And Abimelech the son of Jerobaal went to Sichem to his mother’s brethren and spoke to them, and to all the kindred of his mother’s father, saying:

Abiit autem Abimelech filius Jerobaal in Sichem ad fratres matris suæ, et locutus est ad eos, et ad omnem cognationem domus patris matris suæ, dicens:

This Abimelech, son of Jerobaal, now betook himself to Sichem, and there conspired with his mother’s brethren, and the whole clan from which his mother was descended.

Speak to all the men of Sichem: whether is better for you that seventy men all the sons of Jerobaal should rule over you, or that one man should rule over you? And withal consider that I am your bone, and your flesh.

Loquimini ad omnes viros Sichem: Quid vobis est melius, ut dominentur vestri septuaginta viri omnes filii Jerobaal, an ut dominetur unus vir? simulque considerate quod os vestrum et caro vestra sum.

They were to send the word round in Sichem, Which is best, to have seventy masters over you, all Jerobaal’s sons, or one? He was, after all, their own flesh and blood.

And his mother’s brethren spoke of him to all the men of Sichem, all these words, and they inclined their hearts after Abimelech, saying: He is our brother:

Locutique sunt fratres matris ejus de eo ad omnes viros Sichem universos sermones istos, et inclinaverunt cor eorum post Abimelech, dicentes: Frater noster est.

So his mother’s brethren, by raising these whispers among the citizens of Sichem, won Abimelech their good-will; they remembered that he was their own kin,

And they gave him seventy weight of silver out of the temple of Baalberith: wherewith he hired to himself men that were needy, and vagabonds, and they followed him.

Dederuntque illi septuaginta pondo argenti de fano Baalberit. Qui conduxit sibi ex eo viros inopes et vagos, secutique sunt eum.

and gave him seventy silver pieces, from the temple treasure of Baal-berith. With these, he hired a bodyguard of penniless rogues;

And he came to his father’s house in Ephra, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerobaal, seventy men, upon one stone: and there remained only Joatham the youngest son of Jerobaal, who was hidden.

Et venit in domum patris sui in Ephra, et occidit fratres suos filios Jerobaal, septuaginta viros super lapidem unum: remansitque Joatham filius Jerobaal minimus, et absconditus est.

then went back to his father’s house at Ephra and his own brothers, the sons of Jerobaal. He murdered these at one blow, all seventy of them except Joatham, the youngest, who hid away and escaped.

And all the men of Sichem were gathered together, and all the families of the city of Mello: and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak that stood in Sichem.

Congregati sunt autem omnes viri Sichem, et universæ familiæ urbis Mello: abieruntque et constituerunt regem Abimelech, juxta quercum quæ stabat in Sichem.

And with that all the citizens of Sichem and all those who dwelt at Mello met together, and there, by the oak at Sichem, they made Abimelech their king.

This being told to Joatham, he went and stood on the top of mount Garizim: and lifting up his voice, he cried, and said: Hear me, ye men of Sichem, so may God hear you.

Quod cum nuntiatum esset Joatham, ivit, et stetit in vertice montis Garizim: elevataque voce, clamavit, et dixit: Audite me, viri Sichem; ita audiat vos Deus.

When this came to Joatham’s ears, he went and stood at the top of mount Garizim, and raised his voice there in a loud cry. Listen to me, he said, men of Sichem, as you would have God himself listen to you.

The trees went to anoint a king over them: and they said to the olive tree: Reign thou over us.

Ierunt ligna, ut ungerent super se regem: dixeruntque olivæ: Impera nobis.

There was a time when the trees went about to anoint a king who should rule over them, and said to the olive-tree, Come and be our king.

And it answered: Can I leave my fatness, which both gods and men make use of, to come to be promoted among the trees?

Quæ respondit: Numquid possum deserere pinguedinem meam, qua et dii utuntur et homines, et venire ut inter ligna promovear?

What, said the olive, would you have me forgo this rich influence of mine, for the service of God and man, to win promotion among the trees?

And the trees said to the fig tree: Come thou and reign over us.

Dixeruntque ligna ad arborem ficum: Veni, et super nos regnum accipe.

So they asked the fig-tree to be their ruler,

And it answered them: Can I leave my sweetness, and my delicious fruits, and go to be promoted among the other trees?

Quæ respondit eis: Numquid possum deserere dulcedinem meam, fructusque suavissimos, et ire ut inter cetera ligna promovear?

but the fig-tree answered, What, should I cease to yield this pleasant fruit of mine, and win promotion among the trees instead?

And the trees said to the vine: Come thou and reign over us.

