NASB — Judges 9 — KJV

Abimelech’s Conspiracy

1 And aAbimelech° the son° of Jerubbaal° went° to Shechem° to his mother’s° Irelatives°, and spoke° to them and to the whole° clan° of the household° of his mother’s° father°, saying°, 2 “Speak°, now°, in the hearing° of all° the leaders° of Shechem°, ‘Which° is better° for you, that aseventy° men°, all° the sons° of Jerubbaal°, rule° over you, or° that one° man° rule° over you?’ Also, remember° that I am byour bone° and your flesh°.” 3 And his mother’s° Irelatives° spoke° all° these° words° on his behalf° in the hearing° of all° the leaders° of Shechem°; and IIthey were inclined° to follow° Abimelech°, for they said°, “He is aour IIIrelative°.” 4 They gave° him seventy° [pieces] of silver° from the house° of aBaal-berith° with which° Abimelech° hired° worthless° and reckless° fellows°, and they followed°° him. 5 Then he went° to his father’s° house° at Ophrah° and akilled° his brothers° the sons° of Jerubbaal°, bseventy° men°, on one° stone°. But Jotham° the youngest° son° of Jerubbaal° was left°, for he hid° himself. 6 All° the men° of Shechem° and all° IBeth-millo° assembled° together, and they went° and made° Abimelech° king°, by the IIoak° of the pillar° which° was in Shechem°.

[1] ILit brothers aJg 8:31, 35
[2] aJg 8:30; 9:5, 18 bGn 29:14
[3] ILit brothers IILit their hearts inclined after IIILit brother aGn 29:15
[4] aJg 8:33
[5] a2K 11:1, 2 bJg 8:30; 9:2, 18
[6] IOr the house of Millo IIOr terebinth

7 ¶ Now when they told° Jotham°, he went° and stood° on the top° of aMount° Gerizim°, and lifted° his voice° and called° out. Thus he said° to them, “Listen° to me, O men° of Shechem°, that God° may listen° to you. 8 Once° the trees° went° forth° to anoint° a king° over° them, and they said° to the olive° tree°, ‘Reign° over° us!’ 9 But the olive° tree° said° to them, ‘Shall I leave° my fatness° with Iwhich° God° and men° are honored°, and go° to wave° over° the trees°?’ 10 Then the trees° said° to the fig° tree°, ‘You come°, reign° over° us!’ 11 But the fig° tree° said° to them, ‘Shall I leave° my sweetness° and my good° Ifruit°, and go° to wave° over° the trees°?’ 12 Then the trees° said° to the vine°, ‘You come°, reign° over° us!’ 13 But the vine° said° to them, ‘Shall I leave° my new° wine°, which cheers° God° and men°, and go° to wave° over° the trees°?’ 14 Finally all° the trees° said° to the bramble°, ‘You come°, reign° over° us!’ 15 The bramble° said° to the trees°, ‘If° in Itruth° you are anointing° me as king° over° you, come° and take° refuge° in my shade°; but if° not, may fire° come° out from the bramble° and consume° the cedars° of Lebanon°.’

[7] aDt 11:29, 30
[9] ILit which by me
[11] IOr produce
[15] IOr sincerity

16 ¶ “Now° therefore, if° you have dealt° in Itruth° and integrity° in making° Abimelech° king°, and if° you have dealt° well° with aJerubbaal° and his house°, and IIhave dealt° with him IIIas he deserved°°17 for my father° fought° for you and Irisked°° his life° and delivered° you from the hand° of Midian°; 18 but you have risen° against° my father’s° house° today° and have killed° ahis sons°, seventy° men°, on one° stone°, and have made° Abimelech°, bthe son° of his maidservant°, king° over° the men° of Shechem°, because° he is your Irelative°19 if° then you have dealt° in Itruth° and integrity° with Jerubbaal° and his house° this° day°, rejoice° in Abimelech°, and let him also° rejoice° in you. 20 But if° not, let fire° come° out from Abimelech° and consume° the men° of Shechem° and IBeth-millo°; and let fire° come° out from the men° of Shechem° and from IBeth-millo°, and consume° Abimelech°.” 21 Then Jotham° escaped° and fled°, and went° to Beer° and remained° there° because°° of Abimelech° his brother°.

