H9001–/וַ–v

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.

וַיִּתְּנוּ־ (וַ) va “and”וַיִּשְׂכֹּ֨ר (וַ) va “and”וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ (וַ) va “and”

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.

וַיָּבֹ֤א (וַ) va “and”וַֽיַּהֲרֹ֞ג (וַֽ) va “and”וַיִּוָּתֵ֞ר (וַ) va “and”

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.

וַיֵּאָ֨סְפ֜וּ (וַ) va “and”וַיֵּ֣לְכ֔וּ (וַ) va “and”וַיַּמְלִ֥יכוּ (וַ) va “and”

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.

וַיַּגִּ֣דוּ (וַ) va “and”וַיֵּ֙לֶךְ֙ (וַ) va “and”וַֽיַּעֲמֹד֙ (וַֽ) va “and”וַיִּשָּׂ֥א (וַ) va “and”וַיִּקְרָ֑א (וַ) va “and”וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (וַ) va “and”

One day the trees went out to make a king for themselves; and they said to the olive-tree, Be king over us.

וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ (וַ) va “and”

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?

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (וַ) va “and”וְהָ֣לַכְתִּ֔י (וְ) ve. “and”

Then the trees said to the fig-tree, You come and be king over us.

וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ (וַ) va “and”

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?

וַתֹּ֤אמֶר (וַ) va. “and”וְהָ֣לַכְתִּ֔י (וְ) ve. “and”

Then the trees said to the vine, You come and be king over us.

וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ (וַ) va “and”

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?

וַתֹּ֤אמֶר (וַ) va. “and”וְהָ֣לַכְתִּ֔י (וְ) ve. “and”

Then all the trees said to the thorn, You come and be king over us.

וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ (וַ) va “and”

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.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (וַ) va “and”

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;

וַתַּמְלִ֖יכוּ (וַ) va. “and”

(For my father made war for you, and put his life in danger, and made you free from the hands of Midian;

וַיַּשְׁלֵ֤ךְ (וַ) va “and”וַיַּצֵּ֥ל (וַ) va “and”

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;)

וַתַּהַרְג֧וּ (וַ) va. “and”וַתַּמְלִ֜יכוּ (וַ) va. “and”

Then Jotham straight away went in flight to Beer, and was living there for fear of his brother Abimelech.

וַיָּ֣נָס (וַ) va “and”וַיִּבְרַ֖ח (וַ) va “and”וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ (וַ) va “and”וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב (וַ) va “and”

So Abimelech was chief over Israel for three years.

וַיָּ֧שַׂר (וַ) va “and”

And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the townsmen of Shechem; and the townsmen of Shechem were false to Abimelech;

וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח (וַ) va “and”וַיִּבְגְּד֥וּ (וַ) va “and”

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.

וַיָּשִׂ֣ימוּ (וַ) va “and”וַיִּגְזְל֗וּ (וַ) va “and”וַיֻּגַּ֖ד (וַ) va “and”

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.

וַיָּבֹ֞א (וַ) va “and”וַיַּעַבְר֖וּ (וַ) va “and”וַיִּבְטְחוּ־ (וַ) va “and”

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.

וַיֵּצְא֨וּ (וַ) va “and”וַֽיִּבְצְר֤וּ (וַֽ) va “and”וַֽיִּדְרְכ֔וּ (וַֽ) va “and”וַֽיַּעֲשׂ֖וּ (וַֽ) va “and”וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ (וַ) va “and”וַיֹּֽאכְלוּ֙ (וַ) va “and”וַיִּשְׁתּ֔וּ (וַ) va “and”וַֽיְקַלְל֖וּ (וַֽ) va “and”

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 serva

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר׀ (וַ) va “and”

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.

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ (וַ) va “and”

Now Zebul, the ruler of the town, hearing what Gaal, the son of Ebed, had said, was moved to wrath.

וַיִּשְׁמַ֗ע (וַ) va “and”וַיִּ֖חַר (וַ) va “and”

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.

וַיִּשְׁלַ֧ח (וַ) va “and”