Online Bible

Book of Judges, Chapter 9

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Judges 9 NWT - New World TranslationJudges 9 NWT - New World Translation

Chapter 9 of Judges—New World Translation (NWT)

  1. ¶ In time A·bimʹe·lech1 the son of Jer·ub·baʹal went to Sheʹchem2 to the brothers of his mother and began speaking to them and to all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying:
  2. “Speak, please, in the hearing of all the landowners[a] of Sheʹchem, ‘Which is better for YOU, for seventy men,3 all the sons of Jer·ub·baʹal, to rule over YOU or for one man to rule over YOU? And YOU must remember that YOUR bone and YOUR flesh I am.’”4
  3. ¶ So the brothers of his mother began speaking all these words about him in the hearing of all the landowners of Sheʹchem so that their heart inclined toward A·bimʹe·lech,5 for they said: “He is our own brother.”6
  4. Then they gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of Baʹal-beʹrith,7 and with them A·bimʹe·lech proceeded to hire idle and insolent men,8 that they might accompany him.
  5. After that he went to the house of his father at Ophʹrah9 and killed his brothers,10 the sons of Jer·ub·baʹal, seventy men, upon one stone, but Joʹtham the youngest son of Jer·ub·baʹal was left over, because he had hid.
  6. ¶ Subsequently all the landowners of Sheʹchem and all the house of Milʹlo11 gathered together and went and made A·bimʹe·lech reign as king,12 close by the big tree,13 the pillar that was in Sheʹchem.14
  7. ¶ When they reported it to Joʹtham he at once went and stood on the top of Mount Gerʹi·zim15 and raised his voice and called out and said to them: “Listen to me, YOU landowners of Sheʹchem, and let God listen to YOU:
  8. ¶ “Once upon a time the trees went to anoint a king over them. So they said to the olive tree,16 ‘Do be king[b] over us.’17
  9. But the olive tree said to them, ‘Must I give up my fatness with which they glorify18 God and men, and must I go to wave over the other trees?’19
  10. Then the trees said to the fig tree,20 ‘You come, be queen[c] over us.’
  11. But the fig tree said to them, ‘Must I give up my sweetness and my good produce, and must I go to wave over the other trees?’21
  12. Next the trees said to the vine, ‘You come, be queen over us.’
  13. In turn the vine said to them, ‘Must I give up my new wine that makes God and men rejoice,22 and must I go to wave over the trees?’
  14. Finally all the other trees said to the bramble,23 ‘You come, be king over us.’
  15. At this the bramble said to the trees, ‘If it is in truth that YOU are anointing me as king over YOU, come, seek refuge under my shadow.24 But if not, let fire25 come out of the bramble and consume the cedars26 of Lebʹa·non.’27
  16. ¶ “And now if it is in truth and in faultlessness that YOU have acted and that YOU went making A·bimʹe·lech king,28 and if it is goodness that YOU have exercised toward Jer·ub·baʹal and his household, and if YOU have done to him as the doing of his hands deserved,
  17. when my father fought29 for YOU and went risking his soul[d]30 that he might deliver YOU out of Midʹi·an’s31 hand;
  18. and YOU, for YOUR part, have risen up against the household of my father today that YOU might kill his sons,32 seventy men,33 upon one stone, and that YOU might make A·bimʹe·lech, the son of his slave girl,34 king35 over the landowners of Sheʹchem just because he is YOUR own brother;
  19. yes, if it is in truth and in faultlessness that YOU have acted toward Jer·ub·baʹal and his household this day, rejoice over A·bimʹe·lech and let him too rejoice over YOU.36
  20. But if not, let fire37 come out of A·bimʹe·lech and consume the landowners of Sheʹchem and the house of Milʹlo,38 and let fire39 come out of the landowners of Sheʹchem and the house of Milʹlo and consume A·bimʹe·lech.”40
  21. ¶ Then Joʹtham41 took to flight and went running off and made his way to Beʹer, and he took up dwelling there because of A·bimʹe·lech his brother.
  22. ¶ And A·bimʹe·lech kept playing the prince[e] over Israel three years.42
  23. Then God let develop[f] a bad spirit43 between A·bimʹe·lech and the landowners of Sheʹchem, and the landowners of Sheʹchem proceeded to deal treacherously44 with A·bimʹe·lech,
  24. that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jer·ub·baʹal might come[g]45 and that he might put their blood upon A·bimʹe·lech their brother because he killed them,46 and upon the landowners of Sheʹchem because they strengthened his hands47 to kill his brothers.
  25. So the landowners of Sheʹchem set ambush men for him upon the tops of the mountains, and they would rob everyone that would pass by them on the road. In time it was reported to A·bimʹe·lech.
  26. ¶ Then Gaʹal48 the son of Eʹbed and his brothers came and crossed over into Sheʹchem,49 and the landowners of Sheʹchem began to trust in him.50
  27. And they went out as usual into the field and engaged in gathering the grapes of their vineyards and in treading them and in carrying on a festal exultation,51 after which they went into the house of their god52 and ate and drank53 and called down evil54 upon A·bimʹe·lech.
  28. And Gaʹal the son of Eʹbed went on to say: “Who is A·bimʹe·lech,55 and who is Sheʹchem[h] that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jer·ub·baʹal,56 and is not Zeʹbul57 a commissioner of his? Serve the men of Haʹmor,58 Sheʹchem’s father, YOU others, but why should we ourselves serve him?
  29. And if only this people were in my hand![i]59 Then I would remove A·bimʹe·lech.” And he went on to say[j] to A·bimʹe·lech: “Make your army numerous and come on out.”60
  30. ¶ And Zeʹbul the prince of the city got to hear the words of Gaʹal the son of Eʹbed.61 Then his anger blazed.
  31. So he sent messengers by subterfuge to A·bimʹe·lech,[k] saying: “Look! Gaʹal the son of Eʹbed and his brothers are now come to Sheʹchem,62 and here they are massing the city against you.
  32. And now rise up by night,63 you and the people that are with you, and lie in wait64 in the field.
  33. And it must occur in the morning that as soon as the sun shines forth you should get up early, and you must make a dash against the city; and when he and the people that are with him are going out against you, you must also do to him just as your hand finds it possible.”
  34. ¶ Accordingly A·bimʹe·lech and all the people that were with him rose up by night, and they began to lie in wait against Sheʹchem in four bands.
  35. Later Gaʹal65 the son of Eʹbed went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate. Then A·bimʹe·lech and the people that were with him rose up from the place of ambush.
  36. When Gaʹal caught sight of the people, he at once said to Zeʹbul: “Look! People coming down from the tops of the mountains.” But Zeʹbul said to him: “The shadows of the mountains are what you are seeing as though they were men.”66
  37. ¶ Later Gaʹal spoke once more and said: “Look! People coming down out of the center of the land, and one band is coming by the way of the big tree of Me·onʹe·nim.”[l]
  38. At this Zeʹbul said to him: “Where now is that saying of yours that you mouthed,[m]67 ‘Who is A·bimʹe·lech that we should serve him?’68 Is not this the people whom you rejected?69 Go out now, please, and fight against them.”
  39. ¶ So Gaʹal went on out at the head of the landowners of Sheʹchem and took up the fight against A·bimʹe·lech.
  40. And A·bimʹe·lech set out after him, and he went fleeing before him; and the slain kept falling in numbers as far as the entrance of the gate.
  41. ¶ And A·bimʹe·lech continued to dwell in A·ruʹmah,[n] and Zeʹbul70 proceeded to drive Gaʹal71 and his brothers out from dwelling in Sheʹchem.72
  42. And it came about on the next day that the people began to go out into the field. So they told A·bimʹe·lech.73
  43. Hence he took the people and divided them up into three bands74 and began to lie in wait in the field. Then he looked, and there the people were going out of the city. He now rose up against them and struck them down.
  44. And A·bimʹe·lech and the bands[o] that were with him made a dash that they might stand at the entrance of the city gate, while two bands made a dash against all who were in the field, and they went striking them down.75
  45. And A·bimʹe·lech fought against the city all that day and got to capture the city; and he killed the people that were in it,76 after which he pulled the city down77 and sowed it with salt.78
  46. ¶ When all the landowners of the tower of Sheʹchem heard of it, they immediately went to the vault of the house of El-beʹrith.[p]79
  47. Then it was reported to A·bimʹe·lech that all the landowners of the tower of Sheʹchem had collected together.
  48. At that A·bimʹe·lech went up Mount Zalʹmon,80 he and all the people that were with him. A·bimʹe·lech now took an ax in his hand and cut down a branch of the trees and lifted it up and put it on his shoulder and said to the people that were with him: “What YOU have seen me do—hurry up, do like me!”81
  49. So all the people cut down also each one a branch for himself and went following A·bimʹe·lech. Then they put them against the vault, and over them they set the vault on fire, so that all the men of the tower of Sheʹchem died too, about a thousand men and women.82
  50. ¶ And A·bimʹe·lech proceeded to go to Theʹbez83 and to camp against Theʹbez and capture it.
  51. As a strong tower happened to be in the middle of the city, there was where all the men and women and all the landowners of the city went fleeing, after which they shut it behind them and climbed onto the roof of the tower.
  52. And A·bimʹe·lech made his way to the tower and began fighting against it, and he went on up close to the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire.84
  53. Then a certain woman pitched an upper millstone upon A·bimʹe·lech’s head and broke his skull in pieces.85
  54. So he quickly called the attendant bearing his weapons and said to him: “Draw your sword and put me to death,86 for fear they should say about me, ‘It was a woman that killed him.’” Immediately his attendant ran him through, so that he died.87
  55. ¶ When the men of Israel got to see that A·bimʹe·lech had died, they now went each one to his place.
  56. Thus God made the evil of A·bimʹe·lech that he had done to his father by killing his seventy brothers come back.88
  57. And all the evil of the men of Sheʹchem God made come back upon their own heads, that the malediction89 of Joʹtham90 the son of Jer·ub·baʹal91 might come upon them.92

