4-5. They gave him seventy silver pieces from the shrine of Baal-of-the-Covenant. With the money he hired some reckless riffraff soldiers and they followed along after him. He went to his father’s house in Ophrah and killed his half brothers, the sons of Jerub-Baal—seventy men! And on one stone! The youngest, Jotham son of Jerub-Baal, managed to hide, the only survivor.
6. Then all the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo gathered at the Oak by the Standing Stone at Shechem and crowned Abimelech king.
7-9. When this was all told to Jotham, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim, raised his voice, and shouted:Listen to me, leaders of Shechem.And let God listen to you!The trees set out one dayto anoint a king for themselves.They said to Olive Tree,“Rule over us.”But Olive Tree told them,“Am I no longer good for making oilThat gives glory to gods and men,and to be demoted to waving over trees?”
10-11. The trees then said to Fig Tree,“You come and rule over us.”But Fig Tree said to them,“Am I no longer good for making sweets,My mouthwatering sweet fruits,and to be demoted to waving over trees?”
12-13. The trees then said to Vine,“You come and rule over us.”But Vine said to them,“Am I no longer good for making wine,Wine that cheers gods and men,and to be demoted to waving over trees?”
14-15. All the trees then said to Tumbleweed,“You come and reign over us.”But Tumbleweed said to the trees:“If you’re serious about making me your king,Come and find shelter in my shade.But if not, let fire shoot from Tumbleweedand burn down the cedars of Lebanon!”
16-20. “Now listen: Do you think you did a right and honorable thing when you made Abimelech king? Do you think you treated Jerub-Baal and his family well, did for him what he deserved? My father fought for you, risked his own life, and rescued you from Midian’s tyranny, and you have, just now, betrayed him. You massacred his sons—seventy men on a single stone! You made Abimelech, the son by his maidservant, king over Shechem’s leaders because he’s your relative. If you think that this is an honest day’s work, this way you have treated Jerub-Baal today, then enjoy Abimelech and let him enjoy you. But if not, let fire break from Abimelech and burn up the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo. And let fire break from the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo and burn up Abimelech.”
21. And Jotham fled. He ran for his life. He went to Beer and settled down there, because he was afraid of his brother Abimelech.
22-24. Abimelech ruled over Israel for three years. Then God brought bad blood between Abimelech and Shechem’s leaders, who now worked treacherously behind his back. Violence boomeranged: The murderous violence that killed the seventy brothers, the sons of Jerub-Baal, was now loose among Abimelech and Shechem’s leaders, who had supported the violence.
25. To undermine Abimelech, Shechem’s leaders put men in ambush on the mountain passes who robbed travelers on those roads. And Abimelech was told.
26-27. At that time Gaal son of Ebed arrived with his relatives and moved into Shechem. The leaders of Shechem trusted him. One day they went out into the fields, gathered grapes in the vineyards, and trod them in the winepress. Then they held a celebration in their god’s temple, a feast, eating and drinking. And then they started putting down Abimelech.