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Judges 9 Legacy Standard Bible
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Judges 9 Legacy Standard Bible</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/judges/9.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/judges/9-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">LSB</a> > Judges 9</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="../menu.htm" width="100%" height="48" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../judges/8.htm" title="Judges 8">◄</a> Judges 9 <a href="../judges/10.htm" title="Judges 10">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">Legacy Standard Bible</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/nasb_/judges/9.htm" style="color:#0092f2" title="NASB">►► </a></td></tr></table></div><p class="hdg">Abimelech Kills His Brothers</p><p><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>relatives and spoke to them and to the whole family of the household of his mother’s father, saying, <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>“Speak, now, in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you, that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or that one man rule over you?’ Also, remember that I am your bone and your flesh.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>And his mother’s <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>relatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem; and <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>they were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>relative.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>So they gave him seventy <i>pieces</i> of silver from the house of Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, and they followed him. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>Then he came to his father’s house at Ophrah and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>Then all the lords of Shechem and all <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>Beth-millo assembled together, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>oak of the pillar which was in Shechem. <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>Then they told Jotham, so he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim and lifted his voice and called out. Thus he said to them, “Listen to me, O lords of Shechem, that God may listen to you. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>The trees surely went forth to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us!’ <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>But the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my fatness, with <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>which God and men are honored, and go to wave over the trees?’ <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come, reign over us!’ <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good produce and go to wave over the trees?’ <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You come, reign over us!’ <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my new wine, which makes God and men glad, and go to wave over the trees?’ <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come, reign over us!’ <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>truth you are anointing me as king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, may fire come out from the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’ <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>“So now, if you have dealt in <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>truth and integrity and made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house and <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>have dealt with him according to the bountiful works of his hands— <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>for my father fought for you and <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>risked his life and delivered you from the hand of Midian; <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>but you have risen against my father’s house today and have killed his sons, seventy men, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the lords of Shechem, because he is your <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>relative— <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>if then you have dealt in <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>truth and integrity with Jerubbaal and his house this day, be glad in Abimelech, and let him also be glad in you. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and consume the lords of Shechem and <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the lords of Shechem and from <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>Beth-millo and consume Abimelech.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>Then Jotham escaped and fled and went to Beer and remained there because of Abimelech his brother. <p class="hdg">Zebul Deceives Abimelech</p><p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>And Abimelech governed over Israel three years. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the lords of Shechem; and the lords of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>so that the violence <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the lords of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>And the lords of Shechem set <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>men in ambush against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who might pass by them along the road; and it was told to Abimelech. <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>Then Gaal the son of Ebed came with his <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>relatives, and they crossed over into Shechem; and the lords of Shechem put their trust in him. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>And they went out into the field and gathered <i>the grapes of</i> their vineyards and trod <i>them</i> and celebrated a <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>festival; and they came into the house of their god and ate and drank and cursed Abimelech. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>Then Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and <i>is</i> Zebul <i>not</i> his <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span><span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>Would, therefore, that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech.” And he said to Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out.” <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>Then Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, and his anger burned. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>And he sent messengers to Abimelech <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>deceitfully, saying, “Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>relatives have come to Shechem; and behold, they are <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>stirring up the city against you. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>So now, arise by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span>And it will be in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, that you shall rise early and rush upon the city; and behold, he and the people who are with him will come out against you, and you shall do to them <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>whatever your hand finds <i>pleasing</i>.” <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-34.htm"><b>34</b></a></span>So Abimelech and all the people who <i>were</i> with him arose by night and lay in wait against Shechem in four <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>companies. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-35.htm"><b>35</b></a></span>And Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the city gate; and Abimelech and the people who <i>were</i> with him arose from the ambush. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-36.htm"><b>36</b></a></span>Then Gaal saw the people and said to Zebul, “Behold, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains.” But Zebul said to him, “You are seeing the shadow of the mountains as <i>if they were</i> men.