Judges:8-9

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* And the men of Ephraim said unto him , Why hast thou served us thus , that thou calledst us not , when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites ? And they did chide with him sharply . * And he said unto them , What have I done now in comparison of you ? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer ? * God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian , Oreb and Zeeb : and what was I able to do in comparison of you ? Then their anger was abated toward him , when he had said that . * And Gideon came to Jordan , and passed over , he , and the three hundred men that were with him , faint , yet pursuing them . * And he said unto the men of Succoth , Give , I pray you , loaves of bread unto the people that follow me ; for they be faint , and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna , kings of Midian . * And the princes of Succoth said , Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand , that we should give bread unto thine army ? * And Gideon said , Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand , then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers . * And he went up thence to Penuel , and spake unto them likewise : and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him . * And he spake also unto the men of Penuel , saying , When I come again in peace , I will break down this tower . * Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor , and their hosts with them , about fifteen thousand men , all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east : for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword . * And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah , and smote the host : for the host was secure . * And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled , he pursued after them , and took the two kings of Midian , Zebah and Zalmunna , and discomfited all the host . * And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up , * And caught a young man of the men of Succoth , and enquired of him : and he described unto him the princes of Succoth , and the elders thereof , even threescore and seventeen men . * And he came unto the men of Succoth , and said , Behold Zebah and Zalmunna , with whom ye did upbraid me , saying , Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand , that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary ? * And he took the elders of the city , and thorns of the wilderness and briers , and with them he taught the men of Succoth . * And he beat down the tower of Penuel , and slew the men of the city . * Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna , What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor ? And they answered , As thou art , so were they ; each one resembled the children of a king . * And he said , They were my brethren , even the sons of my mother : as the LORD liveth , if ye had saved them alive , I would not slay you . * And he said unto Jether his firstborn , Up , and slay them . But the youth drew not his sword : for he feared , because he was yet a youth . * Then Zebah and Zalmunna said , Rise thou , and fall upon us : for as the man is , so is his strength . And Gideon arose , and slew Zebah and Zalmunna , and took away the ornaments that were on their camels ' necks . * Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon , Rule thou over us , both thou , and thy son , and thy son 's son also : for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian . * And Gideon said unto them , I will not rule over you , neither shall my son rule over you : the LORD shall rule over you . * And Gideon said unto them , I would desire a request of you , that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey . (For they had golden earrings , because they were Ishmaelites .) * And they answered , We will willingly give them . And they spread a garment , and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey . * And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold ; beside ornaments , and collars , and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian , and beside the chains that were about their camels ' necks . * And Gideon made an ephod thereof , and put it in his city , even in Ophrah : and all Israel went thither a whoring after it : which thing became a snare unto Gideon , and to his house . * Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel , so that they lifted up their heads no more . And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon . * And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house . * And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten : for he had many wives . * And his concubine that was in Shechem , she also bare him a son , whose name he called Abimelech . * And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age , and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father , in Ophrah of the Abiezrites . * And it came to pass , as soon as Gideon was dead , that the children of Israel turned again , and went a whoring after Baalim , and made Baalberith their god . * And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God , who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side : * Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal , namely , Gideon , according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel . * And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother 's brethren , and communed with them , and with all the family of the house of his mother 's father , saying , * Speak , I pray you , in the ears of all the men of Shechem , Whether is better for you , either that all the sons of Jerubbaal , which are threescore and ten persons , reign over you , or that one reign over you ? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh . * And his mother 's brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words : and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech ; for they said , He is our brother . * And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baalberith , wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons , which followed him . * And he went unto his father 's house at Ophrah , and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal , being threescore and ten persons , upon one stone : notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left ; for he hid himself . * And all the men of Shechem gathered together , and all the house of Millo , and went , and made Abimelech king , by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem . * And when they told it to Jotham , he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim , and lifted up his voice , and cried , and said unto them , Hearken unto me , ye men of Shechem , that God may hearken unto you . * The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them ; and they said unto the olive tree , Reign thou over us . * But the olive tree said unto them , Should I leave my fatness , wherewith by me they honour God and man , and go to be promoted over the trees ? * And the trees said to the fig tree , Come thou , and reign over us . * But the fig tree said unto them , Should I forsake my sweetness , and my good fruit , and go to be promoted over the trees ? * Then said the trees unto the vine , Come thou , and reign over us . * And the vine said unto them , Should I leave my wine , which cheereth God and man , and go to be promoted over the trees ? * Then said all the trees unto the bramble , Come thou , and reign over us . * And the bramble said unto the trees , If in truth ye anoint me king over you , then come and put your trust in my shadow : and if not , let fire come out of the bramble , and devour the cedars of Lebanon . * Now therefore , if ye have done truly and sincerely , in that ye have made Abimelech king , and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house , and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands ; * (For my father fought for you , and adventured his life far , and delivered you out of the hand of Midian : * And ye are risen up against my father 's house this day , and have slain his sons , threescore and ten persons , upon one stone , and have made Abimelech , the son of his maidservant , king over the men of Shechem , because he is your brother ;) * If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day , then rejoice ye 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 the house of Millo ; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem , and from the house of Millo , and devour Abimelech . * And Jotham ran away , and fled , and went to Beer , and dwelt there , for fear of Abimelech his brother . * When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel , * Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem ; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech : * That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come , and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother , which slew them ; and upon the men of Shechem , which aided him in the killing of his brethren . * And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains , and they robbed all that came along that way by them : and it was told Abimelech . * And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren , and went over to Shechem : and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him . * And they went out into the fields , and gathered their vineyards , and trode the grapes , and made merry , and went into the house of their god , and did eat and drink , and cursed Abimelech . * And Gaal the son of Ebed said , Who is Abimelech , and who is Shechem , that we should serve him ? is not he the son of Jerubbaal ? and Zebul his officer ? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem : for why should we serve him ? * And would to God this people were under my hand ! then would I remove Abimelech . And he said to Abimelech , Increase thine army , and come out . * And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed , his anger was kindled . * And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily , saying , Behold , Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem ; and , behold , they fortify the city against thee . * Now therefore up by night , thou and the people that is with thee , and lie in wait in the field : * And it shall be , that in the morning , as soon as the sun is up , thou shalt rise early , and set upon the city : and , behold , when he and the people that is with him come out against thee , then mayest thou do to them as thou shalt find occasion . * And Abimelech rose up , and all the people that were with him , by night , and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies . * And Gaal the son of Ebed went out , and stood in the entering of the gate of the city : and Abimelech rose up , and the people that were with him , from lying in wait . * And when Gaal saw the people , he said to Zebul , Behold , there come people down from the top of the mountains . And Zebul said unto him , Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men . * And Gaal spake again and said , See there come people down by the middle of the land , and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim . * Then said Zebul unto him , Where is now thy mouth , wherewith thou saidst , Who is Abimelech , that we should serve him ? is not this the people that thou hast despised ? go out , I pray now , and fight with them . * And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem , and fought with Abimelech . * And Abimelech chased him , and he fled before him , and many were overthrown and wounded , even unto the entering of the gate . * And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah : and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren , that they should not dwell in Shechem . * And it came to pass on the morrow , that the people went out into the field ; and they told Abimelech . * And he took the people , and divided them into three companies , and laid wait in the field , and looked , and , behold , the people were come forth out of the city ; and he rose up against them , and smote them . * And Abimelech , and the company that was with him , rushed forward , and stood in the entering of the gate of the city : and the two other companies ran upon all the people that were in the fields , and slew them . * And Abimelech fought against the city all that day ; and he took the city , and slew the people that was therein , and beat down the city , and sowed it with salt . * And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that , they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith . * And it was told Abimelech , that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together . * And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon , he and all the people that were with him ; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand , and cut down a bough from the trees , and took it , and laid it on his shoulder , and said unto the people that were with him , What ye have seen me do , make haste , and do as I have done . * And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough , and followed Abimelech , and put them to the hold , and set the hold on fire upon them ; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also , about a thousand men and women . * Then went Abimelech to Thebez , and encamped against Thebez , and took it . * But there was a strong tower within the city , and thither fled all the men and women , and all they of the city , and shut it to them , and gat them up to the top of the tower . * And Abimelech came unto the tower , and fought against it , and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire . * And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech 's head , and all to brake his skull . * Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer , and said unto him , Draw thy sword , and slay me , that men say not of me , A woman slew him . And his young man thrust him through , and he died . * And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead , they departed every man unto his place . * Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech , which he did unto his father , in slaying his seventy brethren : * And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads : and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal . * And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah , the son of Dodo , a man of Issachar ; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim .

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