1Now Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to his…
2“Please ask all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Is…
3And when his mother’s brothers spoke all these…
4So they gave him seventy shekels of silver…
5He went to his father’s house in Ophrah,…
6Then all the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo…
7When this was reported to Jotham, he climbed…
8One day the trees set out to anoint…
9But the olive tree replied, ‘Should I stop…
10Then the trees said to the fig tree,…
11But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I stop…
12Then the trees said to the grapevine, ‘Come…
13But the grapevine replied, ‘Should I stop giving…
14Finally all the trees said to the thornbush,…
15But the thornbush replied, ‘If you really are…
16Now if you have acted faithfully and honestly…
17for my father fought for you and risked…
18but you have risen up against my father’s…
19if you have acted faithfully and honestly toward…
20But if not, may fire come from Abimelech…
21Then Jotham ran away, escaping to Beer, and…
22After Abimelech had reigned over Israel for three…
23God sent a spirit of animosity between Abimelech…
24in order that the crime against the seventy…
25The leaders of Shechem set up an ambush…
26Meanwhile, Gaal son of Ebed came with his…
27And after they had gone out into the…
28Then Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is…
29If only this people were under my authority,…
30When Zebul the governor of the city heard…
31So he covertly sent messengers to Abimelech to…
32Now then, tonight you and the people with…
33And in the morning at sunrise, get up…
34So Abimelech and all his troops set out…
35Now Gaal son of Ebed went out and…
36When Gaal saw the people, he said to…
37Then Gaal spoke up again, “Look, people are…
38“Where is your gloating now?” Zebul replied. “You…
39So Gaal went out before the leaders of…
40but Abimelech pursued him, and Gaal fled before…
41Abimelech stayed in Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal…
42The next day the people of Shechem went…
43So he took his men, divided them into…
44Then Abimelech and the companies with him rushed…
45And all that day Abimelech fought against the…
46On hearing of this, all the leaders in…
47And when Abimelech was told that all the…
48he and all his men went up to…
49So each man also cut his own branch…
50Then Abimelech went to Thebez, encamped against it,…
51But there was a strong tower inside the…
52When Abimelech came to attack the tower, he…
53But a woman dropped an upper millstone on…
54He quickly called his armor-bearer, saying, “Draw your…
55And when the Israelites saw that Abimelech was…
56In this way God repaid the wickedness that…
57And God also brought all the wickedness of…
