Shuphatym (Judges) — 9
Abimalach Rules over Shacham
1 One day Gydaun’s son Abimalach went to Shacham to visit his uncles, his mother’s brothers, he said to them and to the rest of his mother’s family,
2 “Ask the leading citizens of Shacham whether they want to be ruled by all seventy of Gydaun’s sons or by one man. And remember that I am your own flesh and blood!”
3 So Abimalach’s uncles gave his message to all the citizens of Shacham on his behalf, and after listening to this proposal, the people of Shacham decided in favor of Abimalach because he was their relative.
4 They gave him seventy silver coins from the temple of Baal-barith, which he used to hire some reckless troublemakers who agreed to follow him.
5 He went to his father’s home at Uphrah, and there, on one stone, they killed all seventy of his half brothers, the sons of Gydaun. But the youngest brother, Yutham, escaped and hid.
6 Then all the leading citizens of Shacham and Bath-millu called a meeting under the oak beside the pillar at Shacham and made Abimalach their king.
Yutham’s Parable
7 When Yutham heard about this, he climbed to the top of Mount Garizim and shouted, “Listen to me, citizens of Shacham! Listen to me if you want 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH to listen to you!
8 Once upon a time the trees decided to choose a king. First they said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king!’
9 But the olive tree refused, saying, ‘Should I quit producing the olive oil that barak both 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH and people, just to wave back and forth over the trees?’
10 “Then they said to the fig tree, You be our king!’
11 But the fig tree also refused, saying, ‘Should I quit producing my sweet fruit just to wave back and forth over the trees?’
12 “Then they said to the grapevine, You be our king!’
13 But the grapevine also refused, saying, Should I quit producing the wine that cheers both 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH and people, just to wave back and forth over the trees?’
14 “Then all the trees finally turned to the thornbush and said, Come, you be our king!’
15 And the thornbush replied to the trees, ‘If you truly want to make me your king, come and take shelter in my shade. If not, let fire come out from me and devour the cedars of Labanun.’”
16 Yutham continued, “Now make sure you have acted honorably and in good faith by making Abimalach your king, and that you have done right by Gydaun and all of his descendants. Have you treated him with the honor he deserves for all he accomplished?
17 For he fought for you and risked his life when he rescued you from the Midianites.
18 But today you have revolted against my father and his descendants, killing his seventy sons on one stone. And you have chosen his slave woman’s son, Abimalach, to be your king just because he is your relative.
19 “If you have acted honorably and in good faith toward Gydaun and his descendants today, then may you find joy in Abimalach, and may he find joy in you.
20 But if you have not acted in good faith, then may fire come out from Abimalach and devour the leading citizens of Shachem and Bath-millu; and may fire come out from the citizens of Shacham and Bath-millu and devour Abimalach!”
21 Then Yutham escaped and lived in Baar because he was afraid of his brother Abimalach.
Shacham Rebels against Abimalach
22 After Abimalach had ruled over Yashar'AL for three years,
23 (AL'Mighty ONE) 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH sent a ruach (spirit) that stirred up trouble between Abimalach and the leading citizens of Shacham, and they revolted.
24 For 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH was punishing Abimalach for murdering Gydaun’s seventy sons, and the citizens of Shacham for supporting him in this treachery of murdering his brothers.
25 The citizens of Shacham set an ambush for Abimalach on the hilltops and robbed everyone who passed that way. But someone warned Abimalach about their plot.
26 One day Gaal son of Abad moved to Shacham with his brothers and gained the confidence of the leading citizens of Shacham.
27 During the annual harvest festival at Shacham, held in the temple of the local idol, the wine flowed freely, and everyone began cursing Abimalach.
28 “Who is Abimalach?” Gaal shouted. “He’s not a true son of Shacham, so why should we be his servants? He’s merely the son of Gydaun, and this Zabul is merely his deputy. Serve the true sons of Hamur, the founder of Shacham. Why should we serve Abimalach?
29 If I were in charge here, I would get rid of Abimalach. I would say to him, ‘Get some soldiers, and come out and fight!’”
30 But when Zabul, the leader of the city, heard what Gaal was saying, he was furious.
31 He sent messengers to Abimalach in Arumah, telling him, “Gaal son of Abad and his brothers have come to live in Shacham, and now they are inciting the city to rebel against you.
32 Come by night with an army and hide out in the fields.
33 In the morning, as soon as it is daylight, attack the city. When Gaal and those who are with him come out against you, you can do with them as you wish.”
34 So Abimelech and all his men went by night and split into four groups, stationing themselves around Shacham.
35 Gaal was standing at the city gates when Abimalach and his army came out of hiding.
36 When Gaal saw them, he said to Zabul, “Look, there are people coming down from the hilltops!” Zabul replied, “It’s just the shadows on the hills that look like men.”
37 But again Gaal said, “No, people are coming down from the hills. And another group is coming down the road past the Diviners’ Oak.”
38 Then Zabul turned on him and asked, “Now where is that big mouth of yours? Wasn’t it you that said, ‘Who is Abimalach, and why should we be his servants?’ The men you mocked are right outside the city! Go out and fight them!”
39 So Gaal led the leading citizens of Shacham into battle against Abimalach.
40 But Abimalach chased him, and many of Shacham’s men were wounded and fell along the road as they retreated to the city gate.
41 Abimelech returned to Arumah, and Zabul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shacham.
42 The next day the people of Shacham went out into the fields to battle. When Abimalach heard about it,
43 he divided his men into three groups and set an ambush in the fields. When Abimalach saw the people coming out of the city, he and his men jumped up from their hiding places and attacked them.
44 Abimalach and his group stormed the city gate to keep the men of Shacham from getting back in, while the other two groups of Abimalach cut them down in the fields.
45 The battle went on all day before Abimalach finally captured the city. He killed the people, leveled the city, and scattered salt all over the ground.
46 When the leading citizens who lived in the tower of Shacham heard what had happened, they ran and hid in the temple of Baal-barith.
47 Someone reported to Abimalach that the citizens had gathered in the temple,
48 so he led his forces to Mount Zalmun, he took an ax and chopped some branches from a tree, then put them on his shoulder. “Quick, do as I have done!” he told his men.
49 So each of them cut down some branches, following Abimalach’s example. They piled the branches against the walls of the temple and set them on fire. So all the people who had lived in the tower of Shacham died, about one thousand men and women.
50 Then Abimalach attacked the town of Thabaz and captured it.
51 But there was a strong tower inside the town, and all the men and women, the entire population fled to it. They barricaded themselves in and climbed up to the roof of the tower.
52 Abimalach followed them to attack the tower. But as he prepared to set fire to the entrance,
53 a woman on the roof dropped a millstone that landed on Abimalach’s head and crushed his skull.
54 He quickly said to his young armor bearer, “Draw your sword and kill me! Do not let it be said that a woman killed Abimalach!” So the young man ran him through with his sword, and he died.
55 When Abimalach’s men saw that he was dead, they disbanded and returned to their homes.
56 In this way, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH punished Abimalach for the evil he had done against his father by murdering his seventy brothers.
57 And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH also punished the men of Shacham for all their evil. So the curse of Yutham son of Gydaun was fulfilled.