Abimelech
1 Gideon's son Abimelech went to the town of Shechem, where all his mother's relatives lived, and told them 2 to ask the men of Shechem, “Which would you prefer? To have all seventy of Gideon's sons govern you or to have just one man? Remember that Abimelech is your own flesh and blood.” 3 His mother's relatives talked to the men of Shechem about this for him, and the men of Shechem decided to follow Abimelech because he was their relative. 4 They gave him seventy pieces of silver from the temple of Baal-of-the-Covenant, and with this money he hired a bunch of worthless scoundrels to join him. 5 He went to his father's house at Ophrah, and there on top of a single stone he killed his seventy brothers, Gideon's sons. But Jotham, Gideon's youngest son, hid and was not killed. 6 Then all the men of Shechem and Bethmillo got together and went to the sacred oak tree at Shechem, where they made Abimelech king.
7 When Jotham heard about this, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim and shouted out to them, “Listen to me, you men of Shechem, and God may listen to you! 8 Once upon a time the trees went out to choose a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’ 9 The olive tree answered, ‘In order to govern you, I would have to stop producing my oil, which is used to honor gods and human beings.’ 10 Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and be our king.’ 11 But the fig tree answered, ‘In order to govern you, I would have to stop producing my good sweet fruit.’ 12 So the trees then said to the grapevine, ‘You come and be our king.’ 13 But the vine answered, ‘In order to govern you, I would have to stop producing my wine, that makes gods and human beings happy.’ 14 So then all the trees said to the thorn bush, ‘You come and be our king.’ 15 The thorn bush answered, ‘If you really want to make me your king, then come and take shelter in my shade. If you don't, fire will blaze out of my thorny branches and burn up the cedars of Lebanon.’
16 “Now then,” Jotham continued, “were you really honest and sincere when you made Abimelech king? Did you respect Gideon's memory and treat his family properly, as his actions deserved? 17 Remember that my father fought for you. He risked his life to save you from the Midianites. 18 But today you turned against my father's family. You killed his sons—seventy men on a single stone—and just because Abimelech, his son by his servant woman, is your relative, you have made him king of Shechem. 19 Now then, if what you did today to Gideon and his family was sincere and honest, then be happy with Abimelech and let him be happy with you. 20 But if not, may fire blaze out from Abimelech and burn up the men of Shechem and Bethmillo. May fire blaze out from the men of Shechem and Bethmillo and burn Abimelech up.” 21 Then because he was afraid of his brother Abimelech, Jotham ran away and went to live at Beer.
22 Abimelech ruled Israel for three years. 23 Then God made Abimelech and the men of Shechem hostile to each other, and they rebelled against Abimelech. 24 This happened so that Abimelech and the men of Shechem, who encouraged him to murder Gideon's seventy sons, would pay for their crime. 25 The men of Shechem put men in ambush against Abimelech on the mountaintops, and they robbed everyone who passed their way. Abimelech was told about this.
26 Then Gaal son of Ebed came to Shechem with his brothers, and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him. 27 They all went out into their vineyards and picked the grapes, made wine from them, and held a festival. They went into the temple of their god, where they ate and drank and made fun of Abimelech. 28 Gaal said, “What kind of men are we in Shechem? Why are we serving Abimelech? Who is he, anyway? The son of Gideon! And Zebul takes orders from him, but why should we serve him? Be loyal to your ancestor Hamor, who founded your clan! 29 I wish I were leading this people! I would get rid of Abimelech! I would tell him, ‘Reinforce your army, come on out and fight!’”
30 Zebul, the ruler of the city, became angry when he heard what Gaal had said. 31 He sent messengers to Abimelech at Arumah to say, “Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem, and they are not going to let you into the city. 32 Now then, you and your men should move by night and hide in the fields. 33 Get up tomorrow morning at sunrise and make a sudden attack on the city. Then when Gaal and his men come out against you, hit them with all you've got!”
34 So Abimelech and all his men made their move at night and hid outside Shechem in four groups. 35 When Abimelech and his men saw Gaal come out and stand at the city gate, they got up from their hiding places. 36 Gaal saw them and said to Zebul, “Look! There are men coming down from the mountaintops!”
“Those are not men,” Zebul answered. “They are just shadows on the mountains.”
37 Gaal said again, “Look! There are men coming down the crest of the mountain and one group is coming along the road from the oak tree of the fortunetellers!”
