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.
25. And the ba'alei Shechem set ambushers in wait for him on top of the hills, and they robbed all that passed along that derech by them; and it was told Avimelech.
26. And Gaal ben Eved came with his achim, went over to Shechem; the ba'alei Shechem put their confidence in him.
27. And they went out into the sadeh, and gathered their kramim, and trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into the bais eloheihem, and did eat and drink, and cursed Avimelech.
28. And Gaal ben Eved said, Who is Avimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is not he ben Yerubaal? And Zevul his pakid? Serve the anshei Chamor avi Shechem. For why should we serve him?
29. O that this people were under my yad! Then would I remove Avimelech. And he said to Avimelech, Gather thine tze'va (army), and come out!
30. And when Zevul the sar of the Ir heard the words of Gaal ben Eved, his anger was kindled.