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Judges 9-12
New King James Version

Abimelech’s Conspiracy

9 Then Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem, to (A)his mother’s brothers, and spoke with them and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying, 2 “Please speak in the hearing of all the men of Shechem: ‘Which is better for you, that all (B)seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal reign over you, or that one reign over you?’ Remember that I am your own flesh and (C)bone.”

3 And his mother’s brothers spoke all these words concerning him in the hearing of all the men of Shechem; and their heart was inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our (D)brother.” 4 So they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of (E)Baal-Berith, with which Abimelech hired (F)worthless and reckless men; and they followed him. 5 Then he went to his father’s house (G)at Ophrah and (H)killed his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, because he hid himself. 6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together, all of Beth Millo, and they went and made Abimelech king beside the terebinth tree at the pillar that was in Shechem.

The Parable of the Trees

7 Now when they told Jotham, he went and stood on top of (I)Mount Gerizim, and lifted his voice and cried out. And he said to them:

“Listen to me, you men of Shechem,
That God may listen to you!

8 “The(J) trees once went forth to anoint a king over them.
And they said to the olive tree,
(K)‘Reign over us!’
9 But the olive tree said to them,
‘Should I cease giving my oil,
(L)With which they honor God and men,
And go to sway over trees?’

10 “Then the trees said to the fig tree,
‘You come and reign over us!’
11 But the fig tree said to them,
‘Should I cease my sweetness and my good fruit,
And go to sway over trees?’

12 “Then the trees said to the vine,
‘You come and reign over us!’
13 But the vine said to them,
‘Should I cease my new wine,
(M)Which cheers both God and men,
And go to sway over trees?’

14 “Then all the trees said to the bramble,
‘You come and reign over us!’
15 And the bramble said to the trees,
‘If in truth you anoint me as king over you,
Then come and take shelter in my (N)shade;
But if not, (O)let fire come out of the bramble
And devour the (P)cedars of Lebanon!’

16 “Now therefore, if you have acted in truth and sincerity in making Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him (Q)as[a] he deserves— 17 for my (R)father fought for you, risked his life, and (S)delivered you out of the hand of Midian; 18 (T)but you have risen up against my father’s house this day, and killed his seventy sons on one stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his (U)female servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother— 19 if then you have acted in truth and sincerity with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then (V)rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you. 20 But if not, (W)let fire come from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem and Beth Millo; and let fire come from the men of Shechem and from Beth Millo and devour Abimelech!” 21 And Jotham ran away and fled; and he went to (X)Beer and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.

Downfall of Abimelech

22 After Abimelech had reigned over Israel three years, 23 (Y)God sent a (Z)spirit of ill will between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem (AA)dealt treacherously with Abimelech, 24 (AB)that the crime done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might be settled and their (AC)blood be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who aided him in the killing of his brothers. 25 And the men of Shechem set [b]men in ambush against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who passed by them along that way; and it was told Abimelech.

26 Now Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him. 27 So they went out into the fields, and gathered grapes from their vineyards and trod them, and [c]made merry. And they went into (AD)the house of their god, and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech. 28 Then Gaal the son of Ebed said, (AE)“Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? Serve the men of (AF)Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? 29 (AG)If only this people were under my [d]authority! Then I would remove Abimelech.” So [e]he said to Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out!”

30 When Zebul, the ruler of the city, heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was aroused. 31 And he sent messengers to Abimelech secretly, saying, “Take note! Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem; and here they are, fortifying the city against you. 32 Now therefore, get up by night, you and the people who are with you, and [f]lie in wait in the field. 33 And it shall be, as soon as the sun is up in the morning, that you shall rise early and rush upon the city; and when he and the people who are with him come out against you, you may then do to them [g]as you find opportunity.”

34 So Abimelech and all the people who were with him rose by night, and [h]lay in wait against Shechem in four companies. 35 When Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance to the city gate, Abimelech and the people who were with him rose from lying in wait. 36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains!”

But Zebul said to him, “You see the shadows of the mountains as if they were men.”

37 So Gaal spoke again and said, “See, people are coming down from the center of the land, and another company is coming from the [i]Diviners’ Terebinth Tree.”

