1. Abimelech, son of Jerubbaal [Gideon], went to Shechem to see the uncles on his mother’s side of the family. He spoke to them and his mother’s whole family.
2. He said, “Please ask all citizens of Shechem, ‘What seems best to you? Do you really want all of Jerubbaal’s 70 sons to rule you or just one man? Remember, I’m your own flesh and blood.’ ”
3. His uncles repeated everything he said to all citizens of Shechem. They were persuaded to follow Abimelech because he was their relative.
4. So they gave him 70 pieces of silver from the temple of Baal Berith. With the silver, Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men to follow him.
5. Then he went to his father’s home in Ophrah. There he executed his 70 brothers, Jerubbaal’s sons. But Jotham, Jerubbaal’s youngest son, survived because he hid.
6. All the citizens from Shechem and Beth Millo united. They went to the oak tree that was still standing in Shechem and proclaimed Abimelech king.
7. When Jotham was told about this, he went to a high spot on Mount Gerizim. He shouted to them, “Listen to me, you citizens of Shechem, so that God might listen to you.
8. “The trees went to anoint someone to be king over them.They said to the olive tree,‘Be our king!’
9. But the olive tree responded,‘Should I stop producing oil,which people use to honor gods and humans,in order to rule the trees?’
10. Then the trees said to the fig tree,‘You come and be our king!’