[16] IOr sincerity IILit if you have IIILit according to the dealing of his hands aJg 8:35
[17] ILit cast his soul in front
[18] ILit brother aJg 8:30; 9:2, 5 bJg 8:31
[19] IOr sincerity
[20] IOr the house of Millo

Shechem and Abimelech Fall

22 ¶ Now Abimelech° ruled° over° Israel° three° years°. 23 aThen God° sent° an evil° spirit° between° Abimelech° and the men° of Shechem°; and the men° of Shechem° bdealt° treacherously° with Abimelech°, 24 aso that the violence° Idone to the seventy° sons° of Jerubbaal° might come°, and btheir blood° might be laid° on Abimelech° their brother°, who° killed° them, and on the men° of Shechem°, who° strengthened° his hands° to kill° his brothers°. 25 The men° of Shechem° set° Imen in ambush° against him on the tops° of the mountains°, and they robbed° all° who° might pass° by them along the road°; and it was told° to Abimelech°.

[23] a1S 16:14; Is 19:2, 14 bIs 33:1
[24] ILit of the seventy aDt 27:25; Jg 9:56, 57 bNu 35:33
[25] ILit liers-in-wait for

26 ¶ Now Gaal° the son° of Ebed° came° with his Irelatives°, and crossed° over° into Shechem°; and the men° of Shechem° put° their trust° in him. 27 They went° out into the field° and gathered° [the grapes of] their vineyards° and trod° [them], and held° a Ifestival°; and they went° into the house° of atheir god°, and ate° and drank° and cursed° Abimelech°. 28 Then Gaal° the son° of Ebed° said°, “Who° is Abimelech°, and who° is Shechem°, that we should serve° him? Is he not the son° of Jerubbaal°, and [is] Zebul° [not] his Ilieutenant°? Serve° the men° of aHamor° the father° of Shechem°; but why° should we serve° him? 29 IaWould°°, therefore, that this° people° were under my authority°! Then I would remove° Abimelech°.” And he said° to Abimelech°, “Increase° your army° and come° out.”

[26] ILit brothers
[27] ILit rejoicing aJg 8:33; 9:46
[28] ILit overseer aGn 34:2
[29] ILit And who will give this people into my hand a2S 15:4

30 ¶ When Zebul° the ruler° of the city° heard° the words° of Gaal° the son° of Ebed°, his anger° burned°. 31 He sent° messengers° to Abimelech° Ideceitfully°, saying°, “Behold°, Gaal° the son° of Ebed° and his IIrelatives° have come° to Shechem°; and behold°, they are IIIstirring° up the city° against° you. 32 Now° therefore, arise° by night°, you and the people° who° are with you, and lie° in wait° in the field°. 33 In the morning°, as soon as the sun° is up, you shall rise° early° and rush° upon the city°; and behold°, when he and the people° who° are with him come° out against° you, you shall ado° to them Iwhatever° you can.”

[31] IOr in Tormah IILit brothers IIILit besieging
[33] ILit as your hand can find a1S 10:7

