Judges 9 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem, to his mother's brothers, and said to them and to the whole clan of his mother's father's family,

"Ask all the leaders of Shechem: 'What's better for you — having all seventy of Jerubbaal's sons rule over you, or having just one man rule? And remember, I'm your own flesh and blood.'"

His mother's brothers repeated all this to the leaders of Shechem on his behalf, and they were swayed toward Abimelech, because they said, "He's our brother."

They gave him seventy pieces of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, and Abimelech used it to hire a gang of reckless, desperate men who followed him.

He went to his father's house in Ophrah and slaughtered his brothers — the seventy sons of Jerubbaal — on a single stone. But Jotham, Jerubbaal's youngest son, survived because he hid.

Then all the leaders of Shechem and all of Beth-Millo gathered together and went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar at Shechem.

When Jotham heard about it, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim. He raised his voice and called out to them: "Listen to me, leaders of Shechem, so that God may listen to you!"

"One day the trees set out to anoint a king over themselves. They said to the olive tree, 'Come reign over us.'"

"But the olive tree said to them, 'Should I give up my oil, which both gods and humans honor, just to sway back and forth over the other trees?'"

"Then the trees said to the fig tree, 'Come, you reign over us.'"

"But the fig tree said to them, 'Should I give up my sweetness and my good fruit, just to sway back and forth over the other trees?'"

"Then the trees said to the vine, 'Come, you reign over us.'"

"But the vine said to them, 'Should I give up my wine, which makes both gods and humans glad, just to sway back and forth over the other trees?'"

"Then all the trees said to the thornbush, 'Come, you reign over us.'"

"And the thornbush said to the trees, 'If you are genuinely anointing me as king over you, then come, take shelter in my shade. But if not — let fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!'"

"So now — if you acted with honesty and integrity when you made Abimelech king, and if you dealt fairly with Jerubbaal and his family, and if you treated him as he deserved — "

"considering that my father fought for you, risked his very life, and rescued you from Midian's grip — "

"yet today you've risen up against my father's family, slaughtered his seventy sons on a single stone, and made Abimelech — the son of his slave woman — king over the leaders of Shechem, just because he's your relative — "

"if you've acted with honesty and integrity toward Jerubbaal and his family today — then enjoy Abimelech, and let him enjoy you!"

"But if not — let fire come from Abimelech and consume the leaders of Shechem and Beth-Millo, and let fire come from the leaders of Shechem and Beth-Millo and consume Abimelech!"

Then Jotham fled. He ran away and went to Beer, and he lived there, out of reach of his brother Abimelech.

Abimelech ruled over Israel for three years.

Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem acted treacherously against Abimelech —

so that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal would come back on them, and their blood would be laid on Abimelech their brother who murdered them, and on the leaders of Shechem who strengthened his hands to murder his brothers.

The leaders of Shechem set ambushes for him on the hilltops and robbed everyone who passed by them on the road. This was reported to Abimelech.

Meanwhile, Gaal son of Ebed moved into Shechem with his relatives, and the leaders of Shechem put their confidence in him.

They went out into the vineyards and picked their grapes, stomped them, and threw a festival. They went into the temple of their god, and while they ate and drank, they cursed Abimelech.

Gaal son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech, and what is Shechem, that we should serve him? Isn't he the son of Jerubbaal, and isn't Zebul just his deputy? Serve the men of Hamor, Shechem's father! Why should we serve this guy?"

"If only this people were under my command! I'd get rid of Abimelech." He bragged to Abimelech, "Beef up your army and come out and fight!"

When Zebul, the city's governor, heard what Gaal son of Ebed said, he was furious.

He secretly sent messengers to Abimelech, saying, "Watch out — Gaal son of Ebed and his relatives have come to Shechem, and they're stirring up the city against you."

"So get up tonight — you and the troops with you — and set an ambush in the fields."

"Then in the morning, as soon as the sun comes up, move in and attack the city. When Gaal and his men come out to face you, do whatever you can to them."

So Abimelech and all his troops got up during the night and set up in four companies around Shechem.

Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood at the entrance to the city gate. Just then, Abimelech and his troops rose from their hiding places.

Gaal saw the troops and said to Zebul, "Look — there are people coming down from the hilltops!" Zebul said to him, "You're just seeing the shadows of the mountains — they look like men to you."

But Gaal spoke again: "No, really — there are people coming down from the center of the highlands, and one company is coming from the direction of the Diviners' Oak!"

Then Zebul said to him, "Where's that big mouth of yours now? You said, 'Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?' Aren't these the troops you mocked? Get out there and fight them!"

So Gaal led the leaders of Shechem out and fought Abimelech.

Abimelech chased him, and Gaal fled from him. Many fell dead all the way to the entrance of the gate.

Abimelech stayed in Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal and his relatives out of Shechem — they weren't allowed to live there anymore.

The next day, the people of Shechem went out to the fields. When Abimelech was told about it,

he took his troops, split them into three companies, and set an ambush in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he attacked and struck them down.

Abimelech and the company with him rushed forward and positioned themselves at the entrance to the city gate, while the other two companies rushed at everyone in the fields and struck them down.

Abimelech fought against the city all that day. He captured it, killed the people in it, tore the city down, and scattered salt over it.

When all the leaders in the tower of Shechem heard about it, they went into the inner chamber of the temple of El-Berith.

Abimelech was told that all the leaders of the tower of Shechem had gathered together.

So Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon — he and all his troops with him. He took an axe in his hand, cut a branch off the trees, picked it up, and put it on his shoulder. He told the troops with him, "Whatever you just saw me do — quick, do the same thing!"

So each of the troops also cut a branch, and they followed Abimelech. They piled them against the inner chamber and set it on fire over the people inside. So all the people in the tower of Shechem also died — about a thousand men and women.

Then Abimelech went to Thebez. He besieged Thebez and captured it.