38 Then Zebul said to him, “Where indeed is your mouth now, with which you (AH)said, ‘Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?’ Are not these the people whom you despised? Go out, if you will, and fight with them now.”

39 So Gaal went out, leading the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. 40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled from him; and many fell wounded, to the very entrance of the gate. 41 Then Abimelech dwelt at Arumah, and Zebul [j]drove out Gaal and his brothers, so that they would not dwell in Shechem.

42 And it came about on the next day that the people went out into the field, and they told Abimelech. 43 So he took his people, divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the field. And he looked, and there were the people, coming out of the city; and he rose against them and [k]attacked them. 44 Then Abimelech and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city; and the other two companies rushed upon all who were in the fields and killed them. 45 So Abimelech fought against the city all that day; (AI)he took the city and killed the people who were in it; and he (AJ)demolished the city and sowed it with salt.

46 Now when all the men of the tower of Shechem had heard that, they entered the [l]stronghold of the temple (AK)of the god Berith. 47 And it was told Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. 48 Then Abimelech went up to Mount (AL)Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him. And Abimelech took an ax in his hand and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it and laid it on his shoulder; then he said to the people who were with him, “What you have seen me do, make haste and do as I have done.” 49 So each of the people likewise cut down his own bough and followed Abimelech, put them against the [m]stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire above them, so that all the people of the tower of Shechem died, about a thousand men and women.

50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and he [n]encamped against Thebez and took it. 51 But there was a strong tower in the city, and all the men and women—all the people of the city—fled there and shut themselves in; then they went up to the top of the tower. 52 So Abimelech came as far as the tower and fought against it; and he drew near the door of the tower to burn it with fire. 53 But a certain woman (AM)dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull. 54 Then (AN)he called quickly to the young man, his armorbearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest men say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’ ” So 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 to his [o]place.

56 (AO)Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father by killing his seventy brothers. 57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem God returned on their own heads, and on them came (AP)the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.

Tola

10 After Abimelech there (AQ)arose to save Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in the mountains of Ephraim. 2 He judged Israel twenty-three years; and he died and was buried in Shamir.

Jair

3 After him arose Jair, a Gileadite; and he judged Israel twenty-two years. 4 Now he had thirty sons who (AR)rode on thirty donkeys; they also had thirty towns, (AS)which are called [p]“Havoth Jair” to this day, which are in the land of Gilead. 5 And Jair died and was buried in Camon.

Israel Oppressed Again

6 Then (AT)the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, and (AU)served the Baals and the Ashtoreths, (AV)the gods of Syria, the gods of (AW)Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the people of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines; and they forsook the Lord and did not serve Him. 7 So the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel; and He (AX)sold them into the hands of the (AY)Philistines and into the hands of the people of (AZ)Ammon. 8 From that year they [q]harassed and oppressed the children of Israel for eighteen years—all the children of Israel who were on the other side of the Jordan in the (BA)land of the Amorites, in Gilead. 9 Moreover the people of Ammon crossed over the Jordan to fight against Judah also, against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was severely distressed.

10 (BB)And the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, saying, “We have (BC)sinned against You, because we have both forsaken our God and served the Baals!”

11 So the Lord said to the children of Israel, “Did I not deliver you (BD)from the Egyptians and (BE)from the Amorites and (BF)from the people of Ammon and (BG)from the Philistines? 12 Also (BH)the Sidonians (BI)and Amalekites and [r]Maonites (BJ)oppressed you; and you cried out to Me, and I delivered you from their hand. 13 (BK)Yet you have forsaken Me and served other gods. Therefore I will deliver you no more. 14 “Go and (BL)cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in your time of distress.”

15 And the children of Israel said to the Lord, “We have sinned! (BM)Do to us whatever seems best to You; only deliver us this day, we pray.” 16 (BN)So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord. And (BO)His soul could no longer endure the misery of Israel.

17 Then the people of Ammon gathered together and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled together and encamped in (BP)Mizpah. 18 And the people, the leaders of Gilead, said to one another, “Who is the man who will begin the fight against the people of Ammon? He shall (BQ)be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”

Jephthah

11 Now (BR)Jephthah the Gileadite was (BS)a mighty man of valor, but he was the son of a harlot; and Gilead begot Jephthah. 2 Gilead’s wife bore sons; and when his wife’s sons grew up, they drove Jephthah out, and said to him, “You shall have (BT)no inheritance in our father’s house, for you are the son of another woman.” 3 Then Jephthah fled from his brothers and dwelt in the land of (BU)Tob; and (BV)worthless men banded together with Jephthah and went out raiding with him.

