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Judges 9 :: New King James Version (NKJV)

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Abimelech’s Conspiracy
Abimelech’s Wickedness and Downfall

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:1

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:1 - Then Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem, to his mother’s brothers, and spoke with them and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying,

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:2

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:2 - “Please speak in the hearing of all the men of Shechem: ‘Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal reign over you, or that one reign over you?’ Remember that I am your own flesh and bone.”

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:3

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:3 - And his mother’s brothers spoke all these words concerning him in the hearing of all the men of Shechem; and their heart was inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.”

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:4

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:4 - So they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men; and they followed him.

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:5

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:5 - Then he went to his father’s house at Ophrah and killed his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, because he hid himself.

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:6

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:6 - And all the men of Shechem gathered together, all of Beth Millo, and they went and made Abimelech king beside the terebinth tree at the pillar that was in Shechem.
The Parable of the Trees

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:7

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:7 - Now when they told Jotham, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted his voice and cried out. And he said to them:

“Listen to me, you men of Shechem,
That God may listen to you!

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:8

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:8 - “The trees once went forth to anoint a king over them.
And they said to the olive tree,
‘Reign over us!’

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:9

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:9 - But the olive tree said to them,
‘Should I cease giving my oil,
With which they honor God and men,
And go to sway over trees?’

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:10

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:10 - “Then the trees said to the fig tree,
‘You come and reign over us!’

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:11

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:11 - But the fig tree said to them,
‘Should I cease my sweetness and my good fruit,
And go to sway over trees?’

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:12

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:12 - “Then the trees said to the vine,
‘You come and reign over us!’

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:13

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:13 - But the vine said to them,
‘Should I cease my new wine,
Which cheers both God and men,
And go to sway over trees?’

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:14

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:14 - “Then all the trees said to the bramble,
‘You come and reign over us!’

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:15

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:15 - And the bramble said to the trees,
‘If in truth you anoint me as king over you,
Then come and take shelter in my shade;
But if not, let fire come out of the bramble
And devour the cedars of Lebanon!’

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:16

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:16 - “Now therefore, if you have acted in truth and sincerity in making Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him as he deserves—

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:17

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:17 - “for my father fought for you, risked his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian;

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:18

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:18 - “but you have risen up against my father’s house this day, and killed his seventy sons on one stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother—

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:19

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:19 - “if then you have acted in truth and sincerity with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you.

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:20

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:20 - “But if not, let fire come from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem and Beth Millo; and let fire come from the men of Shechem and from Beth Millo and devour Abimelech!”

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:21

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:21 - And Jotham ran away and fled; and he went to Beer and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
Downfall of Abimelech

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:22

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:22 - After Abimelech had reigned over Israel three years,

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:23

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:23 - 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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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:24

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:24 - 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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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:25

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:25 - 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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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:26

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:26 - 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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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:27

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:27 - 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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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:28

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:28 - 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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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:29

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:29 - “If only this people were under my authority![fn] Then I would remove Abimelech.” So he[fn] said to Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out!”

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:30

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:30 - When Zebul, the ruler of the city, heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was aroused.

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:31

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:31 - 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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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:32

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:32 - “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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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:33

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:33 - “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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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:34

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:34 - 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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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:35

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:35 - 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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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:36

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:36 - 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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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:37

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:37 - 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’[fn] Terebinth Tree.”

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:38

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:38 - 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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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:39

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:39 - So Gaal went out, leading the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:40

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:40 - And Abimelech chased him, and he fled from him; and many fell wounded, to the very entrance of the gate.

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:41

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:41 - Then Abimelech dwelt at Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers, so that they would not dwell in Shechem.

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:42

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:42 - And it came about on the next day that the people went out into the field, and they told Abimelech.

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:43

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:43 - So he took his people, divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the field. And he looked, and there were the people, coming out of the city; and he rose against them and attacked them.

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:44

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:44 - Then Abimelech and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city; and the other two companies rushed upon all who were in the fields and killed them.

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:45

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:45 - So Abimelech fought against the city all that day; he took the city and killed the people who were in it; and he demolished the city and sowed it with salt.

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:46

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:46 - Now when all the men of the tower of Shechem had heard that, they entered the stronghold of the temple of the god Berith.

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:47

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:47 - And it was told Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:48

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:48 - Then Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him. And Abimelech took an ax in his hand and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it and laid it on his shoulder; then he said to the people who were with him, “What you have seen me do, make haste and do as I have done.”

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:49

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:49 - So each of the people likewise cut down his own bough and followed Abimelech, put them against the stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire above them, so that all the people of the tower of Shechem died, about a thousand men and women.

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:50

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:50 - Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and he encamped against Thebez and took it.

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:51

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:51 - But there was a strong tower in the city, and all the men and women—all the people of the city—fled there and shut themselves in; then they went up to the top of the tower.

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:52

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:52 - So Abimelech came as far as the tower and fought against it; and he drew near the door of the tower to burn it with fire.

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:53

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:53 - But a certain woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull.

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:54

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:54 - Then he called quickly to the young man, his armorbearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest men say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’ ” So his young man thrust him through, and he died.

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:55

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:55 - And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed, every man to his place.

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:56

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:56 - Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father by killing his seventy brothers.

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Unchecked Copy Box Jdg 9:57

Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 9:57 - And all the evil of the men of Shechem God returned on their own heads, and on them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
See the NKJV Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).
NKJV Footnotes
Literally hand
Following Masoretic Text and Targum; Dead Sea Scrolls read they; Septuagint reads I.
Hebrew Meonenim
NKJV

New King James Version, © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

The text of the New King James Version (NKJV) appearing on or deriving from this or any other web page is for personal use only. Any other use of the NKJV must be in conformity with the Quotation Policy for the New King James Version. For more information about the New King James Version, the Quotation Policy, and for inquiries about permission to use the New King James Version, go to Thomas Nelson, Inc..

For more information on this translation, see the NKJV Preface.

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Judges Chapter 9 — Additional Translations:

King James Version New Living Translation New International Version English Standard Version Christian Standard Bible New American Standard Bible 2020 New American Standard Bible 1995 Legacy Standard Bible Amplified Bible New English Translation Revised Standard Version American Standard Version Young's Literal Translation Darby Translation Webster's Bible Hebrew Names Version Latin Vulgate Westminster Leningrad Codex Septuagint Smith Van Dyck Arabic Bible Open New Arabic Version Brenton's English Septuagint Reina Valera 1909 Reina-Valera 1960 Bible in Basic English Chinese Traditional Union Espanol Moderno Korean Holy Bible Louis Segond German Luther Russian Synodal Translation Sagradas Escrituras