Common English Bible

Judges 9:16-22 Common English Bible (CEB)

16. "So now, if you acted faithfully and innocently when you made Abimelech king, and if you’ve done right by Jerubbaal and his household, and have treated him as his actions deserve—

17. my father fought for you and risked his life to rescue you from Midian’s power,

18. but today you’ve risen up against my father’s household, killed his seventy sons on a single stone, and made Abimelech, his female servant’s son, king over the leaders of Shechem, because he’s your relative—

19. so if you’ve acted faithfully and innocently toward Jerubbaal and his household today, then be happy with Abimelech and let him be happy with you.

20. But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and burn up the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo and burn up Abimelech."

21. Then Jotham ran away. He fled to Beer and stayed there for fear of his brother Abimelech.

22. Abimelech ruled over Israel for three years.