Juízes 9 - Bíblia Online

Abimeleque, filho de Jerubaal, foi a Siquém, aos irmãos de sua mãe, e falou com eles e com toda a parentela da casa de seu avô materno, dizendo: 
Falai aos ouvidos de todos os cidadãos de Siquém: Qual é melhor para vós, que todos os filhos de Jerubaal, setenta pessoas vos dominem, ou que um só domine sobre vós? Lembrai-vos também de que eu sou osso vosso e carne vossa. 
Os irmãos de sua mãe falaram essas palavras a respeito dele aos ouvidos de todos os cidadãos de Siquém; e inclinaram-se os corações deles a seguir a Abimeleque, porque disseram: É nosso irmão. 
Deram-lhe setenta siclos de prata do templo de Baal-Berite, com os quais alugou Abimeleque a uns homens miseráveis e atrevidos, que o seguiram. 
Foi à casa de seu pai, a Ofra, e matou a seus irmãos, filhos de Jerubaal, umas setenta pessoas, sobre uma mesma pedra: mas Jotão, filho mais moço de Jerubaal, foi deixado, pois se escondeu. 
Então se ajuntaram todos os cidadãos de Siquém, e toda Bete-Milo, e foram e constituíram rei a Abimeleque junto ao terebinto da coluna que havia em Siquém. 
Tendo sido avisado disso Jotão, foi e pôs-se de pé no cume do monte Gerizim; e levantando a voz, clamou e disse-lhes: Ouvi-me, cidadãos de Siquém, para que Deus vos ouça a vós. 
Foram uma vez as árvores a ungir sobre si um rei; e disseram à oliveira: Reina sobre nós. 
Mas a oliveira respondeu-lhes: Deixarei, porventura, a minha gordura de que se usa para honrar aos deuses e aos homens, e irei a dominar sobre as árvores? 
Disseram as árvores à figueira: Vem tu, e reina sobre nós. 
Mas a figueira respondeu-lhes: Deixarei, porventura, a minha doçura e boas novidades, e irei a dominar sobre as árvores? 
Disseram as árvores à videira: Vem tu, e reina sobre nós. 
Respondeu-lhes a videira: Deixarei, porventura, o meu suco, que alegra aos deuses e aos homens e irei a dominar sobre as árvores? 
Todas as árvores disseram ao espinheiro: Vem tu, e reina sobre nós? 
Respondeu o espinheiro às árvores: Se vós, na verdade, me ungis por vosso rei, vinde e refugiai-vos debaixo da minha sombra; mas, se não, do espinheiro sairá fogo, e devorará os cedros do Líbano. 
Agora se de boa fé e com retidão procedestes, constituindo rei a Abimeleque, se vos portastes bem com Jerubaal e com a sua casa e lhe fizestes conforme os seus merecimentos 
(meu pai pelejou por vós, expôs a sua vida aos perigos e vos livrou do poder de Midiã: 
porém vós hoje vos levantastes contra a casa de meu pai, matastes a seus filhos, umas setenta pessoas, sobre uma mesma pedra, e fizestes reinar sobre os cidadãos de Siquém a Abimeleque, filho de uma sua escrava, porque é vosso, irmão); 
se vos tendes portado hoje de boa fé e com retidão para com Jerubaal e para com a sua casa, alegrai-vos em Abimeleque, e ele também se alegre em vós: 
mas, se não, de Abimeleque sairá fogo, e devorará os cidadãos de Siquém e a Bete-Milo; dos cidadãos de Siquém e de Bete-Milo sairá fogo, e devorará a Abimeleque. 
Então partiu Jotão, fugiu e foi a Beer, e ali habitou por temer a seu irmão Abimeleque. 
Reinou Abimeleque sobre Israel três anos. 
Deus enviou um espírito mau para o meio de Abimeleque e dos cidadãos de Siquém; estes se houveram aleivosamente contra Abimeleque, 
para que a violência praticada contra os setenta filhos de Jerubaal aparecesse, e para que o sangue deles caísse sobre Abimeleque, seu irmão, que os matou, e sobre os de Siquém, que lhe auxiliaram para tirar a vida a seus irmãos. 