Locutaque sunt ligna ad vitem: Veni, et impera nobis.

Then the trees would have the vine reign over them,

And it answered them: Can I forsake my wine, that cheereth God and men, and be promoted among the other trees?

Quæ respondit eis: Numquid possum deserere vinum meum, quod lætificat Deum et homines, et inter ligna cetera promoveri?

but the vine said, What, would you have me cease to yield wine, wine that both God and man delight in, to be the foremost of the trees?

And all the trees said to the bramble: Come thou and reign over us.

Dixeruntque omnia ligna ad rhamnum: Veni, et impera super nos.

So at last all the trees went to the bramble, and would have the bramble reign over them.

And it answered them: If indeed you mean to make me king, come ye and rest under my shadow: but if you mean it not, let fire come out from the bramble, and devour the cedars of Libanus.

Quæ respondit eis: Si vere me regem vobis constituitis, venite, et sub umbra mea requiescite: si autem non vultis, egrediatur ignis de rhamno, et devoret cedros Libani.

And the bramble said, If you have chosen me for your king in all honesty, why then, come and rest in my shadow. If your hearts are false, then burn bramble, and set light to all the cedars on Lebanon!

Now therefore if you have done well, and without sin in appointing Abimelech king over you, and have dealt well with Jerobaal, and with his house, and have made a suitable return for the benefits of him, who fought for you,

Nunc igitur, si recte et absque peccato constituistis super vos regem Abimelech, et bene egistis cum Jerobaal, et cum domo ejus, et reddidistis vicem beneficiis ejus, qui pugnavit pro vobis,

And you, have you kept faith and honour in making Abimelech your king? Have you dealt kindly with Jerobaal and his race, shewn gratitude for the good service he did you? Here was a man that fought in your cause,

And exposed his life to dangers, to deliver you from the hand of Madian,

et animam suam dedit periculis, ut erueret vos de manu Madian,

that put his life in peril, to deliver you from the power of Madian.

And you are now risen up against my father’s house, and have killed his sons seventy men upon one stone, and have made Abimelech the son of his handmaid king over the inhabitants of Sichem, because he is your brother:

qui nunc surrexistis contra domum patris mei, et interfecistis filios ejus septuaginta viros super unum lapidem, et constituistis regem Abimelech filium ancillæ ejus super habitatores Sichem, eo quod frater vester sit:

And now you have risen in arms against my father’s house, you have murdered at one blow seventy men that were his sons, and you have made Abimelech, the son of his serving-wench, king of all Sichem; one that is your own kin.

If therefore you have dealt well, and without fault with Jerobaal, and his house, rejoice ye this day in Abimelech, and may he rejoice in you.

si ergo recte et absque vitio egistis cum Jerobaal et domo ejus, hodie lætamini in Abimelech, et ille lætetur in vobis.

Was this honourably done? Have you kept faith with the race of Jerobaal? Why then, I wish you joy of your king, and Abimelech of his subjects.

But if unjustly: let fire come out from him, and consume the inhabitants of Sichem, and the town of Mello: and let fire come out from the men of Sichem, and from the town of Mello, and devour Abimelech.

Sin autem perverse: egrediatur ignis ex eo, et consumat habitatores Sichem, et oppidum Mello: egrediaturque ignis de viris Sichem, et de oppido Mello, et devoret Abimelech.

But if it was done amiss, then burn Abimelech, and set light to Sichem and Mello; burn Sichem and Mello, and set light to Abimelech!

And when he had said thus he fled, and went into Bera: and dwelt there for fear of Abimelech his brother.

Quæ cum dixisset, fugit, et abiit in Bera: habitavitque ibi ob metum Abimelech fratris sui.

And with that Joatham fled, and took refuge in Bara, where he could dwell safe from his brother Abimelech’s vengeance.

So Abimelech reigned over Israel for three years.

Regnavit itaque Abimelech super Israël tribus annis.

So, for three years, Abimelech was king in Israel;

And the Lord sent a very evil spirit between Abimelech and the inhabitants of Sichem: who began to detest him,

Misitque Dominus spiritum pessimum inter Abimelech et habitatores Sichem: qui cœperunt eum detestari,

but now the Lord stirred up ill-will between Abimelech and the men of Sichem, who came to hold him in abhorrence;

And to leave the crime of the murder of the seventy sons of Jerobaal, and the shedding of their blood upon Abimelech their brother, and upon the rest of the princes of the Sichemites, who aided him.

et scelus interfectionis septuaginta filiorum Jerobaal, et effusionem sanguinis eorum conferre in Abimelech fratrem suum, et in ceteros Sichimorum principes, qui eum adjuverant.

the foul deed done when the seventy sons of Jerobaal were slain, the guilt of the blood so spilt, was held now against Abimelech, their brother, and against the chief men of Sichem, that had been in league with him.

