nkjv Judges:9:23-41 SEEK
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God sent a spirit of ill will between Abimelech and the men of Shechem ;
and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech ,
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that the crime done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might be settled and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother ,
who killed them ,
and on the men of Shechem ,
who aided him in the killing of his brothers .
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And the men of Shechem set men in ambush against him on the tops of the mountains ,
and they robbed all who passed by them along that way ;
and it was told Abimelech .
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Now Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers and went over to Shechem ;
and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him .
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So they went out into the fields ,
and gathered grapes from their vineyards and trod them ,
and made merry .
And they went into the house of their god ,
and ate and drank ,
and cursed Abimelech .
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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 ?
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If only this people were under my authority !
Then I would remove Abimelech ."
So he said to Abimelech , "
Increase your army and come out !"
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When Zebul ,
the ruler of the city ,
heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed ,
his anger was aroused .
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And he sent messengers to Abimelech secretly ,
saying , "
Take note !
Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem ;
and here they are ,
fortifying the city against you .
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Now therefore ,
get up by night ,
you and the people who are with you ,
and lie in wait in the field .
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And it shall be ,
as soon as the sun is up in the morning ,
that you shall rise early and rush upon the city ;
and when he and the people who are with him come out against you ,
you may then do to them as you find opportunity ."
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So Abimelech and all the people who were with him rose by night ,
and lay in wait against Shechem in four companies .
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When Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance to the city gate ,
Abimelech and the people who were with him rose from lying in wait .
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And when Gaal saw the people ,
he said to Zebul , "
Look ,
people are coming down from the tops of the mountains !"
But Zebul said to him , "
You see the shadows of the mountains as if they were men ."
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So Gaal spoke again and said , "
See ,
people are coming down from the center of the land ,
and another company is coming from the Diviners '
Terebinth Tree ."
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Then Zebul said to him , "
Where indeed is your mouth now ,
with which you said , "
Who is Abimelech ,
that we should serve him ?'
Are not these the people whom you despised ?
Go out ,
if you will ,
and fight with them now ."
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So Gaal went out ,
leading the men of Shechem ,
and fought with Abimelech .
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And Abimelech chased him ,
and he fled from him ;
and many fell wounded ,
to the very entrance of the gate .
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Then Abimelech dwelt at Arumah ,
and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers ,
so that they would not dwell in Shechem .