2. “Put this question to all the lords of Shechem: ‘Which is better for you: that seventy men, all Jerubbaal’s sons, rule over you, or that one man rule over you?’ You must remember that I am your own flesh and bone.”
3. When his mother’s kin repeated these words on his behalf to all the lords of Shechem, they set their hearts on Abimelech, thinking, “He is our kin.”
4. They also gave him seventy pieces of silver from the temple of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired worthless men and outlaws as his followers.
5. He then went to his father’s house in Ophrah, and killed his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, on one stone. Only the youngest son of Jerubbaal, Jotham, escaped, for he was hidden.
6. Then all the lords of Shechem and all Beth-millo came together and made Abimelech king by the terebinth at the memorial pillar in Shechem.
7. When this was reported to Jotham, he went and stood at the top of Mount Gerizim and cried out in a loud voice:“Hear me, lords of Shechem,and may God hear you!
8. One day the trees went outto anoint a king over themselves.So they said to the olive tree,‘Reign over us.’
9. But the olive tree answered them,‘Must I give up my rich oil,whereby gods and human beings are honored,and go off to hold sway over the trees?’
10. Then the trees said to the fig tree,‘Come; you reign over us!’
11. But the fig tree answered them,‘Must I give up my sweetnessand my sweet fruit,and go off to hold sway over the trees?’
12. Then the trees said to the vine,‘Come you, reign over us.’
13. But the vine answered them,‘Must I give up my winethat cheers gods and human beings,and go off to hold sway over the trees?’
14. Then all the trees said to the buckthorn,‘Come; you reign over us!’
15. The buckthorn answered the trees,‘If you are anointing me in good faith,to make me king over you,come, and take refuge in my shadow.But if not, let fire come from the buckthornand devour the cedars of Lebanon.’
16. “Now then, if you have acted in good faith and integrity in appointing Abimelech your king, if you have acted with good will toward Jerubbaal and his house, and if you have treated him as he deserved—