38 Then Zebul said to him, “Where is all your big talk now? You were the one who asked why we should serve this man Abimelech. These are the men you were making fun of. Go on out now and fight them.” 39 Gaal led the men of Shechem out and fought Abimelech. 40 Abimelech started after Gaal, and Gaal ran. Many were wounded, even at the city gate. 41 Abimelech lived in Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem, so that they could no longer live there.
42 The next day Abimelech found out that the people of Shechem were planning to go out into the fields, 43 so he took his men, divided them into three groups, and hid in the fields, waiting. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he came out of hiding to kill them. 44 While Abimelech and his group hurried forward to guard the city gate, the other two companies attacked the people in the fields and killed them all. 45 The fighting continued all day long. Abimelech captured the city, killed its people, tore it down, and covered the ground with salt.
46 When all the leading men in the fort at Shechem heard about this, they sought safety in the stronghold of the temple of Baal-of-the-Covenant. 47 Abimelech was told that they had gathered there, 48 so he went up to Mount Zalmon with his men. There he took an ax, cut a limb off a tree, and put it on his shoulder. He told his men to hurry and do the same thing. 49 So everyone cut off a tree limb; then they followed Abimelech and piled the wood up against the stronghold. They set it on fire, with the people inside, and all the people of the fort died—about a thousand men and women.
50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, surrounded that city, and captured it. 51 There was a strong tower there, and every man and woman in the city, including the leaders, ran to it. They locked themselves in and went up to the roof. 52 When Abimelech came to attack the tower, he went up to the door to set the tower on fire. 53 But a woman threw a millstone down on his head and fractured his skull. 54 Then he quickly called the young man who was carrying his weapons and told him, “Draw your sword and kill me. I don't want it said that a woman killed me.” So the young man ran him through, and he died. 55 When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they all went home.
56 And so it was that God paid Abimelech back for the crime that he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers. 57 God also made the men of Shechem suffer for their wickedness, just as Jotham, Gideon's son, said they would when he cursed them.
Abimeleki
1 Kwakati limwe zhuba Abimeleki nkololo wa Jerubhaale kayenda kuna bobasekulu babe ku Shekemu ngono kadwa beludzi gose gwaka mmebabe kati, 2 “Bhuzwani bagali bose be Shekemu muti, ‘Tjakamululwamila nditjipi, ndikuti mubusiwe nge bakololo bose ba Jerubhaale bali makumi ali kutendeka ana kutendeka (77) kene mu busiwe nge ali nng'ompela?’ Kumbulani kuti ndi nyama ne lopa ling'ompela namwi.” 3 Ngono bobasekulu babe bakanonlebelekela matama wose iyawa mu bathu bose be Shekemu. Ngono bose bakadumilana na Abimeleki, ngoti beti, “Mwana we hazwadzi yedu.” 4 Ngono bakampa shekele dze siliva dzili makumi ali kutendeka (70) kudwa mu ng'umba ya Bhaaleberiti. Abimeleki ka hira bomashwaushingani bakabe ibo batobeli babe. 5 Kayenda ku ng'umba ya tate babe ku Ofira ngono kabulaya bana ba tate babe bakololo ba Jerubhaale bali makumi ali kutendeka (70) mu bgwe ling'ompela koga kwakasala Jothamu kologwe tja Jerubhaale ngoti wakabe akabgwata. 6 Ngono bathu bose be Shekemu ne be Bhetimilo bakakubungana pa nti we N'oko we phanda ku Shekemu, bakathama Abimeleki mambo.
7 Kwakati Jothamu asinakubudziwa ngekwako, katatha pezhugwi kwe Dombo le Gerizimu ngono kabamimilila eti, “Munditeedze imwi bathu be Shekemu kuti ndizo Ndzimu bamuteedze. 8 Kwakati limwe zhuba miti ikayenda kunozwizhodzela mambo, ngono ikadwa nti we ntoba ikati, ‘Uti buse.’
9 “Koga nti we ntoba ukashandula uti, ‘Apa ndisiye mafuta angu kene, iwo anokudza midzimu kose ne bathu kuti ndino tungamila miti kene?’
10 “Ngono miti ikadwa nti we mpaya iti, ‘Buya ube mambo wedu.’
11 “Koga nti we mpaya ukayishandula uti, ‘Apa ndisiye zipa kwangu ne ntjelo wangu wakanaka ndino tungamila miti kene?’
12 “Ngono miti ikadwa nzhambi iti, ‘Izha iwe uti buse.’
