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APRIL 22
10 “Then the trees said to the fig tree, 26 Now Gaal the son of Ebed came with his
‘You come and reign over us!’ brothers and went over to Shechem; and the
11 But the fig tree said to them, men of Shechem put their confidence in him.
‘Should I cease my sweetness and my 27 So they went out into the fields, and gathered
good fruit, grapes from their vineyards and trod them, and
And go to sway over trees?’ made merry. And they went into the house of
their god, and ate and drank, and cursed
12 “Then the trees said to the vine, 28
‘You come and reign over us!’ Abimelech. Then Gaal the son of Ebed said,
13 But the vine said to them, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that
‘Should I cease my new wine, we should serve him? Is he not the son of
Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? Serve
Which cheers both God and men, the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but
And go to sway over trees?’
why should we serve him? If only this people
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14 “Then all the trees said to the bramble, were under my authority! Then I would
‘You come and reign over us!’ remove Abimelech.” So he said to Abimelech,
15 And the bramble said to the trees, “Increase your army and come out!”
‘If in truth you anoint me as king over 30 When Zebul, the ruler of the city, heard
you, the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger
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Then come and take shelter in was aroused. And he sent messengers to
my shade; Abimelech secretly, saying, “Take note! Gaal
But if not, let fire come out of the the son of Ebed and his brothers have come to
bramble Shechem; and here they are, fortifying the
And devour the cedars of Lebanon!’ city against you. Now therefore, get up by
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night, you and the people who are with you,
16 “Now therefore, if you have acted in truth 33
and sincerity in making Abimelech king, and if and lie in wait in the field. And it shall be, as
soon as the sun is up in the morning, that you
you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his shall rise early and rush upon the city; and
house, and have done to him as he deserves—
for my father fought for you, risked his life,
17 when he and the people who are with him
and delivered you out of the hand of Midian; come out against you, you may then do to
but you have risen up against my father’s 34 So Abimelech and all the people who were
18 them as you find opportunity.”
house this day, and killed his seventy sons on with him rose by night, and lay in wait against
one stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his Shechem in four companies. When Gaal the
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female servant, king over the men of Shechem, son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance
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because he is your brother— if then you have to the city gate, Abimelech and the people who
acted in truth and sincerity with Jerubbaal and were with him rose from lying in wait. And
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with his house this day, then rejoice in when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul,
Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you. “Look, people are coming down from the tops
But if not, let fire come from Abimelech and of the mountains!”
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devour the men of Shechem and Beth Millo; But Zebul said to him, “You see the shad-
and let fire come from the men of Shechem ows of the mountains as if they were men.”
and from Beth Millo and devour Abimelech!” 37 So Gaal spoke again and said, “See, people
21 And Jotham ran away and fled; and he went are coming down from the center of the land,
to Beer and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech and another company is coming from the Di-
his brother. viners’ Terebinth Tree.”
22 After Abimelech had reigned over Israel 38 Then Zebul said to him, “Where indeed is
three years, God sent a spirit of ill will your mouth now, with which you said, ‘Who is
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between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; Abimelech, that we should serve him?’ Are not
and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously these the people whom you despised? Go out,
with Abimelech, that the crime done to the if you will, and fight with them now.”
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seventy sons of Jerubbaal might be settled 39 So Gaal went out, leading the men of
and their blood be laid on Abimelech their Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. And
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brother, who killed them, and on the men of Abimelech chased him, and he fled from him;
Shechem, who aided him in the killing of his and many fell wounded, to the very entrance of
brothers. And the men of Shechem set men in the gate. Then Abimelech dwelt at Arumah,
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ambush against him on the tops of the moun- and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers, so
tains, and they robbed all who passed by them that they would not dwell in Shechem.
along that way; and it was told Abimelech. 42 And it came about on the next day that the
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