4 It came to pass after a time that the (BW)people of Ammon made war against Israel. 5 And so it was, when the people of Ammon made war against Israel, that the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob. 6 Then they said to Jephthah, “Come and be our commander, that we may fight against the people of Ammon.”

7 So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, (BX)“Did you not hate me, and expel me from my father’s house? Why have you come to me now when you are in [s]distress?”

8 (BY)And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “That is why we have (BZ)turned[t] again to you now, that you may go with us and fight against the people of Ammon, and be (CA)our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”

9 So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you take me back home to fight against the people of Ammon, and the Lord delivers them to me, shall I be your head?”

10 And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, (CB)“The Lord will be a witness between us, if we do not do according to your words.” 11 Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him (CC)head and commander over them; and Jephthah spoke all his words (CD)before the Lord in Mizpah.

12 Now Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the people of Ammon, saying, (CE)“What do you have against me, that you have come to fight against me in my land?”

13 And the king of the people of Ammon answered the messengers of Jephthah, (CF)“Because Israel took away my land when they came up out of Egypt, from (CG)the Arnon as far as (CH)the Jabbok, and to the Jordan. Now therefore, restore those lands peaceably.”

14 So Jephthah again sent messengers to the king of the people of Ammon, 15 and said to him, “Thus says Jephthah: (CI)‘Israel did not take away the land of Moab, nor the land of the people of Ammon; 16 for when Israel came up from Egypt, they walked through the wilderness as far as the Red Sea and (CJ)came to Kadesh. 17 Then (CK)Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, “Please let me pass through your land.” (CL)But the king of Edom would not heed. And in like manner they sent to the (CM)king of Moab, but he would not consent. So Israel (CN)remained in Kadesh. 18 And they (CO)went along through the wilderness and (CP)bypassed the land of Edom and the land of Moab, came to the east side of the land of Moab, and encamped on the other side of the Arnon. But they did not enter the border of Moab, for the Arnon was the border of Moab. 19 Then (CQ)Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, king of Heshbon; and Israel said to him, “Please (CR)let us pass through your land into our place.” 20 (CS)But Sihon did not trust Israel to pass through his territory. So Sihon gathered all his people together, encamped in Jahaz, and fought against Israel. 21 And the Lord God of Israel (CT)delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they (CU)defeated[u] them. Thus Israel gained possession of all the land of the Amorites, who inhabited that country. 22 They took possession of (CV)all the territory of the Amorites, from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the wilderness to the Jordan.

23 ‘And now the Lord God of Israel has [v]dispossessed the Amorites from before His people Israel; should you then possess it? 24 Will you not possess whatever (CW)Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whatever (CX)the Lord our God takes possession of before us, we will possess. 25 And now, are you any better than (CY)Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever strive against Israel? Did he ever fight against them? 26 While Israel dwelt in (CZ)Heshbon and its villages, in (DA)Aroer and its villages, and in all the cities along the banks of the Arnon, for three hundred years, why did you not recover them within that time? 27 Therefore I have not sinned against you, but you wronged me by fighting against me. May the Lord, (DB)the Judge, (DC)render judgment this day between the children of Israel and the people of Ammon.’ ” 28 However, the king of the people of Ammon did not heed the words which Jephthah sent him.

Jephthah’s Vow and Victory

29 Then (DD)the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, and passed through Mizpah of Gilead; and from Mizpah of Gilead he advanced toward the people of Ammon. 30 And Jephthah (DE)made a vow to the Lord, and said, “If You will indeed deliver the people of Ammon into my hands, 31 then it will be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the people of Ammon, (DF)shall surely be the Lord’s, (DG)and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”

32 So Jephthah advanced toward the people of Ammon to fight against them, and the Lord delivered them into his hands. 33 And he [w]defeated them from Aroer as far as (DH)Minnith—twenty cities—and to [x]Abel Keramim, with a very great slaughter. Thus the people of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.

