Abimelech
1 Gideon's son Abimelech went to the town of Shechem, where all his mother's relatives lived, and told them 2 to ask the men of Shechem, “Which would you prefer? To have all seventy of Gideon's sons govern you or to have just one man? Remember that Abimelech is your own flesh and blood.” 3 His mother's relatives talked to the men of Shechem about this for him, and the men of Shechem decided to follow Abimelech because he was their relative. 4 They gave him seventy pieces of silver from the temple of Baal-of-the-Covenant, and with this money he hired a bunch of worthless scoundrels to join him. 5 He went to his father's house at Ophrah, and there on top of a single stone he killed his seventy brothers, Gideon's sons. But Jotham, Gideon's youngest son, hid and was not killed. 6 Then all the men of Shechem and Bethmillo got together and went to the sacred oak tree at Shechem, where they made Abimelech king.
7 When Jotham heard about this, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim and shouted out to them, “Listen to me, you men of Shechem, and God may listen to you! 8 Once upon a time the trees went out to choose a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’ 9 The olive tree answered, ‘In order to govern you, I would have to stop producing my oil, which is used to honor gods and human beings.’ 10 Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and be our king.’ 11 But the fig tree answered, ‘In order to govern you, I would have to stop producing my good sweet fruit.’ 12 So the trees then said to the grapevine, ‘You come and be our king.’ 13 But the vine answered, ‘In order to govern you, I would have to stop producing my wine, that makes gods and human beings happy.’ 14 So then all the trees said to the thorn bush, ‘You come and be our king.’ 15 The thorn bush answered, ‘If you really want to make me your king, then come and take shelter in my shade. If you don't, fire will blaze out of my thorny branches and burn up the cedars of Lebanon.’
16 “Now then,” Jotham continued, “were you really honest and sincere when you made Abimelech king? Did you respect Gideon's memory and treat his family properly, as his actions deserved? 17 Remember that my father fought for you. He risked his life to save you from the Midianites. 18 But today you turned against my father's family. You killed his sons—seventy men on a single stone—and just because Abimelech, his son by his servant woman, is your relative, you have made him king of Shechem. 19 Now then, if what you did today to Gideon and his family was sincere and honest, then be happy with Abimelech and let him be happy with you. 20 But if not, may fire blaze out from Abimelech and burn up the men of Shechem and Bethmillo. May fire blaze out from the men of Shechem and Bethmillo and burn Abimelech up.” 21 Then because he was afraid of his brother Abimelech, Jotham ran away and went to live at Beer.
22 Abimelech ruled Israel for three years. 23 Then God made Abimelech and the men of Shechem hostile to each other, and they rebelled against Abimelech. 24 This happened so that Abimelech and the men of Shechem, who encouraged him to murder Gideon's seventy sons, would pay for their crime. 25 The men of Shechem put men in ambush against Abimelech on the mountaintops, and they robbed everyone who passed their way. Abimelech was told about this.
26 Then Gaal son of Ebed came to Shechem with his brothers, and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him. 27 They all went out into their vineyards and picked the grapes, made wine from them, and held a festival. They went into the temple of their god, where they ate and drank and made fun of Abimelech. 28 Gaal said, “What kind of men are we in Shechem? Why are we serving Abimelech? Who is he, anyway? The son of Gideon! And Zebul takes orders from him, but why should we serve him? Be loyal to your ancestor Hamor, who founded your clan! 29 I wish I were leading this people! I would get rid of Abimelech! I would tell him, ‘Reinforce your army, come on out and fight!’”
30 Zebul, the ruler of the city, became angry when he heard what Gaal had said. 31 He sent messengers to Abimelech at Arumah to say, “Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem, and they are not going to let you into the city. 32 Now then, you and your men should move by night and hide in the fields. 33 Get up tomorrow morning at sunrise and make a sudden attack on the city. Then when Gaal and his men come out against you, hit them with all you've got!”
34 So Abimelech and all his men made their move at night and hid outside Shechem in four groups. 35 When Abimelech and his men saw Gaal come out and stand at the city gate, they got up from their hiding places. 36 Gaal saw them and said to Zebul, “Look! There are men coming down from the mountaintops!”
“Those are not men,” Zebul answered. “They are just shadows on the mountains.”
37 Gaal said again, “Look! There are men coming down the crest of the mountain and one group is coming along the road from the oak tree of the fortunetellers!”
38 Then Zebul said to him, “Where is all your big talk now? You were the one who asked why we should serve this man Abimelech. These are the men you were making fun of. Go on out now and fight them.” 39 Gaal led the men of Shechem out and fought Abimelech. 40 Abimelech started after Gaal, and Gaal ran. Many were wounded, even at the city gate. 41 Abimelech lived in Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem, so that they could no longer live there.
