18. and ye have risen against the house of my father to-day, and slay his sons, seventy men, on one stone, and cause Abimelech son of his handmaid to reign over the masters of Shechem, because he [is] your brother--
19. yea, if in truth and in sincerity ye have acted with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, rejoice ye in Abimelech, and he doth rejoice--even he--in you;
20. and if not--fire cometh out from Abimelech and devoureth the masters of Shechem and the house of Millo, and fire cometh out from the masters of Shechem and from the house of Millo, and devoureth Abimelech.'
21. And Jotham hasteth, and fleeth, and goeth to Beer, and dwelleth there, from the face of Abimelech his brother.
22. And Abimelech is prince over Israel three years,
23. and God sendeth an evil spirit between Abimelech and the masters of Shechem, and the masters of Shechem deal treacherously with Abimelech,
24. for the coming in of the violence [to] the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, and of their blood to place [it] on Abimelech their brother, who slew them, and on the masters of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to slay his brethren.
25. And the masters of Shechem set for him ambushes on the top of the hills, and rob every one who passeth over by them in the way, and it is declared to Abimelech.
26. And Gaal son of Ebed cometh--also his brethren--and they pass over into Shechem, and the masters of Shechem trust in him,
27. and go out into the field, and gather their vineyards, and tread, and make praises, and go into the house of their god, and eat and drink, and revile Abimelech.
28. And Gaal son of Ebed saith, `Who [is] Abimelech, and who [is] Shechem, that we serve him? is [he] not son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his commander? Serve ye the men of Hamor father of Shechem, and wherefore do we serve him--we?
29. and oh that this people were in my hand--then I turn Abimelech aside;' and he saith to Abimelech, `Increase thy host, and come out.'
30. And Zebul, prince of the city, heareth the words of Gaal son of Ebed, and his anger burneth,
31. and he sendeth messengers unto Abimelech deceitfully, saying, `Lo, Gaal son of Ebed and his brethren are coming into Shechem, and lo, they are fortifying the city against thee;
32. and, now, rise by night, thou and the people who [are] with thee, and lay wait in the field,
33. and it hath been, in the morning, about the rising of the sun, thou dost rise early, and hast pushed against the city; and lo, he and the people who [are] with him are going out unto thee-- and thou hast done to him as thy hand doth find.'
34. And Abimelech riseth, and all the people who [are] with him, by night, and they lay wait against Shechem--four detachments;
35. and Gaal son of Ebed goeth out, and standeth at the opening of the gate of the city, and Abimelech riseth--also the people who [are] with him--from the ambush,
36. and Gaal seeth the people, and saith unto Zebul, `Lo, people are coming down from the top of the hills;' and Zebul saith unto him, `The shadow of the hills thou art seeing like men.'