Judges 9

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Abimelech son of Jerubbaal confronted his mother's brothers at Shechem and, to them and to the wholeclan of his maternal grandfather's family, he said,	1 And Abimelech the son of Jerobaal went to Sichem to his mother's brethren and spoke to them, and to all the kindred of his mother's father, saying:
2 'Please put this question to the leading men of Shechem: Which is better for you: to be ruled by seventypeople -- al Jerubbaal's sons -- or to be ruled by one? Remember too that I am your own flesh and bone.'	2 Speak to all the men of Sichem: whether is better for you that seventy men all the sons of Jerobaal should rule over you, or that one man should rule over you? And withal consider that I am your bone, and your flesh.
3 His mother's brothers said al this on his behalf to al the leading men of Shechem, and their feelingsswayed them to follow Abimelech, since they argued, 'He is our brother.'	3 And his mother's brethren spoke of him to all the men of Sichem, all these words, and they inclined their hearts after Abimelech, saying: He is our brother:
4 So they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, and with this Abimelech paidviolent adventurers to fol ow him.	4 And they gave him seventy weight of silver out of the temple of Baalberith: wherewith he hired to himself men that were needy, and vagabonds, and they followed him.
5 He then went to his father's house at Ophrah and put his brothers, Jerubbaal's seventy sons, to deathon one and the same stone. Jotham, however, Jerubbaal's youngest son, escaped by going into hiding.	5 And he came to his father's house in Ephra, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerobaal, seventy men, upon one stone: and there remained only Joatham the youngest son of Jerobaal, who was hidden.
6 All the leading men of Shechem and al Beth-Mil o then met and proclaimed Abimelech king at the oakof the cultic stone at Shechem.	6 And all the men of Sichem were gathered together, and all the families of the city of Mello: and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak that stood in Sichem.
7 News of this was brought to Jotham. He went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted at thetop of his voice: Hear me, leaders of Shechem, so that God may also hear you!	7 This being told to Joatham, he went and stood on the top of mount Garizim: and lifting up his voice, he cried, and said: Hear me, ye men of Sichem, so may God hear you.
8 One day the trees went out to anoint a king to rule them. They said to the olive tree, 'Be our king!'	8 The trees went to anoint a king over them: and they said to the olive tree: Reign thou over us.
9 The olive tree replied, 'Must I forgo my oil which gives honour to gods and men, to stand and sway overthe trees?'	9 And it answered: Can I leave my fatness, which both gods and men make use of, to come to be promoted among the trees?
10 Then the trees said to the fig tree, 'You come and be our king!'	10 And the trees said to the fig tree: Come thou and reign over us.
11 The fig tree replied, 'Must I forgo my sweetness, forgo my excel ent fruit, to go and sway over thetrees?'	11 And it answered them: Can I leave my sweetness, and my delicious fruits, and go to be promoted among the other trees?
12 Then the trees said to the vine, 'You come and be our king!'	12 And the trees said to the vine: Come thou and reign over us.
13 The vine replied, 'Must I forgo my wine which cheers gods and men, to go and sway over the trees?'	13 And it answered them: Can I forsake my wine, that cheereth God and men, and be promoted among the other trees?
14 Then the trees al said to the thorn bush, 'You come and be our king!'	14 And all the trees said to the bramble: Come thou and reign over us.
15 And the thorn bush replied to the trees, 'If you are anointing me in good faith to be your king, come andshelter in my shade. But, if not, fire will come out of the thorn bush and devour the cedars of Lebanon.'	15 And it answered them: If indeed you mean to make me king, come ye and rest under my shadow: but if you mean it not, let fire come out from the bramble, and devour the cedars of Libanus.
16 'Now then, if you have acted in sincerity and good faith in making Abimelech king, if you have dealthonourably with Jerubbaal and his family, and have treated him as his actions deserved,	16 Now therefore if you have done well, and without sin in appointing Abimelech king over you, and have dealt well with Jerobaal, and with his house, and have made a suitable return for the benefits of him, who fought for you,
17 my father having fought for you, risked his life and rescued you from the power of Midian,	17 And exposed his life to dangers, to deliver you from the hands of Madian,
18 and you today having risen up against my father's family, murdered his sons -- seventy of them on oneand the same stone -- and appointed Abimelech, his slave-girl's son, to rule the leading men of Shechem,because he is your brother!-	18 And you are now risen up against my father's house, and have killed his sons seventy men upon one stone, and have made Abimelech the son of his handmaid king over the inhabitants of Sichem, because he is your brother:
19 if, I say, you have acted in sincerity and good faith towards Jerubbaal and his family, then mayAbimelech be your joy and may you be his!	19 If therefore you have dealt well, and without fault with Jerobaal, and his house, rejoice ye this day in Abimelech, and may he rejoice in you.
