1 Abiit autem Abimelech filius Jerobaal in Sichem ad fratres matris suæ, et locutus est ad eos, et ad omnem cognationem domus patris matris suæ, dicens: 2 Loquimini ad omnes viros Sichem: Quid vobis est melius, ut dominentur vestri septuaginta viri omnes filii Jerobaal, an ut dominetur unus vir? simulque considerate quod os vestrum et caro vestra sum. 3 Locutique sunt fratres matris ejus de eo ad omnes viros Sichem universos sermones istos, et inclinaverunt cor eorum post Abimelech, dicentes: Frater noster est. 4 Dederuntque illi septuaginta pondo argenti de fano Baalberit. Qui conduxit sibi ex eo viros inopes et vagos, secutique sunt eum. 5 Et venit in domum patris sui in Ephra, et occidit fratres suos filios Jerobaal, septuaginta viros super lapidem unum: remansitque Joatham filius Jerobaal minimus, et absconditus est. 6 Congregati sunt autem omnes viri Sichem, et universæ familiæ urbis Mello: abieruntque et constituerunt regem Abimelech, juxta quercum quæ stabat in Sichem. 7 Quod cum nuntiatum esset Joatham, ivit, et stetit in vertice montis Garizim: elevataque voce, clamavit, et dixit: Audite me, viri Sichem; ita audiat vos Deus. 8 Ierunt ligna, ut ungerent super se regem: dixeruntque olivæ: Impera nobis. 9 Quæ respondit: Numquid possum deserere pinguedinem meam, qua et dii utuntur et homines, et venire ut inter ligna promovear? 10 Dixeruntque ligna ad arborem ficum: Veni, et super nos regnum accipe. 11 Quæ respondit eis: Numquid possum deserere dulcedinem meam, fructusque suavissimos, et ire ut inter cetera ligna promovear? 12 Locutaque sunt ligna ad vitem: Veni, et impera nobis. 13 Quæ respondit eis: Numquid possum deserere vinum meum, quod lætificat Deum et homines, et inter ligna cetera promoveri? 14 Dixeruntque omnia ligna ad rhamnum: Veni, et impera super nos. 15 Quæ respondit eis: Si vere me regem vobis constituitis, venite, et sub umbra mea requiescite: si autem non vultis, egrediatur ignis de rhamno, et devoret cedros Libani. 16 Nunc igitur, si recte et absque peccato constituistis super vos regem Abimelech, et bene egistis cum Jerobaal, et cum domo ejus, et reddidistis vicem beneficiis ejus, qui pugnavit pro vobis, 17 et animam suam dedit periculis, ut erueret vos de manu Madian, 18 qui nunc surrexistis contra domum patris mei, et interfecistis filios ejus septuaginta viros super unum lapidem, et constituistis regem Abimelech filium ancillæ ejus super habitatores Sichem, eo quod frater vester sit: 19 si ergo recte et absque vitio egistis cum Jerobaal et domo ejus, hodie lætamini in Abimelech, et ille lætetur in vobis. 20 Sin autem perverse: egrediatur ignis ex eo, et consumat habitatores Sichem, et oppidum Mello: egrediaturque ignis de viris Sichem, et de oppido Mello, et devoret Abimelech. 21 Quæ cum dixisset, fugit, et abiit in Bera: habitavitque ibi ob metum Abimelech fratris sui. 22 Regnavit itaque Abimelech super Israël tribus annis. 23 Misitque Dominus spiritum pessimum inter Abimelech et habitatores Sichem: qui cœperunt eum detestari, 24 et scelus interfectionis septuaginta filiorum Jerobaal, et effusionem sanguinis eorum conferre in Abimelech fratrem suum, et in ceteros Sichimorum principes, qui eum adjuverant. 25 Posueruntque insidias adversus eum in summitate montium: et dum illius præstolabantur adventum, exercebant latrocinia, agentes prædas de prætereuntibus: nuntiatumque est Abimelech. 26 Venit autem Gaal filius Obed cum fratribus suis, et transivit in Sichimam. Ad cujus adventum erecti habitatores Sichem, 27 egressi sunt in agros, vastantes vineas, uvasque calcantes: et factis cantantium choris, ingressi sunt fanum dei sui, et inter epulas et pocula maledicebant Abimelech, 28 clamante Gaal filio Obed: Quis est Abimelech, et quæ est Sichem, ut serviamus ei? numquid non est filius Jerobaal, et constituit principem Zebul servum suum super viros Emor patris Sichem? cur ergo serviemus ei? 29 utinam daret aliquis populum istum sub manu mea, ut auferrem de medio Abimelech. Dictumque est Abimelech: Congrega exercitus multitudinem, et veni. 30 Zebul enim princeps civitatis, auditis sermonibus Gaal filii Obed, iratus est valde, 31 et misit clam ad Abimelech nuntios, dicens: Ecce Gaal filius Obed venit in Sichimam cum fratribus suis, et oppugnat adversum te civitatem. 