And they set an ambush against him on the top of the mountains: and while they waited for his coming, they committed robberies, taking spoils of all that passed by: and it was told Abimelech.

Posueruntque insidias adversus eum in summitate montium: et dum illius præstolabantur adventum, exercebant latrocinia, agentes prædas de prætereuntibus: nuntiatumque est Abimelech.

So they laid an ambush to catch him at the head of the mountain-pass, and spent their time, while they awaited his coming, in open robbery, plundering all that went by; but Abimelech had warning of it.

And Gaal the son of Obed came with his brethren, and went over to Sichem. And the inhabitants of Sichem taking courage at his coming,

Venit autem Gaal filius Obed cum fratribus suis, et transivit in Sichimam. Ad cujus adventum erecti habitatores Sichem,

It was now that Gaal son of Obed appeared, and led his clansmen into Sichem. All that dwelt in Sichem were elated at his coming;

Went out into the fields, wasting the vineyards, and treading down the grapes: and singing and dancing they went into the temple of their god, and in their banquets and cups they cursed Abimelech.

egressi sunt in agros, vastantes vineas, uvasque calcantes: et factis cantantium choris, ingressi sunt fanum dei sui, et inter epulas et pocula maledicebant Abimelech,

out they went into the country-side, to strip the vineyards and tread the grapes. Amid the chanting of choirs, they went into the temple of their god to feast and drink deep, and curse the name of Abimelech.

And Gaal the son of Obed cried: Who is Abimelech, and what is Sichem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerobaal, and hath made Zebul his servant ruler over the men of Emor the father of Sichem? Why then shall we serve him?

clamante Gaal filio Obed: Quis est Abimelech, et quæ est Sichem, ut serviamus ei? numquid non est filius Jerobaal, et constituit principem Zebul servum suum super viros Emor patris Sichem? cur ergo serviemus ei?

What, cried Gaal son of Obed, should Sichem, being the city she is, obey such a man as Abimelech? Shall this son of Jerobaal send his servant Zebul to rule over men that come down from Hamor, the father of Sichem? And must we all be his slaves?

Would to God that some man would put this people under my hand, that I might remove Abimelech out of the way. And it was said to Abimelech: Gather together the multitude of an army, and come.

utinam daret aliquis populum istum sub manu mea, ut auferrem de medio Abimelech. Dictumque est Abimelech: Congrega exercitus multitudinem, et veni.

Ah, if I had but command of a people like this, I would soon clear Abimelech out of my path.Hereupon, Abimelech was bidden muster a great force, and come with all speed.

For Zebul the ruler of the city, hearing the words of Gaal, the son of Obed, was very angry,

Zebul enim princeps civitatis, auditis sermonibus Gaal filii Obed, iratus est valde,

Gaal’s words had come to the ears of Zebul, who was in command of the city, and in high displeasure

And sent messengers privately to Abimelech, saying: Behold Gaal the son of Obed is come into Sichem with his brethren, and endeavoureth to set the city against thee.

et misit clam ad Abimelech nuntios, dicens: Ecce Gaal filius Obed venit in Sichimam cum fratribus suis, et oppugnat adversum te civitatem.

he sent Abimelech a secret message: Here is Gaal, son of Obed, come to Sichem with his clan, and means to wrest the city from thee.

Arise therefore in the night with the people that is with thee and lie hid in the field:

Surge itaque nocte cum populo qui tecum est, et latita in agro:

March out under cover of night with all the following thou hast, and lie hidden in the country round about;

And betimes in the morning at sun rising set upon the city. And when he shall come out against thee with his people, do to him what thou shalt be able.

et primo mane, oriente sole, irrue super civitatem. Illo autem egrediente adversum te cum populo suo, fac ei quod potueris.

then, when tomorrow’s sun rises, fall upon the city, and when he and his men come out to meet thee, engage them as best thou canst.

Abimelech therefore arose with all his army by night, and laid ambushes near Sichem in four places.

Surrexit itaque Abimelech cum omni exercitu suo nocte, et tetendit insidias juxta Sichimam in quatuor locis.

So Abimelech set out on a night march with all his forces, and posted men in ambush about Sichem in four several places.

And Gaal the son of Obed went out, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city. And Abimelech rose up, and all his army with him from the places of the ambushes.

