Judges 9

Judges · Chapter 9

Judges 9:51

1And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother’s brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying,2Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, 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.3And his mother’s brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.4And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baalberith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him.5And he went unto his father’s house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.6And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.7And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.8The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.9But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?10And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.11But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?12Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.13And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?14Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.15And 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.16Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands;17(For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:18And 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 Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;)19If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:20But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech.21And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.22When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel,23Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:24That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren.25And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech.26And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.27And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech.28And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serve him?29And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.30And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.31And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem; and, behold, they fortify the city against thee.32Now therefore up by night, thou and the people that is with thee, and lie in wait in the field:33And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, thou shalt rise early, and set upon the city: and, behold, when he and the people that is with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to them as thou shalt find occasion.34And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.35And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from lying in wait.36And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.37And Gaal spake again and said, See there come people down by the middle of the land, and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim.38Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them.39And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.40And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate.41And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.42And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.43And 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.44And Abimelech, 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.45And Abimelech 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.46And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.47And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.48And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech 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.49And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.50Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.51But 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 gat them up to the top of the tower.52And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.53And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and all to brake his skull.54Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.55And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.56Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:57And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
51But 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 gat them up to the top of the tower.But there was a strong tower inside the city, and all the men, women, and leaders of the city fled there. They locked themselves in and went up to the roof of the tower.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 themselves in, and gat them up to the roof of the tower.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and a tower ofוּמִגְדַּל־u-mig-dal-H4026M
tower

מִגְדָּל (mig.dal) 1) tower 1a) tower 1b) elevated stage, pulpit 1c) raised bed

strengthעֹז֮'ozH5797
strength

עֹז (oz) 1) might, strength 1a) material or physical 1b) personal or social or political

it wasהָיָ֣הha-YAHH1961
to be

הָיָה (ha.yah) 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) …

in [the] middle ofבְתוֹךְ־ve-tokh-H8432
midst

תָּ֫וֶךְ (ta.vekh) 1) midst, middle 1a) midst, middle 1b) into, through (after verbs of motion) 1c) among (of a number of persons) 1d) between (of things arranged by twos) 1e) from among (as to take or separate etc)

the cityהָעִיר֒ha-'IRH5892B
city

עִיר (ir) 1) city, town (a place of waking, guarded) 1a) city, town (a place of waking, guarded) 1a) city, town

and they fledוַיָּנֻ֨סוּvai-ya-NU-suH5127
to flee

נוּד (nud) (P'al) to flee Aramaic of nus (נוּס "to flee" H5127)

there towardsשָׁ֜מָּהSHA-mahH8033G
there

שָׁם (sham) 1) there, thither 1a) there 1b) thither (after verbs of motion) 1c) from there, thence 1d) then (as an adverb of time) Aramaic equivalent: tam.mah (תַּמָּה "there" H8536)

allכָּל־kol-H3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

the menהָאֲנָשִׁ֣יםha-'a-na-SHIMH0582
human

אֱנוֹשׁ (e.nosh) 1) man, mortal man, person, mankind 1a) of an individual 1b) men (collective) 1c) man, mankind Aramaic equivalent: e.nash (אֱנָשׁ "man" H0606)

and the womenוְהַנָּשִׁ֗יםve-ha-na-SHIMH0802G
woman

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) : woman 1) woman, wife, female 1a) woman (opposite of man) 1b) wife (woman married to a man) 1c) female (of animals) 1d) each, every (pronoun)

and allוְכֹל֙ve-KHOLH3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

[the] citizens ofבַּעֲלֵ֣יba-'a-LEIH1167G
master

בַּעַל (ba.al) : master/leader 1) owner, husband, lord 1a) owner 1b) a husband 1c) citizens, inhabitants 1d) rulers, lords 1e) (noun of relationship used to characterise-ie, master of dreams)

the cityהָעִ֔ירha-'IRH5892B
city

עִיר (ir) 1) city, town (a place of waking, guarded) 1a) city, town (a place of waking, guarded) 1a) city, town

and they shut [the] doorוַֽיִּסְגְּר֖וּvai-yis-ge-RUH5462
to shut

סָגַר (sa.gar) 1) to shut, close 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to shut 1a2) to close, close up 1a3) closed up, closely joined, shut up 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be shut up 1b2) to be shut or closed 1c) (Piel) to shut up, deliver up 1d) (Pual) to be shut up 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to deliver up 1e2) to shut up, imprison 2) pure gold Aramaic equivalent: se.gar (סְגַר "to shut" H5463)

behind themבַּעֲדָ֑םba-'a-DAMH1157
about/through/for

בַּ֫עַד (be.ad) 1) behind, through, round about, on behalf of, away from, about 1a) through (of action) 1b) behind (with verbs of shutting) 1c) about (with verbs of fencing) 1d) on behalf of (metaph. especially with Hithpael)

and they went upוַֽיַּעֲל֖וּvai-ya-'a-LUH5927G
to ascend: rise

עָלָה (a.lah) : rise/go 1) to go up, ascend, climb 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go up, ascend 1a2) to meet, visit, follow, depart, withdraw, retreat 1a3) to go up, come up (of animals) 1a4) to spring up, grow, shoot forth (of vegetation) 1a5) to go up, go up over, rise (of natural phenomenon) 1a6) to come up (before God) 1a7) to go up, go up over, extend (of boundary) 1a8) to excel, be superior to 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be taken up, be brought up, be taken away 1b2) to take oneself away 1b3) to be exalted 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to bring up, cause to ascend or climb, cause to go up 1c2) to bring up, bring against, take away …

onעַל־'al-H5921A
upon

עַל (al) prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) …

[the] roof ofגַּ֥גgagH1406
roof

גָּג (gag) 1) roof, top, housetop 1a) roof (of house) 1b) top (of altar of incense)

the towerהַמִּגְדָּֽל׃ha-mig-DALH4026M
tower

מִגְדָּל (mig.dal) 1) tower 1a) tower 1b) elevated stage, pulpit 1c) raised bed

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.