Judges

Abimelech

Abimelech, the son of Jerubaal, marched to Shechem, where his mother’s brothers were. He said to them and the whole paternal family of his mother:

“Please ask this of all the lords of Shechem: Which is better for you, that you be governed by all the seventy sons of Jerubaal, or by only one man? Remember that I am of the same blood as you are.”

The brothers of his mother sent this message to all the lords of Shechem. The lords of Shechem took sides with Abimelech, saying:

“He is our brother.”

So they gave him seventy pieces of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, which Abimelech used to hire wicked mercenaries to set out with him.

Abimelech went with them to the house of his father in Ophrah, and on one stone killed all his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerubaal. Only Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubaal, could escape by hiding himself.

Then all the lords of Shechem and the whole council assembled by the oak at the pillar in Shechem and proclaimed Abimelech king.

When Jotham was told about this, he went to the top of Mount Gerizim and cried to them:

“Listen to me, lords of Shechem, so that God may listen to you!

The trees once set out to find and anoint a king. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’

The olive tree replied, ‘Am I going to give up the oil by which—thanks to me—gods and people are honored to rule over the trees?’

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

The fig tree responded, ‘Am I going to give up my sweetness and my delicious fruit to rule over the trees?’

The trees said to the vine, ‘Come and reign over us.’

The vine answered, ‘Am I going to give up my juice, which cheers gods and people, so that I can rule over the trees?’

Then the trees said to the bramble bush, ‘Come, reign over us.’

The bramble bush answered the trees, ‘If you come sincerely to anoint me as your king, then come close and take refuge in my shade; but if not, let fire come out of the bramble bush to devour even the cedars of Lebanon.’”

And tell me, have you acted rightly and honestly in choosing Abimelech as king? Have you treated Jerubaal and his family well and given him what he deserves based on his merits?

For my father fought for you, risking his life to save you from the Midianites.

But now, you have turned against my father’s family. You have killed all his seventy sons with one stone and declared Abimelech, the son of his slave, as king over the lords of Shechem because he is your brother.

If you have acted rightly and honestly toward Jerubaal and his family today, then let Abimelech rejoice in you and himself.

But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech to consume the lords of Shechem and their council; and let fire come out from their council to consume Abimelech.

Jotham fled to the safety of Beer, where he lived far from his brother Abimelech.

Abimelech ruled over Israel for three years.

But the Lord sent a spirit of discord between Abimelech and the lords of Shechem, and the lords of Shechem betrayed Abimelech.

The Lord did this so that the seventy sons of Jerubaal might be avenged. Their blood had to fall back upon their brother Abimelech, who murdered them, and the lords of Shechem, who helped him murder his brothers.

To do him harm, the lords of Shechem prepared ambushes on the mountaintops against Abimelech and intimidated everyone who passed by the way. Abimelech was informed of this.

Then Gaal, the son of Ebed, came with his brothers, and he won the confidence of the lords of Shechem.

One day, they went to the vineyards, gathered grapes, and trod on them. Then they feasted in the temple of their god. While eating and drinking, they cursed Abimelech.

Then Gaal, the son of Ebed, exclaimed:

“Who is Abimelech for the Shechemites that we should serve him? He is only the son of Jerubaal, and Zebul is but his town captain. Let us serve the people of Hamor, the father of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech?

If only these people were in my hands, I would remove Abimelech and say to him: Reinforce your army; come out and fight!”

When Zebul, the city governor, was informed of the plan of Gaal, the son of Ebed, he was outraged.

He secretly sent messengers to Abimelech to say:

“See, Gaal, the son of Ebed, has come with his brothers to Shechem, and he is stirring up the city against you.

Therefore, arise, you and your men, and lay an ambush in the field.

By early morning at sunrise, go and rush upon the city. When Gaal comes out against you with his men, you may do to him whatever you wish.”

Abimelech and all his troops rose by night and laid an ambush against Shechem in four groups.

When Gaal, the son of Ebed, went out and stood at the city’s entrance, Abimelech and his troops rose from their hiding place.

Gaal saw the troops and said to Zebul:

“Look, people are coming down from the mountaintops.”

But Zebul answered him:

“It is the mountain’s shadow that you see. You mistake it for men.”

Gaal said again:

“Look, people are coming down from the center of the land, and another group is coming from the Diviners’ Oak.”

Zebul said:

“Did you not say: Who is Abimelech that we should serve him? Are not these men whom you despised? Go now and fight them.”

Gaal went out and led the people of Shechem in fighting Abimelech.

Abimelech pursued Gaal, who fled, and many fell dead before reaching the gates.

Abimelech returned to Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers and did not let them live in Shechem.

The following day, the people went out into the fields. Abimelech was informed about this,

so he called his troops, divided them into three groups, and laid an ambush in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he rose against them and killed them.

Abimelech and the group with him attacked and took possession of the entrance to the city gates; other groups rushed upon those in the fields.

Throughout that day, Abimelech attacked the city. He took it and killed all its inhabitants. Then, he destroyed the city and sprinkled salt over it.

When the inhabitants of the Tower of Shechem heard this, they went to the underground room of the temple of El-Berith.

Abimelech was told that all the inhabitants of the Tower of Shechem were together,

so he went up to Mount Zalmon with all his troops. Taking an ax, he cut down a tree branch, lifted it, and bore it on his shoulders. He told the troops:

“You have seen what I have done, so do the same.”

So all his men cut the branches, then followed Abimelech. They piled the branches on top of the underground room and set them on fire over the people inside. So all the inhabitants of the Tower of Shechem—about a thousand men and women—died.

Abimelech went against Thebez, besieged it, and took it.

But inside the city was a strong tower in which all the men and women, all the inhabitants of the city, sought refuge. They locked it from within and went up to the tower’s roof.

Abimelech came to the tower to attack them; he approached the door, intending to set it on fire.

But a woman threw a millstone upon his head and shattered his skull.

He immediately called out to his young armor-bearer and said to him:

“Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me: ‘A woman killed him.’”

So his armor-bearer thrust him through, and he died.

When the people of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, everyone returned to his home.

In this way, God repaid Abimelech for the evil he had done to his father when he murdered his seventy brothers.

He also made the people of Shechem pay for all their wickedness. So the curse of Jotham, son of Jerubaal, was fulfilled.