Puseram-lhe os cidadãos de Siquém emboscadas nos cumes dos outeiros, e roubaram a todos os que passavam por eles na estrada: disto foi avisado Abimeleque. 
Veio Gaal, filho de Ebede, com seus irmãos, e estabeleceu-se em Siquém; e confiaram nele os cidadãos de Siquém. 
Saindo ao campo, vindimaram as suas vinhas, pisaram as uvas e fizeram uma festa; e, tendo entrado no templo do seu deus, comeram, beberam e amaldiçoaram a Abimeleque. 
Disse Gaal, filho de Ebede: Quem é Abimeleque, e quem é Siquém, para que o sirvamos? não é, porventura, filho de Jerubaal? não é Zebul o seu legado? Servi antes aos homens de Hamor, pai de Siquém: mas nós porque o serviremos? 
Prouvera a Deus que este povo estivesse sob a minha direção; pois eu expeliria a Abimeleque. Disse a Abimeleque: Aumenta o teu exército, e sai. 
Tendo Zebul, governador da cidade, ouvido as palavras de Gaal, filho de Ebede, acendeu-se em ira. 
Enviou astutamente a Abimeleque mensageiros que lhe dissessem: Eis que Gaal, filho de Ebede, e seus irmãos são vindos a Siquém, e procuram sublevar a cidade contra ti. 
Agora levanta-te de noite, tu e o povo que estiver contigo, e deixa-te estar escondido no campo; 
e pela manhã, logo que nascer o sol, levantar-te-ás e darás de golpe sobre a cidade: saindo contra ti Gaal com a sua gente, far-lhe-ás, como te permitirem as circunstâncias. 
Levantou-se de noite Abimeleque com toda a sua gente; e divididos em quatro companhias puseram emboscadas a Siquém. 
Saiu Gaal, filho de Ebede, e pôs-se à entrada da cidade; e levantou-se do lugar das emboscadas Abimeleque e o povo que estava com ele. 
Quando Gaal viu ao povo, disse a Zebul: Eis que desce gente dos cumes dos outeiros. respondeu-lhe Zebul: Tu vês as sombras dos outeiros, como se fossem homens. 
Mas Gaal tornou a falar, e disse: Está descendo gente de perto do umbigo da terra, e vem vindo uma companhia do caminho do terebinto de Meonenim. 
Então lhe disse Zebul: Onde está agora a tua boca, com a qual dizias: Quem é Abimeleque, para que o sirvamos? não é este o povo que desprezavas? sai agora e peleja contra ele. 
Saiu Gaal à vista dos cidadãos de Siquém e pelejou contra Abimeleque. 
Abimeleque o perseguiu, e fugiu Gaal diante dele, muitos caíram feridos até a entrada da porta. 
Abimeleque habitou em Arumá: e Zebul expeliu a Gaal e a seus irmãos, para que não habitassem em Siquém. 
No dia seguinte saiu o povo ao campo; disto foi avisado Abimeleque, 
que tomou a sua gente, a dividiu em três companhias e pôs emboscadas no campo. Olhou, e eis que o povo saía da cidade, pelo que se levantou contra eles e os feriu. 
Abimeleque e as companhias que com ele estavam, correram e puseram-se à entrada da cidade; as outras duas companhias deram de improviso sobre todos os que estavam no campo, e os feriram. 
Abimeleque pelejou contra a cidade todo aquele dia, tomou-a e matou ao povo que nela se achava; e assolando-a, a semeou de sal. 
Tendo ouvido isso todos os habitantes de Migdol-Siquém, entraram no esconderijo no templo de El-Berite. 
Abimeleque foi avisado de que se achavam congregados todos os habitantes de Migdol-Siquém. 
Subiu ao monte Zalmom, ele e toda a sua gente; e, tomando um machado na mão, cortou um ramo de árvore, levantou-o e pô-lo no ombro, e disse ao povo que estava com ele: O que me viste fazer, fazei-o também depressa. 
