16. “If you acted with sincerity and integrity when you made Abimelech king, ⌊be happy.⌋ If you treated Jerubbaal and his family well, if you treated him as he deserved, be happy.
17. My father fought for you. He risked his life and rescued you from Midian.
18. But today you have attacked my father’s family. You have executed his 70 sons. You have made Abimelech, who is the son of my father’s slave girl, king over the citizens of Shechem just because he’s your brother.
19. So if you are now acting with sincerity and integrity toward Jerubbaal and his family, then be happy with Abimelech and let Abimelech be happy with you.
20. But if that’s not the case, let fire come out of Abimelech and burn up citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo. Also let fire come out of citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo and burn up Abimelech.”
21. Then Jotham ran away quickly. He went to Beerah and lived there ⌊to avoid⌋ his brother Abimelech.
22. Abimelech ruled Israel for three years.
23. Then God sent an evil spirit to cause problems between Abimelech and citizens of Shechem. So citizens of Shechem turned against Abimelech.
24. God did this so that the bloody violence committed against Jerubbaal’s 70 sons would happen to Abimelech and citizens of Shechem. Citizens of Shechem had helped Abimelech execute his brothers.
25. So citizens of Shechem set ambushes for Abimelech on top of the mountains. They also robbed everyone who passed by them on the road. This was reported to Abimelech.
26. Then Gaal (son of Ebed) and his brothers moved into Shechem. Citizens of Shechem trusted him.
27. They went into the country and harvested grapes in the vineyards to make wine. Then they made an offering of praise in the temple of their gods. They ate, drank, and cursed Abimelech.
28. Gaal (son of Ebed) said, “Who’s Abimelech, and who are we, the people of Shechem, that we should serve him? Isn’t he Jerubbaal’s son, and isn’t Zebul his officer? Serve the descendants of Hamor, Shechem’s father! Why should we serve Abimelech?
29. How I wish I controlled these people! Then I’d get rid of Abimelech. I would tell him, ‘Get yourself a big army and come out.’ ”
30. Zebul, Shechem’s ruler, heard what Gaal (son of Ebed) had said, and he became angry.
31. He secretly sent messengers to Abimelech. “Watch out! Gaal (son of Ebed) and his brothers have come to Shechem. They have turned the city against you.
32. You and your men must start out tonight. Set an ambush ⌊for them⌋ in the fields ⌊around Shechem⌋.