Abimeleka
1 Abimeleka ŋgwa Gideoni ro oyite Sekeme ya vose 'didiri endre ndaro ro koriyibe kigye ana ya, ago atate ànyari ndi 'bakala cini endre ndaro robe ri, 2 lidri Sekeme ro ejine ekye: “Inye'do mile a'di ayani ya? Mile ŋgwàagoro cini Gideoni ro ri ni ami mirine, kode alodi na ri ni ami mirine ya? Ämiri kpa tana oyine anjioko ma ni lomvo ago kari modo amiro ro owo.” 3 Ago 'didiri cini endre ndaro ro ata tase cini kwoi te ta ndaro ta lidri se cini Sekeme ya ana ri erine; ago lidri Sekeme ro leyi tadri te osone Abimeleka vo tana ànya ekye: “Nda orivoya 'didiri amaro.” 4 Ànya ozoyi tonyo mo'di ro 'butenjidrieri (70) te ndäri ni yekalu, Bala Tao'baro ro yasi se nda gye mi lidri koziro ago tavousuako azaka rote sina o'dene nda vosi. 5 Ago nda oyite zo täpi ndaro roya Ofera ya, ago tufu ädrupii ndaro ŋgwàagoro Gideoni ro se 'butenjidrieri (70) ana te, kuni alodi dri lau. Oko Yotama ŋgwa täduŋwa Gideoni ro pavote ufuako, tana nda da'do andivo ndaro te. 6 'Dooko lidri cini Sekeme ro, ndi Betemilo robe, dro'berute ago oyiyite ce alokado vudi ro se Sekeme ya ana zele ago 'bayi Abimeleka te 'bädri'ba ro.
7 Ondro iti tase ono te Yotama ri oko, nda oyite ago edrete driku'du'du 'Bereŋwa Gerizima roya ago trete ṛeṛe ànyari ekye: “Nyeri ta maro, ami lidri Sekeme ro, tana Lu keri ta amiro robe! 8 Tu alo aza si ice cini ikyite voaloya 'bädri'ba onjine ànyari, ànya atayite ce ice ido ro ri ekye: ‘Nya'do 'bädri'ba ro ämädri.’ 9 Oko ce ice ido ro logotate ekye: ‘Inye'do me'bena ido maro se abe lui ndi lidri be orona sina 'do lofona gwo ago moyina gwo ice miri ne ayaniya?’ 10 'Dooko ice cini atate ce kyi'du ro ri ekye: ‘Nyikyi nya'do 'bädri'ba ro ämädri.’ 11 Oko ce kyi'du ro zatadrite ekye: ‘Inye'do me'bena doŋgo kado ndeṛiekye maro owana gwo, ago moyina gwo ice mirine ayani ya?’ 12 'Dooko ice cini atate ce kono ro ri ekye: ‘Nyikyi nya'do 'bädri'ba ro ämädri.’ 13 Oko ce kono ro zatadrite ekye: ‘Inye'do me'bena vino lofo gwo, se kani lui ndi lidri be o'bana yai'dwesi ago moyina gwo ice mirine ayani ya?’ 14 'Dooko ice cini atate kukyi kucuro ri ekye: ‘Nyikyi nya'do 'bädri'ba ro ämädri.’ 15 Ago kukyi kucu zatadrite ekye: ‘Ondro mìlete Yaŋgyesi ma o'bane 'bädri'ba ro ämidri, dia nyìkyi nyàgaga ami lindri maro zele. Ondro ka'do mìye kote inye, asi efona ndi ni gwoṛi kukyi maro ro yasi ago ujena weri Lebanona ro ndi.’ ”