13 “Ngono nzhambi ukashandula uti, ‘Apa ndingasiya nkumbi wangu iwo unoshathisa kose midzimu ne bathu ndino tungamila miti kene?’
14 “Ngono miti yose ikadwa mihwa iti, ‘Buya ube mambo wedu.’
15 “Ngono mihwa ukashandula miti uti, ‘Nge malebeswa apa mushaka kundizhodza ndibe mambo wenyu, buyani mugale kusi kwe ntutshi wangu, koga apa kusakajalo, moto nga ubhude mu ishaka tje mihwa ngono ulotese misida ye Lebhanoni.’
16 “Ngono ngwenu, ha ilikuti makashinga tjakanaka nge kugalabgwe nge biga Abimeleki mambo, ha ilikuti makathamila Jerubhaale zubanana ne bensha uwe, ngono ha ilikuti makanthamila tjakabetjakanfanila, 17 ngoti tate bangu bakamugwila ngono bakalonga butjilo gwabo mu mbatsha nge kumusunungula mu maboko e Bamidiyani. 18 Ngono matjimukila be nsha wa tate bangu nasi, mabulaya bakololo babo bali makumi ali kutendeka (70) mu bgwe ling'ompela, ngono mabiga Abimeleki nkololo we nlandakadzi wabo kube mambo we bathu be Shekemu ngoti ili wa kanyikwenyu. 19 Ngono ndikati, ha mashinga tjakanaka ne kukudza Jerubhaale ne be nsha uwe nasi, ndizo shathilani Abimeleki naiye amushathilebo. 20 Ngono ha kusakajalo, moto ngaudwe kuna Abimeleki ngono ulotese bathu be Shekemu ne be Bhetimilo, moto ngaudwe mu bathu be Shekemu ne be Bhetimiko ulotese Abimeleki.”
21 Ipapo Jothamu katizha kayenda ku Bheri, ngono kanogala ikoko ngoti wakabe wotja Abimeleki mwana wa tate babe.
22 Abimeleki wakabusa Iziraela kwe makole matatu. 23 Ngono Ndzimu ukatumila meya mbi pakati kwa Abimeleki ne bathu be Shekemu, ngono bathu be Shekemu bakathamila Abimeleki kwakabangalala. 24 Ndzimu wakathama ikoku kuti ndizo nlandu wakathamigwa bakololo ba Jerubhaale bali makumi ali kutendeka, kutebugwa kwe lopa labo libgwilizigwe mu mwana wa tatebabo Abimeleki ne mu bathu be Shekemu bakambatsha kubulaya bana ba tate babe. 25 Ndizo bathu be Shekemu bakabiga balume pezhugwi kwe matombo kunlalila, ngono bakatolela bose bakabepinda ipapo, Abimeleki kabudziwa nge kwako.
26 Ngono Gali nkololo wa Ebedi kayenda ku Shekemu ne bana ba tate babe, ngono bathu be Shekemu bakagalabgwe munli. 27 Bakabhudila ku minda ngono bakakubunganya zhambi ku minda yabo ye mizhambi bakadzitshamba, bakathama nzano bakanongina mu ng'umba ye ndzimu wabo, bakaja bakang'wa ngono bakalonga Abimeleki bhiso. 28 Ngono Gali nkololo wa Ebedi kabe eti, “Abimeleki ndiyani, iswi be Shekemu tiboyani kwatinga nshingila? Apa ate ali nkololo wa Jerubhaale, Zebuli ate ali nthusi uwe kene? Shingilani balume be Hamori tate ba Shekemu. Ngekutini takafanila kunshingila? 29 Ha bathu ibaba babe balipasi kwe ndaulo yangu, ndabe ndowodusa Abimeleki. Ndabe ndowodwa Abimeleki nditi, ‘Paphidza ngwa iyo ubhude.’ ”
30 Kwakati Zebuli ntungamili we nzi ehwa matama a Gali nkololo wa Ebedi, kagwadzamoyo kwazo. 31 Katuma batumwa mu ikohwa kuna Abimeleki eti, “Gali nkololo wa Ebedi ne bana batate babe babuya mu Shekemu ngono banodzonga nzi kugwa nawe. 32 Ndizo ngwenu, tjibhuda iwe ne balume babo kuli busiku munobalalila ku shango. 33 Mu mangwanana zhuba libhuda, mube muzha munzi mu unginilile. Kowoti Gali ne balume baanabo bekunginilila, uthame tjimwe ne tjimwe tjingatubugwa nge maboko awo.”
