14. Then said all the etzim (trees) unto the thornbush, Come thou, and reign over us.
15. And the thornbush said unto the etzim (trees), If b'emes ye anoint me melech over you, then come and take refuge in my tzel (shade): and if not, let eish come out of the thornbush, and devour the cedars of the Levanon.
16. Now therefore, if ye have done b'emes and in good faith, in that ye have made Avimelech melech, and if ye have dealt tovah with Yerubaal [Gid'on] and his bais, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands.
17. For avi [Gid'on] fought for you, and risked his nefesh, and delivered you out of the yad Midyan;
18. And ye are risen up against bais avi this day, and have slain his banim, threescore and ten persons, upon one even (stone), and have made Avimelech, ben amah (son of his slave girl), melech over the ba'alei Shechem, because he is your brother--
19. If ye then have dealt b'emes and in good faith with Yerubaal and with his bais this day, then rejoice ye in Avimelech, and let him also rejoice in you;
20. But if not, let eish come out from Avimelech, and devour the ba'alei Shechem, and the Bais Millo; and let eish come out from the ba'alei Shechem, and from the Bais Millo, and devour Avimelech.
21. And Yotam ran away, and escaped, and went to Be'er, and dwelt there, for fear of Avimelech his brother.
22. When Avimelech had reigned shalosh shanim over Yisroel,
23. Then Elohim sent a ruach ra'ah between Avimelech and the ba'alei Shechem; and the ba'alei Shechem dealt treacherously with Avimelech;
24. That the chamas done to the 70 Bnei Yerubaal might come, and their dahm be laid upon Avimelech their brother, which slaughtered them; and upon the ba'alei Shechem, which aided him in the slaughter of his brethren.