1 And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother’s brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying, 2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh. 3 And his mother’s brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother. 4 And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him. 5 And he went unto his father’s house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself. 6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.
7 ¶ And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you. 8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. 9 But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? 10 And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. 11 But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees? 12 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. 13 And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? 14 Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. 15 And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon. 16 Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands; 17 (For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian: 18 And ye are risen up against my father’s house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;) 19 If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you: 20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech. 21 And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
22 ¶ When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel, 23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: 24 That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren. 25 And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech. 26 And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him. 27 And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode the grapes , and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech. 28 And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serve him? 29 And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.
30 ¶ And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled. 31 And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem; and, behold, they fortify the city against thee. 32 Now therefore up by night, thou and the people that is with thee, and lie in wait in the field: 33 And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, thou shalt rise early, and set upon the city: and, behold, when he and the people that is with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to them as thou shalt find occasion.
34 ¶ And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies. 35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from lying in wait. 36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men. 37 And Gaal spake again and said, See there come people down by the middle of the land, and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim. 38 Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them. 39 And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. 40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate. 41 And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem. 42 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech. 43 And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field, and looked, and, behold, the people were come forth out of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote them. 44 And Abimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and the two other companies ran upon all the people that were in the fields, and slew them. 45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.
46 ¶ And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that , they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith. 47 And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. 48 And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done . 49 And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.
50 ¶ Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it. 51 But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower. 52 And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire. 53 And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and all to brake his skull. 54 Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died. 55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.
56 ¶ Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren: 57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
9–BOB
Abumalek
1 Gidoʻn oʻgʻli Abumalek Shakam shahriga — togʻalarining oldiga borib, barcha urugʻ–aymoqlariga shunday dedi:
2 — Shakam beklarining huzuriga boringlar, ularga: “Ustingizdan Gidoʻnning yetmishta oʻgʻli hukmronlik qilganidan koʻra, bittasi hukmronlik qilgani yaxshi emasmi?” deb aytinglar. Men sizlarning jigaringiz ekanimni ham eslaringizdan chiqarmanglar.
3 Togʻalari Abumalekning manfaatini koʻzlab, bu soʻzlarni Shakam beklariga yetkazdilar. Shakam beklari esa: “Har qalay Abumalek qarindoshimiz”, deya uning tarafdorlari boʻldilar. 4 Shakam beklari unga Baal–Berit uyidagi yetmish boʻlak kumushni berdilar. Abumalek esa bu kumushga yaramas odamlarni yolladi. 5 U Oʻfraga — otasining uyiga borib, yetmishta oʻgay aka–ukasini bir tosh ustida qatl qildi. Ammo Gidoʻnning kenja oʻgʻli Yoʻtom bekinib, tirik qoldi. 6 Soʻng Shakam beklari va Bayt–Milloda yashovchilar Shakamdagi muqaddas eman daraxtining oldiga borib, u yerda Abumalekni taxtga koʻtarishdi.
7 Yoʻtom buni eshitgach, Garizim togʻining tepasiga chiqib xitob qildi:
“Ey Shakam beklari, gapimni eshitinglar, shunda Xudo ham sizlarni eshitgay! 8 Bir zamonda daraxtlar oʻzlariga shoh tanlamoqchi boʻlishibdi. Ular zaytun daraxtiga:
— Shohimiz boʻl, — deyishibdi.
9 Zaytun daraxti ularga shunday javob beribdi:
— Xudolar va bandalar sharafiga ishlatiladigan moyimni bermay qoʻyib, daraxtlar uzra shoxlarimni silkitib turaymi?!
10 Shunda daraxtlar anjirga:
— Sen kelib, shohimiz boʻla qol, — deb aytishibdi.
11 Anjir daraxti ham shunday javob beribdi:
— Iye, shirin va lazzatli mevalarimni tugmay, daraxtlar uzra shoxlarimni silkitib turaymi?!
12 Soʻng daraxtlar tokka:
— Bizga sen hukmronlik qila qol, — deyishibdi.
13 Tok ham javob berib shunday debdi:
— Xudolar va bandalar dimogʻini chogʻ qiladigan sharobimni bermay qoʻyib, daraxtlar uzra novdalarimni silkitib turaymi?!
14 Oxiri daraxtlarning barchasi yantoqqa deyishibdi:
— Sen kelib, bizga hukmronlik qilgin.
15 Yantoq esa daraxtlarga:
— Agar meni sidqidildan shohlikka koʻtarayotgan boʻlsangizlar, kelib soyamda panoh topinglar, aks holda, tikanlarimdan chiqqan olov avj olib, hatto Lubnondagi sadrlarni ham kuydirib tashlaydi! — deb javob beribdi.