34 Ndizo Abimeleki ne balume bose baakabeanabo bakamilika busiku bakalalila Shekemu nge makupo manna. 35 Ndizo Gali nkololo wa Ebedi kabhuda kanoma pa nkoba we nzi, ngono Abimeleki ne balume bakabe banaye bakabhuda mu malalilo. 36 Kwakati Gali ebabona, kadwa Zebuli kati, “Bona bathu banodeluka pezhugwi kwe matombo.”
Ngono Zebuli kandwa kati, “Unobona mitutshi ye matombo ilingika se bathu.”
37 Koga Gali kalebeleka kakale kati, “Bona, bathu banodwa pakati kwe tje shango, ngono gupo limwe lodwa tjekundzibo we nti we N'oko.”
38 Ipapo Zebuli kandwa kati, “Aponi matama awo awaleba uti, ‘Abimeleki ndiyani kwatingabe pasi kukwe kene?’ Apa ateibo balume bawakatuka ibaba kene? Bhuda unogwa nabo.”
39 Gali katungamila bathu be Shekemu kunogwa na Abimeleki. 40 Ngono Abimeleki kantatamila ngono katizha, banji bakabulawa kunoti tjose ku nkoba we nzi. 41 Abimeleki kagala ku Aruma, Zebuli katata Gali ne bana batate babe mu Shekemu.
42 Kwakati tjimuka, bathu be Shekemu bakayenda ku minda, ngono kukabudziwa Abimeleki 43 Katola balume babe kabathubukanya kube makupo matatu, ngono kabalalila ku minda, kalinga kabona bathu bebhuda mu nzi, ngono kabamukila kababulaya. 44 Abimeleki ne goko lakabelinaye bakalibilidzila mbeli ngono bakanoma pa nkoba we nzi, ipapo makupo mabili akalibilidzila kuna bose bakabebali ku minda ngono bakababulaya. 45 Ngono Abimeleki kagwa ne nzi zhuba lose, katola nzi ngono kabulaya bose bakabebali mukati. Kalobesa nzi ngono kapaladzila mwenyu muuli.
46 Kwakati bathu be thungamakole ye Shekemu behwa nge kwako, bakangina mu matizhilo e ng'umba ya Elibheriti. 47 Abimeleki wakabe abudziwa kuti bathu bose be thungamakole ye Shekemu bakubungana. 48 Abimeleki ne bathu bose bakabe banaye bakatathila ku Dombo le Zalimoni, ngono Abimeleki kabhata shathu nge luboko gugwe kathubula matabi, kaasenga nge mathudzi. Kadwa balume bakabe banaye kati, “Libilidzani muthame tjamabona ndithama.” 49 Ndizo balume bose bakatema matabi bakatobela Abimeleki. Bakaabutitika pa ng'umba ye matizhilo ngono bakayipisa nge moto bathu bali mukati. Ndizo bathu bose be thungamakole ye Shekemu bakafabo, kungabe tjiwulu (1 000) tje balume ne betjikadzi.
50 Kudwa ipapo Abimeleki kayenda ku Thebesi kayikomba nge ngwa ngono kayitapa. 51 Koga kwakabekuna thungamakole yakasima munzi, bathu bose bakatizhila ku ili, betjilume ne betjikadzi ngono bakazwizhalilila muili, bakatathila ku denga le thungamakole. 52 Abimeleki kayenda ku thungamakole kayigwisa. Koga wakati atjasedzela ku nkoba wayo kuti ayipise nge moto, 53 mmwe nkadzi kaligila hibgwe mu nsholo wa Abimeleki uka pkhwanyika. 54 Akadana nsengi we zwibhayano zwizwe kandwa kati, “Shomola thumo lilo undibulaye, bathu basidwe beti, ‘Wakabulawa nge nkadzi.’ ” Ngono nzhuzha kambhaya kafa. 55 Kwakati balume be Iziraela bebona kuti Abimeleki wafa, nthu mmwe ne mmwe akabgwilila kanyi kukwe.
56 Ndiko Ndzimu sekwa wakabgwilizila Abimeleki bubi gwaakathamila tate babe ngo bulaya bakulu babe bali makumi ali kutendeka. 57 Ndzimu ukathamabo kuti mbipo yose yakathamiwa nge bathu be Shekemu iwile mu misholo yabo. Bhiso la Jothamu nkololo wa Jerubhaale likabawila.