Judges 9 – Studienbibel

1 And Abimelech40 the son1121 of Jerubbaal3378 went3212 to Shechem7927 unto his mother's517 brethren251, and communed1696 with them, and with all the family4940 of the house1004 of his mother's517 father1, saying559, 2 Speak1696, I pray you, in the ears241 of all the men1167 of Shechem7927, Whether is better2896 for you, either that all the sons1121 of Jerubbaal3378, which are threescore and ten7657 persons376, reign4910 over you, or that one259 reign4910 over you? remember2142 also that I am your bone6106 and your flesh1320.¹ 3 And his mother's517 brethren251 spake1696 of him in the ears241 of all the men1167 of Shechem7927 all these words1697: and their hearts3820 inclined5186 to follow310 Abimelech40; for they said559, He is our brother251.² 4 And they gave5414 him threescore and ten7657 pieces of silver3701 out of the house1004 of Baalberith1170, wherewith Abimelech40 hired7936 vain7386 and light6348 persons582, which followed3212 him310. 5 And he went935 unto his father's1 house1004 at Ophrah6084, and slew2026 his brethren251 the sons1121 of Jerubbaal3378, being threescore and ten7657 persons376, upon one259 stone68: notwithstanding yet Jotham3147 the youngest6996 son1121 of Jerubbaal3378 was left3498; for he hid2244 himself. 6 And all the men1167 of Shechem7927 gathered together622, and all the house1004 of Millo4407 1037, and went3212, and made4427 Abimelech40 king4428, by the plain436 of the pillar5324 that was in Shechem7927.³

7 And when they told5046 it to Jotham3147, he went3212 and stood5975 in the top7218 of mount2022 Gerizim1630, and lifted up5375 his voice6963, and cried7121, and said559 unto them, Hearken8085 unto me, ye men1167 of Shechem7927, that God430 may hearken8085 unto you. 8 The trees6086 went forth1980 1980 on a time to anoint4886 a king4428 over them; and they said559 unto the olive tree2132, Reign4427 thou over us. 9 But the olive tree2132 said559 unto them, Should I leave2308 my fatness1880, wherewith by me they honour3513 God430 and man582, and go1980 to be promoted5128 over the trees6086?⁴ 10 And the trees6086 said559 to the fig tree8384, Come3212 thou, and reign4427 over us. 11 But the fig tree8384 said559 unto them, Should I forsake2308 my sweetness4987, and my good2896 fruit8570, and go1980 to be promoted5128 over the trees6086? 12 Then said559 the trees6086 unto the vine1612, Come3212 thou, and reign4427 over us. 13 And the vine1612 said559 unto them, Should I leave2308 my wine8492, which cheereth8055 God430 and man582, and go1980 to be promoted5128 over the trees6086? 14 Then said559 all the trees6086 unto the bramble329, Come3212 thou, and reign4427 over us.⁵ 15 And the bramble329 said559 unto the trees6086, If in truth571 ye anoint4886 me king4428 over you, then come935 and put your trust2620 in my shadow6738: and if not, let fire784 come out3318 of the bramble329, and devour398 the cedars730 of Lebanon3844. 16 Now therefore, if ye have done6213 truly571 and sincerely8549, in that ye have made Abimelech40 king4427, and if ye have dealt6213 well2896 with Jerubbaal3378 and his house1004, and have done6213 unto him according to the deserving1576 of his hands3027; 17 (For my father1 fought3898 for you, and adventured7993 his life5315 far5048, and delivered5337 you out of the hand3027 of Midian4080:⁶ 18 And ye are risen up6965 against my father's1 house1004 this day3117, and have slain2026 his sons1121, threescore and ten7657 persons376, upon one259 stone68, and have made Abimelech40, the son1121 of his maidservant519, king4427 over the men1167 of Shechem7927, because he is your brother251;) 19 If ye then have dealt6213 truly571 and sincerely8549 with Jerubbaal3378 and with his house1004 this day3117, then rejoice8055 ye in Abimelech40, and let him also rejoice8055 in you: 20 But if not, let fire784 come out3318 from Abimelech40, and devour398 the men1167 of Shechem7927, and the house1004 of Millo4407 1037; and let fire784 come out3318 from the men1167 of Shechem7927, and from the house1004 of Millo4407 1037, and devour398 Abimelech40. 21 And Jotham3147 ran away1272, and fled5127, and went3212 to Beer876, and dwelt3427 there, for fear6440 of Abimelech40 his brother251.