Jephthah’s Daughter

34 When Jephthah came to his house at (DI)Mizpah, there was (DJ)his daughter, coming out to meet him with timbrels and dancing; and she was his only child. Besides her he had neither son nor daughter. 35 And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he (DK)tore his clothes, and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low! You are among those who trouble me! For I (DL)have [y]given my word to the Lord, and (DM)I cannot [z]go back on it.”

36 So she said to him, “My father, if you have given your word to the Lord, (DN)do to me according to what has gone out of your mouth, because (DO)the Lord has avenged you of your enemies, the people of Ammon.” 37 Then she said to her father, “Let this thing be done for me: let me alone for two months, that I may go and wander on the mountains and [aa]bewail my virginity, my [ab]friends and I.”

38 So he said, “Go.” And he sent her away for two months; and she went with her friends, and bewailed her virginity on the mountains. 39 And it was so at the end of two months that she returned to her father, and he (DP)carried out his vow with her which he had vowed. She [ac]knew no man.

And it became a custom in Israel 40 that the daughters of Israel went four days each year to [ad]lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.

Jephthah’s Conflict with Ephraim

12 Then (DQ)the men of Ephraim [ae]gathered together, crossed over toward Zaphon, and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the people of Ammon, and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house down on you with fire!”

2 And Jephthah said to them, “My people and I were in a great struggle with the people of Ammon; and when I called you, you did not deliver me out of their hands. 3 So when I saw that you would not deliver me, I (DR)took my life in my hands and crossed over against the people of Ammon; and the Lord delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day to fight against me?” 4 Now Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. And the men of Gilead defeated Ephraim, because they said, “You Gileadites (DS)are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites and among the Manassites.” 5 The Gileadites seized the (DT)fords of the Jordan before the Ephraimites arrived. And when any Ephraimite who escaped said, “Let me cross over,” the men of Gilead would say to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No,” 6 then they would say to him, “Then say, (DU)‘Shibboleth’!”[af] And he would say, “Sibboleth,” for he could not [ag]pronounce it right. Then they would take him and kill him at the fords of the Jordan. There fell at that time forty-two thousand Ephraimites.

7 And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried among the cities of Gilead.

Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon

8 After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. 9 He had thirty sons. And he gave away thirty daughters in marriage, and brought in thirty daughters from elsewhere for his sons. He judged Israel seven years. 10 Then Ibzan died and was buried at Bethlehem.

11 After him, Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel. He judged Israel ten years. 12 And Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried at Aijalon in the country of Zebulun.

13 After him, Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel. 14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who (DV)rode on seventy young donkeys. He judged Israel eight years. 15 Then Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, (DW)in the mountains of the Amalekites.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 9:16 Lit. according to the doing of his hands
  2. Judges 9:25 Lit. liers-in-wait for
  3. Judges 9:27 rejoiced
  4. Judges 9:29 Lit. hand
  5. Judges 9:29 So with MT, Tg.; DSS they; LXX I
  6. Judges 9:32 Set up an ambush
  7. Judges 9:33 Lit. as your hand can find
  8. Judges 9:34 Set up an ambush
  9. Judges 9:37 Heb. Meonenim
  10. Judges 9:41 exiled
  11. Judges 9:43 Lit. struck
  12. Judges 9:46 fortified room
  13. Judges 9:49 fortified room
  14. Judges 9:50 besieged
  15. Judges 9:55 home
  16. Judges 10:4 Lit. Towns of Jair, Num. 32:41; Deut. 3:14
  17. Judges 10:8 Lit. shattered
  18. Judges 10:12 LXX mss. Midianites
  19. Judges 11:7 trouble
  20. Judges 11:8 returned
  21. Judges 11:21 Lit. struck
  22. Judges 11:23 driven out
  23. Judges 11:33 Lit. struck
  24. Judges 11:33 Lit. Plain of Vineyards
  25. Judges 11:35 Lit. opened my mouth
  26. Judges 11:35 Lit. take it back
  27. Judges 11:37 lament
  28. Judges 11:37 companions
  29. Judges 11:39 Remained a virgin
  30. Judges 11:40 commemorate
  31. Judges 12:1 were summoned
  32. Judges 12:6 Lit. a flowing stream; used as a test of dialect
  33. Judges 12:6 Lit. speak so
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Judges 9-12
New International Version