42 The next day Abimelech found out that the people of Shechem were planning to go out into the fields, 43 so he took his men, divided them into three groups, and hid in the fields, waiting. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he came out of hiding to kill them. 44 While Abimelech and his group hurried forward to guard the city gate, the other two companies attacked the people in the fields and killed them all. 45 The fighting continued all day long. Abimelech captured the city, killed its people, tore it down, and covered the ground with salt.
46 When all the leading men in the fort at Shechem heard about this, they sought safety in the stronghold of the temple of Baal-of-the-Covenant. 47 Abimelech was told that they had gathered there, 48 so he went up to Mount Zalmon with his men. There he took an ax, cut a limb off a tree, and put it on his shoulder. He told his men to hurry and do the same thing. 49 So everyone cut off a tree limb; then they followed Abimelech and piled the wood up against the stronghold. They set it on fire, with the people inside, and all the people of the fort died—about a thousand men and women.
50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, surrounded that city, and captured it. 51 There was a strong tower there, and every man and woman in the city, including the leaders, ran to it. They locked themselves in and went up to the roof. 52 When Abimelech came to attack the tower, he went up to the door to set the tower on fire. 53 But a woman threw a millstone down on his head and fractured his skull. 54 Then he quickly called the young man who was carrying his weapons and told him, “Draw your sword and kill me. I don't want it said that a woman killed me.” So the young man ran him through, and he died. 55 When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they all went home.
56 And so it was that God paid Abimelech back for the crime that he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers. 57 God also made the men of Shechem suffer for their wickedness, just as Jotham, Gideon's son, said they would when he cursed them.
Abimelek
1 Nu Abimelek, omuzandu wa Jerubbaal, wa ya kOsikem komuhoko waina. Neye wa hungira kuna wo a tja: 2 “Arikaneye, kapureye otjiṋa hi ongahukiro kovature avehe va Sikem: ‘Tji tji ri otjiwa ku eṋe otjikeṋa, okongwi okuhonaparerwa i ovarumendu omirongo hambombari, avehe ovazandu va Jerubbaal, poo okongwi okuhonaparerwa i omurumendu umwe?’ Nu wina rizemburukeye kutja ami owami onyama nombinḓu yeṋu.” 3 Momuhoko waina ve kemuhungirira omambo nga aehe ongahukiro kovature va Sikem. Nowo ve ripura okukongorera Abimelek, tjinga ava tja: “Eye omuzamumwe wetu.” 4 Owo opu ve mu pera ovimariva ovisilveri omirongo hambombari okuza mondjuwo onḓere ya Baal-Beret. Novimariva mbi Abimelek wa kuta na vyo ovandu ovehinohepero novehinaunongo kutja ve mu kongorere. 5 Neye wa ya kondjuwo ya ihe mOofra na kazepera ovangu ve kewe rimwe, imba ovazandu va Jerubbaal, ovarumendu omirongo hambombari; nungwari Jotam, omuzandu wa Jerubbaal ongero, ongwa hupa po, tjinga a kaṱara. 6 Okuzambo ovature avehe va Sikem nova Milo otji va worongana, nave kazikira Abimelek pOmumbonde-wOtjizemburukiro mbu ri mOsikem a rire ombara.
