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in order that the crime against the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come to justice and their blood be avenged on their brother Abimelech and on the leaders of Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers.

Meanwhile, Gaal son of Ebed came with his brothers and crossed into Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem put their confidence in him.

Then Gaal son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? You are to serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech?

So he covertly sent messengers to Abimelech to say, "Look, Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem and are stirring up the city against you.

And in the morning at sunrise, get up and advance against the city. When Gaal and his men come out against you, do to them whatever you are able."

So Abimelech and all his troops set out by night and lay in wait against Shechem in four companies.

Now Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate just as Abimelech and his men came out from their hiding places.

Abimelech stayed in Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem.

So he took his men, divided them into three companies, and waited in ambush in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he rose up against them and attacked them.

he and all his men went up to Mount Zalmon. Abimelech took his ax in his hand and cut a branch from the trees, which he lifted to his shoulder, saying to his men, "Hurry and do what you have seen me do."

So each man also cut his own branch and followed Abimelech. Then they piled the branches against the inner chamber and set it on fire above them, killing everyone in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women.

But a woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech's head, crushing his skull.

He quickly called his armor-bearer, saying, "Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, 'A woman killed him.'" So Abimelech's armor-bearer ran his sword through him, and he died.

In this way God repaid the wickedness that Abimelech had done to his father in murdering his seventy brothers.

Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior; he was the son of a prostitute, and Gilead was his father.

So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob, where a group of rebels joined him and traveled with him.

So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people put him over themselves as leader and commander. And Jephthah repeated all his terms in the presence of the LORD at Mizpah.

But Sihon would not trust Israel to pass through his territory. So he gathered all his people, encamped in Jahaz, and fought with Israel.

Then the LORD, the God of Israel, delivered Sihon and all his people into the hands of Israel, who defeated them. So Israel took possession of all the land of the Amorites who inhabited that country,

Now since the LORD, the God of Israel, has driven out the Amorites from before His people Israel, should you now possess it?