from] the [temple] of Baal Berith, [from which] Abimelech hired vain & [simple minded people, who] followed him. [Judges 8:33 And it [happened,] as soon as Gideon was dead, the children, [a.k.a. people,] of Israel turned again & went [like an unfaithful harlot,] after Baalim, & made Baal Berith their god.] |
And [Abimelech,] went to his father’s house at Ophrah & [killed] his brethren, [a.k.a. brothers,] 70 sons of Jerubbaal, upon 1 [rock, however still] Jotham, [Jerubbaal’s] youngest son, was left; [because] he hid himself. And all the men of Shechem & all the house of Millo gathered themselves together, & made Abimelech king, [on] the plain [by] the pillar that was in Shechem. |
And when they told it to Jotham, he went & stood [at ] the top of Mount Gerizim, & lifted [up] his voice, & cried [out,] & said to them, [Listen] to me, you men of Shechem, [so] that [the Lord] God may [listen] to you. |
The trees went [out at] a time, to anoint a king over them; & they said to the olive tree, You, [rule] over us. But the olive tree said to them, Should I [give up] my fatness, [a.k.a. richness,] [produced] by me, [so] they [can] honor God & man to go & be promoted to [rule] over the trees? |
And the trees said to the fig tree, You, come, & [rule] over us. But the fig tree said to them, Should I [abandon] my sweetness, & my good fruit, & go to be promoted [to ruler] over the trees? Then, the trees said to the vine, You, come, & [rule] over us. |
And the vine said to them, Should I leave my wine, which [cheers] God & man, & go to be promoted [to rule] over the trees? Then, all the trees said to the bramble, [a.k.a. sticker bush,] You, come, & [rule] over us. |
And the [sticker bush] said to the trees, If you [are truthful] [about] [anointing] me [as] king over you, then come & put your trust in my shadow; & if [you] [don’t,] let fire come out of the [sticker bush], & [destroy] the cedars of Lebanon. |
Therefore, if you now, have made Abimelech king [in truth & sincerity,] & you have dealt well with Jerubbaal, [a.k.a. Gideon,] & his house, [a.k.a. family,] & have done [well] to [honor] him, according to [what] [he deserved,] ([because] my father, [a.k.a. Gideon, & Jerubabaal,] fought for you, & [went great distances, & risked his] life, & delivered you out of the hand of [the Midianites.] |
[Still] you [have] risen up against my father’s house this day & have [killed] his 70 sons, upon 1 [rock,] & have made Abimelech, the son of his [mistress,] king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother.) |
Then, If you [had] truly dealt [truthfully, in sincerity] with Jerubbaal & his [family] this day, then you rejoice in Abimelech, & let him also rejoice in you. But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, & devour the men of Shechem & the house of Millo. And let fire come out from the men of Shechem, & from the house of Millo, & devour Abimelech. |
[Then,] Jotham ran away, & fled to Beer, & [lived] there, for fear of Abimelech, his [step-brother.] [After] Abimelech had [ruled for] 3 years over Israel, then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech & the men of Shechem. |
And the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, [to repay him] for the cruelty [Abimelech had] done [by killing] [Jerubbaal’s] 70 sons, & their blood [was] laid upon Abimelech, their brother [who killed] them, & upon the men of Shechem, [who] aided [Abimelech] in killing his brethren. |
And the men of Shechem sent [men to] [lie] in wait, [a.k.a. to ambush] him, in the top of the mountains. And they robbed all, [who] came along that [road] by them, & it was told [to] Abimelech. And Gaal, [Ebed’s] son, came with his brethren, & went over to Shechem, & the men of Shechem put their confidence in him. |
And they went out into the fields & gathered [grapes from] their vineyards & [trampled on] the grapes, made [meriment,] [after drinking wine,] & went into the house of their god & [ate & drank] & cursed Abimelech. |
And Gaal, [Ebed’s] son, said, Who is Abimelech, & who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Isn’t he the son of Jerubbaal? And [isn’t] Jebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for why should we serve [Abimelech?] |
And [if] God would [allow these] people [to be] under my hand! Then, I would remove Abimelech. And [Gaal] said to Abimelech, Increase your army, & come out. |