16 'Dooko Yotama ugu atate ekye: “Inye'do ami gindi orivoya 'diri ago ŋgye nyàbe Abimeleka o'ba 'bädri'ba ro owo ya? Inye'do mìro Gideoni gindi ago mìye ta gindi kadoro katidri ndaro ri, oso tase nda koyebe voro ya? 17 Täpi maro ye kyila te ta amiro ta, nda njate adri ndaro lomvo ami opaza ni Midiana'bai rigyesi. 18 Oko tu ono si ono mìgo mìŋgate katidri täpi maro ro dri. Nyùtufu ŋgwàagoro ndaro se 'butenjidrieri (70), ono te kuni alodi dri, ago mì'ba Abimeleka ŋgwaagoro ruindu'ba ndaro toko ro rote 'bädri'ba Sekeme ro tana nda orivoya 'didiri amiro. 19 Ka'do inye, ondro ka'do tase mìyebe Gideoni ri ago katidri ndaro ri ono mìye gite ŋgye ago 'diri oko, nyà'do yai'dwesi Abimeleka be, ago nda ka'do riyä ro ta amiro ta. 20 Oko ondro ka'do kote inye, asi kefo ni Abimeleka ya, ago kuje lidri Sekeme ro ndi Betemilo be ro ya, ago mi'ba asi kefo ni lidri Sekeme ro ndi Betemilo be ro ya kuje Abimeleka.” 21 Ago tana Yotama orivoya turiro ni ädrupi ndaro Abimeleka ri, nda mute ago oyi rite Bera ya.
22 Abimeleka miri Yisaraele te ndroa na nätu. 23 'Dooko Lu ezo tori undiro te rulewe o'bane lakole Abimeleka ro ndi lidri Sekeme robe ya; ago lidri Sekeme ro ogboyite Abimeleka be. 24 Tase ono ko'debe a'done inye tana Abimeleka ndi lidri Sekeme ro, se ko'bayi nda be ŋgwàagoro 'butenjidrieri (70) Gideoni ro tufune kai be, kezaruyi robe ta taenji ànyaro rota. 25 Ago lidri Sekeme ro 'bayi lidri vute nda okwane driku'du'du 'bereŋwa ro yasi, ago ànya topayi ŋga 'dise cini kabe lävu liti ana drisi ana rote. Ago iti tana te Abimeleka ri.
26 Ago Gala ŋgwa Ebeda ro oyite ädrupii ndaro yibe Sekeme ya ago lidri Sekeme ro yitate nda ya. 27 Ago ànya cini oyiyite ämvu kono ro ànyaro yasi ago topiyi doŋgo kono rote ago zwayite vino ro, ago yeyi karama te. Ànya oyiyite yekalu lu ànyaro roya, nyayi ago mvuyi ŋga te ago mawoyi Abimeleka te. 28 Gala atate ekye: “Abimeleka a'di owo ago ama lidri Sekeme ro ono ama a'di owo ruindune Abimeleka ri ya? Inye'do nda ṛo ko ŋgwa Gideoni ro! Ago Zebula ka ṛoko ota ndaro erina ayani, oko tana e'di mà ruindu ndäri niya? Nyà'do taoro be zutu amiro Amora ri ayani, se ni etovo käläsikala Sekeme ro ono! 29 Aba ma gwo ni lidri ono lepena aba mana Abimeleka te. Aba matana ṛo Abimeleka ri makye: ‘Nyoto kyila'bai miro, ago nyefo màye kyila robe.’ ”
30 Ondro Zebula miri'ba 'bakici ro keri ata Gala ŋgwa Ebeda ro rote oko, nda a'dote kyilaro. 31 Ago zo lazo'bai te Abimeleka re Aruna ya ta itine ndäri ekye: “Gala ŋgwa Ebeda ro ndi ädrupii ndaro yibe ikyiyite Sekeme ya, ago ànya kayi ugu ya lidri ro eŋgana milomvo. 32 Ka'do inye, mi ndi lidri miro yibe nyòyi ŋgäkyi si ago nyàda'doru lowo ya. 33 'Dooko mìŋga ṛo kyenoŋbo, kitu ituvoya ago nyògota 'bakici ṛo ätruku'du. Ondro Gala ndi lidri ndaro yibe kayite efo tesi midri oko, mìye kyila ṛo mbara ànya be!”