7 Nowo tji va tjivisa otjiṋa hi ku Jotam, eye arire tja kakurama kondomba yondundu Garisim na yere eraka re ama ravaere nai ku wo: “Purateneye ku ami, vature va Sikem, kutja Ndjambi a puratene ku eṋe wina! 8 Eyuva rimwe omiti vya ya okukazika ombara yavyo navi katja nai komuṋinga: ‘Rira ombara yetu!’ 9 Nungwari imbwi omuṋinga wa zira au tja: ‘Hi ise okupitisa omaze wandje, ovisenginina novandu ngu ve ndji tangera, nu mbi katengerere kombanda yomiti are?’ 10 Nomiti arire tji vya tja komukuyu: ‘Ove indjo u karire ombara yetu!’ 11 Nungwari imbwi omukuyu wa tja nai ku vyo: ‘Hi ise okupitisa oruaze rwandje novihape vyandje oviwa, nu mbi katengerere kombanda yomiti are?’ 12 Nomiti arire tji vya tja komuvite: ‘Ove indjo u karire ombara yetu!’ 13 Nungwari imbwi omuvite wa tja nai ku vyo: ‘Hi ise okupitisa omeva wandje womandjembere nge yorokisa ovisenginina novandu, nu mbi katengerere kombanda yomiti are?’ 14 Nomiti avihe arire tji vya tja kotjimbuku: ‘Ove indjo u karire ombara yetu!’ 15 Notjimbuku tja tja nai komiti: ‘Eṋe tji mamu vanga katjotjiri okundjitwirisa mbi rire ombara yeṋu, indjeye mu wame momuzire wandje; ape he ri nao, omuriro mau zu motjimbuku nau seseta otupapa twa Libanon!’ ”
16 Jotam wa hungira komurungu na tja: “Eṋe nao mwa tjita mouatjiri na mouṱakame, tji mwa zika Abimelek a rire ombara are? Eṋe nao mwa tjita ouwa ku Jerubbaal neṱunḓu re, tji mwa tjita ku ye otja komayenenisiro wozondjito ze are? 17 Zemburukeye kutja tate wa rwira eṋe. Eye ka yamene omuinyo we mokumuyama kOvamidian. 18 Nungwari ndinondi eṋe mwa sekamena ondjuwo ya tate. Eṋe mwa zepera ovazandu ve, ovarumendu omirongo hambombari, kewe rimwe namu ziki Abimelek, omuzandu womukazendu we omumbanda, a rire ombara yovature va Sikem, eye tjinga a ri omuzamumwe weṋu. 19 Nu ndinondi eṋe tji mwa tjiti mouatjiri na mouṱakame ku Jerubbaal neṱunḓu re, yorokereye Abimelek, neye nga yorokere eṋe. 20 Nungwari ape he ri nao, ngamu pite omuriro mu Abimelek u sesete ovature va Sikem nova Milo; nu ngamu pite omuriro movature va Sikem nova Milo u sesete Abimeleke.” 21 Jotam otja tupuka na taurire kObeer na kakara ngo mena rokutira erumbi re Abimelek.
22 Abimelek wa honaparera Ovaisrael oure wozombura ndatu. 23 Ndjambi arire tja sekamisa ombepo ombi pokati ka Abimelek novature va Sikem, nowo va huhunuka ku Abimelek. 24 Otjiṋa hi tja tjitwa kutja ourunde mbwa tjitirwe kovazandu imba omirongo hambombari va Jerubbaal u sutisiwe, nokutja ombinḓu yawo i sutisiwe mu Abimelek, erumbi rawo, ngwe ve zepa, na wina movature va Sikem mbe mu vatera okuzepa ovangu ve. 25 Ovature va Sikem va twa ovandu motutatwa kozondomba zozondundu; nowo va huura omundu auhe ngwa kapitira mondjira. Nu ihi tja tjivisiwa ku Abimelek.
26 Nu Gaal, omuzandu wa Ebed, weya puna ovangu ve kOsikem; novature va Sikem va kara nonḓakameno mu ye. 27 Nowo avehe va ya kovikunino vyomivite, ave kapora omandjembere nokuyekama nave tjiti omukandi. Tjazumba otji va hita mondjuwo onḓere yotjisenginina ave ri, ave nu, nave tukana Abimelek. 28 Nu Gaal, omuzandu wa Ebed, wa tja nai: “Abimelek eye owaṋi, neṱe Ovasikem oweṱe ovakendu, kutja matu kara ovandu vokehi ye? Eye kamuzandu wa Jerubbaal, nu Sebul kamumuungurire are? Karereye ovarumendu va Hamor, ihe yomuhoko wa Sikem. Nu ingwi Abimelek matu mu karerere tjike? 29 Andakuzu otjiwaṋa hi tji ri kehi youvara wandje ami etje ramba Abimelek; etje mu raera nai: ‘Tji u notjimbumba otjinene tjovita, indjo, pita u rwe!’”
30 Sebul, omunane wotjihuro, tja zuva omambo nga wa Gaal, omuzandu wa Ebed, arire tja ṱomazenge tjinene. 31 Neye wa tuma ovahindwa mongumumu ku Abimelek kOaruma okukemutjivisa nai: “Tara Gaal, omuzandu wa Ebed, weya puna ovangu ve kOsikem, nowo mave ku hohizire ovandu motjihuro. 32 Rirongera ouṱuku mbunombwi, ove novarwe voye wovita, nu mu kaṱare mokuti motutatwa. 33 Nu omuhuka omunene tjipatji, rwisa otjihuro. Nu Gaal tja sekama novarwe ve wovita, tjita ku ye otja pu pe ṱa!”
34 Abimelek novarwe ve wovita avehe otji ve rirongera ouṱuku mbo nave kaṱara movimbumba vine motutatwa popezu na Sikem. 35 Gaal, omuzandu wa Ebed, tja pita pendje yotjihuro na kakurama pomuvero, Abimelek novarwe ve wovita arire tji va piti motutatwa twawo. 36 Nu Gaal tje ve muna wa tja nai ku Sebul: “Tjiri, ngwina maku rauka ovandu wovita kozondomba zozondundu.”
