Judges 9 ISV BSB Parallel

◄ Judges 9 ►

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Berean Study Bible

1Then Jerubbaal's son Abimelech went to his mother's relatives in Shechem. He spoke to the entire family of his mother's father, telling them,

1Now Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to his mother’s brothers at Shechem and said to them and to all the clan of his mother,

2"Ask all the "lords" of Shechem, 'What's better for you? That 70 men, each of them Jerubbaal's sons, rule over you? Or that one man rule over you?' Keep in mind that I'm like your own close relative."

2“Please ask all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Is it better for you that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or just one man?’ Remember that I am your own flesh and blood.”

3So his mother's relatives spoke all of this on his behalf in the presence of all the "lords" of Shechem. Since they were inclined to follow Abimelech, they said, "He's our relative!"

3And when his mother’s brothers spoke all these words about him in the presence of all the leaders of Shechem, their hearts were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.”

4and they gave him 70 silver coins from the temple that they had built to Baal-berith. Abimelech hired some worthless and useless men, who followed him

4So they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired some worthless and reckless men to follow him.

5to his father's house in Ophrah. There he murdered his own brothers, Jerubbaal's sons—all 70 of them—in one place. But Jerubbaal's youngest son Jotham survived by hiding himself.

5He went to his father’s house in Ophrah, and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived, because he hid himself.

6All the men from Shechem and Beth-millo gathered together and set up Abimelech as king near the pillar erected in Shechem.

6Then all the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo gathered beside the oak at the pillar in Shechem and proceeded to make Abimelech their king.

7When Jotham was informed about this, he went out, took his stand on top of Mount Gerizim, and cried out loudly, "Listen to me, you "lords" of Shechem, and God will listen to you.

7When this was reported to Jotham, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim, raised his voice, and cried out: “Listen to me, O leaders of Shechem, and may God listen to you.

8"Once upon a time the trees went out to consecrate a king for themselves. "So they told the olive tree, 'Reign over us!'

8One day the trees set out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’

9But the olive tree asked them, 'Should I stop producing my rich oils by which both God and men are honored and go take dominion over trees?'

9But the olive tree replied, ‘Should I stop giving my oil that honors both God and man, to hold sway over the trees?’

10"So the trees told the fig tree, 'Hey you! Come and reign over us!'

10Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and reign over us.’

11But the fig tree asked them, 'Should I leave my sweet, good fruit and go take dominion over trees?'

11But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I stop giving my sweetness and my good fruit, to hold sway over the trees?’

12"So the trees told the grape vine, 'Hey you! Come and reign over us!'

12Then the trees said to the grapevine, ‘Come and reign over us.’

13But the grape vine asked them, 'Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go take dominion over trees?'

13But the grapevine replied, ‘Should I stop giving my wine that cheers both God and man, to hold sway over the trees?’

14"So all the trees told the bramble bush, 'Hey you! Come and reign over us!'

14Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and reign over us.’

15Then the bramble bush replied to the trees, 'If you really are consecrating me to rule you, come and put your confidence in my shade; but if not, may fire spring out from the bramble bush and burn up the cedars of Lebanon…'

15But the thornbush replied, ‘If you really are anointing me as king over you, come and find refuge in my shade. But if not, may fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’

16"Now then, if you have been acting in good faith and integrity by making a king out of Abimelech, if you have treated Jerubbaal and his household appropriately by acting toward him as he deserved —

16Now if you have acted faithfully and honestly in making Abimelech king, if you have done well by Jerubbaal and his family, and if you have done to him as he deserves—

17because my father fought on your behalf, throwing away all concern for his own life, and delivered you from Midian's domination.

17for my father fought for you and risked his life to deliver you from the hand of Midian,

18"But now as for you, you've rebelled against my father's house today. You've murdered his sons—70 men—in one place, and you've installed Abimelech, the son of his mistress, as king to rule over the "lords" of Shechem, since he's related to you.

18but you have risen up against my father’s house this day and killed his seventy sons on a single stone, and you have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the leaders of Shechem because he is your brother—

19So if you've acted in good faith and integrity toward Jerubbaal and his household today, then you're welcome to Abimelech, and he's welcome to you…

19if you have acted faithfully and honestly toward Jerubbaal and his house this day, then may you rejoice in Abimelech, and he in you.