32 Surge itaque nocte cum populo qui tecum est, et latita in agro: 33 et primo mane, oriente sole, irrue super civitatem. Illo autem egrediente adversum te cum populo suo, fac ei quod potueris. 34 Surrexit itaque Abimelech cum omni exercitu suo nocte, et tetendit insidias juxta Sichimam in quatuor locis. 35 Egressusque est Gaal filius Obed, et stetit in introitu portæ civitatis. Surrexit autem Abimelech, et omnis exercitus cum eo, de insidiarum loco. 36 Cumque vidisset populum Gaal, dixit ad Zebul: Ecce de montibus multitudo descendit. Cui ille respondit: Umbras montium vides quasi capita hominum, et hoc errore deciperis. 37 Rursumque Gaal ait: Ecce populus de umbilico terræ descendit, et unus cuneus venit per viam quæ respicit quercum. 38 Cui dixit Zebul: Ubi est nunc os tuum, quo loquebaris: Quis est Abimelech ut serviamus ei? nonne hic populus est, quem despiciebas? egredere, et pugna contra eum. 39 Abiit ergo Gaal, spectante Sichimorum populo, et pugnavit contra Abimelech, 40 qui persecutus est eum fugientem, et in urbem compulit: cecideruntque ex parte ejus plurimi, usque ad portam civitatis. 41 Et Abimelech sedit in Ruma: Zebul autem Gaal et socios ejus expulit de urbe, nec in ea passus est commorari. 42 Sequenti ergo die, egressus est populus in campum. Quod cum nuntiatum esset Abimelech, 43 tulit exercitum suum, et divisit in tres turmas, tendens insidias in agris. Vidensque quod egrederetur populus de civitate, surrexit, et irruit in eos 44 cum cuneo suo, oppugnans et obsidens civitatem: duæ autem turmæ palantes per campum adversarios persequebantur. 45 Porro Abimelech omni die illo oppugnabat urbem: quam cepit, interfectis habitatoribus ejus, ipsaque destructa, ita ut sal in ea dispergeret. 46 Quod cum audissent qui habitabant in turre Sichimorum, ingressi sunt fanum dei sui Berith, ubi fœdus cum eo pepigerant, et ex eo locus nomen acceperat: qui erat munitus valde. 47 Abimelech quoque audiens viros turris Sichimorum pariter conglobatos, 48 ascendit in montem Selmon cum omni populo suo: et arrepta securi, præcidit arboris ramum, impositumque ferens humero, dixit ad socios: Quod me videtis facere, cito facite. 49 Igitur certatim ramos de arboribus præcidentes, sequebantur ducem. Qui circumdantes præsidium, succenderunt: atque ita factum est, ut fumo et igne mille homines necarentur, viri pariter et mulieres, habitatorum turris Sichem. 50 Abimelech autem inde proficiscens venit ad oppidum Thebes, quod circumdans obsidebat exercitu. 51 Erat autem turris excelsa in media civitate, ad quam confugerant simul viri ac mulieres, et omnes principes civitatis, clausa firmissime janua, et super turris tectum stantes per propugnacula. 52 Accedensque Abimelech juxta turrim, pugnabat fortiter: et appropinquans ostio, ignem supponere nitebatur: 53 et ecce una mulier fragmen molæ desuper jaciens, illisit capiti Abimelech, et confregit cerebrum ejus. 54 Qui vocavit cito armigerum suum, et ait ad eum: Evagina gladium tuum, et percute me, ne forte dicatur quod a femina interfectus sim. Qui jussa perficiens, interfecit eum. 55 Illoque mortuo, omnes qui cum eo erant de Israël, reversi sunt in sedes suas: 56 et reddidit Deus malum quod fecerat Abimelech contra patrem suum, interfectis septuaginta fratribus suis. 57 Sichimitis quoque quod operati erant, retributum est, et venit super eos maledictio Joatham filii Jerobaal.
Judges 9 Clementine Vulgate
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Abimelech
Son of Gideon by his concubine in Shechem who murdered his seventy brothers on one stone, was made king by the leaders of Shechem, reigned three years, and died at Thebez when a…
Cited in the guide: Judges 8:31; Judges 9:1; Judges 9:6
Ebed
Named only as the father of Gaal, who rebelled against Abimelech at Shechem.
Cited in the guide: Judges 9:26; Judges 9:28; Judges 9:31
Gaal
Son of Ebed who came to Shechem with his brothers, won the confidence of its leaders and challenged Abimelech, but was defeated and driven out of the city.
Cited in the guide: Judges 9:26; Judges 9:28; Judges 9:41
Jotham
Gideon's youngest son and sole survivor of Abimelech's massacre, who told the parable of the trees from Mount Gerizim and whose curse came upon Abimelech and Shechem.