20 If not, may fire come out of Abimelech and devour the leading men of Shechem and Beth-Mil o, andfire come out of the leading men of Shechem and Beth-Mil o to devour Abimelech!'	20 But if unjustly: let fire come out from him, and consume the inhabitants of Sichem, and the town of Mello: and let fire come out from the men of Sichem, and from the town of Mello, and devour Abimelech.
21 Jotham then took to his heels; he fled and made his way to Beer; and there he stayed, to be out of hisbrother Abimelech's reach.	21 And when he had said thus he fled, and went into Bera: and dwelt there for fear of Abimelech his brother.
22 Abimelech ruled Israel for three years.	22 So Abimelech reigned over Israel for three years.
23 God then sent a spirit of discord between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, and the leaders ofShechem betrayed Abimelech.	23 And the Lord sent a very evil spirit between Abimelech and the inhabitants of Sichem: who began to detest him,
24 And this was so that the crime committed against Jerubbaal's seventy sons should be avenged, andtheir blood recoil on their brother Abimelech who had murdered them, and on those leaders of Shechem whohad helped him to murder his brothers.	24 And to leave the crime of the murder of the seventy sons of Jerobaal, and the shedding of their blood upon Abimelech their brother, and upon the rest of the princes of the Sichemites, who aided him.
25 The leaders of Shechem put men to ambush him on the mountain tops, and these robbed anyonetravel ing their way. Abimelech was told of this.	25 And they set an ambush against him on the top of the mountains: and while they waited for his coming, they committed robberies, taking spoils of all that passed by: and it was told Abimelech.
26 Gaal son of Obed, with his brothers, happened to pass through Shechem and win the confidence ofthe leaders of Shechem.	26 And Gaal the son of Obed came with his brethren, and went over to Sichem. And the inhabitants of Sichem taking courage at his coming,
27 These went out into the countryside to harvest their vineyards; they trod the grapes and made merryand went into the temple of their god. They ate and drank there and cursed Abimelech.	27 Went out into the fields, wasting the vineyards, and treading down the grapes: and singing and dancing they went into the temple of their god, and in their banquets and cups they cursed Abimelech.
28 Gaal son of Obed said, 'Who is Abimelech, and what is Shechem, for us to be his slaves? Should notJerubbaal's son and his lieutenant, Zebul, be serving the men of Hamor, father of Shechem? Why should we behis slaves?	28 And Gaal the son of Obed cried: Who is Abimelech, and what is Sichem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerobaal, and hath made Zebul his servant ruler over the men of Emor the father of Sichem? Why then shall we serve him?
29 Who wil put this people under my command, so that I can expel Abimelech? I should say to him,"Reinforce your army and come out!" '	29 Would to God that some man would put this people under my hand, that I might remove Abimelech out of the way. And it was said to Abimelech: Gather together the multitude of an army, and come.
30 Zebul the governor of the town was told what Gaal son of Obed had said, and he was furious.	30 For Zebul the ruler of the city, hearing the words of Gaal, the son of Obed, was very angry,
31 He sent messengers secretly to Abimelech to say, 'Look! Gaal son of Obed has come to Shechemwith his brothers, and they are stirring up the town against you.	31 And sent messengers privately to Abimelech, saying: Behold Gaal the son of Obed is come into Sichem with his brethren, and endeavoureth to set the city against thee.
32 So, move under cover of dark, you and the men you have with you, and take up concealed positions inthe countryside;	32 Arise therefore in the night with the people that is with thee and he hid in the field:
33 then in the morning at sunrise, break cover and rush on the town. When Gaal and his supporters comeout to meet you, treat them as occasion offers.'	33 And betimes in the morning at sun rising set upon the city. And when he shall come out against thee with his people, do to him what thou shalt be able.
34 So Abimelech set off under cover of dark with al his own supporters and took up concealed positionsover against Shechem, in four groups.	34 Abimelech therefore arose with all his army by night, and laid ambushes near Sichem in four places.
35 As Gaal son of Obed was coming out and pausing at the entrance of the town gate, Abimelech and hissupporters rose from their ambush.	35 And Gaal the son of Obed went out, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city. And Abimelech rose up, and all his army with him from the places of the ambushes.
36 Gaal saw these men and said to Zebul, 'Look, there are men coming down from the tops of themountains!' Zebul answered, 'You mistake the shadow of the mountains for men.'	36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul: Behold a multitude cometh down from the mountains. And he answered him: Thou seest the shadows of the mountains as if they were the heads of men, and this is thy mistake.
37 But Gaal insisted, 'Look, there are men coming down from the Navel of the Earth and another group iscoming from the direction of the Diviners' Oak.'	37 Again Gaal said: Behold there cometh people down from the middle of the land, and one troop cometh by the way that looketh towards the oak.