22 When Abimelech40 had reigned7786 three7969 years8141 over Israel3478, 23 Then God430 sent7971 an evil7451 spirit7307 between Abimelech40 and the men1167 of Shechem7927; and the men1167 of Shechem7927 dealt treacherously898 with Abimelech40: 24 That the cruelty2555 done to the threescore and ten7657 sons1121 of Jerubbaal3378 might come935, and their blood1818 be laid7760 upon Abimelech40 their brother251, which slew2026 them; and upon the men1167 of Shechem7927, which aided2388 3027 him in the killing2026 of his brethren251.⁷ 25 And the men1167 of Shechem7927 set7760 liers in wait693 for him in the top7218 of the mountains2022, and they robbed1497 all that came5674 along that way1870 by them: and it was told5046 Abimelech40. 26 And Gaal1603 the son1121 of Ebed5651 came935 with his brethren251, and went over5674 to Shechem7927: and the men1167 of Shechem7927 put their confidence982 in him. 27 And they went out3318 into the fields7704, and gathered1219 their vineyards3754, and trode1869 the grapes, and made6213 merry1974, and went935 into the house1004 of their god430, and did eat398 and drink8354, and cursed7043 Abimelech40.⁸ 28 And Gaal1603 the son1121 of Ebed5651 said559, Who is Abimelech40, and who is Shechem7927, that we should serve5647 him? is not he the son1121 of Jerubbaal3378? and Zebul2083 his officer6496? serve5647 the men582 of Hamor2544 the father1 of Shechem7927: for why should we serve5647 him? 29 And would to God this people5971 were under5414 my hand3027! then would I remove5493 Abimelech40. And he said559 to Abimelech40, Increase7235 thine army6635, and come out3318. 30 And when Zebul2083 the ruler8269 of the city5892 heard8085 the words1697 of Gaal1603 the son1121 of Ebed5651, his anger639 was kindled2734.⁹ 31 And he sent7971 messengers4397 unto Abimelech40 privily8649, saying559, Behold, Gaal1603 the son1121 of Ebed5651 and his brethren251 be come935 to Shechem7927; and, behold, they fortify6696 the city5892 against thee.¹⁰ 32 Now therefore up6965 by night3915, thou and the people5971 that is with thee, and lie in wait693 in the field7704: 33 And it shall be, that in the morning1242, as soon as the sun8121 is up2224, thou shalt rise early7925, and set6584 upon the city5892: and, behold, when he and the people5971 that is with him come out3318 against thee, then mayest thou do6213 to them as thou3027 shalt find occasion4672.¹¹ 34 And Abimelech40 rose up6965, and all the people5971 that were with him, by night3915, and they laid wait693 against Shechem7927 in four702 companies7218. 35 And Gaal1603 the son1121 of Ebed5651 went out3318, and stood5975 in the entering6607 of the gate8179 of the city5892: and Abimelech40 rose up6965, and the people5971 that were with him, from lying in wait3993. 36 And when Gaal1603 saw7200 the people5971, he said559 to Zebul2083, Behold, there come3381 people5971 down3381 from the top7218 of the mountains2022. And Zebul2083 said559 unto him, Thou seest7200 the shadow6738 of the mountains2022 as if they were men582. 37 And Gaal1603 spake1696 again3254 and said559, See there come3381 people5971 down3381 by the middle2872 of the land776, and another259 company7218 come935 along by the plain436 of1870 Meonenim6049.¹²¹³ 38 Then said559 Zebul2083 unto him, Where is now645 thy mouth6310, wherewith thou saidst559, Who is Abimelech40, that we should serve5647 him? is not this the people5971 that thou hast despised3988? go out3318, I pray now4994, and fight3898 with them. 39 And Gaal1603 went out3318 before6440 the men1167 of Shechem7927, and fought3898 with Abimelech40. 