34 ¶ So Abimelech° and all° the people° who° [were] with him arose° by night° and lay° in wait° against° Shechem° in four° Icompanies°. 35 Now Gaal° the son° of Ebed° went° out and stood° in the entrance° of the city° gate°; and Abimelech° and the people° who° [were] with him arose° from the ambush°. 36 When Gaal° saw° the people°, he said° to Zebul°, “ILook°, people° are coming° down° from the tops° of the mountains°.” But Zebul° said° to him, “You are seeing° the shadow° of the mountains° as [if they were] men°.” 37 Gaal° spoke° again°° and said°, “Behold°, people° are coming° down° from athe Ihighest° part° of the land°, and one° IIcompany° comes° by the way° of IIIthe diviners’° IVoak°.” 38 Then Zebul° said° to him, “Where° is your Iboasting° now° with which° you said°, ‘Who° is Abimelech° that we should serve° him?’ Is this° not the people° whom° you despised°? Go° out now° and fight° with them!” 39 So Gaal° went° out before° the leaders° of Shechem° and fought° with Abimelech°. 40 Abimelech° chased° him, and he fled° before°° him; and many° fell° wounded° up to the entrance° of the gate°. 41 Then Abimelech° remained° at Arumah°, but Zebul° drove° out Gaal° and his Irelatives° so° that they could not remain° in Shechem°.

[34] ILit heads
[36] ILit Behold
[37] IOr center IILit head IIIHeb Elommeonenim IVOr terebinth aEzk 38:12
[38] ILit mouth
[41] ILit brothers

42 ¶ Now it came° about the next° day°, that the people° went° out to the field°, and it was told° to Abimelech°. 43 So he took° Ihis people° and divided° them into three° IIcompanies°, and lay° in wait° in the field°; when he looked° and IIIsaw° the people° coming° out from the city°, he arose° against° them and IVslew° them. 44 Then Abimelech° and the Icompany° who° was with him dashed° forward and stood° in the entrance° of the city° gate°; the other two° IIcompanies° then dashed° against° all° who° [were] in the field° and IIIslew° them. 45 Abimelech° fought° against the city° all° that day°, and he captured° the city° and killed° the people° who° [were] in it; then he arazed° the city° and sowed° it with salt°.

[43] ILit the IILit heads IIILit behold IVLit smote
[44] ISingular with Gr; Heb plural, heads IILit heads IIILit smote
[45] a2K 3:25

46 ¶ When all° the leaders° of the tower° of Shechem° heard° of [it], they entered° the inner° chamber° of the Itemple° of aEl-berith°°. 47 It was told° Abimelech° that all° the leaders° of the tower° of Shechem° were gathered° together. 48 So Abimelech° went° up to Mount° aZalmon°, he and all° the people° who° [were] with him; and Abimelech° took° Ian axe° in his hand° and cut° down° a branch° from the trees°, and lifted° it and laid° [it] on his shoulder°. Then he said° to the people° who° [were] with him, “What° you have seen° me do°, hurry° [and] do° IIlikewise°.” 49 All° the people° also° cut° down° each° one° his branch° and followed°° Abimelech°, and put° [them] on the inner° chamber° and set° the inner° chamber° on fire° over° those [inside], so that all° the men° of the tower° of Shechem° also° died°, about a thousand° men° and women°.

[46] ILit house aJg 8:33
[48] ILit the axes IILit like me aPs 68:14

50 ¶ Then Abimelech° went° to Thebez°, and he camped° against Thebez° and captured° it. 51 But there was a strong° tower° in the center° of the city°, and all° the men° and women° with all° the leaders° of the city° fled° there° and shut° themselves in; and they went° up on the roof° of the tower°. 52 So Abimelech° came° to the tower° and fought° against it, and approached° the entrance° of the tower° to burn° it with fire°. 53 But aa certain° woman° threw° an upper° millstone° on Abimelech’s° head°, crushing° his skull°. 54 Then ahe called° quickly° to the young° man°, his armor° bearer°, and said° to him, “Draw° your sword° and kill° me, so° that it will not be said° of me, ‘A woman° slew° him.’” So Ithe young° man° pierced° him through°, and he died°. 55 When the men° of Israel° saw° that Abimelech° was dead°, each° departed° to his Ihome°. 56 Thus aGod° repaid° the wickedness° of Abimelech°, which° he had done° to his father° in killing° his seventy° brothers°. 57 Also God° returned° all° the wickedness° of the men° of Shechem° on their heads°, and the curse° of Jotham° the son° of Jerubbaal° came° Iupon them.