16 Shu tariqa sizlar ham Abumalekni taxtga sidqidildan, vijdonan koʻtardingizmi?! Gidoʻn va uning xonadoniga nisbatan toʻgʻri ish tutdingizmi?! Qilmishlaringiz otamning sizlar uchun qilgan ezgu ishlariga loyiq ekanmi?! 17 Otam jonini ayamay sizlar uchun jang qilgan edi, sizlarni Midiyonlarning qoʻlidan qutqargan edi. 18 Sizlar esa otamning xonadoniga qarshi chiqib, uning yetmish nafar oʻgʻlini bir toshning ustida qatl qildingizlar. Choʻrisi tuqqan Abumalekni esa qarindoshingiz boʻlgani uchun Shakam beklarining ustidan shoh qilib tayinladingizlar. 19 Agar bugun Gidoʻn xonadoniga nisbatan vijdonan ish tutgan boʻlsangiz, Abumalekdan mamnun boʻlib shodlaning, u ham sizlardan mamnun boʻlib shodlansin. 20 Aks holda, Abumalekdan olov chiqib, Shakam va Bayt–Millo beklarini yamlab yuborsin. Shakam va Bayt–Millo beklaridan ham olov chiqib, Abumalekni kuydirib yoʻq qilsin.”
21 Soʻng Yoʻtom Abumalekdan qoʻrqqanidan Ber hududiga qochib qoldi.
22 Abumalek uch yil Isroilda hukmronlik qildi. 23 Xudo esa Abumalek va Shakam beklari orasida nizo chiqarish uchun bir ruh yubordi. Shuning uchun Shakam beklari Abumalekka xoinlik qilishdi. 24 Bu hodisa Gidoʻnning yetmishta oʻgʻlini oʻldirgan Abumalekdan va uning bu jinoyatini qoʻllab turgan Shakam beklaridan qasos olinishining daragi edi. 25 Shunday qilib, Shakam beklari Abumalekka qarshi togʻlarning tepalarida, pistirmalarda odamlarini oʻtirgʻizib qoʻyishgandi. Ular oʻtgan–ketganlarni talab, bor–yoʻgʻini tortib olishardi. Abumalek bundan xabar topdi.
26 Gal ismli bir odam oʻz ogʻa–inilari bilan Shakamga koʻchib keldi. U Shakam beklarining ishonchini qozondi. Gal Evid degan odamning oʻgʻli edi. 27 Shakamliklar dalaga chiqib, uzumzorlaridan uzum terishdi, uni ezib sharob tayyorlashdi, soʻng ziyofat qilishdi. Ular xudosining uyida oʻtirib, ziyofat qilishar ekan, yeb–ichib Abumalekni mazax qilishdi: 28 “Abumalek kim boʻlibdiki, biz, Shakamliklar, unga xizmat qilsak? — shangʻillab gapini boshladi Gal. — Padari buzrukvorimiz Xamoʻr bu shaharga asos solgan edi. Shunday ekan, Xamoʻr naslidan boʻlgan bironta odam bizga hukmronlik qilishi kerak. Abumalek esa yetti yot begona boʻlgan Gidoʻnning oʻgʻli–ku! Nega biz uning va hokimi Zabulning oldida bosh egishimiz kerak ekan? 29 Agar bu odamlar qoʻlim ostida boʻlganda edi, Abumalekni oʻzim yoʻq qilardim! Unga, lashkaringni koʻpaytirib, jangga chiq, degan boʻlardim.”
30 Shahar hokimi Zabul Galning bu soʻzlarini eshitgach, gʻazabi alanga oldi. 31 U bildirmay Abumalekning oldiga chopar joʻnatib dedi: “Qarang, Evid oʻgʻli Gal butun urugʻi bilan Shakamga kelib, shaharni sizga qarshi qoʻzgʻatmoqda. 32 Shuning uchun yarim tunda lashkaringiz bilan yoʻlga tushib, dalalarda yashirining. 33 Ertasiga saharda turib, shaharga qoʻqqisdan hujum qiling. Gal qoʻshinlari bilan sizlarga qarshi chiqqanda qoʻlingizdan kelganicha ular bilan olishing.”
34 Shunday qilib, Abumalek lashkari bilan yarim tunda yoʻlga tushdi. Ular toʻrt qismga boʻlinib Shakam yaqinida pisib yotishdi.
35 Gal chiqib shahar darvozasida turganda, Abumalek bir qism lashkari bilan qirlar orqasidan chiqib keldi. 36 Gal ularni koʻrgach, Zabulga dedi:
— Qarang! Qirlardan odamlar tushib kelmoqda!
