Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

Abimelech, the son of Jerubbaal, went to Shechem to his mother's brothers and spoke with them and all the family of his mother's father. He said, "Speak in the ears of all the men of Shechem: Is it better for you that all seventy sons of Jerubbaal rule over you, or that one person reigns over you? Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh."

His mother's relatives spoke to all the men of Shechem, saying, "He is our brother," and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech. They gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of Baalberith, with which he hired vain and light persons who followed him.

Abimelech went to his father's house at Ophrah where he killed seventy of his brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, on a single stone. Yet Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbal, was spared because he had hidden himself.

All the men of Shechem gathered together and all the house of Millo went to the oak tree in the plain of Shechem and made Abimelech king. When they told it to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, lifting his voice in a loud cry, saying, "Listen to me, men of Shechem, that God may listen to you.

The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, "Reign over us." The olive tree said to them, "Should I abandon my richness by which they honor God and humanity and go to rule over the trees?"

The trees said to the fig tree, "Come and reign over us." The fig tree said to them, "Should I abandon my sweetness and good fruit to be promoted over the trees?"

The trees said to the vine, "Come and reign over us." The vine said to them, "Should I abandon my wine which brings joy to God and humanity and be promoted above the trees?"

Then all the trees said to the thorn bush, "Come and reign over us." And the bramble said to the trees, "If you truly appoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, let fire erupt from the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon."

If you have dealt truly and sincerely in making Abimelech king, and if you have treated Jerubbaal and his household with fairness according to their deeds. My father fought for you and risked his life far beyond what was necessary to deliver you out of the hand of Midian.

And you have risen up against my father's house today, killing seventy of his sons on one stone, and making Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem because he is your brother. If you have dealt truthfully and sincerely with Jerubbaal and his family today, then rejoice in Abimelech and let him also rejoice in you.

But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem and their households; and let fire also come out from the men of Shechem and their households to consume Abimelech. Jotham fled to Beer and settled there because of his fear of Abimelech his brother.

When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel, God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem, causing them to deal treacherously with him. That the cruelty done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother who slew them, and upon the men of Shechem who aided him in killing his brethren.

The men of Shechem set ambushes in the mountain passes, and they robbed everyone who passed by them; it was reported to Abimelech. Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers and went over to Shechem, where the men of Shechem put their trust in him.

They went out into the fields, gathered their vineyards, trampled the grapes, made merry, and went to the house of their god to eat, drink, and curse Abimelech. Gaal son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem that we should serve him? Is he not Jerubbaal's son, and Zebul his officer? We should serve Hamor's men, Shechem's father; why should we serve him?

And would to God this people were under my hand! then I would remove Abimelech and urge him to increase his army and come out. When Zebul, the ruler of the city, heard Gaal son of Ebed's words, his anger was kindled.

He sent messengers to Abimelech secretly, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem; they are fortifying the city against you. Up by night, you and the people with you, lie in wait in the field.

In the morning, when the sun rises, you will rise early and attack the city; then, when he and his people come out against you, you may do to them as seems right in your sight. Abimelech and all the people with him rose up by night to lay an ambush against Shechem in four companies.

Gaal, son of Ebed, went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate while Abimelech rose up with the people who were with him from their ambush. When Gaal saw the people, he told Zebul, "Look, there come people down from the top of the mountains." But Zebul said to him, "You're seeing only the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.

Gaal spoke again, saying, "Look, people are coming down from the middle of the land, and another company is approaching by the plain of Meonenim. Then Zebul said to him, "Where is your mouth now that you boasted, 'Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?' Is it not this people you have despised? Go out and fight them.

Gaal went out before the men of Shechem and fought with Abimelech. Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, with many being overthrown and wounded all the way to the city gate. Abimelech resided in Arumah; Zebul expelled Gaal and his brothers so they would not remain in Shechem.

On the next day, the people went out into the field and told Abimelech. Abimelech took the people and divided them into three companies, laying in wait in the field until he saw that they had come out of the city, then he rose up against them and struck them.

Abimelech, with those who were with him, rushed forward and took up position at the city gate entrance; meanwhile, the two other groups swept through the fields, slaughtering everyone in their path. Abimelech fought against the city all that day; he took it, slew its people, and sowed the area with salt.

And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an inner chamber of the house of the god Berith. It was reported to Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem had gathered together.

Abimelech climbed to Mount Zalmon with all his people, took an axe in hand, cut down a branch from the trees, and said to those with him, "Do as I have done." All the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, putting them to death in the hold, which they then set on fire, resulting in the deaths of about a thousand men and women from the tower of Shechem.

Abimelech went to Thebez, encamped against it, and captured the city. Within the city, there was a strong tower where all the men and women of the city fled and barricaded themselves, ascending to its top.

Abimelech came to the tower, fought against it, and pressed hard on the door in an attempt to set it ablaze with fire. A certain woman cast a millstone fragment that struck Abimelech's head and crushed it.

Then he quickly called to his young armor-bearer and said, "Draw your sword and kill me." When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they each returned to their own place.

Thus God repaid Abimelech in full measure for his wickedness against his father by killing seventy of his brothers. And God brought to pass all the evil that the men of Shechem had done, and upon them came the curse spoken by Jotham son of Jerubbaal.