38 Zebul then said, 'Where are your mouthings now about "Who is Abimelech, for us to be his slaves?"Are not these the men you made light of? Sally out, then, and fight him.'	38 And Zebul said to him: Where is now thy mouth wherewith thou saidst? Who is Abimelech that we should serve him? Is not this the people which thou didst despise? Go out, and fight against him.
39 Gaal sal ied out at the head of the leaders of Shechem and engaged Abimelech.	39 So Gaal went out in the sight of the people of Sichem, and fought against Abimelech,
40 Abimelech drove Gaal off, who turned tail, many of his men falling dead before they could reach thegate.	40 Who chased and put him to flight, and drove him to the city: and many were slain of his people, even to the gate of the city:
41 Abimelech then stayed at Aruma, and Zebul expelled Gaal and his brothers and prevented them fromliving in Shechem.	41 And Abimelech sat down in Ruma: but Zebul drove Gaal, and his companions out of the city, and would not suffer them to abide in it.
42 Next day, when the people went out into the countryside, Abimelech was told of this.	42 So the day following the people went out into the field. And it was told Abimelech.
43 He took his men, divided them into three groups and lay in wait in the fields. When he saw the peopleleaving the town, he bore down on them and slaughtered them.	43 And he took his army, and divided it into three companies, and laid ambushes in the fields. And seeing that the people came out of the city, he arose and set upon them,
44 While Abimelech and his group rushed forward and took position at the entrance to the town gate, thetwo other groups fel on everyone in the fields and slaughtered them.	44 With his own company, assaulting and besieging the city: whilst the two other companies chased the enemies that were scattered about the field.
45 Al that day Abimelech attacked the town. He stormed it and slaughtered the people inside, razed thetown and sowed it with salt.	45 And Abimelech assaulted the city all that day: and took it, and killed the inhabitants thereof, and demolished it, so that he sowed salt in it.
46 On hearing this, al the leading men inside Migdal-Shechem took refuge in the crypt of the temple ofEl-Berith.	46 And when they who dwelt in the tower of Sichem had heard this, they went into the temple of their god Berith where they had made a covenant with him, and from thence the place had taken its name, and it was exceeding strong.
47 As soon as Abimelech heard that the leading men inside Migdal-Shechem had al gathered there,	47 Abimelech also hearing that the men of the tower of Sichem were gathered together,
48 he went up Mount Zalmon with al his men. Then taking an axe in his hands, he cut off the branch of atree, picked it up and put it on his shoulder, and said to the men with him, 'Hurry and do what you have seen medo.'	48 Went up into mount Selmon he and all his people with him: and taking an axe, he cut down the bough of a tree, and laying it on his shoulder and carrying it, he said to his companions: What you see me do, do you out of hand.
49 Each of his men similarly cut off a branch; then, following Abimelech, they piled the branches over thecrypt and set it on fire over those who were inside; so that al the people in Migdal-Shechem died too, about athousand men and women.	49 So they cut down boughs from the trees, every man as fast as he could, and followed their leader. And surrounding the fort they set it on fire: and so it came to pass that with the smoke and with the fire a thousand persons were killed, men and women together, of the inhabitants of the tower of Sichem.
50 Abimelech then marched on Thebez, besieged it and captured it.	50 Then Abimelech departing from thence came to the town of Thebes, which he surrounded and besieged with his army.
51 In the middle of the town there was a fortified tower in which al the men and women and al theleading men of the town took refuge. They locked the door behind them and climbed up to the roof of the tower.	51 And there was in the midst of the city a high tower, to which both the men and the women were fled together, and all the princes of the city, and having shut and strongly barred the gate, they stood upon the battlements of the tower to defend themselves.
52 Abimelech reached the tower and attacked it. As he was approaching the door of the tower to set it onfire,	52 And Abimelech coming near the tower, fought stoutly: and approaching to the gate, endeavoured to set fire to it:
53 a woman threw down a mil stone on his head and cracked his skull.	53 And behold a certain woman casting a piece of a millstone from above, dashed it against the head of Abimelech, and broke his skull.
54 He instantly cal ed his young armour-bearer and said, 'Draw your sword and kil me, so that it wil notbe said of me that "A woman kil ed him".' His armour-bearer ran him through, and he died.	54 And he called hastily to his armourbearer, and said to him: Draw thy sword, and kill me: lest it should be said that I was slain by a woman. He did as he was commanded, and slew him.
55 When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they dispersed to their homes.	55 And when he was dead, all the men of Israel that were with him, returned to their homes.
56 Thus God made to recoil on Abimelech the evil he had done his father by murdering his seventybrothers,	56 And God repaid the evil, that Abimelech had done against his father, killing his seventy brethren.
57 and all the evil that the men of Shechem had done God made recoil on their heads too. And so thecurse of Jotham son of Jerubbaal came true for them.	57 The Sichemites also were rewarded for what they had done, and the curse of Joatham the son of Jerobaal came upon them.