[53] a2S 11:21
[54] ILit his a1S 31:4
[55] ILit place
[56] aGn 9:5, 6; Ps 94:23
[57] ILit to


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NAS Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
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Abimelech by conspiracy with the Shechemites, and murder of his brethren, is made king.

1 ¶ And Abimelechº the sonº of Jerubbaalº went¹ª² to Shechemº unto² his mother'sº brethren,º and communedºª with² them, and with² all² the familyº of the houseº of his mother'sº father,º saying,ºª 2 Speak,ºª I pray you,² in the earsº of all² the menº of Shechem,º Whether² [is] betterº for you, either that all² the sonsº of Jerubbaal,º [which are] threescore and tenº persons,º reignºª over you, or² that oneº reignºª over you? rememberºª also that² I² [am] your boneº and your flesh.º 3 And his mother'sº brethrenº spakeºª of² him in the earsº of all² the menº of Shechemº² all² these² words:º and their heartsº inclined¹ª to followº² Abimelech;º for² they said,ºª He² [is] our brother.º 4 And they gaveºª him threescore and tenº [pieces] of silverº out of the houseº² of Baalberith,º wherewith Abimelechº hiredºª vainº and lightºª persons,¹² which followed¹ª²² him.¹ 5 And he wentºª unto his father'sº houseº at Ophrah,º and slewºª² his brethrenº the sonsº of Jerubbaal,º [being] threescore and tenº persons,º upon² oneº stone:º notwithstanding yet Jothamº the youngestº sonº of Jerubbaalº was left;ºª for² he hid¹ª himself.² 6 And all² the menº of Shechemº gathered together,ºª and all² the house¹ of Millo,º¹ª and went,¹ª² and madeºª² Abimelechº king,º by² the plainº of the pillarºª that² [was] in Shechem.º

[1] Gn 33:18; 34:2; Jg 8:31; 2S 15:6; 1K 12:1, 3, 20; Ps 83:2; Jr 18:18.
[2] Gn 29:14; Jg 8:30; 2S 19:13; 1Ch 11:1; Ep 5:30; He 2:14.
[3] Gn 29:15; Ps 10:3; Pv 1:11.
[4] Jg 8:33; 9:46; 11:3; 1S 22:2; 2Ch 13:7; Jb 30:8; Pv 12:11; Ac 17:5.
[5] Jg 6:24; 2K 10:17; 11:1; 2Ch 21:4; Mt 2:16, 20.
[6] Jsh 24:26; 2S 5:9; 1K 12:1, 20, 25; 2K 12:20.

Jotham by a parable rebuketh them, and foretelleth their ruin.

