12. “The trees said to the vine, ‘Come and reign over us.’
13. “The vine said to them, ‘Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?’
14. “Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘Come and reign over us.’
15. “The bramble said to the trees, ‘If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’
16. “Now therefore, if you have dealt truly and righteously, in that you have made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him according to the deserving of his hands
17. (for my father fought for you, and risked his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian;
18. and you have risen up against my father’s house today, and have slain his sons, seventy persons, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother);
19. if you then have dealt truly and righteously with Jerubbaal and with his house today, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you;
20. but 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.”
21. Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and lived there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
22. Abimelech was prince over Israel three years.
23. Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech,
24. that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and that their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers.
25. The men of Shechem set an ambush for him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who came along that way by them, and Abimelech was told about it.
26. Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers, and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their trust in him.
27. They went out into the field, harvested their vineyards, trod the grapes, celebrated, and went into the house of their god, and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech.