The Fall of Abimelech king of Israel and The Curse of Jotham
Jerubbaal (that is Gideon) had seventy sons who were his own offsprings, for he has many wives. And his concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, whose name he called Abimelech. After his death, the children of Israel did not remember the LOrd their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side nor did they show kindness to the house of Jerubbaal in accordance with the good he had done for Israel.
Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s brothers and spoke with them and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying, “Please speak in the hearing of all the citizens of Shechem and ask, ‘Which is better for you: to have all seventy of Jerubbaal sons to rule over you, or just one man?’ Remember, I am your flesh and blood.” And their heart was inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.”
Abimelech went to his father’s house at Oprah and killed his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest of them was left, because he hid himself.
After Abimelech had reigned over Israel three years, God sent a spirit of ill will between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, the crime done to the sons of Jerubbaal might be settled and their blood be laid on Abimelech who killed them, and on the men of Shechem who aided him in the killing of his brothers.
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 is not Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem but why should we serve him?” Gaal went out, leading the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. And Abimelech chased Gaal, and he fled from him; and many fell wounded, even to the entrance of the gate. Abimelech dwelt at Armah, and Zebul his officer drove out Gaal and his brothers, so that they would not dwell in Shechem.
Abimelech fought against the city that day. He took it and killed the people who were in it; and demolished the city and sowed it with salt. Now when all the men of the tower of Shechem had heard that , they entered the stronghold of the temple of god of Berith. Abimelech and his men cut out branches and piled them against the stronghold and set it on fire above them, so that all the people of the tower died, about a thousand men and women.
Then Abimelech went to Thebez and besieged it. 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. 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.
But a certain woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull. Then he called quickly to his young armor bearer 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 Abimelech died.
And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed, every man to his own place.
Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech which he had done to his father by killing his seventy brothers. And all the evil of the men of Shechem God returned on their own heads, and on them came the curse of Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal. –Judges 9:
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