7 ¶ And when they toldºª [it] to Jotham,º he went¹ª² and stoodºª in the topº of mountº Gerizim,º and lifted upºª his voice,º and cried,ºª and saidºª unto them, Hearkenºª unto² me, ye menº of Shechem,º that Godº may hearkenºª unto² you. 8 The treesº went forthºªªª [on a time] to anointºª a kingº over² them; and they saidºª unto the olive tree,º Reignºª thou over² us. 9 But the olive treeº saidºª unto them, Should I leaveºª² my fatness,º wherewith² by me they honourºª Godº and man,¹² and goºª to be promotedºª over² the trees?º 10 And the treesº saidºª to the fig tree,º Come¹ª² thou,² [and] reignºª over² us. 11 But the fig treeº saidºª unto them, Should I forsakeºª² my sweetness,º and my goodº fruit,º and goºª to be promotedºª over² the trees?º 12 Then saidºª the treesº unto the vine,º Come¹ª² thou,² [and] reignºª over² us. 13 And the vineº saidºª unto them, Should I leaveºª² my wine,º which cheerethºª Godº and man,¹² and goºª to be promotedºª over² the trees?º 14 Then saidºª all² the treesº unto² the bramble,º Come¹ª² thou,² [and] reignºª over² us. 15 And the brambleº saidºª unto² the trees,º If² in truthº ye² anointºª me kingº over² you, [then] comeºª [and] put your trustºª in my shadow:º and if² not,² let fireº come outºª of² the bramble,º and devourºª² the cedarsº of Lebanon.º 16 Now² therefore, if² ye have doneºª trulyº and sincerely,º in that ye have made Abimelech¹ king,ºª²² and if² ye have dealtºª wellº with² Jerubbaalº and his house,º and have doneºª unto him according to the deservingº of his hands;º 17 (For² my fatherº foughtºª for² you, and adventuredºª² his lifeº far,º² and deliveredºª you out of the handº² of Midian:º 18 And ye² are risen upºª against² my father'sº houseº this day,º and have slainºª² his sons,º threescore and tenº persons,º upon² oneº stone,º and have made² Abimelech,º the sonº of his maidservant,º kingºª over² the menº of Shechem,º because² he² [is] your brother;)º 19 If² ye then have dealtºª trulyº and sincerelyº with² Jerubbaalº and with² his houseº this² day,º [then] rejoiceºª ye in Abimelech,º and let him² also² rejoiceºª in you: 20 But if² not,² let fireº come outºª from Abimelech,º² and devourºª² the menº of Shechem,º and the houseº of Millo;ºª¹ and let fireº come outºª from the menº² of Shechem,º and from the houseº² of Millo,ºª¹ and devourºª² Abimelech.º 21 And Jothamº ran away,¹ª² and fled,¹ª² and went¹ª² to Beer,º and dweltºª there,² for fearº² of Abimelechº his brother.º

[7] Dt 11:29; 27:12; Jsh 8:33; Ps 18:40; 50:15; Pv 1:28; 21:13; 28:9; Is 1:15; 58:6; Mt 18:26; Jn 4:20; Jm 2:13.
[8] Jg 8:22; 2K 14:9; Ezk 17:3; Dn 4:10.
[9] Ex 29:2, 7; 35:14; Lv 2:1; 1K 19:15; Jb 1:7; 2:2; Ps 89:20; 104:15; Ac 4:27; 10:38; 1Jn 2:20.
[11] Lk 13:6.
[13] Nu 15:5, 7, 10; Ps 104:15; Pv 31:6; Ec 10:19.
[14] 2K 14:9.
[15] Nu 21:28; Jg 9:20, 49; 2K 14:9; Ps 104:16; Is 1:31; 2:13; 30:2; 37:24; Ezk 19:14; 31:3; Dn 4:12; Ho 14:7; Mt 13:32.
[16] Jg 8:35.
[17] Jg 7:1; 8:4; Es 4:16; Ro 5:8; 16:4; Rv 12:11.
[18] Jg 8:31, 35; 9:5, 6, 14; Ps 109:4.
[19] Is 8:6; Php 3:3; Jm 4:16.
[20] Jg 7:22; 9:15, 23, 56; 2Ch 20:22; Ps 21:9; 28:4; 52:1; 120:3; 140:10.
[21] Nu 21:16; Jsh 19:8; 2S 20:14.

Gaal conspireth with the Shechemites against him.