34 Ta'dota Abimeleka ndi lidri cini ndaro yibe ŋgayite ŋgäkyi si, ago oyi da'doyi iyi te Sekeme lomvo, äṛina orivoya su. 35 Ondro Gala kefo kedrete dereŋwa 'bakici roya oko Abimeleka ndi lidri ndaro yibe ŋgayite ni ruda'dovo ànyaro yasi. 36 Gala ndre ànya te, ago atate Zebula ri ekye: “Mindre, lidri ka eziefo vuru ni driku'du'du 'bereŋwa ro yasi.” Oko Zebula zatadrite ekye: “Nya'do lindri 'bereŋwa ro ondrene oso lidri ronye.”
37 Gala go ata kpa to'dina ekye: “Mindre! Lidri ka eziefo vuru ni kogbo 'bereŋwa ro yasi ago äṛi alodi ka eziikyi liti vudi ländri'bai ro yasi.”
38 'Dooko Zebula atate ndäri ekye: “Yauono tase 'desi nyatabe 'do gaŋwaroya? Nyata ni mikye: ‘Abimeleka adi owo ämäri ruindune ndäri ya?’ Kwoi ni lidri se nyamawobe iyi owo. Mifo teri mìye kyila robe ànya yibe.” 39 Gala 'dete mileya lidri Sekeme ro ri ago yeyi kyila te Abimeleka be. 40 Gala mute, ago Abimeleka nja nda te. Ago otoga lidri amba te laza be ndi le dereŋwa 'bakici roya. 41 Abimeleka rite Aruma ya; ago Zebula nja Gala te ndi 'didiri ndaro yibe ni Sekeme yasi, ta'doro ànya riyi kote lau tona.
42 Tu kinja si iti tate Abimeleka ri ekye lidri Sekeme ro ratate ofone lowo ya, 43 ta'dota nda ru lidri ndaro te, lonyi ànyate äṛina nätu, ago da'doruyite vookwane lowo ya. Ondro nda kondre lidri te efovoya ni 'bakici yasi oko, nda efote ànya dri ànya tufune. 44 Ondro Abimeleka ndi äṛi se nda be 'do be kofoyite foroforo dereŋwa 'bakici ro ya oko, dori äṛi se ritu iyi gotayi lidri te lowo ya ago tufuyi ànya te. 45 Aye kyila te tu ana si zwi. Ago Abimeleka ru 'bakici te, ago tufu lidri se kigye kai te; ago nda pere 'bakici te riya ago loda täyi te kigyesi.
46 Ondro dri'bai se cini zowiṛa Sekeme roya keriyi tana te oko, ànya ciyite tiṛi ṛatararo yekalu Bala Tao'baro roya. 47 Iti tana te Abimeleka ri ekye lidri zowiṛa Sekeme ro otoyikalate lau, 48 ta'dota nda oyite lidri ndaro be le 'Bereŋwa Zalemona dri. Ni nasi nda ru koloŋwa te, ago ga gwoṛi ce aza rote, ago 'bete kufudri ndaro ya. Nda atate lidri se nda be kai ri ekye: tase mìndre mayebe ono mìye ndri oso mayebe ronye. 49 Ta'dota 'dicini ga gwoṛi ice rote; 'dooko soyite Abimeleka vo ago droyi gwoṛi ice rote tiṛi se ṛatara ro ana lomvosi. Ànya soyi asi te kigye, ago 'dise cini tiṛi ṛatara ro ana ya kai todrayite, oti mànoago ndi 'ditoko be ro orivoya oso kutu alo (1,000) ronye.