Abimelek

9 Abimelek(A) son of Jerub-Baal(B) went to his mother’s brothers in Shechem and said to them and to all his mother’s clan, 2 “Ask all the citizens of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you: to have all seventy of Jerub-Baal’s sons rule over you, or just one man?’ Remember, I am your flesh and blood.(C)”

3 When the brothers repeated all this to the citizens of Shechem, they were inclined to follow Abimelek, for they said, “He is related to us.” 4 They gave him seventy shekels[a] of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith,(D) and Abimelek used it to hire reckless scoundrels,(E) who became his followers. 5 He went to his father’s home in Ophrah and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers,(F) the sons of Jerub-Baal. But Jotham,(G) the youngest son of Jerub-Baal, escaped by hiding.(H) 6 Then all the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo(I) gathered beside the great tree(J) at the pillar in Shechem to crown Abimelek king.

7 When Jotham(K) was told about this, he climbed up on the top of Mount Gerizim(L) and shouted to them, “Listen to me, citizens of Shechem, so that God may listen to you. 8 One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’

9 “But the olive tree answered, ‘Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and humans are honored, to hold sway over the trees?’

10 “Next, the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and be our king.’

11 “But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I give up my fruit, so good and sweet, to hold sway over the trees?’

12 “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and be our king.’

13 “But the vine answered, ‘Should I give up my wine,(M) which cheers both gods and humans, to hold sway over the trees?’

14 “Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be our king.’

15 “The thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade;(N) but if not, then let fire come out(O) of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’(P)

16 “Have you acted honorably and in good faith by making Abimelek king? Have you been fair to Jerub-Baal and his family? Have you treated him as he deserves? 17 Remember that my father fought for you and risked(Q) his life to rescue you from the hand of Midian. 18 But today you have revolted against my father’s family. You have murdered his seventy sons(R) on a single stone and have made Abimelek, the son of his female slave, king over the citizens of Shechem because he is related to you. 19 So have you acted honorably and in good faith toward Jerub-Baal and his family today?(S) If you have, may Abimelek be your joy, and may you be his, too! 20 But if you have not, let fire come out(T) from Abimelek and consume you, the citizens of Shechem(U) and Beth Millo,(V) and let fire come out from you, the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and consume Abimelek!”

21 Then Jotham(W) fled, escaping to Beer,(X) and he lived there because he was afraid of his brother Abimelek.

22 After Abimelek had governed Israel three years, 23 God stirred up animosity(Y) between Abimelek and the citizens of Shechem so that they acted treacherously against Abimelek. 24 God did this in order that the crime against Jerub-Baal’s seventy sons,(Z) the shedding(AA) of their blood, might be avenged(AB) on their brother Abimelek and on the citizens of Shechem, who had helped him(AC) murder his brothers. 25 In opposition to him these citizens of Shechem set men on the hilltops to ambush and rob everyone who passed by, and this was reported to Abimelek.

26 Now Gaal son of Ebed(AD) moved with his clan into Shechem, and its citizens put their confidence in him. 27 After they had gone out into the fields and gathered the grapes and trodden(AE) them, they held a festival in the temple of their god.(AF) While they were eating and drinking, they cursed Abimelek. 28 Then Gaal son of Ebed(AG) said, “Who(AH) is Abimelek, and why should we Shechemites be subject to him? Isn’t he Jerub-Baal’s son, and isn’t Zebul his deputy? Serve the family of Hamor,(AI) Shechem’s father! Why should we serve Abimelek? 29 If only this people were under my command!(AJ) Then I would get rid of him. I would say to Abimelek, ‘Call out your whole army!’”[b](AK)

30 When Zebul the governor of the city heard what Gaal son of Ebed said, he was very angry. 31 Under cover he sent messengers to Abimelek, saying, “Gaal son of Ebed and his clan have come to Shechem and are stirring up the city against you. 32 Now then, during the night you and your men should come and lie in wait(AL) in the fields. 33 In the morning at sunrise, advance against the city. When Gaal and his men come out against you, seize the opportunity to attack them.(AM)”

34 So Abimelek and all his troops set out by night and took up concealed positions near Shechem in four companies. 35 Now Gaal son of Ebed had gone out and was standing at the entrance of the city gate(AN) just as Abimelek and his troops came out from their hiding place.(AO)

36 When Gaal saw them, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains!”

Zebul replied, “You mistake the shadows of the mountains for men.”

