Abimelech son of Baal-Fighter (or Gideon) went to his mother’s brothers and to the rest of her clan in Shechem and said to them, “Ask all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Which do you prefer: to have just one man as your ruler or have seventy of Baal-Fighter’s sons rule over you?’ And don’t forget, I’m your own flesh and blood.”
When the brothers repeated these words to the leaders of Shechem, their hearts were drawn to Abimelech, for they said, “He is from our hometown and from our own clan.” They gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, and Abimelech used it to hire reckless scoundrels to follow him. He went to his father’s home in Ophrah and on one stone executed his seventy brothers, the sons of Baal-Fighter. Jotham, Baal-Fighter’s youngest son, escaped and went into hiding. All the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo gathered beside the sacred tree at the pillar in Shechem and crowned Abimelech king.
When Jotham learned about this, he climbed up on the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted: “Listen to me, citizens of Shechem, so that God may listen to you. All the trees one day determined to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’
“But the olive tree answered, ‘What? Give up my rich oil that is used to honor both gods and men, to hold sway over the trees?’
“Next, the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and be our king.’
“But the fig tree replied, ‘What? Give up my good, sweet fruit to hold sway over the trees?’
“Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and be our king.’
“But the vine answered, ‘What? Give up my wine, which cheers both gods and men, to hold sway over the trees?’
“Finally, all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be our king.’
“The thornbush replied, ‘If you really want to anoint me your king, then come and put your trust in my shade. If you don’t, then let fire blaze out of my thorny branches and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’
“Now then let me ask you this: Do you really think you did a right and honorable thing when you made Abimelech king? Do you think you treated Baal-Fighter and his family fairly? And to think that my father fought for you, and risked his life to save you from the power of the Midianites! Today, you have revolted against my father’s family, murdered his seventy sons on a single stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his slave girl, king over the citizens of Shechem because he’s your close relative. What were you thinking? If you have acted honorably and done what is right by Baal-Fighter and his family today, then may you enjoy Abimelech, this thornbush king of yours, and may he enjoy you too! But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and consume you, citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and let fire come out from you, citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and consume Abimelech!”
After shouting these words, Jotham ran away and went to live at the Well because he was afraid of his brother Abimelech.
After Abimelech had ruled Israel for three years, God sent a spirit to stir up hostility between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem, and they rebelled against him. God sent this judgment in order to avenge the brutal murder of Baal-Fighter’s seventy sons and the shedding of their blood. Righteous retribution caught up with both Abimelech, who had instigated the murder of his half brothers, and the citizens of Shechem, who had aided and abetted him. In their uprising against Abimelech, the citizens of Shechem placed bandits on the hilltops to ambush and rob everyone who passed by, and Abimelech heard of their treachery.
One day, a man named Gaal son of Ebed moved with his clan into Shechem, and Gaal won the confidence of the people. After the grape harvest, they trod the grapes and celebrated a festival in the temple of Baal, their god. While they were drinking and feasting, they cursed Abimelech. Gaal son of Ebed rose and said, “Who is this Abimelech? We are the Shechemites now! Why should we serve him? Isn’t he Baal-Fighter’s son, and isn’t the governor of our city Zebul his deputy? Why should we take orders from him; we are descendants of Hamor, Shechem’s founder. Why should we be slaves of Abimelech? If only the people of Shechem were under my command, then I would get rid of him. I would say to Abimelech, ‘Assemble your whole army! We’ll defeat them all!’ ”
Zebul, the governor of the city, was infuriated when he heard of the taunts of Gaal son of Ebed. He secretly sent messengers to Abimelech, saying, “Gaal son of Ebed and his clan have come to Shechem. They’re inciting the entire city against you. Now then, under the cover of darkness, you and your men should come and take up concealed positions in the fields. At sunrise launch your surprise attack and advance against the city. When Gaal and his men come out to face you, fight them with all of your might.”
So Abimelech and all his men set out by night and took up concealed positions near Shechem in four groups. Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city just as Abimelech and his soldiers got up from their hiding places.
When Gaal saw them, he said to Zebul, “Look, an army is marching down from the hilltops!”
Zebul replied, “That’s nothing but shadows in the hills; they only look like men.”
Gaal spoke up again: “No, look! I see people coming down the center, and another group from the direction of Oracle Oak.”
Then Zebul said to him, “Where is all your big talk now? Weren’t you the loudmouth who said, ‘Who is Abimelech that he could make us his slaves?’ The men you ridiculed are now coming to fight you! Go ahead—go and fight them!”
So Gaal led the men of Shechem and went out to fight Abimelech. Abimelech chased him, and many Shechemites fell wounded and died before they could retreat to the city gate. Abimelech returned to his headquarters at Arumah, while Zebul drove Gaal and his clan out of Shechem.
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