Assim todo o povo cortou cada um o seu ramo, e seguiram a Abimeleque; e tendo posto os ramos junto ao esconderijo, o incendiaram sobre eles, de sorte que morreram também todos os habitantes de Migdol-Siquém, quase mil pessoas, homens e mulheres. 
Depois foi Abimeleque a Tebes, a qual sitiou e tomou. 
Havia, porém, no meio da cidade uma torre forte, para onde se refugiaram todos os homens e mulheres, a saber, todos os habitantes da cidade que, fechadas as portas, subiram ao eirado da torre. 
Chegando Abimeleque à torre, pelejou contra ela e aproximou-se da porta para a incendiar. 
Uma mulher lançou a pedra superior de um moinho sobre a cabeça de Abimeleque, e quebrou-lhe o crânio. 
Então chamou depressa ao moço, seu escudeiro, e lhe disse: Desembainha a tua espada, e mata-me, para que não se diga de mim: Uma mulher matou-o. O moço atravessou-o, e ele morreu. 
Vendo os homens de Israel que Abimeleque já era morto, foram-se cada um para o seu lugar. 
Assim Deus fez cair sobre Abimeleque o mal que tinha feito a seu pai, tirando a vida a seus setenta irmãos. 
Também toda a maldade dos homens de Siquém, fê-la cair sobre a cabeça deles; e veio sobre eles a maldição de Jotão, filho de Jerubaal. 

Now Abimelech, the son of Jerubbaal, went to Shechem to his mother's family, and said to them and to all the family of his mother's father, 
Say now in the ears of all the townsmen of Shechem, Is it better for you to be ruled by all the seventy sons of Jerubbaal or by one man only? And keep in mind that I am your bone and your flesh. 
So his mother's family said all this about him in the ears of all the townsmen of Shechem: and their hearts were turned to Abimelech, for they said, He is our brother. 
And they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the house of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech got the support of a number of uncontrolled and good-for-nothing persons. 
Then he went to his father's house at Ophrah, and put his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, to death on the same stone; however, Jotham, the youngest, kept himself safe by going away to a secret place. 
And all the townsmen of Shechem and all Beth-millo came together and went and made Abimelech their king, by the oak of the pillar in Shechem. 
Now Jotham, on hearing of it, went to the top of Mount Gerizim, and crying out with a loud voice said to them, Give ear to me, you townsmen of Shechem, so that God may give ear to you. 
One day the trees went out to make a king for themselves; and they said to the olive-tree, Be king over us. 
But the olive-tree said to them, Am I to give up my wealth of oil, by which men give honour to God, and go waving over the trees? 
Then the trees said to the fig-tree, You come and be king over us. 
But the fig-tree said to them, Am I to give up my sweet taste and my good fruit and go waving over the trees? 
Then the trees said to the vine, You come and be king over us. 
But the vine said to them, Am I to give up my wine, which makes glad God and men, to go waving over the trees? 
Then all the trees said to the thorn, You come and be king over us. 
And the thorn said to the trees, If it is truly your desire to make me your king, then come and put your faith in my shade; and if not, may fire come out of the thorn, burning up the cedars of Lebanon. 
So now, if you have done truly and uprightly in making Abimelech king, and if you have done well to Jerubbaal and his house in reward for the work of his hands; 
(For my father made war for you, and put his life in danger, and made you free from the hands of Midian; 
And you have gone against my father's family this day, and have put to death his sons, even seventy men on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his servant-wife, king over the townsmen of Shechem because he is your brother;) 
If then you have done what is true and upright to Jerubbaal and his family this day, may you have joy in Abimelech, and may he have joy in you; 
But if not, may fire come out from Abimelech, burning up the townsmen of Shechem and Beth-millo; and may fire come out from the townsmen of Shechem and Beth-millo, for the destruction of Abimelech. 
Then Jotham straight away went in flight to Beer, and was living there for fear of his brother Abimelech. 
So Abimelech was chief over Israel for three years. 