37 But Gaal spoke up again: “Look, people are coming down from the central hill,[c] and a company is coming from the direction of the diviners’ tree.”

38 Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your big talk now, you who said, ‘Who is Abimelek that we should be subject to him?’ Aren’t these the men you ridiculed?(AP) Go out and fight them!”

39 So Gaal led out[d] the citizens of Shechem and fought Abimelek. 40 Abimelek chased him all the way to the entrance of the gate, and many were killed as they fled. 41 Then Abimelek stayed in Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal and his clan out of Shechem.

42 The next day the people of Shechem went out to the fields, and this was reported to Abimelek. 43 So he took his men, divided them into three companies(AQ) and set an ambush(AR) in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he rose to attack them. 44 Abimelek and the companies with him rushed forward to a position at the entrance of the city gate. Then two companies attacked those in the fields and struck them down. 45 All that day Abimelek pressed his attack against the city until he had captured it and killed its people. Then he destroyed the city(AS) and scattered salt(AT) over it.

46 On hearing this, the citizens in the tower of Shechem went into the stronghold of the temple(AU) of El-Berith. 47 When Abimelek heard that they had assembled there, 48 he and all his men went up Mount Zalmon.(AV) He took an ax and cut off some branches, which he lifted to his shoulders. He ordered the men with him, “Quick! Do what you have seen me do!” 49 So all the men cut branches and followed Abimelek. They piled them against the stronghold and set it on fire with the people still inside. So all the people in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women, also died.

50 Next Abimelek went to Thebez(AW) and besieged it and captured it. 51 Inside the city, however, was a strong tower, to which all the men and women—all the people of the city—had fled. They had locked themselves in and climbed up on the tower roof. 52 Abimelek went to the tower and attacked it. But as he approached the entrance to the tower to set it on fire, 53 a woman dropped an upper millstone on his head and cracked his skull.(AX)

54 Hurriedly he called to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and kill me,(AY) so that they can’t say, ‘A woman killed him.’” So his servant ran him through, and he died. 55 When the Israelites saw that Abimelek was dead, they went home.

56 Thus God repaid the wickedness that Abimelek had done to his father by murdering his seventy brothers. 57 God also made the people of Shechem pay for all their wickedness.(AZ) The curse of Jotham(BA) son of Jerub-Baal came on them.

Tola

10 After the time of Abimelek,(BB) a man of Issachar(BC) named Tola son of Puah,(BD) the son of Dodo, rose to save(BE) Israel. He lived in Shamir,(BF) in the hill country of Ephraim. 2 He led[e] Israel twenty-three years; then he died, and was buried in Shamir.

Jair

3 He was followed by Jair(BG) of Gilead, who led Israel twenty-two years. 4 He had thirty sons, who rode thirty donkeys.(BH) They controlled thirty towns in Gilead, which to this day are called Havvoth Jair.[f](BI) 5 When Jair(BJ) died, he was buried in Kamon.

Jephthah

6 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord.(BK) They served the Baals and the Ashtoreths,(BL) and the gods of Aram,(BM) the gods of Sidon,(BN) the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites(BO) and the gods of the Philistines.(BP) And because the Israelites forsook the Lord(BQ) and no longer served him, 7 he became angry(BR) with them. He sold them(BS) into the hands of the Philistines and the Ammonites, 8 who that year shattered and crushed them. For eighteen years they oppressed all the Israelites on the east side of the Jordan in Gilead,(BT) the land of the Amorites. 9 The Ammonites also crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah,(BU) Benjamin and Ephraim;(BV) Israel was in great distress. 10 Then the Israelites cried(BW) out to the Lord, “We have sinned(BX) against you, forsaking our God and serving the Baals.”(BY)