Egressusque est Gaal filius Obed, et stetit in introitu portæ civitatis. Surrexit autem Abimelech, et omnis exercitus cum eo, de insidiarum loco.

Gaal, son of Obed, had gone out to take up his stand before the entrance of the city, when suddenly Abimelech and his men rose from their ambush.

And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul: Behold a multitude cometh down from the mountains. And he answered him: Thou seest the shadows of the mountains as if they were the heads of men, and this is thy mistake.

Cumque vidisset populum Gaal, dixit ad Zebul: Ecce de montibus multitudo descendit. Cui ille respondit: Umbras montium vides quasi capita hominum, et hoc errore deciperis.

And when he caught sight of them, Gaal said to Zebul, Why, what is this throng of folk coming down from the hill-top? It is the shadows on the mountain-side, said he, thou art mistaking for human forms.

Again Gaal said: Behold there cometh people down from the middle of the land, and one troop cometh by the way that looketh towards the oak.

Rursumque Gaal ait: Ecce populus de umbilico terræ descendit, et unus cuneus venit per viam quæ respicit quercum.

But Gaal repeated, There is a throng of men coming down from the uplands, and another body is moving down the road that leads to the oak-tree.

And Zebul said to him: Where is now thy mouth wherewith thou saidst? Who is Abimelech that we should serve him? Is not this the people which thou didst despise? Go out, and fight against him.

Cui dixit Zebul: Ubi est nunc os tuum, quo loquebaris: Quis est Abimelech ut serviamus ei? nonne hic populus est, quem despiciebas? egredere, et pugna contra eum.

And at that Zebul said, Now we shall see what becomes of that boasting of thine, Shall we obey such a man as Abimelech? See, here are the men thou didst hold in such contempt; go out and fight with them.

So Gaal went out in the sight of the people of Sichem, and fought against Abimelech,

Abiit ergo Gaal, spectante Sichimorum populo, et pugnavit contra Abimelech,

So Gaal must needs take the field against Abimelech, with all the citizens of Sichem to watch him;

Who chased and put him to flight, and drove him to the city: and many were slain of his people, even to the gate of the city:

qui persecutus est eum fugientem, et in urbem compulit: cecideruntque ex parte ejus plurimi, usque ad portam civitatis.

whereupon Abimelech routed him, and drove him back into the city, and not a few of his clansmen fell before they could reach the city gate.

And Abimelech sat down in Ruma: but Zebul drove Gaal, and his companions out of the city, and would not suffer them to abide in it.

Et Abimelech sedit in Ruma: Zebul autem Gaal et socios ejus expulit de urbe, nec in ea passus est commorari.

So Abimelech encamped at Ruma, while Zebul drove Gaal and his clan out of the city, saying he would harbour them no more.

So the day following the people went out into the field. And it was told Abimelech.

Sequenti ergo die, egressus est populus in campum. Quod cum nuntiatum esset Abimelech,

Next day, the citizens themselves went out on a foray; when this news reached Abimelech,

And he took his army, and divided it into three companies, and laid ambushes in the fields. And seeing that the people came out of the city, he arose and set upon them,

tulit exercitum suum, et divisit in tres turmas, tendens insidias in agris. Vidensque quod egrederetur populus de civitate, surrexit, et irruit in eos

he led his men to the attack. He had divided them into three companies, hiding them in ambush in the country round about; and finding that the men of Sichem were at a distance from the city, he moved swiftly against them.

With his own company, assaulting and besieging the city: whilst the two other companies chased the enemies that were scattered about the field.

cum cuneo suo, oppugnans et obsidens civitatem: duæ autem turmæ palantes per campum adversarios persequebantur.

He, with his own company, surrounded and attacked the city, while the other two companies fell on the enemy as they straggled across the plain.

And Abimelech assaulted the city all that day: and took it, and killed the inhabitants thereof, and demolished it, so that he sowed salt in it.

Porro Abimelech omni die illo oppugnabat urbem: quam cepit, interfectis habitatoribus ejus, ipsaque destructa, ita ut sal in ea dispergeret.

All that day Abimelech assaulted the city; and when he took it he slaughtered the inhabitants and destroyed it utterly, and strewed salt over the ground to put a ban on it.

And when they who dwelt in the tower of Sichem had heard this, they went into the temple of their god Berith where they had made a covenant with him, and from thence the place had taken its name, and it was exceeding strong.

Quod cum audissent qui habitabant in turre Sichimorum, ingressi sunt fanum dei sui Berith, ubi fœdus cum eo pepigerant, et ex eo locus nomen acceperat: qui erat munitus valde.