And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the townsmen of Shechem; and the townsmen of Shechem were false to Abimelech; 
So that punishment for the violent attack made on the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, and for their blood, might come on Abimelech, their brother, who put them to death, and on the townsmen of Shechem who gave him their help in putting his brothers to death. 
And the townsmen of Shechem put secret watchers on the tops of the mountains, and they made attacks on all who went by on the road and took their goods; and word of this came to Abimelech. 
Then Gaal, the son of Ebed, came with his brothers, and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their faith in him. 
And they went out into their fields and got in the fruit of their vines, and when the grapes had been crushed, they made a holy feast and went into the house of their god, and over their food and drink they were cursing Abimelech. 
And Gaal, the son of Ebed, said, Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem, that we are to be his servants? Is it not right for the son of Jerubbaal and Zebul his captain to be servants to the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem? But why are we to be his servants? 
If only I had authority over this people! I would put Abimelech out of the way, and I would say to Abimelech, Make your army strong, and come out. 
Now Zebul, the ruler of the town, hearing what Gaal, the son of Ebed, had said, was moved to wrath. 
And he sent to Abimelech at Arumah, saying, See, Gaal, the son of Ebed, and his brothers have come to Shechem, and they are working up the town against you. 
So now, get up by night, you and your people, and keep watch in the field secretly; 
And in the morning, when the sun is up, get up early and make a rush on the town; and when he and his people come out against you, do to them whatever you have a chance to do. 
So Abimelech and the people with him got up by night, in four bands, to make a surprise attack on Shechem. 
And Gaal, the son of Ebed, went out, and took his place at the doorway into the town; then Abimelech and his people got up from the place where they had been waiting. 
And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, See! people are coming down from the tops of the mountains. And Zebul said to him, You see the shade of the mountains like men. 
And Gaal said again, See! people are coming down from the middle of the land, and one band is coming by way of the oak-tree of the Seers. 
Then Zebul said to him, Now where is your loud talk when you said, Who is Abimelech that we are to be his servants? Is this not the people whom you were rating so low? Go out now, and make war on them. 
So Gaal went out at the head of the townsmen of Shechem and made war on Abimelech. 
And Abimelech went after him and he went in flight before him; and a great number were falling by the sword all the way up to the town. 
Then Abimelech went back to Arumah; and Zebul sent Gaal and his brothers away and would not let them go on living in Shechem. 
Now the day after, the people went out into the fields; and news of it came to Abimelech. 
And he took his people, separating them into three bands, and was waiting secretly in the field; and when he saw the people coming out of the town, he went up and made an attack on them. 
And Abimelech with his band made a rush, and took up their position at the doorway into the town; and the other two bands made a rush on all those who were in the fields, and overcame them. 
And all that day Abimelech was fighting against the town; and he took it, and put to death the people who were in it, and had the town pulled down and covered with salt. 
Then all the townsmen of the tower of Shechem, hearing of it, went into the inner room of the house of El-berith. 
And word was given to Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem were there together. 
Then Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, with all his people; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand and, cutting down branches of trees, took them and put them on his back. And he said to the people who were with him, Be quick and do as you have seen me do. 
So all the people got branches, every man cutting down a branch, and they went with Abimelech at their head and, massing the branches against the inner room, put fire to the room over them; so all those who were in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women, were burned to death with it. 
Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and put his army in position against Thebez and took it. 
But in the middle of the town there was a strong tower, to which all the men and women of the town went in flight and, shutting themselves in, went up to the roof of the tower. 
And Abimelech came to the tower and made an attack on it, and got near to the door of the tower for the purpose of firing it. 
But a certain woman sent a great stone, such as is used for crushing grain, on to the head of Abimelech, cracking the bone. 
Then quickly crying out to his body-servant, he said to him, Take out your sword and put an end to me straight away, so that men may not say of me, His death was the work of a woman. So the young man put his sword through him, causing his death. 
And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they went away, every man to his place. 
In this way Abimelech was rewarded by God for the evil he had done to his father in putting his seventy brothers to death; 
And God sent back on to the heads of the men of Shechem all the evil they had done, and the curse of Jotham, the son of Jerubbaal, came on them. 

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