50 'Dooko Abimeleka oyite Tebeze ya, ago mudri 'bakici ana rote ago rute. 51 Oko zowiṛa mbaraekye orivoya 'bakici ana ya, lidri cini mute kigye, mànoago ndi 'ditoko be, ànya seyi drî te kigye ago tuyite drî zowiṛa roya. 52 Ago Abimeleka ikyite zowiṛa gotane, nda shwete loto käläsi zowiṛa ro kala, asi osone driigye. 53 Oko toko aza vo drî Abimeleka rote kuni ŋga uyiro si, ago ga drî ndaro te äträ. 54 'Dooko nda zi agoanji se kabe lakazà ndaro kyila ro uŋgyina ana te ndriŋwa, ago atate ndäri ekye: “Nyeŋgye bando miro ago mifu ma, ukyi lidri ata 'da ekye toko aza fu ma ni.” Ta'dota agoanji ana 'di nda te ätru, ndi nda drate. 55 Ago ondro lidri Yisaraele ro kondre Abimeleka drate oko, ànya cini oyiyite ba 'ba ànyaro yasi. 56 Liti ono yasi Lu logo tase koziro Abimeleka koyebe täpi ndaro ri ädrupii ndaro 'butenjidrieri (70) tufuna si ono tavona te. 57 Ago Lu 'ba lidri Sekeme rote ruezane ta tase undiro ànya koyebe ana rota, ndi oso latri se Yotama ŋgwa Gideoni ro kotri ànya be sina ana ronye.
Abimelech
1 Gideon's son Abimelech went to the town of Shechem, where all his mother's relatives lived, and told them 2 to ask the men of Shechem, “Which would you prefer? To have all seventy of Gideon's sons govern you or to have just one man? Remember that Abimelech is your own flesh and blood.” 3 His mother's relatives talked to the men of Shechem about this for him, and the men of Shechem decided to follow Abimelech because he was their relative. 4 They gave him seventy pieces of silver from the temple of Baal-of-the-Covenant, and with this money he hired a bunch of worthless scoundrels to join him. 5 He went to his father's house at Ophrah, and there on top of a single stone he killed his seventy brothers, Gideon's sons. But Jotham, Gideon's youngest son, hid and was not killed. 6 Then all the men of Shechem and Bethmillo got together and went to the sacred oak tree at Shechem, where they made Abimelech king.
7 When Jotham heard about this, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim and shouted out to them, “Listen to me, you men of Shechem, and God may listen to you! 8 Once upon a time the trees went out to choose a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’ 9 The olive tree answered, ‘In order to govern you, I would have to stop producing my oil, which is used to honor gods and human beings.’ 10 Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and be our king.’ 11 But the fig tree answered, ‘In order to govern you, I would have to stop producing my good sweet fruit.’ 12 So the trees then said to the grapevine, ‘You come and be our king.’ 13 But the vine answered, ‘In order to govern you, I would have to stop producing my wine, that makes gods and human beings happy.’ 14 So then all the trees said to the thorn bush, ‘You come and be our king.’ 15 The thorn bush answered, ‘If you really want to make me your king, then come and take shelter in my shade. If you don't, fire will blaze out of my thorny branches and burn up the cedars of Lebanon.’
16 “Now then,” Jotham continued, “were you really honest and sincere when you made Abimelech king? Did you respect Gideon's memory and treat his family properly, as his actions deserved? 17 Remember that my father fought for you. He risked his life to save you from the Midianites. 18 But today you turned against my father's family. You killed his sons—seventy men on a single stone—and just because Abimelech, his son by his servant woman, is your relative, you have made him king of Shechem. 19 Now then, if what you did today to Gideon and his family was sincere and honest, then be happy with Abimelech and let him be happy with you. 20 But if not, may fire blaze out from Abimelech and burn up the men of Shechem and Bethmillo. May fire blaze out from the men of Shechem and Bethmillo and burn Abimelech up.” 21 Then because he was afraid of his brother Abimelech, Jotham ran away and went to live at Beer.
