KJV + Strong's Abimelech's Conspiracy 1And Abimelechthe sonof Jerubbaalwentto Shechemunto his mother'sbrethren,and communedwith them, and with all the familyof the houseof his mother'sfather,saying,2Speak,I pray you, in the earsof all the menof Shechem,Whether [is] betterfor you, either that all the sonsof Jerubbaal,[which are] threescore and tenpersons,reignover you, or that onereignover you? rememberalso that I [am] your boneand your flesh.3And his mother'sbrethrenspakeof him in the earsof all the menof Shechemall these words:and their heartsinclinedto followAbimelech;for they said,He [is] our brother.4And they gavehim threescore and ten[pieces] of silverout of the houseof Baalberith,wherewith Abimelechhiredvainand lightpersons,which followedhim.5And he wentunto his father'shouseat Ophrah,and slewhis brethrenthe sonsof Jerubbaal,[being] threescore and tenpersons,upon onestone:notwithstanding yet Jothamthe youngestsonof Jerubbaalwas left;for he hidhimself.6And all the menof Shechemgathered together,and all the houseof Millo,and went,and madeAbimelechking,by the plainof the pillarthat [was] in Shechem. Jotham's Parable 7And when they told[it] to Jotham,he wentand stoodin the topof mountGerizim,and lifted uphis voice,and cried,and saidunto them, Hearkenunto me, ye menof Shechem,that Godmay hearkenunto you.8The treeswent forth{08676;01980:08800} [on a time] to anointa kingover them; and they saidunto the olive tree,Reignthou over us.9But the olive treesaidunto them, Should I leavemy fatness,wherewith by me they honourGodand man,and goto be promotedover the trees?10And the treessaidto the fig tree,Comethou, [and] reignover us.11But the fig treesaidunto them, Should I forsakemy sweetness,and my goodfruit,and goto be promotedover the trees?12Then saidthe treesunto the vine,Comethou, [and] reignover us.13And the vinesaidunto them, Should I leavemy wine,which cheerethGodand man,and goto be promotedover the trees?14Then saidall the treesunto the bramble,Comethou, [and] reignover us.15And the bramblesaidunto the trees,If in truthye anointme kingover you, [then] come[and] put your trustin my shadow:and if not, let firecome outof the bramble,and devourthe cedarsof Lebanon. 16Now therefore, if ye have donetrulyand sincerely,in that ye have made Abimelechking,and if ye have dealtwellwith Jerubbaaland his house,and have doneunto him according to the deservingof his hands;17(For my fatherfoughtfor you, and adventuredhis lifefar,and deliveredyou out of the handof Midian:18And ye are risen upagainst my father'shousethis day,and have slainhis sons,threescore and tenpersons,upon onestone,and have made Abimelech,the sonof his maidservant,kingover the menof Shechem,because he [is] your brother;)19If ye then have dealttrulyand sincerelywith Jerubbaaland with his housethis day,[then] rejoiceye in Abimelech,and let him also rejoicein you:20But if not, let firecome outfrom Abimelech,and devourthe menof Shechem,and the houseof Millo;and let firecome outfrom the menof Shechem,and from the houseof Millo,and devourAbimelech.21And Jothamran away,and fled,and wentto Beer,and dweltthere, for fearof Abimelechhis brother. Gaal Conspires with the Shechemites 22When Abimelechhad reignedthreeyearsover Israel,23Then Godsentan evilspiritbetween Abimelechand the menof Shechem;and the menof Shechemdealt treacherouslywith Abimelech:24That the cruelty[done] to the threescore and tensonsof Jerubbaalmight come,and their bloodbe laidupon Abimelechtheir brother,which slewthem; and upon the menof Shechem,which aidedhim in the killingof his brethren.25And the menof Shechemsetliers in waitfor him in the topof the mountains,and they robbedall that camealong that wayby them: and it was toldAbimelech. 