Cited in the guide: Judges 9:5; Judges 9:7; Judges 9:21
Zebul
Abimelech's officer and governor of Shechem who warned him of Gaal's revolt and then drove Gaal out of the city.
Cited in the guide: Judges 9:28; Judges 9:30; Judges 9:36
Cross references (44)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Judges 8:31; Psalm 83:2–4; Genesis 34:2; 1 Kings 12:1; Genesis 33:18
- 2 Genesis 29:14; Judges 8:30; 1 Chronicles 11:1; Hebrews 2:14; 2 Samuel 19:13
- 3 Genesis 29:15; Psalm 10:3; Proverbs 1:11–14
- 4 Judges 8:33; 2 Chronicles 13:7; Proverbs 12:11; Acts 17:5; Judges 11:3
- 5 2 Kings 11:1–2; 2 Chronicles 21:4; Judges 6:24; Matthew 2:16; 2 Kings 10:17
- 6 2 Samuel 5:9; 1 Kings 12:25; 2 Kings 12:20; Joshua 24:26; 1 Kings 12:20
- 7 Deuteronomy 11:29; Isaiah 1:15; Deuteronomy 27:12; Proverbs 28:9; John 4:20
- 8 Daniel 4:10–18; Judges 8:22–23; 2 Kings 14:9; Ezekiel 17:3–10
- 9 Exodus 29:2; Psalm 104:15; Job 1:7; Acts 4:27; Acts 10:38
- 11 Luke 13:6–7
- 13 Ecclesiastes 10:19; Numbers 15:10; Psalm 104:15; Numbers 15:5; Proverbs 31:6
- 14 2 Kings 14:9
- 15 Isaiah 30:2; Isaiah 2:13; Judges 9:20; Hosea 14:7; Isaiah 37:24
- 16 Judges 8:35
- 17 Romans 5:8; Judges 7:1–25; Revelation 12:11; Esther 4:16; Romans 16:4
- 18 Judges 9:5–6; Psalm 109:4; Judges 8:35; Judges 9:14; Judges 8:30–31
- 19 Isaiah 8:6; James 4:16; Philippians 3:3
- 20 Judges 9:15; Judges 9:56–57; Psalm 140:10; 2 Chronicles 20:22–23; Psalm 28:4
- 21 Numbers 21:16; Joshua 19:8; 2 Samuel 20:14
- 23 Isaiah 33:1; Isaiah 19:14; 2 Thessalonians 2:11–12; Isaiah 19:2; 1 Samuel 18:9–10
- 24 1 Kings 2:32; Psalm 7:16; Esther 9:25; Deuteronomy 27:25; Matthew 23:34–36
- 25 Proverbs 1:11–12; Joshua 8:12–13; Joshua 8:4
- 26 Genesis 13:8; Genesis 19:7
- 27 Luke 17:26–29; Judges 9:4; Daniel 5:1–4; Judges 16:23; Amos 6:3–6
- 28 1 Samuel 25:10; Genesis 34:2; Genesis 34:6; 1 Kings 12:16; 2 Samuel 20:1
- 29 2 Samuel 15:4; Romans 1:30–31; Psalm 10:3; 2 Kings 14:8; 2 Kings 18:23
- 32 Proverbs 4:16; Proverbs 1:11–16; Romans 3:15; Job 24:14–17; Psalm 36:4
- 33 1 Samuel 10:7; Ecclesiastes 9:10; Leviticus 25:26; 1 Samuel 25:8
- 36 Ezekiel 7:7; Mark 8:24
- 37 Deuteronomy 18:14
- 38 Judges 9:28–29; Jeremiah 2:28; 2 Kings 14:8–14; 2 Samuel 2:26–27
- 40 1 Kings 20:30; 1 Kings 20:18–21
- 41 Judges 9:30; Judges 9:28
- 44 Galatians 5:15; Judges 9:20; Judges 9:15
- 45 2 Kings 3:25; Deuteronomy 29:23; 1 Kings 12:25; Psalm 107:34; Ezekiel 47:11
- 46 Judges 8:33; Psalm 115:8; Judges 9:4; Isaiah 37:38; Judges 9:27
- 48 Psalm 68:14; Judges 7:17–18; Proverbs 1:11–12
- 49 Judges 9:15; Judges 9:20; Galatians 5:15; James 3:16
- 52 2 Kings 15:16; Judges 9:48–49; 2 Kings 14:10
- 53 2 Samuel 11:21; Job 31:3; Jeremiah 49:20; Jeremiah 50:45; Judges 9:20
- 54 1 Samuel 31:4–5
- 55 Proverbs 22:10; 2 Samuel 18:16; 2 Samuel 20:21–22; 1 Kings 22:35–36
- 56 Psalm 94:23; Proverbs 5:22; Psalm 11:6; Psalm 58:10–11; Matthew 7:2
- 57 Judges 9:20; 1 Kings 16:34; Joshua 6:26; Judges 9:45
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences