Study Desk

(For my father fought for you, and ventured his life afar, and delivered you from the hand of Midian;

And you have risen up against my fathers house this day, and have slain his sons, seventy men, upon one stone, and have made Abimeleck, the son of his maidservant, king over the lords of Shechem, because he is your brother;)

If you then have dealt truly and sincerely with Nedo-baal and with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimeleck, and let him also rejoice in you;

That the cruelty done to the seventy sons of Nedo-baal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimeleck their brother, who slew them; and upon the lords of Shechem, who strengthened his hands in the killing of his brothers.

And Gaal the son of Epar came with his brothers, and went over to Shechem; and the lords of Shechem put their confidence in him.

And Gaal the son of Epar said, Who is Abimeleck and who is Shechem that we would serve him? Is he not the son of Nedo-baal? And Zebul because he changed his allegiance served the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; why then should we serve him?

And when Zebul the governor of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Epar, his anger was kindled.

And he sent messengers to Abimeleck deceitfully, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Epar and his brothers have come to Shechem; and, behold, they fortify the city against you.

And Abimeleck dwelt at Adomah; and Zebul expelled Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.

And Abimeleck went up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimeleck took an axe in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees, and took it and laid it on his shoulder, and said to the people that were with him, What you have seen me do, make haste and do as I have done.

So every man cut down his branch and followed Abimeleck, and they piled them up, and then set the city on fire, so that all the men that were in the tower of Shechem died in fire, about a thousand men and women.

And a certain woman threw a piece of an upper millstone upon Abimelecks head and broke his skull.

Then he called hastily to his young armorbearer, and said to him, Draw your sword and slay me with it, that men may not say of me, A woman slew him. So the young man thrust him through, and he died.

And when the men of Israel saw that Abimeleck was dead, they departed every man to his place.

Thus God requited the wickedness of Abimeleck, which he did to his father, in slaying his seventy brothers;

AFTER Abimeleck there arose to save Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of his uncle, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir on mount Ephraim.

And Gileads wife bore him sons; and when his wifes sons grew up, they expelled Jephthah, saying, He shall not inherit in our fathers house, because he is the son of another woman.

Then Jephthah fled from his brothers, and dwelt in the land of Tobtha; and there were gathered worthless men to Jephthah, and they went raiding with him.

Then Jephthah went with the eiders of Gilead, and the people made him chief and ruler over them; and Jephthah uttered all his words before the LORD in Mizpeh.

But Sihon did not trust Israel to pass through his territory; so Sihon gathered all his people together and encamped at Jahaz and fought against Israel.