1	And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went# to Shechem unto his mother's brethren, and communed# with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying# ,
			2	Speak# , I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign# over you, or that one reign# over you? remember# also that I am your bone and your flesh. [Whether...: Heb. What is good? whether, etc]
			3	And his mother's brethren spake# of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined# to follow Abimelech; for they said# , He is our brother. [to follow: Heb. after]
			4	And they gave# him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baalberith, wherewith Abimelech hired# vain and light# persons, which followed# him.
			5	And he went# unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew# his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left# ; for he hid# himself.
			6	And all the men of Shechem gathered together# , and all the house of Millo# # , and went# , and made# Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar# that was in Shechem. [plain: or, oak]
			7	And when they told# it to Jotham, he went# and stood# in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up# his voice, and cried# , and said# unto them, Hearken# unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken# unto you.
			8	The trees went forth# # # # on a time to anoint# a king over them; and they said# unto the olive tree, Reign# thou over us.
			9	But the olive tree said# unto them, Should I leave# my fatness, wherewith by me they honour# God and man, and go# to be promoted# over the trees? [go...: or, go up and down for other trees]
			10	And the trees said# to the fig tree, Come# thou, and reign# over us.
			11	But the fig tree said# unto them, Should I forsake# my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go# to be promoted# over the trees?
			12	Then said# the trees unto the vine, Come# thou, and reign# over us.
			13	And the vine said# unto them, Should I leave# my wine, which cheereth# God and man, and go# to be promoted# over the trees?
			14	Then said# all the trees unto the bramble, Come# thou, and reign# over us. [bramble: or, thistle]
			15	And the bramble said# unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint# me king over you, then come# and put your trust# in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out# of the bramble, and devour# the cedars of Lebanon.
			16	Now therefore, if ye have done# truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king# , and if ye have dealt# well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done# unto him according to the deserving of his hands;
			17	(For my father fought# for you, and adventured# his life far, and delivered# you out of the hand of Midian: [adventured...: Heb. cast his life]
			18	And ye are risen up# against my father's house this day, and have slain# his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king# over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;)
			19	If ye then have dealt# truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice# ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice# in you:
			20	But if not, let fire come out# from Abimelech, and devour# the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo# # ; and let fire come out# from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo# # , and devour# Abimelech.
			21	And Jotham ran away# , and fled# , and went# to Beer, and dwelt# there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
			22	When Abimelech had reigned# three years over Israel,
			23	Then God sent# an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously# with Abimelech:
			24	That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come# , and their blood be laid# upon Abimelech their brother, which slew# them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided# # him in the killing# of his brethren. [aided...: Heb. strengthened his hands to kill]
			25	And the men of Shechem set# liers in wait# for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed# all that came# along that way by them: and it was told# Abimelech.
			26	And Gaal the son of Ebed came# with his brethren, and went over# to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence# in him.
			27	And they went out# into the fields, and gathered# their vineyards, and trode# the grapes , and made# merry, and went# into the house of their god, and did eat# and drink# , and cursed# Abimelech. [merry: or, songs]
			28	And Gaal the son of Ebed said# , Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve# him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve# the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serve# him?
			29	And would to God this people were under# my hand! then would I remove# Abimelech. And he said# to Abimelech, Increase# thine army, and come out# .
			30	And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard# the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled# . [kindled: or, hot]
			31	And he sent# messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying# , Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come# to Shechem; and, behold, they fortify# the city against thee. [privily: Heb. craftily or, to Tormah]
			32	Now therefore up# by night, thou and the people that is with thee, and lie in wait# in the field:
			33	And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up# , thou shalt rise early# , and set# upon the city: and, behold, when he and the people that is with him come out# against thee, then mayest thou do# to them as thou shalt find occasion# . [as thou shalt...: Heb. as thine hand shall find]
			34	And Abimelech rose up# , and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait# against Shechem in four companies.
			35	And Gaal the son of Ebed went out# , and stood# in the entering of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up# , and the people that were with him, from lying in wait.
			36	And when Gaal saw# the people, he said# to Zebul, Behold, there come# people down# from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said# unto him, Thou seest# the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.
			37	And Gaal spake# again# and said# , See there come# people down# by the middle of the land, and another company come# along by the plain of Meonenim# . [middle: Heb. navel] [Meonenim: or, the regarders of times]
			38	Then said# Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst# , Who is Abimelech, that we should serve# him? is not this the people that thou hast despised# ? go out# , I pray now, and fight# with them.
			39	And Gaal went out# before the men of Shechem, and fought# with Abimelech.
			40	And Abimelech chased# him, and he fled# before him, and many were overthrown# and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate.
			41	And Abimelech dwelt# at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out# Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell# in Shechem.
			42	And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out# into the field; and they told# Abimelech.
			43	And he took# the people, and divided# them into three companies, and laid wait# in the field, and looked# , and, behold, the people were come forth# out of the city; and he rose up# against them, and smote# them.
			44	And Abimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed forward# , and stood# in the entering of the gate of the city: and the two other companies ran upon# all the people that were in the fields, and slew# them.
			45	And Abimelech fought# against the city all that day; and he took# the city, and slew# the people that was therein, and beat down# the city, and sowed# it with salt.
			46	And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard# that , they entered# into an hold of the house of the god Berith.
			47	And it was told# Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together# .
			48	And Abimelech gat him up# to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took# an axe in his hand, and cut down# a bough from the trees, and took# it, and laid# it on his shoulder, and said# unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen# me do# , make haste# , and do# as I have done . [me do: Heb. I have done]
			49	And all the people likewise cut down# every man his bough, and followed# # Abimelech, and put# them to the hold, and set# the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died# also, about a thousand men and women.
			50	Then went# Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped# against Thebez, and took# it.
			51	But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled# all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut# it to them, and gat them up# to the top of the tower.
			52	And Abimelech came# unto the tower, and fought# against it, and went hard# unto the door of the tower to burn# it with fire.
			53	And a certain woman cast# a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and all to brake# his skull.
			54	Then he called# hastily unto the young man his armourbearer# # , and said# unto him, Draw# thy sword, and slay# me, that men say# not of me, A woman slew# him. And his young man thrust him through# , and he died# .
			55	And when the men of Israel saw# that Abimelech was dead# , they departed# every man unto his place.
			56	Thus God rendered# the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did# unto his father, in slaying# his seventy brethren:
			57	And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render# upon their heads: and upon them came# the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.