1. Now Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem, to his mother’s brothers, and spoke to them and the whole clan of his mother’s father’s household saying,
2. “Speak now, in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem: Which is better for you, that 70 men—all the sons of Jerubbaal—rule over you, or that a single man rules over you? Remember also that I am your flesh and bone.”
3. When his mother’s brothers discussed all these words of his in the ears of all Shechem’s leaders, their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.”
4. So they gave him 70 pieces of silver from the temple of Baal-berith. Abimelech then hired idle and reckless fellows, who followed him.
5. Then he went to his father’s house at Ophrah and slew his brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, 70 men, on top of one stone. But Jotam, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived, for he hid himself.
6. Then all the leaders of Shechem and all Beth-millo assembled themselves together and went and made Abimelech king at the terebinth of the pillar that was in Shechem.
7. Now when they told Jotam, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, lifted up his voice, called out and said to them, “Listen to me, O lords of Shechem, that God may listen to you!
8. Once the trees set out to anoint a king over them. So they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’
9. But the olive tree said to them, ‘Should I stop yielding my oil, that honors God and man, and go wave over the trees?’
10. Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and reign over us.’
11. But the fig tree said to them, ‘Should I stop yielding my sweetness and my delicious fruit, and go wave over the trees?’
12. So the trees said to the vine, ‘You come and reign over us.’
13. But the vine said to them, ‘Should I stop yielding my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go wave over the trees?’
14. Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come and reign over us.’
15. And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If you truly are going to anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shadow; but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’
16. “So now, if you have acted in truth and integrity by making Abimelech king, and if you have dealt kindly with Jerubbaal and his household, and have done for him as he deserved—
17. for my father fought for you, and risked his life and delivered you from the hand of Midian,