20But if not, may fire spring out from Abimelech and consume the "lords" of Shechem and Beth-millo, and may fire spring out from the "lords" of Shechem and Beth-millo to consume Abimelech."

20But if not, may fire come from Abimelech and consume the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo, and may fire come from the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo and consume Abimelech.”

21Then Jotham escaped by running away. He went to Beer and remained there because of his brother Abimelech.

21Then Jotham ran away, escaping to Beer, and he lived there for fear of his brother Abimelech.

22Abimelech dominated Israel for three years.

22After Abimelech had reigned over Israel for three years,

23Then God sent an evil spirit to divide Abimelech and the "lords" of Shechem

23God sent a spirit of animosity between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem and caused them to treat Abimelech deceitfully,

24so that the violence committed against the 70 sons of Jerubbaal might come back on their brother Abimelech, who murdered them, and so it might come back on the "lords" of Shechem, who provoked him to murder his brothers.

24in order that the crime against the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come to justice and their blood be avenged on their brother Abimelech and on the leaders of Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers.

25The "lords" of Shechem sent out men to ambush him on the mountain tops, and they robbed everyone who came by them along the roads, and this was reported to Abimelech.

25The leaders of Shechem set up an ambush against Abimelech on the hilltops, and they robbed all who passed by them on the road. So this was reported to Abimelech.

26Meanwhile, Ebed's son Gaal arrived with his relatives and crossed over into Shechem. The "lords" of Shechem put their faith in him.

26Meanwhile, Gaal son of Ebed came with his brothers and crossed into Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem put their confidence in him.

27They went out into the fields, harvested their vineyards, made some wine, and threw a party. Then they went into the temple of their god, ate, drank, and cursed Abimelech.

27And after they had gone out into the fields, gathered grapes from their vineyards, and trodden them, they held a festival and went into the house of their god; and as they ate and drank, they cursed Abimelech.

28Then Ebed's son Gaal remarked, "Who is this Abimelech? And who is Shechem? Should we serve him? Isn't he Jerubbaal's son? Isn't Zebul his lieutenant? Serve the men of Hamor, Shechem's ancestor—but why are we serving him?

28Then Gaal 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 not Zebul his officer? You are to serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech?

29If only authority over this people were given to me. Then I would remove Abimelech!" Then he challenged Abimelech: "Build up your army and then come out and fight!"

29If only this people were under my authority, I would remove Abimelech; I would say to him, ‘Muster your army and come out!’ ”

30When Zebul, the ruler of the city, heard what Ebed's son Gaal had said, he flew into a rage.

30When Zebul the governor of the city heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed, he burned with anger.

31He sent messengers to Abimelech in secret and told him, "Look out! Ebed's son Gaal and his family have arrived here in Shechem. Watch out! They're stirring up the city against you.

31So he covertly sent messengers to Abimelech to say, “Look, Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem and are stirring up the city against you.

32So get up at night, take your soldiers with you, and wait in ambush out in the field.

32Now then, tonight you and the people with you are to come and lie in wait in the fields.

33Tomorrow morning when the sun is up, get up early and attack the city. When Gaal and his army come out to fight you, do whatever you can to them."

33And in the morning at sunrise, get up and advance against the city. When Gaal and his men come out against you, do to them whatever you are able.”

34So Abimelech and his entire army got up that night and waited in ambush against Shechem in four separate companies.

34So Abimelech and all his troops set out by night and lay in wait against Shechem in four companies.

35Ebed's son Gaal went out and stood in the entrance to the city gate while Abimelech and his army were creeping out of their ambush.

35Now Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate just as Abimelech and his men came out from their hiding places.

36When Gaal saw the army, he observed to Zebul, "Look there! People are coming down from the top of the mountains." But Zebul replied to him, "You're looking at morning shadows cast by the mountains. They just look like men to you."

36When Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the mountains!” But Zebul replied, “The shadows of the mountains look like men to you.”

37Gaal spoke up again to say, "Look! People are coming down from the highest part of the land, and there's a company approaching from the diviner's oak tree."

37Then Gaal spoke up again, “Look, people are coming down from the center of the land, and one company is coming by way of the Diviners’ Oak.”

38So Zebul replied, "Right... So where's your boasting now? You said, 'Who is Abimelech? Should we serve him?' Isn't this the army that you insulted? So go out right now and fight them!"

