3. Abimelech's uncles talked it over with the leaders of Shechem who agreed, “Yes, it would be better for one of our relatives to be king.”
4. Then they gave Abimelech seventy pieces of silver from the temple of their god Baal Berith.Abimelech used the silver to hire a gang of rough soldiers who would do anything for money.
5. Abimelech and his soldiers went to his father's home in Ophrah and brought out Gideon's other sons to a large rock, where they murdered all seventy. Gideon's youngest son Jotham hid from the soldiers, but he was the only one who escaped.
6. The leaders of Shechem, including the priests and the military officers, met at the tree next to the sacred rock in Shechem to crown Abimelech king.
7. Jotham heard what they were doing. So he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted down to the people who were there at the meeting:Leaders of Shechem,listen to me,and perhaps Godwill listen to you.
8. Once the trees searchedfor someone to be king;they asked the olive tree,“Will you be our king?”
9. But the olive tree replied,“My oil brings honourto people and gods.I won't stop making oil,just so my branches can waveabove the other trees.”
23-24. when God decided to punish him and the leaders of Shechem for killing Gideon's seventy sons.So God turned the leaders of Shechem against Abimelech.
25. Then they sent some men to hide on the hilltops and watch for Abimelech and his troops, while they sent others to rob everyone who went by on the road. But Abimelech found out what they were doing.
26. One day, Gaal son of Ebed went to live in Shechem. His brothers moved there too, and soon the leaders of Shechem started trusting him.
27. The time came for the grape harvest, and the people of Shechem went into their vineyards and picked the grapes. They put the grapes in their wine-pits and walked on them to squeeze out the juice in order to make wine. Then they went into the temple of their god and threw a big party. There was a lot of eating and drinking, and before long they were cursing Abimelech.
28. Gaal said:Hamor was the founder of Shechem, and one of his descendants should be our ruler. But Abimelech's father was Gideon, so Abimelech isn't really one of us. He shouldn't be our king, and we shouldn't have to obey him or Zebul, who rules Shechem for him.
29. If I were the ruler of Shechem, I'd get rid of that Abimelech. I'd tell him, “Get yourself an even bigger army, and we will still defeat you.”
30. Zebul was angry when he found out what Gaal had said.
31. And so he sent some messengers to Abimelech. But they had to pretend to be doing something else, or they would not have been allowed to leave Shechem. Zebul told the messengers to say:Gaal the son of Ebed has come to Shechem along with his brothers, and they have persuaded the people to let Gaal rule Shechem instead of you.
32. This is what I think you should do. Lead your army here during the night and hide in the fields.
33. Get up the next morning at sunrise and rush out of your hiding places to attack the town. Gaal and his followers will come out to fight you, but you will easily defeat them.
34. So one night, Abimelech led his soldiers to Shechem. He divided them into four groups, and they all hid near the town.
35. The next morning, Gaal went out and stood in the opening of the town gate. Abimelech and his soldiers left their hiding places,