11 The Lord replied, “When the Egyptians,(BZ) the Amorites,(CA) the Ammonites,(CB) the Philistines,(CC) 12 the Sidonians, the Amalekites(CD) and the Maonites[g](CE) oppressed you(CF) and you cried to me for help, did I not save you from their hands? 13 But you have forsaken(CG) me and served other gods,(CH) so I will no longer save you. 14 Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save(CI) you when you are in trouble!(CJ)”

15 But the Israelites said to the Lord, “We have sinned. Do with us whatever you think best,(CK) but please rescue us now.” 16 Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the Lord.(CL) And he could bear Israel’s misery(CM) no longer.(CN)

17 When the Ammonites were called to arms and camped in Gilead, the Israelites assembled and camped at Mizpah.(CO) 18 The leaders of the people of Gilead said to each other, “Whoever will take the lead in attacking the Ammonites will be head(CP) over all who live in Gilead.”

11 Jephthah(CQ) the Gileadite was a mighty warrior.(CR) His father was Gilead;(CS) his mother was a prostitute.(CT) 2 Gilead’s wife also bore him sons, and when they were grown up, they drove Jephthah away. “You are not going to get any inheritance in our family,” they said, “because you are the son of another woman.” 3 So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob,(CU) where a gang of scoundrels(CV) gathered around him and followed him.

4 Some time later, when the Ammonites(CW) were fighting against Israel, 5 the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob. 6 “Come,” they said, “be our commander, so we can fight the Ammonites.”

7 Jephthah said to them, “Didn’t you hate me and drive me from my father’s house?(CX) Why do you come to me now, when you’re in trouble?”

8 The elders of Gilead said to him, “Nevertheless, we are turning to you now; come with us to fight the Ammonites, and you will be head(CY) over all of us who live in Gilead.”

9 Jephthah answered, “Suppose you take me back to fight the Ammonites and the Lord gives them to me—will I really be your head?”

10 The elders of Gilead replied, “The Lord is our witness;(CZ) we will certainly do as you say.” 11 So Jephthah went with the elders(DA) of Gilead, and the people made him head and commander over them. And he repeated(DB) all his words before the Lord in Mizpah.(DC)

12 Then Jephthah sent messengers to the Ammonite king with the question: “What do you have against me that you have attacked my country?”

13 The king of the Ammonites answered Jephthah’s messengers, “When Israel came up out of Egypt, they took away my land from the Arnon(DD) to the Jabbok,(DE) all the way to the Jordan. Now give it back peaceably.”

14 Jephthah sent back messengers to the Ammonite king, 15 saying:

“This is what Jephthah says: Israel did not take the land of Moab(DF) or the land of the Ammonites.(DG) 16 But when they came up out of Egypt, Israel went through the wilderness to the Red Sea[h](DH) and on to Kadesh.(DI) 17 Then Israel sent messengers(DJ) to the king of Edom, saying, ‘Give us permission to go through your country,’(DK) but the king of Edom would not listen. They sent also to the king of Moab,(DL) and he refused.(DM) So Israel stayed at Kadesh.

18 “Next they traveled through the wilderness, skirted the lands of Edom(DN) and Moab, passed along the eastern side(DO) of the country of Moab, and camped on the other side of the Arnon.(DP) They did not enter the territory of Moab, for the Arnon was its border.

19 “Then Israel sent messengers(DQ) to Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon,(DR) and said to him, ‘Let us pass through your country to our own place.’(DS) 20 Sihon, however, did not trust Israel[i] to pass through his territory. He mustered all his troops and encamped at Jahaz and fought with Israel.(DT)

21 “Then the Lord, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and his whole army into Israel’s hands, and they defeated them. Israel took over all the land of the Amorites who lived in that country, 22 capturing all of it from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the desert to the Jordan.(DU)

23 “Now since the Lord, the God of Israel, has driven the Amorites out before his people Israel, what right have you to take it over? 24 Will you not take what your god Chemosh(DV) gives you? Likewise, whatever the Lord our God has given us,(DW) we will possess. 25 Are you any better than Balak son of Zippor,(DX) king of Moab? Did he ever quarrel with Israel or fight with them?(DY) 26 For three hundred years Israel occupied(DZ) Heshbon, Aroer,(EA) the surrounding settlements and all the towns along the Arnon. Why didn’t you retake them during that time? 27 I have not wronged you, but you are doing me wrong by waging war against me. Let the Lord, the Judge,(EB) decide(EC) the dispute this day between the Israelites and the Ammonites.(ED)”