40 And Abimelech40 chased7291 him, and he fled5127 before6440 him, and many7227 were overthrown5307 and wounded2491, even unto the entering6607 of the gate8179. 41 And Abimelech40 dwelt3427 at Arumah725: and Zebul2083 thrust out1644 Gaal1603 and his brethren251, that they should not dwell3427 in Shechem7927. 42 And it came to pass on the morrow4283, that the people5971 went out3318 into the field7704; and they told5046 Abimelech40. 43 And he took3947 the people5971, and divided2673 them into three7969 companies7218, and laid wait693 in the field7704, and looked7200, and, behold, the people5971 were come forth3318 out of the city5892; and he rose up6965 against them, and smote5221 them. 44 And Abimelech40, and the company7218 that was with him, rushed forward6584, and stood5975 in the entering6607 of the gate8179 of the city5892: and the two8147 other companies7218 ran upon6584 all the people that were in the fields7704, and slew5221 them. 45 And Abimelech40 fought3898 against the city5892 all that day3117; and he took3920 the city5892, and slew2026 the people5971 that was therein, and beat down5422 the city5892, and sowed2232 it with salt4417. 46 And when all the men1167 of the tower4026 of Shechem7927 heard8085 that, they entered935 into an hold6877 of the house1004 of the god410 Berith1286. 47 And it was told5046 Abimelech40, that all the men1167 of the tower4026 of Shechem7927 were gathered together6908. 48 And Abimelech40 gat him up5927 to mount2022 Zalmon6756, he and all the people5971 that were with him; and Abimelech40 took3947 an axe7134 in his hand3027, and cut down3772 a bough7754 from the trees6086, and took5375 it, and laid7760 it on his shoulder7926, and said559 unto the people5971 that were with him, What ye have seen7200 me do6213, make haste4116, and do6213 as I3644 have done.¹⁴ 49 And all the people5971 likewise cut down3772 every man376 his bough7754, and followed3212 310 Abimelech40, and put7760 them to the hold6877, and set3341 the hold6877 on fire784 upon them; so that all the men582 of the tower4026 of Shechem7927 died4191 also, about a thousand505 men376 and women802.

50 Then went3212 Abimelech40 to Thebez8405, and encamped2583 against Thebez8405, and took3920 it. 51 But there was a strong5797 tower4026 within8432 the city5892, and thither fled5127 all the men582 and women802, and all they1167 of the city5892, and shut5462 it to them, and gat them up5927 to the top1406 of the tower4026. 52 And Abimelech40 came935 unto the tower4026, and fought3898 against it, and went hard5066 unto the door6607 of the tower4026 to burn8313 it with fire784. 53 And a certain259 woman802 cast7993 a piece6400 of a millstone7393 upon Abimelech's40 head7218, and all to brake7533 his skull1538. 54 Then he called7121 hastily4120 unto the young man5288 his armourbearer5375 3627, and said559 unto him, Draw8025 thy sword2719, and slay4191 me, that men say559 not of me, A woman802 slew2026 him. And his young man5288 thrust him through1856, and he died4191. 55 And when the men376 of Israel3478 saw7200 that Abimelech40 was dead4191, they departed3212 every man376 unto his place4725. 56 Thus God430 rendered7725 the wickedness7451 of Abimelech40, which he did6213 unto his father1, in slaying2026 his seventy7657 brethren251: 57 And all the evil7451 of the men582 of Shechem7927 did God430 render7725 upon their heads7218: and upon them came935 the curse7045 of Jotham3147 the son1121 of Jerubbaal3378.