When Zebul, the ruler of the city, heard [what] Gaal [said,] his anger [grew.] And he sent messengers to Abimelech [& secretly said, Watch,] Gaal, [Ebed’s] son, & his brethren [have] come to Shechem; & [look,] they [stirred] up the [fortified] city against you. |
Therefore, you, [a.k.a. Abimelech,] & the people with you, now [go] up [during] the night, & lie in the field, in wait, [a.k.a. to ambush,] & [at sunrise, get up] early & [attack] the city. And [watch,] when he & the people with him come out against you, then, you may do to them as you [decide is best.] |
And Abimelech [got] up [early,] & 4 companies of people with him, [at] night, & laid in wait, [a.k.a. to ambush,] against Shechem. |
And Gaal went out & stood in the [gate's entrance to] the city. And Abimelech & the people with him rose up, from lying in wait. When Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, [Look, the] people [are coming] down from the top of the mountains, [but] Zebul said to him, You [just] see the shadow of the mountains, as if [the shadows] were men. |
And Gaal [said] again, See, there [are] people [coming] down by [way of] the middle of the land. And another company [came] along by [way of] the Plain of Meonenim. Then, Zebul said to him, Where is your mouth now, [with which] you [previously] [said,] Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? [Aren’t these] the people you [have] despised? |
I pray [that] you go out now, & fight with them. And Gaal went out [in front of] the men of Shechem & fought with Abimelech. Abimelech chased [Gaal] & [Gaal] fled before [Abimelech,] & many were overthrown & wounded, even up to the [entrance] of the gate. |
And Abimelech [lived in] Arumah & Zebul [threw] out Gaal & his brethren, [so] that they [wouldn't live] in Shechem. And it [happened,] the [next day,] the people went out into the field & they told Abimelech. And [Abimelech] divided the people into 3 companies, [who] laid in wait in the field, & [watched & saw] the people were [coming forward] out of the city, & [Abimelech] rose up against them, [& ambushed,] & [killed] them. |
And Abimelech & the company with him, rushed forward & stood at the [entrance] gate of the city, & the other 2 [of Abimelech’s] companies ran [up on] all the people in the fields & [killed] them. |
And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; & he [captured] the city, & [killed] the people that [were in it,] & [tore] down the city & sowed it with salt, [so nothing could grow.] And when all the men [from] the Tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into [a fortified area in] the house of the god, Berith. |
And Abimelech was told that all the men of the Tower of Shechem were gathered together. And Abimelech [got himself] & all the people with him, up to Mount Zalmon. And Abimelecħ took an ax in his [hands] & cut down a [branch] from the trees & [put] it on his shoulder & [Abimelech] said to the people, [who] were with him, What you have seen me do, [hurry] & do as I have done. |
And [they] all [did the same,] & every man cut down [branches,] & followed Abimelech & put [branches] [up] to the hold, [a.k.a. fortified room] [where the men of Shechem were hiding,] & they set the hold on fire & [so] that all the men [in] the Tower of Shechem died, & about 1,000 men & women also died. |
Then Abimelech went to Thebez & [set camp] against [it,] & [conquered] Thebez. But within the city, there was a strong tower, & all the men & women, & all [those from] the city fled [there.] And [they] shut it [off] to them, & [got themselves] up to the top of the tower. And Abimelech came to the tower, & fought against it, & [fought] hard [to get to its] door [in order to set] the tower [on] fire & burn it. |
A woman [in the tower] [threw down] a piece of millstone, [used for grinding grain,] upon Abimelech’s head, & [broke] his skull. Then, [Abimelech quickly] called a young man, his armor [carrier] & [asked] him, Draw your sword & [kill] me, [so] that men [won’t] say [about] me, A woman [killed] him. |
And his young [armor carrier,] thrust [Abimelech] through [with his sword,] & [Abimelech] died. When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they [left,] & every man [returned home.] |
[Like this,] God [repaid] the wickedness of Abimelech, [that] he did to his father, [by killing] his 70 [brothers.] And God [also] [returned] the evil upon the heads of the men of Shechem, & the curse of Jotham, the son of Jerubbaal [a.k.a. Gideon,] came upon them, [for assisting in the death of Gideon's 70 sons.] |