AND Aviymelek the son of Yerubba`al went to Shekem 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 Shekem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Yerubba`al, 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 spoke of him in the ears of all the men of Shekem את all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Aviymelek; for they said, He is our brother.
And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Ba`al Beriyth, wherewith Aviymelek 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 Yerubba`al, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Yotham the youngest son of Yerubba`al was left; for he hid himself.
And all the men of Shekem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Aviymelek king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shekem.
And when they told it to Yotham, he went and stood in the top of Mount Geriziym, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shekem, that Elohiym 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 over us.
But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honor Elohiym and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
And the trees said to the fig tree, Come, 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, and reign over us.
And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheers Elohiym and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come, 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 Aviymelek king, and if ye have dealt well with Yerubba`al 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 Midyan:
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 Aviymelek, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shekem, because he is your brother;)
If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Yerubba`al and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Aviymelek, and let him also rejoice in you:
But if not, let fire come out from Aviymelek, and devour the men of Shekem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shekem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Aviymelek.
And Yotham ran away, and fled, and went to Be'er, and dwelt there, for fear of Aviymelek his brother.
When Aviymelek had reigned three years over Yashar'el,
Then Elohiym sent an evil ruach between Aviymelek and the men of Shekem; and the men of Shekem dealt treacherously with Aviymelek:
That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Yerubba`al might come, and their blood be laid upon Aviymelek their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shekem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren.
And the men of Shekem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed את all that came along that way by them: and it was told Aviymelek.
And Ga`al the son of Eved came with his brethren, and went over to Shekem: and the men of Shekem 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 elohiym, and did eat and drink, and cursed Aviymelek.
And Ga`al the son of Eved said, Who is Aviymelek, and who is Shekem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Yerubba`al? and Zevul his officer? serve the men of Chamor the father of Shekem: for why should we serve him?
And would to Elohiym this people were under my hand! then would I remove Aviymelek. And he said to Aviymelek, Increase your army, and come out.
And when Zevul the ruler of the city heard the words of Ga`al the son of Eved, his anger was kindled.
And he sent messengers unto Aviymelek privily, saying, Behold, Ga`al the son of Eved and his brethren have come to Shekem; and, behold, they fortify the city against you.
Now therefore up by night, you and the people that is with you, and lie in wait in the field:
And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, you shall rise early, and set upon the city: and, behold, when he and the people that is with him come out against you, then may you do to them as you shall find occasion.
And Aviymelek rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shekem in four companies.
And Ga`al the son of Eved went out, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and Aviymelek rose up, and the people that were with him, from lying in wait.
And when Ga`al saw the people, he said to Zevul, Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zevul said unto him, את you see the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.
And Ga`al spoke again and said, See there come people down by the middle of the land, and another company come along by the plain of Me`oneniym.
Then said Zevul unto him, Where is now your mouth, wherewith you said, Who is Aviymelek, that we should serve him? is not this the people that you have despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them.
And Ga`al went out before the men of Shekem, and fought with Aviymelek.
And Aviymelek chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate.
And Aviymelek dwelt at Arumah: and Zevul thrust out Ga`al and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shekem.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Aviymelek.
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 Aviymelek, 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 Aviymelek 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 Shekem heard that, they entered into a hold of the house of the el Beriyth.
And it was told Aviymelek, that all the men of the tower of Shekem were gathered together.
And Aviymelek got him up to Mount Tsalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Aviymelek 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 Aviymelek, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shekem died also, about a thousand men and women.
Then went Aviymelek to Tevets, and encamped against Tevets, 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 got them up to the top of the tower.
And Aviymelek 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 Aviymelek's head, and all to brake his skull.
Then he called hastily unto the young man his armorbearer, and said unto him, Draw your 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 Yashar'el saw that Aviymelek was dead, they departed every man unto his place.
Thus Elohiym rendered את the wickedness of Aviymelek, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:
And all the evil of the men of Shekem did Elohiym render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Yotham the son of Yerubba`al.