Study Desk

Now Abimelech ruled over Israel three years.

^(l)Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem ^(m)dealt treacherously with Abimelech,

⁽ⁿ⁾so that the violence ^[r]done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and ^(o)their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers.

The men of Shechem set ^[s]men in ambush against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who might pass by them along the road; and it was told to Abimelech.

Now Gaal the son of Ebed came with his ^[t]relatives, and crossed over into Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their trust in him.

They went out into the field and gathered the grapes of their vineyards and trod them, and held a ^[u]festival; and they went into the house of ^(p)their god, and ate and drank and cursed Abimelech.

Then Gaal the 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 Zebul not his ^[v]lieutenant? Serve the men of ^(q)Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him?

^[w](r)Would, therefore, that this people were under my authority! Then I would remove Abimelech." And he said to Abimelech, "Increase your army and come out."