And Abimelechthe sonof Jerubbaalwentto Shechemuntohis mother's brethren, and communedwiththem, and withallthe familyof the houseof his mother's father, saying, Speak, I pray you, in the earsof allthe menof Shechem, Whether is betterfor you, either that allthe sonsof Jerubbaal, which are threescore and tenpersons, reignover you, orthat onereignover you? rememberalso thatI am your boneand your flesh. And his mother's brethrenspokeofhim in the earsof allthe menof Shechemallthesewords: and their heartsinclined to followAbimelech; forthey said, He is our brother. And they gavehim threescore and ten pieces of silverout of the houseof Baal-berith, wherewith Abimelechhiredvainand lightpersons, which followedhim. And he wentunto his father's houseat Ophrah, and slewhis brethrenthe sonsof Jerubbaal, being threescore and tenpersons, upononestone: notwithstanding yet Jothamthe youngestsonof Jerubbaalwas left; forhe hid himself. And allthe menof Shechemgathered together, and allthe house of Millo, and went, and madeAbimelechking, bythe plainof the pillarthat was in Shechem. And when they told it to Jotham, he wentand stoodin the topof mountGerizim, and lifted uphis voice, and cried, and saidunto them, Hearkenuntome, ye menof Shechem, that Godmay hearkenuntoyou. The treeswent forth on a time to anointa kingoverthem; and they saidunto the olive tree, Reignthou overus. But the olive treesaidunto them, Should I leavemy fatness, wherewithby me they honorGodand man, and goto be promotedoverthe trees? And the treessaidto the fig tree, Comethou, and reignoverus. But the fig treesaidunto them, Should I forsakemy sweetness, and my goodfruit, and goto be promotedoverthe trees? Then saidthe treesunto the vine, Comethou, and reignoverus. And the vinesaidunto them, Should I leavemy wine, which cheerethGodand man, and goto be promotedoverthe trees? Then saidallthe treesuntothe bramble, Comethou, and reignoverus. And the bramblesaiduntothe trees, Ifin truthyeanointme kingoveryou, then come and put your trustin my shadow: and ifnot, let firecome outofthe bramble, and devourthe cedarsof Lebanon. Nowtherefore, ifye have donetrulyand sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and ifye have dealtwellwithJerubbaaland his house, and have doneunto him according to the deservingof his hands; ( Formy fatherfoughtforyou, and adventuredhis lifefar, and deliveredyou out of the handof Midian: And yeare risen upagainstmy father's housethis day, and have slainhis sons, threescore and tenpersons, upononestone, and have made Abimelech, the sonof his maidservant, kingoverthe menof Shechem, becausehe is your brother;) Ifye then have dealttrulyand sincerelywithJerubbaaland withhis housethisday, then rejoiceye in Abimelech, and let himalsorejoicein you: But ifnot, let firecome outfrom Abimelech, and devourthe menof Shechem, and the houseof Millo; and let firecome outfrom the menof Shechem, and from the houseof Millo, and devourAbimelech. And Jothamran away, and fled, and wentto Beer, and dweltthere, for fearof Abimelechhis brother. When Abimelechhad reignedthreeyearsoverIsrael, Then Godsentan evilspiritbetweenAbimelechand the menof Shechem; and the menof Shechemdealt treacherouslywith Abimelech: That the cruelty done to the threescore and tensonsof Jerubbaalmight come, and their bloodbe laiduponAbimelechtheir brother, whichslewthem; and uponthe menof Shechem, whichaidedhim in the killingof his brethren. And the menof Shechemsetliers in waitfor him inthe topof the mountains, and they robbedallthatcame alongthat waybythem: and it was toldAbimelech. And Gaalthe sonof Ebedcamewith his brethren, and went overto Shechem: and the menof Shechemput their confidencein him. And they went outinto the fields, and gatheredtheir vineyards, and trod the grapes , and mademerry, and went intothe houseof their god, and did eatand drink, and cursedAbimelech. And Gaalthe sonof Ebedsaid, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, thatwe should servehim? is not he the sonof Jerubbaal? and Zebulhis officer? servethe menof Hamorthe fatherof Shechem: for whyshould weservehim? And would to Godthispeoplewere under my hand! then would I removeAbimelech. And he saidto Abimelech, Increasethine army, and come out. And when Zebulthe rulerof the cityheardthe wordsof Gaalthe sonof Ebed, his angerwas kindled. And he sentmessengersuntoAbimelechprivily, saying, Behold, Gaalthe sonof Ebedand his brethrenbe cometo Shechem; and, behold, they fortifythe cityagainstthee. Nowtherefore upby night, thouand the peoplethat is withthee, and lie in waitin the field: And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sunis up, thou shalt rise early, and setuponthe city: and, behold, when heand the peoplethat is withhim come outagainstthee, then mayest thou doto them asthou shalt findoccasion. And Abimelechrose up, and allthe peoplethat were withhim, by night, and they laid waitagainstShechemin fourcompanies. And Gaalthe sonof Ebedwent out, and stoodin the enteringof the gateof the city: and Abimelechrose up, and the peoplethat were withhim, fromlying in wait. And when Gaalsawthe people, he saidtoZebul, Behold, there come people downfrom the topof the mountains. And Zebulsaiduntohim, Thouseestthe shadowof the mountainsas if they were men. And Gaalspokeagainand said, Seethere come people downbythe middleof the land, and anothercompanycomealong bythe plainof Meonenim. Then saidZebuluntohim, Where is nowthy mouth, wherewiththou saidst, Who is Abimelech, thatwe should servehim? is notthisthe peoplethatthou hast despised? go out, I praynow, and fightwith them. And Gaalwent outbeforethe menof Shechem, and foughtwith Abimelech. And Abimelechchasedhim, and he fledbeforehim, and manywere overthrown and wounded, even untothe enteringof the gate. And Abimelechdweltat Arumah: and Zebulthrust outGaaland his brethren, that they should not dwellin Shechem. And it came to passon the morrow, that the peoplewent outinto the field; and they toldAbimelech. And he tookthe people, and dividedthem into threecompanies, and laid waitin the field, and looked, and, behold, the people were come forthout ofthe city; and he rose upagainstthem, and smotethem. And Abimelech, and the companythat was withhim, rushed forward, and stoodin the enteringof the gateof the city: and the two other companiesranuponall the people that were in the fields, and slewthem. And Abimelechfoughtagainst the cityallthatday; and he tookthe city, and slewthe peoplethat was therein, and beat downthe city, and sowedit with salt. And when allthe menof the towerof Shechemheard that , they enteredintoa holdof the houseof the godBerith. And it was toldAbimelech, thatallthe menof the towerof Shechemwere gathered together. And Abimelechgot him upto mountZalmon, heand allthe peoplethat were withhim; and Abimelechtookan axein his hand, and cut downa boughfrom the trees, and tookit, and laid it onhis shoulder, and saiduntothe peoplethat were withhim, Whatye have seenme do, make haste, and doas I have done . And allthe peoplelikewisecut downevery manhis bough, and followedAbimelech, and put them tothe hold, and setthe holdon fireuponthem; so that allthe menof the towerof Shechemdiedalso, about a thousandmenand women. Then wentAbimelechtoThebez, and encampedagainst Thebez, and tookit. But there wasa strongtowerwithinthe city, and thitherfledallthe menand women, and alltheyof the city, and shut it tothem, and got them uptothe topof the tower. And Abimelechcameuntothe tower, and foughtagainst it, and went harduntothe doorof the towerto burnit with fire. And a certainwomancasta pieceof a millstoneuponAbimelech's head, and all to brokehis skull. Then he calledhastilyuntothe young manhis armorbearer, and saidunto him, Drawthy sword, and slayme, thatmen saynot of me, A womanslewhim. And his young manthrust him through, and he died. And when the menof IsraelsawthatAbimelechwas dead, they departedevery manunto his place. Thus Godrenderedthe wickednessof Abimelech, whichhe didunto his father, in slayinghis seventybrethren: And allthe evilof the menof Shechemdid Godrenderupon their heads: and uponthem camethe curseof Jothamthe sonof Jerubbaal.