Nungwari Sebul we mu zira a tja: “Imbwo omuzire wozondundu mbu mo munu aayo ovandu.”
37 Nu Gaal wa tja nai rukwao: “Tara, maku rauka ovarwe komakapitiro wozondundu, notjimbumba tjimwe matji zire komukuma wOmumbonde wOndjai.”
38 Sebul opa tjera ku ye: “Otjinyo tjoye otjinene nambano tji ri pi tjiyo ravaere na tjo nai: ‘Ingwi Abimelek owaṋi kutja twa sokukara ovandu vokehi ye?’ Owo, owo mba ovandu vokehi ye? Owo, owo mba ovandu mbu wa nyengurire! Nambano sekama vari u karwe na wo!” 39 Gaal wa hongorera ovature va Sikem na karwisa Abimelek. 40 Gaal wa taura komurungu wa Abimelek, nu Abimelek we mu tezera. Novengi va ṱa nave saravara pehi nga pomuvero wotjihuro. 41 Nu Abimelek wa kara mOaruma, nungwari Sebul wa ramba Gaal novandu ve, ne ve tjaere okutura mOsikem.
42 Eyuva ekongorerwa raindo ovandu va Sikem va ya mokuti. Nu Abimelek wa hepurirwa otjiṋa ho. 43 Neye opa toorera ovarwe ve, e ve haṋa movimbumba vitatu ne ve twara mokuti motutatwa. Neye tja muna kutja ovandu mave piti motjihuro, eye wina otja pita motutatwa twe ne ve zepa. 44 Abimelek wa purukuta notjimbumba tje nga pomuvero wotjihuro na kakurama mbo. Nu ovimbumba mbi vivari vyarwe vya rwisa ovandu mba ri mokuti, navi zepa avehe. 45 Abimelek wa rwisa otjihuro oure weyuva ndo arihe. Neye wa kambura otjihuro na zepa avehe, mba ri mu tjo. Okuzambo eye wa hahaura otjihuro na handjaurire mo omongwa.
46 Novature avehe votjiṱunga tja Sikem tji va zuva otjiṋa hi otji va kahita metuwo rokehi rondjuwo onḓere ya Baal-Beret. 47 Abimelek wa raerwa kutja ovature avehe votjiṱunga tja Sikem va woronganene mo. 48 Nu Abimelek wa ronda kondundu Salmon puna ovarumendu ve wovita. Neye wa toora ekuva na ke na ro orutavi rwomuti; arire tje ru toora e ru twa kotjiṱuve tje na tja nai kovarumendu ve wovita mba ri puna ye: “Ihi tji mwa munu tji mba tjiti, tji tjiteye wina mohakahana.” 49 Ovarumendu va Abimelek avehe wovita otji va ka auhe orutavi rwe, ave mu kongorere nave katendeka otutavi twi kombanda yetuwo ndi rokehi. Nowo ve tu hwikira kombanda yetuwo rokehi, ngunda amwa ri ovandu mba avehe votjiṱunga tja Sikem; nu mwa tira ovarumendu novakazendu mangara eyovi rimwe.
50 Tjazumba Abimelek otja ya kOtebes, arire tje ketjikovera ne tji kambura. 51 Mokati kotjihuro hi mwa ri otjiretundu otjinamasa, novarumendu novakazendu novanane avehe votjihuro va taurira ku tjo; nowo ve ripatera mo, narire tji va karonda komututu wotjiretundu. 52 Abimelek weya nga potjiretundu ne tji rwisa. Neye wa ryama nga omahitiro wotjiretundu hi kutja e tji nyose. 53 Nungwari omukazendu worive wa yemena ewe rotjikweyero kotjiuru tje, ne mu nyanyaura otjikongo. 54 Nu Abimelek wa rakiza omukarere we, omutjinde woviyumbe vye, a tja ku ye: “Nana engaruvyo roye u ndji zepe. Ami hi nokuvanga kutja ku kaze mba ṱa i omukazendu.” Omukarere we ope mu tuvakaṋisira engaruvyo, neye arire tja koka. 55 Novarumendu Ovaisrael tji va muna kutja Abimelek wa koka, avehe otji va yaruka kozoyawo.
56 Komuhingo mbwi Ndjambi opa sutisira ouvi Abimelek mbwa tjitire ku ihe mokuzepa omarumbi we omirongo hambombari. 57 Imbwi ouvi wovarumendu va Sikem Ndjambi we u yarura mu wo oveni; nosengiro ya Jotam, omuzandu wa Jerubbaal, ye ya kombanda yawo.
