9:1
abiit autem Abimelech filius Hierobbaal in Sychem ad fratresmatris suae et locutus est ad eos et ad omnem cognationem domuspatris matris suae dicens

9:2
loquimini ad omnes viros Sychem quid vobis est melius utdominentur vestri septuaginta viri omnes filii Hierobbaal an utdominetur vobis unus vir simulque considerate quia os vestrumet caro vestra sum

9:3
locutique sunt fratres matris eius de eo ad omnes virosSychem universos sermones istos et inclinaverunt cor eorum postAbimelech dicentes frater noster est

9:4
dederuntque illi septuaginta pondo argenti de fano Baalbrithqui conduxit sibi ex eo viros inopes et vagos secutique sunteum

9:5
et venit in domum patris sui Ephra et occidit fratres suosfilios Hierobbaal septuaginta viros super lapidem unumremansitque Ioatham filius Hierobbaal minimus et absconditusest

9:6
congregati sunt autem omnes viri Sychem et universaefamiliae urbis Mello abieruntque et constituerunt regemAbimelech iuxta quercum quae stabat in Sychem

9:7
quod cum nuntiatum esset Ioatham ivit et stetit in verticemontis Garizim elevataque voce clamavit et dixit audite me viriSychem ita audiat vos Deus

9:8
ierunt ligna ut unguerent super se regem dixeruntque olivaeimpera nobis

9:9
quae respondit numquid possum deserere pinguedinem meam quaet dii utuntur et homines et venire ut inter ligna promovear

9:10
dixeruntque ligna ad arborem ficum veni et super nos regnumaccipe

9:11
quae respondit eis numquid possum deserere dulcedinem meamfructusque suavissimos et ire ut inter cetera ligna commovear

9:12
locuta sunt quoque ligna ad vitem veni et impera nobis

9:13
quae respondit numquid possum deserere vinum meum quodlaetificat Deum et homines et inter ligna cetera commoveri

9:14
dixeruntque omnia ligna ad ramnum veni et impera super nos

9:15
quae respondit eis si vere me regem vobis constituitisvenite et sub mea umbra requiescite sin autem non vultisegrediatur ignis de ramno et devoret cedros Libani

9:16
nunc igitur si recte et absque peccato constituistis supervos regem Abimelech et bene egistis cum Hierobbaal et cum domoeius et reddidistis vicem beneficiis eius qui pugnavit provobis

9:17
et animam suam dedit periculis ut erueret vos de manuMadian

9:18
qui nunc surrexistis contra domum patris mei etinterfecistis filios eius septuaginta viros super unum lapidemet constituistis regem Abimelech filium ancillae eius superhabitatores Sychem eo quod frater vester sit

9:19
si ergo recte et absque vitio egistis cum Hierobbaal etdomo eius hodie laetamini in Abimelech et ille laetetur invobis

9:20
sin autem perverse egrediatur ignis ex eo et consumathabitatores Sychem et oppidum Mello egrediaturque ignis deviris Sychem et de oppido Mello et devoret Abimelech

9:21
quae cum dixisset fugit et abiit in Bera habitavitque ibimetu Abimelech fratris sui

9:22
regnavit itaque Abimelech super Israhel tribus annis

9:23
misitque Deus spiritum pessimum inter Abimelech ethabitatores Sychem qui coeperunt eum detestari

9:24
et scelus interfectionis septuaginta filiorum Hierobbaal eteffusionem sanguinis eorum conferre in Abimelech fratrem suumet in ceteros Sycimarum principes qui eum adiuverant

9:25
posueruntque insidias adversum eum in montium summitate etdum illius praestolantur adventum exercebant latrocinia agentespraedas de praetereuntibus nuntiatumque est Abimelech

9:26
venit autem Gaal filius Obed cum fratribus suis ettransivit in Sycimam ad cuius adventum erecti habitatoresSychem

9:27
egressi sunt in agros vastantes vineas uvasque calcantes etfactis cantantium choris ingressi sunt fanum dei sui et interepulas et pocula maledicebant Abimelech

9:28
clamante Gaal filio Obed quis est Abimelech et quae estSychem ut serviamus ei numquid non est filius Hierobbaal etconstituit principem Zebul servum suum super viros Emmor patrisSychem cur igitur servimus ei

9:29
utinam daret aliquis populum istum sub manu mea ut auferremde medio Abimelech dictumque est Abimelech congrega exercitusmultitudinem et veni

9:30
Zebul enim princeps civitatis auditis sermonibus Gaal filiiObed iratus est valde

9:31
et misit clam ad Abimelech nuntios dicens ecce Gaal filiusObed venit in Sycimam cum fratribus suis et obpugnat adversumte civitatem

9:32
surge itaque nocte cum populo qui tecum est et latita inagro

9:33
et primo mane oriente sole inrue super civitatem illo autemegrediente adversum te cum populo suo fac ei quod potueris

9:34
surrexit itaque Abimelech cum omni exercitu suo nocte ettetendit insidias iuxta Sycimam in quattuor locis

9:35
egressusque est Gaal filius Obed et stetit in introituportae civitatis surrexit autem Abimelech et omnis exercituscum eo de insidiarum loco

9:36
cumque vidisset populum Gaal dixit ad Zebul ecce demontibus multitudo descendit cui ille respondit umbras montiumvides quasi hominum capita et hoc errore deciperis

9:37
rursumque Gaal ait ecce populus de umbilico terraedescendit et unus cuneus venit per viam quae respicit quercum

9:38
cui dixit Zebul ubi est nunc os tuum quo loquebaris quisest Abimelech ut serviamus ei nonne iste est populus quemdespiciebas egredere et pugna contra eum

9:39
abiit ergo Gaal spectante Sycimarum populo et pugnavitcontra Abimelech

9:40
qui persecutus est eum fugientem et in urbem conpulitcecideruntque ex parte eius plurimi usque ad portam civitatis

9:41
et Abimelech sedit in Ruma Zebul autem Gaal et socios eiusexpulit de urbe nec in ea passus est commorari

9:42
sequenti ergo die egressus est populus in campum quod cumnuntiatum esset Abimelech

9:43
tulit exercitum suum et divisit in tres turmas tendensinsidias in agris vidensque quod egrederetur populus decivitate surrexit et inruit in eos

9:44
cum cuneo suo obpugnans et obsidens civitatem duae autemturmae palantes per campum adversarios sequebantur

9:45
porro Abimelech omni illo die obpugnabat urbem quam cepitinterfectis habitatoribus eius ipsaque destructa ita ut sal inea dispergeret

9:46
quod cum audissent qui habitabant in turre Sycimorumingressi sunt fanum dei sui Berith ubi foedus cum eo pepigerantet ex eo locus nomen acceperat qui erat valde munitus

9:47
Abimelech quoque audiens viros turris Sycimorum pariterconglobatos

9:48
ascendit in montem Selmon cum omni populo suo et arreptasecuri praecidit arboris ramum inpositumque ferens umero dixitad socios quod me vidistis facere cito facite

9:49
igitur certatim ramos de arboribus praecidentes sequebanturducem quos circumdantes praesidio succenderunt atque ita factumest ut fumo et igne mille hominum necarentur viri pariter acmulieres habitatorum turris Sychem

9:50
Abimelech autem inde proficiscens venit ad oppidum Thebesquod circumdans obsidebat exercitu

9:51
erat autem turris excelsa in media civitate ad quamconfugerant viri simul ac mulieres et omnes principes civitatisclausa firmissime ianua et super turris tectum stantes perpropugnacula

9:52
accedensque Abimelech iuxta turrem pugnabat fortiter etadpropinquans ostio ignem subponere nitebatur

9:53
et ecce una mulier fragmen molae desuper iaciens inlisitcapiti Abimelech et confregit cerebrum eius

9:54
qui vocavit cito armigerum suum et ait ad eum evaginagladium tuum et percute me ne forte dicatur quod a feminainterfectus sim qui iussa perficiens interfecit eum

9:55
illoque mortuo omnes qui cum eo erant de Israhel reversisunt in sedes suas

9:56
et reddidit Deus malum quod fecerat Abimelech contra patremsuum interfectis septuaginta fratribus suis

9:57
Sycimitis quoque quod operati erant retributum est et venitsuper eos maledictio Ioatham filii Hierobbaal

Continued...

009:001
And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother's brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying,

009:002
Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.

009:003
And his mother's brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.

009:004
And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baalberith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him.

009:005
And he went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.

009:006
And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.

009:007
And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.

009:008
The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.

009:009
But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honor God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

009:010
And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.

009:011
But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?

009:012
Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.

009:013
And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

009:014
Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.

009:015
And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.

009:016
Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands;

009:017
(For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:

009:018
And ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;)

009:019
If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:

009:020
But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech.

009:021
And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.

009:022
When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel,

009:023
Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:

009:024
That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren.

009:025
And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech.

009:026
And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.

009:027
And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech.

009:028
And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serve him?

009:029
And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.

009:030
And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.

009:031
And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem; and, behold, they fortify the city against thee.

009:032
Now therefore up by night, thou and the people that is with thee, and lie in wait in the field:

009:033
And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, thou shalt rise early, and set upon the city: and, behold, when he and the people that is with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to them as thou shalt find occasion.

009:034
And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.

009:035
And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from lying in wait.

009:036
And 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, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.

009:037
And Gaal spake again, and said, See there come people down by the middle of the land, and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim.

009:038
Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them.

009:039
And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.

009:040
And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate.

009:041
And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.

009:042
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.

009:043
And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field, and looked, and, behold, the people were come forth out of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote them.

009:044
And Abimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed forward, 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.

009:045
And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.

009:046
And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.

009:047
And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.

009:048
And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.

009:049
And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.

009:050
Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.

009:051
But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower.

009:052
And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.

009:053
And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and all to brake his skull.

009:054
Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A women slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

009:055
And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.

009:056
Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:

009:057
And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.

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