38“Where is your gloating now?” Zebul replied. “You said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Are these not the people you ridiculed? Go out now and fight them!”

39So Gaal went out in full view of the "lords" of Shechem and fought Abimelech.

39So Gaal went out before the leaders of Shechem and fought against Abimelech,

40Abimelech chased him, and Gaal ran away from him. Many fell wounded right up to the entrance to the city gate.

40but Abimelech pursued him, and Gaal fled before him. And many Shechemites fell wounded all the way to the entrance of the gate.

41Afterwards, Abimelech remained at Arumah, but Zebul expelled Gaal and his family so they couldn't remain in Shechem.

41Abimelech stayed in Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem.

42The next day, the people went out to the field, and Abimelech learned about it.

42The next day the people of Shechem went out into the fields, and this was reported to Abimelech.

43So he took his army, divided it into three separate companies, and laid in ambush out in the field. When Abimelech noticed the people coming out from the city, his army attacked them and killed them.

43So he took his men, divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he rose up against them and attacked them.

44Then Abimelech and the soldiers who were with him rushed forward and commandeered the entrance to the city gate while the other two companies ran out to kill everyone who was in the field.

44Then Abimelech and the companies with him rushed forward and took their stand at the entrance of the city gate. The other two companies rushed against all who were in the fields and struck them down.

45Abimelech fought against the city all that day, captured the city, killed the people in it, then tore the city to the ground and sowed it with salt.

45And all that day Abimelech fought against the city until he had captured it and killed its people. Then he demolished the city and sowed it with salt.

46When all the "lords" at the tower of Shechem heard what had happened, they retreated into the inner chamber of the temple of El-berith.

46On hearing of this, all the leaders in the tower of Shechem entered the inner chamber of the temple of El-berith.

47Abimilech was told that all of the "lords" of the Shechem Tower had assembled there.

47And when Abimelech was told that all the leaders in the tower of Shechem were gathered there,

48So he went up to Mount Zalmon, accompanied by his entire army. Abimelech had an axe in his hand, so he cut down a branch from a tree, lifted it up, and laid it on his shoulder. Then he told the army that had accompanied him, "You've seen what I just did. Hurry up! Do the same thing!"

48he and all his men went up to Mount Zalmon. Abimelech took his axe in his hand and cut a branch from the trees, which he lifted to his shoulder, saying to his men, “Hurry and do what you have seen me do.”

49Then his entire army also cut down a branch for each soldier, followed Abimelech to the inner chamber, and set fire to it while they were inside. As a result, all the men of the tower of Shechem died, including about a thousand men and women.

49So each man also cut his own branch and followed Abimelech. Then they piled the branches against the inner chamber and set it on fire above them, killing everyone in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women.

50Later on, Abimelech went to Thebez, set up a siege encampment there, and captured it.

50Then Abimelech went to Thebez, encamped against it, and captured it.

51But there was a fortified tower in the center of the city, and all the men, women, and leaders of the city escaped to it, shut themselves in, and went up to the roof of the tower.

51But there was a strong tower inside the city, and all the men, women, and leaders of the city fled there. They locked themselves in and went up to the roof of the tower.

52So Abimelech approached the tower, attacked it, and approached the tower's gate, intending to burn it down.

52When Abimelech came to attack the tower, he approached its entrance to set it on fire.

53But a certain woman threw an upper millstone down on Abimelech's head, fracturing his skull.

53But a woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, crushing his skull.

54So he cried out to his young armor bearer and ordered him, "Draw your sword and kill me, so no one will say about me that 'A woman killed him.'" So the young man pierced him through, and he died.

54He quickly called his armor-bearer, saying, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’ ” So Abimelech’s armor-bearer ran his sword through him, and he died.

55When the men of Israel noticed that Abimelech was dead, they each left for home.

55And when the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they all went home.

56That's how God repaid Abimelech for the evil thing he did to his father by killing his 70 brothers.

56In this way God repaid the wickedness that Abimelech had done to his father in murdering his seventy brothers.

57God also repaid the men of Shechem for their wickedness, and the curse of Jerubbaal's son Jotham came true for them.

57And God also brought all the wickedness of the men of Shechem back upon their own heads. So the curse of Jotham son of Jerubbaal came upon them.

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