And Avimelekh, son of Yeruba'al, went to Shəkem, to his mother's brothers, and spoke with them, and with all the family of his mother's house, saying:

Speak now in the ears of all the masters of Shəkem, 'Is it better for you that seventy men, all the sons of Yeruba'al, rule over you, or that one man rule over you?' And remember that I am your bone and your flesh.

And his mother's brothers spoke all these words concerning him in the ears of all the masters of Shəkem, and their hearts inclined after Avimelekh, because they said, 'He is our brother.'

And they gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of Ba'al Berit, and Avimelekh hired with them empty and reckless men, and they went after him.

And he came to his father's house at Ofrá, and he killed his brothers, the seventy sons of Yeruba'al, on one stone. And Yotam, the youngest son of Yeruba'al, was left, because he hid himself.

And all the masters of Shəkem and all the house of Millo gathered, and they went and made Avimelekh king, by the oak tree which is by Shəkem.

And they told Yotam, and he went and stood on the top of Mount Gərizim, and he lifted up his voice and cried out and said to them, 'Hear me, masters of Shəkem, and may Elohim hear you.'

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

And the olive tree said to them, 'Should I cease my richness, by which Elohim and men are honored, and go to wave over the trees?'

And the trees said to the fig tree, 'Come, you, reign over us.'

And the fig tree said to them, 'Should I cease my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to wave over the trees?'

And the trees said to the vine, 'Come, you, reign over us.'

And the vine said to them, 'Should I cease my wine, which cheers Elohim and men, and go to wave over the trees?'

And all the trees said to the thornbush, 'Come, you, reign over us.'

And the thornbush said to the trees, 'If in truth you anoint me king over you, come take refuge in my shade. But if not, let fire come out from the thornbush and devour the cedars of Lebanon.'

And now, if you acted in truth and integrity, and you made Avimelekh king, and if you did good to Yeruba'al and to his house, and if you dealt with him according to the deeds of his hands,

because my father fought for you and risked his life and delivered you from the hand of Midyan,

and you rose up against my father's house today and killed his sons, seventy men, on one stone, and you made Avimelekh, the son of his servant woman, king over the masters of Shəkem, because he is your brother.

And if you acted in truth and integrity with Yeruba'al and with his house today, rejoice in Avimelekh, and let him also rejoice in you.

But if not, let fire come out from Avimelekh and devour the masters of Shəkem and the house of Millo, and let fire come out from the masters of Shəkem and from the house of Millo and devour Avimelekh.

And Yotam fled and ran away, and went to Be'er, and lived there because of Avimelekh his brother.

And Avimelekh ruled over Yisra'el three years.

And Elohim sent an evil spirit between Avimelekh and between the masters of Shəkem, and the masters of Shəkem dealt treacherously with Avimelekh.

So that the violence of the seventy sons of Yeruba'al might come, and their blood be placed on Avimelekh their brother, who killed them, and on the masters of Shəkem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers.

And the masters of Shəkem set ambushes for him on the tops of the mountains, and they plundered all who passed by them on the road. And it was told to Avimelekh.

And Ga'al son of Eved came, and his brothers, and they passed through Shəkem, and the masters of Shəkem trusted in him.

And they went out into the field and harvested their vineyards, and they trod them, and made a festival, and went into their Elohim's house, and ate and drank, and cursed Avimelekh.

And Ga'al son of Eved said, 'Who is Avimelekh, and who is Shəkem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Yeruba'al and Zəvul his officer? Serve the men of Ḥamor, father of Shəkem. But why should we serve him?'

And who will give this people into my hand, and I will remove Avimelekh!' And he said to Avimelekh, 'Increase your army and come out.'

And Zəvul, the ruler of the city, heard the words of Ga'al son of Eved, and his anger flared.

And he sent messengers to Avimelekh in cunning, saying, 'Behold, Ga'al son of Eved and his brothers have come to Shəkem, and behold, they are fortifying the city against you.'

And now, rise up tonight, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field.

And it will be in the morning, at the rising of the sun, you will rise early and make a sortie against the city. And behold, he and the people with him are coming out against you, and you will do to him as your hand finds.

And Avimelekh rose up, and all the people who were with him, by night, and they lay in wait against Shəkem, four divisions.

And Ga'al son of Eved went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate. And Avimelekh rose up, and the people who were with him, from the ambush.

And Ga'al saw the people, and he said to Zəvul, 'Behold, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains.' And Zəvul said to him, 'The shadow of the mountains you see as men.'

And Ga'al spoke again and said, 'Behold, people are coming down from the center of the land, and one division is coming from the direction of the diviners' oak.'

And Zəvul said to him, 'Where then is your mouth, with which you said, 'Who is Avimelekh, that we should serve him?' Is this not the people whom you despised? Go out now, and fight them.'

And Ga'al went out before the masters of Shəkem and fought against Avimelekh.

And Avimelekh pursued him, and he fled from him, and many fell wounded as far as the entrance of the gate.

And Avimelekh lived in Arumah, and Zəvul drove out Ga'al and his brothers from dwelling in Shəkem.

And it happened the next day, and the people went out into the field, and they told Avimelekh.

And he took the people and divided them into three divisions, and he lay in wait in the field. And he saw, and behold, the people were coming out of the city, and he rose up against them and struck them.

And Avimelekh and the divisions with him made a sortie and stood at the entrance of the city gate. And the two divisions made a sortie against all who were in the field and struck them.

And Avimelekh fought against the city all that day, and he captured the city, and the people who were in it he killed. And he demolished the city and sowed it with salt.

And all the masters of the tower of Shəkem heard, and they went into the stronghold of the house of El Berit.

And it was told to Avimelekh that all the masters of the tower of Shəkem had gathered.

And Avimelekh went up Mount Tsálmon, he and all the people who were with him. And Avimelekh took axes in his hand, and he cut off branches of trees, and he lifted them and put them on his shoulder. And he said to the people who were with him, 'What you have seen me do, quickly do the same as me.'

And all the people also cut off, each man his branch, and they went after Avimelekh, and they put them against the stronghold, and they set the stronghold on fire with them. And all the men of the tower of Shəkem died, about a thousand men and women.

And Avimelekh went to Tevetz, and he encamped against Tevetz, and he captured it.

And a strong tower was in the middle of the city, and all the men and women and all the masters of the city fled there. And they shut themselves in behind them and went up to the roof of the tower.

And Avimelekh came up to the tower and fought against it, and he drew near to the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire.

And a certain woman threw a millstone fragment onto Avimelekh's head and crushed his skull.

And he called quickly to the young man, his armor-bearer, and said to him, 'Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say, 'A woman killed him.'' And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

And the men of Yisra'el saw that Avimelekh was dead, and each man went to his place.

And Elohim repaid the evil of Avimelekh, which he did to his father by killing his seventy brothers.

And Elohim repaid all the evil of the men of Shəkem upon their heads, and the curse of Yotam son of Yeruba'al came upon them.