When this news reached the men who dwelt in Sichem Watch-tower, they took refuge in the temple of their god, whom they called Berith because they had made a covenant with him there. It gave its name to the ground on which it stood, which was strongly fortified.

Abimelech also hearing that the men of the tower of Sichem were gathered together,

Abimelech quoque audiens viros turris Sichimorum pariter conglobatos,

And Abimelech, when he was told that all the inhabitants of Sichem Watch-tower were so cooped up together,

Went up into mount Selmon he and all his people with him: and taking an axe, he cut down the bough of a tree, and laying it on his shoulder and carrying it, he said to his companions: What you see me do, do you out of hand.

ascendit in montem Selmon cum omni populo suo: et arrepta securi, præcidit arboris ramum, impositumque ferens humero, dixit ad socios: Quod me videtis facere, cito facite.

led his whole force to mount Selmon. Here, with an axe, he cut down a branch from a tree and threw it across his shoulder, bidding all that were with him straightway do the like.

So they cut down boughs from the trees, every man as fast as he could, and followed their leader. And surrounding the fort they set it on fire: and so it came to pass that with the smoke and with the fire a thousand persons were killed, men and women together, of the inhabitants of the tower of Sichem.

Igitur certatim ramos de arboribus præcidentes, sequebantur ducem. Qui circumdantes præsidium, succenderunt: atque ita factum est, ut fumo et igne mille homines necarentur, viri pariter et mulieres, habitatorum turris Sichem.

So, eagerly enough, they followed their leader’s example, and when they reached the stronghold they surrounded it and set fire to it. Thus smoke and fire brought death to a thousand souls, all the men and women that dwelt in Sichem Watch-tower.

Then Abimelech departing from thence came to the town of Thebes, which he surrounded and besieged with his army.

Abimelech autem inde proficiscens venit ad oppidum Thebes, quod circumdans obsidebat exercitu.

From there, Abimelech went on to the town of Thebes, and made an assault on it.

And there was in the midst of the city a high tower, to which both the men and the women were fled together, and all the princes of the city, and having shut and strongly barred the gate, they stood upon the battlements of the tower to defend themselves.

Erat autem turris excelsa in media civitate, ad quam confugerant simul viri ac mulieres, et omnes principes civitatis, clausa firmissime janua, et super turris tectum stantes per propugnacula.

There was a high tower in the middle of the city, in which men and women alike had taken refuge, all the chief magistrates of the city among them. Its doors were stoutly barred, and there were battlements on its roof behind which the defenders stood.

And Abimelech coming near the tower, fought stoutly: and approaching to the gate, endeavoured to set fire to it:

Accedensque Abimelech juxta turrim, pugnabat fortiter: et appropinquans ostio, ignem supponere nitebatur:

Abimelech came up and assailed it vigorously, and was standing there close by the door trying to set fire to it,

And behold a certain woman casting a piece of a millstone from above, dashed it against the head of Abimelech, and broke his skull.

et ecce una mulier fragmen molæ desuper jaciens, illisit capiti Abimelech, et confregit cerebrum ejus.

when a woman threw down from the roof part of a mill-stone, which struck him on the head and pierced to the brain.

And he called hastily to his armourbearer, and said to him: Draw thy sword, and kill me: lest it should be said that I was slain by a woman. He did as he was commanded, and slew him.

Qui vocavit cito armigerum suum, et ait ad eum: Evagina gladium tuum, et percute me, ne forte dicatur quod a femina interfectus sim. Qui jussa perficiens, interfecit eum.

Quickly he called out to his armour-bearer; Draw thy sword, he said, and make an end of me; it must not be said that Abimelech died by a woman’s hand. So the armour-bearer obeyed, and made an end of him;

And when he was dead, all the men of Israel that were with him, returned to their homes.

Illoque mortuo, omnes qui cum eo erant de Israël, reversi sunt in sedes suas:

and, once he was dead, all the Israelites who marched with him went back to their homes.

And God repaid the evil, that Abimelech had done against his father, killing his seventy brethren.

et reddidit Deus malum quod fecerat Abimelech contra patrem suum, interfectis septuaginta fratribus suis.

Thus God punished Abimelech for the wrong he did to his father’s name by slaughtering those seventy brethren of his,

The Sichemites also were rewarded for what they had done, and the curse of Joatham the son of Jerobaal came upon them.

Sichimitis quoque quod operati erant, retributum est, et venit super eos maledictio Joatham filii Jerobaal.

and punished the men of Sichem, too, for their misdeeds; and the curse of Joatham, son of Jerobaal, came upon them all.