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-37.htm"><b>37</b></a></span>Yet Gaal spoke again and said, “Behold, people are coming down from the <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>highest part of the land, and one <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>company comes by the way of <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>the soothsayers’ <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>oak.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-38.htm"><b>38</b></a></span>Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>boasting now with which you said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Is this not the people whom you rejected? Go out now and fight with them!” <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-39.htm"><b>39</b></a></span>So Gaal went out before the lords of Shechem and fought with Abimelech. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-40.htm"><b>40</b></a></span>And Abimelech pursued him, and he fled before him; and many fell slain up to the entrance of the gate. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-41.htm"><b>41</b></a></span>Then Abimelech remained at Arumah, but Zebul drove out Gaal and his <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>relatives so that they could not remain in Shechem. <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-42.htm"><b>42</b></a></span>Now it happened the next day, that the people went out to the field, and it was told to Abimelech. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-43.htm"><b>43</b></a></span>So he took <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>his people and divided them into three <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>companies and lay in wait in the field; then he looked, and behold, the people were coming out from the city. So he arose against them and struck them down. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-44.htm"><b>44</b></a></span>Then Abimelech and the <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>company who was with him rushed forward and stood in the entrance of the city gate; but the other two <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>companies rushed upon all who <i>were</i> in the field and struck them down. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-45.htm"><b>45</b></a></span>So Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and he captured the city and killed the people who <i>were</i> in it; then he tore the city down and sowed it with salt. <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-46.htm"><b>46</b></a></span>Then all the lords of the tower of Shechem heard of <i>it</i>, and they entered the inner chamber of the <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>temple of El-berith. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-47.htm"><b>47</b></a></span>And it was told to Abimelech that all the lords of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-48.htm"><b>48</b></a></span>So Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who <i>were</i> with him; and Abimelech took <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>an axe in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees and lifted it and laid <i>it</i> on his shoulder. Then he said to the people who <i>were</i> with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry <i>and</i> do <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>likewise.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-49.htm"><b>49</b></a></span>And all the people also cut down each one his branch and followed Abimelech and put <i>them</i> on the inner chamber and set the inner chamber on fire over those <i>inside</i>, so that all the men of the tower of Shechem also died, about one thousand men and women. <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-50.htm"><b>50</b></a></span>Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and he camped against Thebez and captured it. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-51.htm"><b>51</b></a></span>But there was a strong tower in the center of the city, and all the men and women with all the lords of the city fled there and shut themselves in; and they went up on the roof of the tower. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-52.htm"><b>52</b></a></span>So Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it and approached the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-53.htm"><b>53</b></a></span>But a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, and she smashed his skull. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-54.htm"><b>54</b></a></span>Then he called quickly to the young man, his armor bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and put me to death, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” So <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>the young man pierced him through, and he died. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-55.htm"><b>55</b></a></span>Then the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, so each went <i>away</i> to his <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>home. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-56.htm"><b>56</b></a></span>Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he had done to his father in killing his seventy brothers. <span class="reftext"><a href="/judges/9-57.htm"><b>57</b></a></span>God also returned all the evil of the men of Shechem on their own heads, and the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal came <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[†]</a></span>upon them.<A name="fn"></a></p><br /><br /><span class="fnverse">1</span> Lit <i>brothers</i><br><span class="fnverse">3</span> Lit <i>brothers</i><br><span class="fnverse">3</span> Lit <i>their hearts inclined after</i><br><span class="fnverse">3</span> Lit <i>brother</i><br><span class="fnverse">6</span> Or <i>the house of Millo</i><br><span class="fnverse">6</span> Or <i>terebinth</i><br><span class="fnverse">9</span> Lit <i>which by me</i><br><span class="fnverse">15</span> Or <i>sincerity</i><br><span class="fnverse">16</span> Or <i>sincerity</i><br><span class="fnverse">16</span> Lit <i>if you have</i><br><span class="fnverse">17</span> Lit <i>cast his soul in front</i><br><span class="fnverse">18</span> Lit <i>brother</i><br><span class="fnverse">19</span> Or <i>sincerity</i><br><span class="fnverse">20</span> Or <i>the house of Millo</i><br><span class="fnverse">20</span> Or <i>the house of Millo</i><br><span class="fnverse">24</span> Lit <i>of the seventy</i><br><span class="fnverse">25</span> Lit <i>liers-in-wait for</i><br><span class="fnverse">26</span> Lit <i>brothers</i><br><span class="fnverse">27</span> Lit <i>rejoicing</i><br><span class="fnverse">28</span> Lit <i>overseer</i><br><span class="fnverse">29</span> Lit <i>And who will give this people into my hand</i><br><span class="fnverse">31</span> Or <i>in Tormah</i><br><span class="fnverse">31</span> Lit <i>brothers</i><br><span class="fnverse">31</span> Lit <i>besieging</i><br><span class="fnverse">33</span> Lit <i>as your hand can find</i><br><span class="fnverse">34</span> Lit <i>heads</i><br><span class="fnverse">37</span> Or <i>center</i><br><span class="fnverse">37</span> Lit <i>head</i><br><span class="fnverse">37</span> Heb <i>Elommeonenim</i><br><span class="fnverse">37</span> Or <i>terebinth</i><br><span class="fnverse">38</span> Lit <i>mouth</i><br><span class="fnverse">41</span> Lit <i>brothers</i><br><span class="fnverse">43</span> Lit <i>the</i><br><span class="fnverse">43</span> Lit <i>heads</i><br><span class="fnverse">44</span> Singular with Gr; Heb plural, <i>heads</i><br><span class="fnverse">44</span> Lit <i>heads</i><br><span class="fnverse">46</span> Lit <i>house</i><br><span class="fnverse">48</span> Lit <i>the axes</i><br><span class="fnverse">48</span> Lit <i>like me</i><br><span class="fnverse">54</span> Lit <i>his</i><br><span class="fnverse">55</span> Lit <i>place</i><br><span class="fnverse">57</span> Lit <i>to</i><br></div><br /><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">Legacy Standard Bible Copyright ©2021 by The Lockman Foundation<br>All rights reserved. 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