28 The king of Ammon, however, paid no attention to the message Jephthah sent him.

29 Then the Spirit(EE) of the Lord came on Jephthah. He crossed Gilead and Manasseh, passed through Mizpah(EF) of Gilead, and from there he advanced against the Ammonites.(EG) 30 And Jephthah made a vow(EH) to the Lord: “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, 31 whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph(EI) from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.(EJ)”

32 Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the Lord gave them into his hands. 33 He devastated twenty towns from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith,(EK) as far as Abel Keramim. Thus Israel subdued Ammon.

34 When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing(EL) to the sound of timbrels!(EM) She was an only child.(EN) Except for her he had neither son nor daughter. 35 When he saw her, he tore his clothes(EO) and cried, “Oh no, my daughter! You have brought me down and I am devastated. I have made a vow to the Lord that I cannot break.(EP)”

36 “My father,” she replied, “you have given your word to the Lord. Do to me just as you promised,(EQ) now that the Lord has avenged you(ER) of your enemies,(ES) the Ammonites. 37 But grant me this one request,” she said. “Give me two months to roam the hills and weep with my friends, because I will never marry.”

38 “You may go,” he said. And he let her go for two months. She and her friends went into the hills and wept because she would never marry. 39 After the two months, she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed. And she was a virgin.

From this comes the Israelite tradition 40 that each year the young women of Israel go out for four days to commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.

Jephthah and Ephraim

12 The Ephraimite forces were called out, and they crossed over to Zaphon.(ET) They said to Jephthah,(EU) “Why did you go to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you?(EV) We’re going to burn down your house over your head.”

2 Jephthah answered, “I and my people were engaged in a great struggle with the Ammonites, and although I called, you didn’t save me out of their hands. 3 When I saw that you wouldn’t help, I took my life in my hands(EW) and crossed over to fight the Ammonites, and the Lord gave me the victory(EX) over them. Now why have you come up today to fight me?”

4 Jephthah then called together the men of Gilead(EY) and fought against Ephraim. The Gileadites struck them down because the Ephraimites had said, “You Gileadites are renegades from Ephraim and Manasseh.(EZ)” 5 The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan(FA) leading to Ephraim, and whenever a survivor of Ephraim said, “Let me cross over,” the men of Gilead asked him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he replied, “No,” 6 they said, “All right, say ‘Shibboleth.’” If he said, “Sibboleth,” because he could not pronounce the word correctly, they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. Forty-two thousand Ephraimites were killed at that time.

7 Jephthah led[j] Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in a town in Gilead.

Ibzan, Elon and Abdon

8 After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem(FB) led Israel. 9 He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He gave his daughters away in marriage to those outside his clan, and for his sons he brought in thirty young women as wives from outside his clan. Ibzan led Israel seven years. 10 Then Ibzan died and was buried in Bethlehem.

11 After him, Elon the Zebulunite led Israel ten years. 12 Then Elon died and was buried in Aijalon(FC) in the land of Zebulun.

13 After him, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon,(FD) led Israel. 14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons,(FE) who rode on seventy donkeys.(FF) He led Israel eight years. 15 Then Abdon son of Hillel died and was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.(FG)

Footnotes

  1. Judges 9:4 That is, about 1 3/4 pounds or about 800 grams
  2. Judges 9:29 Septuagint; Hebrew him.” Then he said to Abimelek, “Call out your whole army!”
  3. Judges 9:37 The Hebrew for this phrase means the navel of the earth.
  4. Judges 9:39 Or Gaal went out in the sight of
  5. Judges 10:2 Traditionally judged; also in verse 3
  6. Judges 10:4 Or called the settlements of Jair
  7. Judges 10:12 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts Midianites
  8. Judges 11:16 Or the Sea of Reeds
  9. Judges 11:20 Or however, would not make an agreement for Israel
  10. Judges 12:7 Traditionally judged; also in verses 8-14
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