22 ¶ When Abimelechº had reignedºª threeº yearsº over² Israel,º 23 Then Godº sentºª an evilº spiritº between² Abimelechº and the menº of Shechem;º and the menº of Shechemº dealt treacherouslyºª with Abimelech:º 24 That the crueltyº [done] to the threescore and tenº sonsº of Jerubbaalº might come,ºª and their bloodº be laidºª upon² Abimelechº their brother,º which² slewºª them; and upon² the menº of Shechem,º which² aidedººª² him in the killingºª of² his brethren.º 25 And the menº of Shechemº setºª liers in waitºª for him in² the topº of the mountains,º and they robbedºª² all² that² came¹ª along² that wayº by² them: and it was toldºª Abimelech.º 26 And Gaalº the sonº of Ebedº cameºª with his brethren,º and went overºª to Shechem:º and the menº of Shechemº put their confidenceºª in him. 27 And they went outºª into the fields,º and gatheredºª² their vineyards,º and trodeºª [the grapes], and madeºª merry,º and went¹ª into² the houseº of their god,º and did eatºª and drink,ºª and cursedºª² Abimelech.º 28 And Gaalº the sonº of Ebedº said,ºª Who² [is] Abimelech,º and who² [is] Shechem,º that² we should serveºª him? [is] not² [he] the sonº of Jerubbaal?º and Zebulº his officer?º serveºª² the men¹² of Hamorº the fatherº of Shechem:¹² for why² should we² serveºª him? 29 And would to God²²² this² peopleº were under¹ª my hand!º then would I removeºª² Abimelech.º And he saidºª to Abimelech,º Increaseºª thine army,º and come out.ºª

[23] Jg 9:15, 16, 20; 1S 16:14; 18:9; 1K 12:15; 22:22; 2Ch 10:15; 18:19; Is 19:2, 14; 33:1; Mt 7:2; 2Th 2:11.
[24] 1S 15:33; 1K 2:32; Es 9:25; Ps 7:16; Mt 23:34.
[25] Jsh 8:4, 12; Pv 1:11.
[26] Gn 13:8; 19:7.
[27] Ex 32:6, 19; Lv 24:11; Jg 9:4; 16:23; 1S 17:43; Ps 109:17; Is 16:9; 22:12; 24:7; Jr 25:30; Dn 5:1, 23; Am 6:3; Lk 12:19; 17:26.
[28] Gn 34:2, 6; 1S 25:10; 2S 20:1; 1K 12:16.
[29] 2S 2:14; 15:4; 1K 20:11; 2K 14:8; 18:23; Ps 10:3; Is 36:8; Ro 1:30.

Zebul revealeth it.

30 ¶ And when Zebulº the rulerº of the cityº heardºª² the wordsº of Gaalº the sonº of Ebed,º his angerº was kindled.ºª 31 And he sentºª messengersº unto² Abimelechº privily,º saying,ºª Behold,² Gaalº the sonº of Ebedº and his brethrenº be comeºª to Shechem;º and, behold,² they fortifyºª² the cityº against² thee. 32 Now² therefore upºª by night,º thou² and the peopleº that² [is] with² thee, and lie in waitºª in the field:º 33 And it shall be,² [that] in the morning,º as soon as the sunº is up,ºª thou shalt rise early,ºª and setºª upon² the city:º and, behold,² [when] he² and the peopleº that² [is] with² him come outºª against² thee, then mayest thou doºª to them as² thou¹ shalt find² occasion.¹ª²

[30] Jg 9:30.
[31] Jg 9:31.
[32] Jb 24:14; Ps 36:4; Pv 1:11; 4:16; Ro 3:15.
[33] Lv 25:26; 1S 10:7; 25:8; Ec 9:10.

Abimelech overcometh them, and soweth the city with salt.

34 ¶ And Abimelechº rose up,ºª and all² the peopleº that² [were] with² him, by night,º and they laid waitºª against² Shechemº in fourº companies.º 35 And Gaalº the sonº of Ebedº went out,ºª and stoodºª in the enteringº of the gateº of the city:º and Abimelechº rose up,ºª and the peopleº that² [were] with² him, from² lying in wait.º 36 And when Gaalº sawºª² the people,º he saidºª to² Zebul,º Behold,² there come¹ª people¹ downºª² from the topº² of the mountains.º And Zebulº saidºª unto² him, Thou² seestºª² the shadowº of the mountainsº as [if they were] men.¹² 37 And Gaalº spakeºª againºª and said,ºª See² there come¹ª people¹ downºª² by²² the middleº of the land,º and anotherº companyº comeºª along by²² the plainº of¹ Meonenim.ºª 38 Then said