— Qoʻysang–chi, — dedi Zabul. — Qirlar soyalari koʻzingga odamlar boʻlib koʻrinyapti.
37 — Qarang, qirlardan odamlar pastga tushib kelishyapti, boshqa bir qismi esa folbinlarning daraxti tomonidan yaqinlashyapti, — dedi yana Gal.
38 — Katta ketib: “Abumalek kim boʻpti biz unga xizmat qilsak?” deb gapirgan sen emasmiding?! — dedi shunda Zabul, — sen mana shu lashkarni mazax qilgan eding–ku. Qani, boʻl, endi chiqib ular bilan jang qil.
39 Shakam beklari Gal boshchiligida chiqib, Abumalekka qarshi jang qilishdi. 40 Abumalek Galni quvib ketdi, ammo Gal qochib qoldi. Oʻsha kuni Shakam sipohlarining koʻplari halok boʻldi, butun jang maydoni to shahar darvozasigacha jasadlarga toʻldi.
41 Abumalek Armaxda oʻrnashdi, Zabul esa Galni barcha qarindoshlari bilan Shakamdan quvib yubordi. Ular endi Shakamda yashay olmas edilar.
42 Ertasi kuni Shakamliklar yumushlarini bajarmoq uchun dalalarga chiqmoqchi ekanligidan Abumalek xabardor boʻldi. 43 U lashkarini uch qismga boʻldi. Lashkar dalalardagi qirlarda pisib yotdi. Abumalek shahardan chiqib kelayotgan odamlarni koʻrib, lashkari bilan ularga hamla qildi. 44 Lashkarning bir qismi Abumalek boshchiligida shahar darvozasini qoʻlga kiritdi. Ular shahar darvozasi oldidan siljimadilar. Lashkarning qolgan ikki qismi esa daladagi odamlarga hujum qilib, ularni qirib tashladi. 45 Oʻsha kuni Abumalek kun boʻyi shaharga qarshi jang qildi. Oxiri shaharni qoʻlga oldi. U yerdagi hamma odamni qatl qildi. Shaharni esa vayron qilib, ustidan tuz sochib tashladi .
46 Shakam qalʼasining beklari buni eshitgach, oʻsha yerdagi Baal–Berit uyining qoʻrgʻoniga kirib, bekinib oldilar. 47 Beklarning hammasi qoʻrgʻonda ekanligidan xabardor boʻlgan Abumalek 48 lashkari bilan Zalmon togʻining tepasiga chiqdi. Qoʻlidagi bolta bilan bir bogʻlam oʻtin kesib, orqasiga ortib oldi. Soʻng lashkariga: “Qani, sizlar ham xuddi shunday qilinglar”, deb buyurdi. 49 Sipohlarning har biri bir bogʻlamdan oʻtin kesib oldi. Ular Abumalekka ergashib oʻtinlarni qoʻrgʻonning atrofiga terib chiqdilar, soʻng qalʼaga oʻt qoʻydilar. Qalʼadagi hamma odamlar halok boʻldi. U yerda mingtacha ayol va erkak kishi bor edi.
50 Shundan soʻng Abumalek Tavoz shahriga yoʻl oldi. Shaharni qamal qilib, qoʻlga kiritdi. 51 Ammo shaharning ichida juda baland bir qoʻrgʻon bor edi. Shahardagi ayolu erkaklar, hamma shahar beklari oʻsha qoʻrgʻon ichiga qochib kirishdi. Ular eshiklarni tambalab, tomga chiqib olishdi. 52 Abumalek qoʻrgʻondagilarga qarshi jang qildi, unga oʻt qoʻymoqchi boʻlib, yoniga bordi. 53 Shu payt bir ayol tepadan tegirmon toshini uloqtirib, Abumalekning boshini yorib yubordi. 54 Jon talvasasida Abumalek qurolbardorini yoniga chaqirib:
— Boʻl, qilichingni sugʻurib meni oʻldir, — dedi, — yana odamlar: “Uni ayol kishi oʻldirdi”, deb yurishmasin.
Shunda yigit qilich suqib, Abumalekni oʻldirdi. 55 Odamlar Abumalekning oʻlganini koʻrib uylariga tarqalib ketishdi. 56 Otasiga xiyonat qilib, yetmishta aka–ukasini oʻldirgan Abumalekni Xudo shu yoʻsinda jazolagan edi. 57 Shuningdek, Shakamliklarning ham qilgan qabihliklari uchun taʼzirini bergan edi. Ular Gidoʻn oʻgʻli Yoʻtomning qargʻishiga yoʻliqdilar.
