27 So they went out to the countryside and harvested grapes from their vineyards. They trampled the grapes and held a celebration.(A) Then they went to the house of their god, and as they ate and drank, they cursed Abimelech. 28 Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem that we should serve him? Isn’t he the son of Jerubbaal, and isn’t Zebul his officer? You are to serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem.(B) Why should we serve Abimelech? 29 If only these people were in my power, I would remove Abimelech.” So he said[a] to Abimelech, “Gather your army and come out.”

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Footnotes

  1. 9:29 DSS read They said; LXX reads I would say

27 After they had gone out into the fields and gathered the grapes and trodden(A) them, they held a festival in the temple of their god.(B) While they were eating and drinking, they cursed Abimelek. 28 Then Gaal son of Ebed(C) said, “Who(D) is Abimelek, and why should we Shechemites be subject to him? Isn’t he Jerub-Baal’s son, and isn’t Zebul his deputy? Serve the family of Hamor,(E) Shechem’s father! Why should we serve Abimelek? 29 If only this people were under my command!(F) Then I would get rid of him. I would say to Abimelek, ‘Call out your whole army!’”[a](G)

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Footnotes

  1. Judges 9:29 Septuagint; Hebrew him.” Then he said to Abimelek, “Call out your whole army!”

27 So they went out into the fields, and gathered grapes from their vineyards and trod them, and [a]made merry. And they went into (A)the house of their god, and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech. 28 Then Gaal the son of Ebed said, (B)“Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? Serve the men of (C)Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? 29 (D)If only this people were under my [b]authority! Then I would remove Abimelech.” So [c]he said to Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out!”

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Footnotes

  1. Judges 9:27 rejoiced
  2. Judges 9:29 Lit. hand
  3. Judges 9:29 So with MT, Tg.; DSS they; LXX I