1. And Aḇimeleḵ son of Yerubba‛al went to Sheḵem, to his mother’s brothers, and spoke with them and with all the clan of the house of his mother’s father, saying,
2. “Please speak in the hearing of all the masters of Sheḵem, ‘Which is better for you, that seventy men, all the sons of Yerubba‛al rule over you, or that one man rule over you?’ And you shall remember that I am your own flesh and bone.”
3. And his mother’s brothers spoke all these words concerning him in the hearing of all the masters of Sheḵem. And their heart inclined toward Aḇimeleḵ, for they said, “He is our brother.”
4. And they gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of Ba‛al-Berith, with which Aḇimeleḵ hired worthless and reckless men. And they followed him.
5. And he went to his father’s house at Ophrah and slew his brothers, the seventy sons of Yerubba‛al, on one stone. But Yotham the youngest son of Yerubba‛al was left, because he hid himself.
6. And all the masters of Sheḵem gathered together, and all of Bĕyth Millo, and they went and made Aḇimeleḵ sovereign beside the terebinth tree at the post that was in Sheḵem.
7. And they informed Yotham, and he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted his voice and cried out, and said to them, “Hear me, you masters of Sheḵem, and let Elohim hear you!
8. “The trees went forth to anoint a sovereign over them. And they said to the olive tree, ‘reign over us!’
9. “And the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my oil, with which they esteem mighty ones and men, and go to sway over trees?’
10. “Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come, reign over us!’
11. “And the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to sway over trees?’
12. “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come, reign over us!’
13. “And the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my new wine, which rejoices mighty ones and men, and go to sway over trees?’