26And Gaalthe sonof Ebedcamewith his brethren,and went overto Shechem:and the menof Shechemput their confidencein him.27And they went outinto the fields,and gatheredtheir vineyards,and trode[the grapes], and mademerry,and wentinto the houseof their god,and did eatand drink,and cursedAbimelech.28And Gaalthe sonof Ebedsaid,Who [is] Abimelech,and who [is] Shechem,that we should servehim? [is] not [he] the sonof Jerubbaal?and Zebulhis officer?servethe menof Hamorthe fatherof Shechem:for why should we servehim?29And would to God this peoplewere undermy hand!then would I removeAbimelech.And he saidto Abimelech,Increasethine army,and come out. 30And when Zebulthe rulerof the cityheardthe wordsof Gaalthe sonof Ebed,his angerwas kindled.31And he sentmessengersunto Abimelechprivily,saying,Behold, Gaalthe sonof Ebedand his brethrenbe cometo Shechem;and, behold, they fortifythe cityagainst thee.32Now therefore upby night,thou and the peoplethat [is] with thee, and lie in waitin the field:33And it shall be, [that] in the morning,as soon as the sunis up,thou shalt rise early,and setupon the city:and, behold, [when] he and the peoplethat [is] with him come outagainst thee, then mayest thou doto them as thoushalt find occasion. Abimelech Sows the City with Salt 34And Abimelechrose up,and all the peoplethat [were] with him, by night,and they laid waitagainst Shechemin fourcompanies.35And Gaalthe sonof Ebedwent out,and stoodin the enteringof the gateof the city:and Abimelechrose up,and the peoplethat [were] with him, from lying in wait.36And when Gaalsawthe people,he saidto Zebul,Behold, there comepeopledownfrom the topof the mountains.And Zebulsaidunto him, Thou seestthe shadowof the mountainsas [if they were] men.37And Gaalspakeagainand said,See there comepeopledownby the middleof the land,and anothercompanycomealong by the plainofMeonenim.38Then saidZebulunto him, Where [is] nowthy mouth,wherewith thou saidst,Who [is] Abimelech,that we should servehim? [is] not this the peoplethat thou hast despised?go out,I pray now,and fightwith them.39And Gaalwent outbeforethe menof Shechem,and foughtwith Abimelech.40And Abimelechchasedhim, and he fledbeforehim, and manywere overthrown[and] wounded,[even] unto the enteringof the gate.41And Abimelechdweltat Arumah:and Zebulthrust outGaaland his brethren,that they should not dwellin Shechem. 42And it came to pass on the morrow,that the peoplewent outinto the field;and they toldAbimelech.43And he tookthe people,and dividedthem into threecompanies,and laid waitin the field,and looked,and, behold, the people[were] come forthout of the city;and he rose upagainst them, and smotethem.44And Abimelech,and the companythat [was] with him, rushed forward,and stoodin the enteringof the gateof the city:and the two[other] companiesran uponall [the people] that [were] in the fields,and slewthem.45And Abimelechfoughtagainst the cityall that day;and he tookthe city,and slewthe peoplethat [was] therein, and beat downthe city,and sowedit with salt. 46And when all the menof the towerof Shechemheard[that], they enteredinto an holdof the houseof the godBerith.47And it was toldAbimelech,that all the menof the towerof Shechemwere gathered together.48And Abimelechgat him upto mountZalmon,he and all the peoplethat [were] with him; and Abimelechtookan axein his hand,and cut downa boughfrom the trees,and tookit, and laid[it] on his shoulder,and saidunto the peoplethat [were] with him, What ye have seenme do,make haste,[and] doas I[have done].49And all the peoplelikewise cut downevery manhis bough,and followedAbimelech,and put[them] to the hold,and setthe holdon fireupon them; so that all the menof the towerof Shechemdiedalso, about a thousandmenand women. A Millstone Dropped on Abimelech 50Then wentAbimelechto Thebez,and encampedagainst Thebez,and tookit.51But there was a strongtowerwithinthe city,and thither fledall the menand women,and all theyof the city,and shut[it] to them, and gat them upto the topof the tower.52And Abimelechcameunto the tower,and foughtagainst it, and went hardunto the doorof the towerto burnit with fire.53And a certainwomancasta pieceof a millstoneupon Abimelech'shead,and all to brakehis skull.54Then he calledhastilyunto the young manhis armourbearer,and saidunto him, Drawthy sword,and slayme, that men saynot of me, A womanslewhim. And his young manthrust him through,and he died.55And when the menof Israelsawthat Abimelechwas dead,they departedevery manunto his place. Jotham's Curse Fulfilled 56Thus Godrenderedthe wickednessof Abimelech,which he didunto his father,in slayinghis seventybrethren:57And all the evilof the menof Shechemdid Godrenderupon their heads:and upon them camethe curseof Jothamthe sonof Jerubbaal. |
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