FOOTNOTES

  1. ^ “Landowners of.” Heb., ba·ʽalehʹ; LXXVg, “men.”
  2. ^ Or, “reign,” masc.
  3. ^ Or, “reign,” fem.
  4. ^ “His soul (life).” Heb., naph·shohʹ; Gr., psy·khenʹ; Lat., aʹni·mam.
  5. ^ Or, “kept exercising dominion.”
  6. ^ Lit., “God sent.”
  7. ^ “That he might bring the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal,” LXX.
  8. ^ “Shechem,” MSyVg; LXX, “the son of Shechem.”
  9. ^ Lit., “And who will give this people into my hand?”
  10. ^ “And I would remove Abimelech and say,” LXX; Vg, “‘that I might remove Abimelech!’ And it was said.”
  11. ^ “By subterfuge to Abimelech.” Possibly, “to Abimelech in Tormah (Arumah).” See vs 41.
  12. ^ Meaning “Those Practicing Magic.” See De 18:14.
  13. ^ Or, “that mouth of yours when you said.”
  14. ^ Possibly, “Rumah.” See 2Ki 23:36.
  15. ^ “Bands,” M; Vg, “band.”
  16. ^ Meaning “God of a Covenant”; LXXA, “Baal of a covenant.”

REFERENCES

  1. ^ Jg 8:31; 2Sa 11:21
  2. ^ Ge 12:6; 33:18; 34:27; 1Ki 12:1; Ac 7:16
  3. ^ Jg 8:30
  4. ^ Ge 29:14; 1Ch 11:1
  5. ^ 2Sa 15:6
  6. ^ Jg 8:31
  7. ^ Jg 8:33; 9:46
  8. ^ 2Ch 13:7; Ac 17:5
  9. ^ Jg 6:11; 8:27
  10. ^ 2Ki 11:1; 2Ch 21:4
  11. ^ Jg 9:20
  12. ^ De 17:14; Jg 8:22; 1Sa 8:7
  13. ^ Ge 35:4; Jos 24:26
  14. ^ Jg 9:1
  15. ^ De 11:29; Jos 8:33; Jn 4:20
  16. ^ Ho 14:6
  17. ^ Jg 8:22
  18. ^ Ex 29:2; Le 2:1
  19. ^ Pr 29:23; Mt 23:12; Ro 12:16
  20. ^ Jl 2:22
  21. ^ Pr 16:19
  22. ^ Ps 104:15; Pr 31:6; Ec 2:3; 10:19
  23. ^ Jg 9:6; 2Ki 14:9; Ps 58:9; Pr 15:25; 16:18
  24. ^ Jg 9:19; Ga 6:3
  25. ^ Jg 9:20, 45, 49; Is 13:11
  26. ^ 2Ki 14:9; Is 2:13; 37:24; Eze 31:3; Am 2:9; Zc 11:2
