Judges 9:39-57 ▼

39 And Gaal went out before the citezins of Sichem, & fought with Abimelech.

40 And Abimelech chased him, that he fled before him, and many were ouerthrowen & wounded, euen vnto the entring of the gate.

41 And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal & his brethre that they shoulde not dwell in Sichem.

42 And on the morow, the people wet out into the fielde: And they told Abimelech.

43 And he toke the people, & deuided them into three copanies, & layd awayte in the fielde, and loked, and behold the people were come out of the citie, and he ran vpon them, and smote them.

44 And Abimelech and the companions that were with him, rushed forward, & stoode in the entring of the gate of the citie: and the two other companions ran vpon all the people that were in the fieldes, and slue them.

45 And when Abimelech had fought against the citie al that day, he toke it, and slue the people that was therin, and destroyed the citie, and sowed salte in it.

46 And when all the men of the towre of Sichem heard that, they entred into an holde of the house of the god Berith.

47 And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the towre of Sichem were gathered together.

48 And Abimeleh gat him to mount Zelmon, both he & all the people that were with him, & toke axes with him, and cut downe bowes of trees, & toke them and bare them on his shulder, & sayde vnto the folke that were with hym: what ye haue seene me do, speede your selues, & do lykewyse as I haue done.

49 And al the men that were among the people, cut downe bowes, and folowed Abimelech, and put them into the hold, and set the holde a fire by them: so that al the men of the towre of Sichem died also, vpon a thousande men & women.

50 Then went Abimelech to Thebez, & besieged it, and toke it.

51 But there was a strong towre within the citie, and thyther ranne all the men and women, and all the chiefe that were in the citie, and shut it to them, and gate them vp to the toppe of the towre.

52 And Abimelech came vnto the towre, and fought agaynst it, and went harde vnto the doore of ye towre to set it on fire.

53 And a certayne woman cast a peece of a mylstone vpon his head, & all to brake his brayne panne.

54 Then Abimelech called hastyly vnto the young man that bare his harnesse, and sayde vnto him: Drawe thy sworde and slea me, that men say not of me, A woman slue him: And his lad thrust him thorowe, and he died.

55 And when the men of Israel sawe that Abimelech was dead, they departed euery man vnto his owne house.

56 Thus God rendred the wickednesse of Abimelech which he dyd vnto his father, in sleyng his seuentie brethren.

57 And therto all the wickednesse of the men of Sichem, dyd God bryng vpon their heades: And vpon them came the curse of Ioatham the sonne of Ierobaal.