22 Abimelech ruled Israel for three years. 23 Then God made Abimelech and the men of Shechem hostile to each other, and they rebelled against Abimelech. 24 This happened so that Abimelech and the men of Shechem, who encouraged him to murder Gideon's seventy sons, would pay for their crime. 25 The men of Shechem put men in ambush against Abimelech on the mountaintops, and they robbed everyone who passed their way. Abimelech was told about this.
26 Then Gaal son of Ebed came to Shechem with his brothers, and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him. 27 They all went out into their vineyards and picked the grapes, made wine from them, and held a festival. They went into the temple of their god, where they ate and drank and made fun of Abimelech. 28 Gaal said, “What kind of men are we in Shechem? Why are we serving Abimelech? Who is he, anyway? The son of Gideon! And Zebul takes orders from him, but why should we serve him? Be loyal to your ancestor Hamor, who founded your clan! 29 I wish I were leading this people! I would get rid of Abimelech! I would tell him, ‘Reinforce your army, come on out and fight!’”
30 Zebul, the ruler of the city, became angry when he heard what Gaal had said. 31 He sent messengers to Abimelech at Arumah to say, “Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem, and they are not going to let you into the city. 32 Now then, you and your men should move by night and hide in the fields. 33 Get up tomorrow morning at sunrise and make a sudden attack on the city. Then when Gaal and his men come out against you, hit them with all you've got!”
34 So Abimelech and all his men made their move at night and hid outside Shechem in four groups. 35 When Abimelech and his men saw Gaal come out and stand at the city gate, they got up from their hiding places. 36 Gaal saw them and said to Zebul, “Look! There are men coming down from the mountaintops!”
“Those are not men,” Zebul answered. “They are just shadows on the mountains.”
37 Gaal said again, “Look! There are men coming down the crest of the mountain and one group is coming along the road from the oak tree of the fortunetellers!”
38 Then Zebul said to him, “Where is all your big talk now? You were the one who asked why we should serve this man Abimelech. These are the men you were making fun of. Go on out now and fight them.” 39 Gaal led the men of Shechem out and fought Abimelech. 40 Abimelech started after Gaal, and Gaal ran. Many were wounded, even at the city gate. 41 Abimelech lived in Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem, so that they could no longer live there.
42 The next day Abimelech found out that the people of Shechem were planning to go out into the fields, 43 so he took his men, divided them into three groups, and hid in the fields, waiting. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he came out of hiding to kill them. 44 While Abimelech and his group hurried forward to guard the city gate, the other two companies attacked the people in the fields and killed them all. 45 The fighting continued all day long. Abimelech captured the city, killed its people, tore it down, and covered the ground with salt.
46 When all the leading men in the fort at Shechem heard about this, they sought safety in the stronghold of the temple of Baal-of-the-Covenant. 47 Abimelech was told that they had gathered there, 48 so he went up to Mount Zalmon with his men. There he took an ax, cut a limb off a tree, and put it on his shoulder. He told his men to hurry and do the same thing. 49 So everyone cut off a tree limb; then they followed Abimelech and piled the wood up against the stronghold. They set it on fire, with the people inside, and all the people of the fort died—about a thousand men and women.
50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, surrounded that city, and captured it. 51 There was a strong tower there, and every man and woman in the city, including the leaders, ran to it. They locked themselves in and went up to the roof. 52 When Abimelech came to attack the tower, he went up to the door to set the tower on fire. 53 But a woman threw a millstone down on his head and fractured his skull. 54 Then he quickly called the young man who was carrying his weapons and told him, “Draw your sword and kill me. I don't want it said that a woman killed me.” So the young man ran him through, and he died. 55 When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they all went home.
56 And so it was that God paid Abimelech back for the crime that he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers. 57 God also made the men of Shechem suffer for their wickedness, just as Jotham, Gideon's son, said they would when he cursed them.