  27. ^ De 11:24; Jos 1:4
  28. ^ De 17:15; Jg 9:6, 15
  29. ^ Jg 7:9
  30. ^ Es 4:16; Ro 16:4
  31. ^ Jg 8:28; Ps 83:9
  32. ^ Jg 9:5
  33. ^ Jg 8:30
  34. ^ Jg 8:31
  35. ^ Jg 9:6
  36. ^ Pr 10:28; 29:2
  37. ^ Jg 9:15
  38. ^ Jg 9:6, 45, 49
  39. ^ Ps 28:4
  40. ^ Jg 9:39, 53
  41. ^ Jg 9:5
  42. ^ Pr 28:2
  43. ^ 1Sa 16:14; 1Ki 12:15
  44. ^ Pr 13:15; Is 33:1; Mt 7:2; Ga 6:7
  45. ^ De 32:35; 1Sa 15:33; Es 9:25
  46. ^ Ge 9:6; Nu 35:16; Jg 9:5; 1Ki 2:32; Ps 7:16; Mt 23:35
  47. ^ Ex 23:7; Jg 9:3
  48. ^ Jg 9:28, 41
  49. ^ Ge 33:18; 35:4; Jos 21:21; 24:1; Jg 9:1
  50. ^ Ps 146:3
  51. ^ Is 16:10; Je 25:30; 48:33
  52. ^ Jg 8:33; 9:4, 46
  53. ^ Ex 32:6; Da 5:4; Am 2:8
  54. ^ 1Sa 17:43; 2Sa 16:5; Ps 4:4; 39:1
  55. ^ 1Sa 25:10; 2Sa 20:1; 1Ki 12:16
  56. ^ Jg 6:32; 1Sa 12:11
  57. ^ Jg 9:41
  58. ^ Ge 34:2
  59. ^ 2Sa 15:4; Ps 10:3; Ro 1:30
  60. ^ Pr 30:33
  61. ^ Jg 9:26
  62. ^ Jos 21:21; 24:1; Jg 8:31
  63. ^ Jb 24:14
  64. ^ Jos 8:4
  65. ^ Jg 9:26
  66. ^ Jg 9:32
  67. ^ Ps 94:4; Pr 21:24; Jm 3:5
  68. ^ Jg 9:28
  69. ^ Jg 9:29
  70. ^ Jg 9:30
  71. ^ Jg 9:26
  72. ^ Ge 35:4; Jos 21:21; 24:1
  73. ^ Jg 8:31; 9:1, 6
  74. ^ Pr 20:18
  75. ^ Jg 9:15
  76. ^ Jg 9:20
  77. ^ 1Ki 12:25
  78. ^ De 29:23; Jb 39:6; Ps 107:34; Je 17:6
  79. ^ Jg 8:33; 9:4, 27
  80. ^ Ps 68:14
  81. ^ Jg 7:17
  82. ^ Jg 9:15, 20
  83. ^ 2Sa 11:21
  84. ^ Jg 9:48, 49
  85. ^ Jg 4:9; 5:26; 2Sa 11:21; 20:22; Jb 31:3
  86. ^ 1Sa 31:4
  87. ^ Ps 37:2
  88. ^ Ge 9:6; Jg 9:5, 24; 1Sa 25:39; Ps 58:10; 94:23; Pr 5:22; Ga 6:7
  89. ^ Jg 9:20
  90. ^ Jg 9:7
  91. ^ Jg 6:32; 7:1; 8:35
  92. ^ Jg 9:45

Read Judges Chapter 9 in other Bible versions:

Comments

  1. David yakubuDavid yakubu
    Oct 29, 2022 08:05 GMT

    When i do read some comments and seeing that its the same people that are supposed to be called believers but are talking ill of other denominations, it hurts. Let us all remember that We should judge not

    1. jonas smithjonas smith
      Apr 23, 2023 02:57 GMT

      The bible tells us to test the spirits. Satan disguises himself as angel of light. So yes some denomination are not teaching the truth. You are responsible for judging which ones are not. You have to judge the truth at all times. this is what the bible teaches

  2. THTH
    Apr 7, 2021 00:20 GMT

    The NWT is a very good translation. Dr. Jason David BeDuhn PhD attests to that in his book Truth in Translation. drive.google.com/...5p16melHzg8/view

    1. jim mcleodjim mcleod
      Aug 22, 2021 06:16 GMT

      NWT is a false translation that takes away from the deity of Jesus !

  3. SlightlyChaoticSlightlyChaotic
    Jan 30, 2021 16:33 GMT

    Thank you for taking the time to provide this service. I like seeing the NASB on your web page in the same format as I read on paper. On other sites, the text area is smaller, and so I have to keep scrolling down to read and sometimes I lose the context. So I really appreciate the format.

    As far as the NWT, you are certainly free to do whatever you think best with your own web pages. I'd suggest that you make a note anytime you have a translation that is associated with only one denomination or church, for example:
    New World Translation (Jehovah's Witness version).

    In Jesus' parable of the wheat and the tares. the main idea seems to be that you can't easily distinguish between God's people and not-God's people on this earth, so our Lord's response is to wait until they are shown to be the kind of people they are inside. But the NWT seems like false teaching to me. So I think the warning passages from Jesus' apostles are more applicable, as in 2 Peter 3:15-16, when he talks about Paul's writings:
    "There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures."
    And we also have the positive exhortations, as in 2 Timothy 2:15:
    "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."

    1. BroderickBroderick
      Jan 31, 2021 00:57 GMT

      Your suggestion regarding the denominational flagging is duly noted. But I can’t help but wonder, wouldn’t a Catholic also want “Protestant versions” marked as well?

      As for the parable, I’m pretty sure the slaves were convinced in their own minds that they could tell the tares from the wheat. After all, aren’t they the ones who identified the problem in the first place? But the master obviously thought otherwise.

      Furthermore, even at the time when Jesus himself was walking the earth, not everybody who claimed fellowship actually followed him causing John to inquire at Mark 9:39, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him . . . for he who is not against us is for us.”

  4. Joshua HarderJoshua Harder
    Dec 11, 2020 17:48 GMT

    Hello, question.. why have you included the NWT with other legitimate bible translations? Or why have you not atleast included a warning to readers? Don't you fear that someone could be influenced by the Watchtower's intentional heresies? Thank you.

    1. KevinKevin
      Jul 11, 2021 17:45 GMT

      en.m.wikipedia.org/..._Holy_Scriptures

      See the section critical review

  5. julietjuliet
    Aug 17, 2022 09:36 GMT

    the sky is blue

  6. mercymercy
    Aug 12, 2022 21:23 GMT

    i am Mercy, the sky is blue what else do you need

    1. mercymercy
      Aug 12, 2022 21:25 GMT

      i am so sorry, it was a big mistake

  7. God is able to do all thingsGod is able to do all things
    May 17, 2021 17:59 GMT

    Jesus how much love calling yo name

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