1. NOW ABIMELECH son of Jerubbaal (Gideon) went to Shechem to his mother's kinsmen and said to them and to the whole clan of his mother's family,
2. Say, I pray you, in the hearing of all the men of Shechem, Which is better for you: that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal reign over you, or that one man rule over you? Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.
3. And his mother's kinsmen spoke all these words concerning him in the hearing of all the men of Shechem, and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, He is our brother.
4. And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired worthless and foolhardy men who followed him.
5. And he went to his father's house at Ophrah and slew his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, was left, for he hid himself.
6. And all the men of Shechem gathered together and all of Beth-millo, and they went and made Abimelech king by the oak (terebinth) of the pillar at Shechem.
7. When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood at the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted to them, Hear me, men of Shechem, that God may hear you.
8. One time the trees went forth to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, Reign over us.
9. But the olive tree said to them, Should I leave my fatness, by which God and man are honored, and go to wave over the trees?
10. Then the trees said to the fig tree, You come and reign over us.
11. But the fig tree said to them, Should I leave my sweetness and my good fruit and go to wave over the trees?
12. Then the trees said to the vine (grapevine), You come and reign over us.