Lexicon :: Strong's H40 - 'ăḇîmeleḵ

But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, “You are about to die because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.”[fn]

Now Abimelech had not approached her, so he said, “Lord, would you destroy a nation even though it is innocent?

Then Abimelech called Abraham in and said to him, “What have you done to us? How did I sin against you that you have brought such enormous guilt on me and on my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done.”

Abimelech also asked Abraham, “What made you do this? ”

Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you. Settle wherever you want.”[fn]

for the LORD had completely closed all the wombs in Abimelech’s household on account of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

Abimelech replied, “I don’t know who did this thing. You didn’t report anything to me, so I hadn’t heard about it until today.”

Abraham took flocks and herds and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant.

Abimelech sent for Isaac and said, “So she is really your wife! How could you say, ‘She is my sister’? ”

Isaac answered him, “Because I thought I might die on account of her.”

Then Abimelech said, “What have you done to us? One of the people could easily have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us.”

So Abimelech warned all the people, “Whoever harms this man or his wife will certainly be put to death.”

So they gave him seventy pieces of silver from the temple of Baal-berith.[fn] Abimelech used it to hire worthless and reckless men, and they followed him.

“so if you have acted faithfully and honestly with Jerubbaal and his house this day, rejoice in Abimelech and may he also rejoice in you.

“But if not, may fire come from Abimelech and consume the citizens of Shechem and Beth-millo, and may fire come from the citizens of Shechem and Beth-millo and consume Abimelech.”

Then Jotham fled, escaping to Beer, and lived there because of his brother Abimelech.

When Abimelech had ruled over Israel three years,

God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem. They treated Abimelech deceitfully,

so that the crime against the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come to justice and their blood would be avenged on their brother Abimelech, who killed them, and on the citizens of Shechem, who had helped him kill his brothers.

The citizens of Shechem rebelled against him by putting men in ambush on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed everyone who passed by them on the road. So this was reported to Abimelech.

Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem that we should serve him? Isn’t he the son of Jerubbaal, and isn’t Zebul his officer? You are to serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech?

“If only these people were in my power, I would remove Abimelech.” So he said[fn] to Abimelech, “Gather your army and come out.”

Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate. Then Abimelech and the troops who were with him got up from their ambush.

So Gaal went out leading the citizens of Shechem and fought against Abimelech,

but Abimelech pursued him, and Gaal fled before him. Numerous bodies were strewn as far as the entrance of the city gate.

Abimelech stayed in Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers from Shechem.

The next day when the people of Shechem[fn] went into the countryside, this was reported to Abimelech.

So Abimelech fought against the city that entire day, captured it, and killed the people who were in it. Then he tore down the city and sowed it with salt.