The Berean Pursuit
Now Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to his mother's brothers at Shechem and said to them and to all the clan of his mother, "Please ask all the leaders of Shechem, 'Is it better for you that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or just one man?' Remember that I am your own flesh and blood."
And when his mother's brothers spoke all these words about him in the presence of all the leaders of Shechem, their hearts were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, "He is our brother." So they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired some worthless and reckless men to follow him. He went to his father's house in Ophrah, and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived, because he hid himself.
Then all the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo gathered beside the oak at the pillar in Shechem and proceeded to make Abimelech their king.
When this was reported to Jotham, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim, raised his voice, and cried out:
"Listen to me, O leaders of Shechem,
and may God listen to you.
One day the trees set out
to anoint a king for themselves.
They said to the olive tree,
'Reign over us.'
But the olive tree replied,
'Should I stop giving my oil
that honors both God and man,
to hold sway over the trees?'
Then the trees said to the fig tree,
'Come and reign over us.'
But the fig tree replied,
'Should I stop giving my sweetness
and my good fruit,
to hold sway over the trees?'
Then the trees said to the grapevine,
'Come and reign over us.'
But the grapevine replied,
'Should I stop giving my wine
that cheers both God and man,
to hold sway over the trees?'
Finally all the trees said to the thornbush,
'Come and reign over us.'
But the thornbush replied,
'If you really are anointing me as king over you,
come and find refuge in my shade.
But if not, may fire come out of the thornbush
and consume the cedars of Lebanon.'
Now if you have acted faithfully and honestly in making Abimelech king, if you have done well by Jerubbaal and his family, and if you have done to him as he deserves- for my father fought for you and risked his life to deliver you from the hand of Midian, but you have risen up against my father's house this day and killed his seventy sons on a single stone, and you have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the leaders of Shechem because he is your brother- if you have acted faithfully and honestly toward Jerubbaal and his house this day, then may you rejoice in Abimelech, and he in you.
But if not, may fire come from Abimelech and consume the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo, and may fire come from the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo and consume Abimelech."
Then Jotham ran away, escaping to Beer, and he lived there for fear of his brother Abimelech.
After Abimelech had reigned over Israel for three years, God sent a spirit of animosity between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem and caused them to treat Abimelech deceitfully, in order that the crime against the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come to justice and their blood be avenged on their brother Abimelech and on the leaders of Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers.
The leaders of Shechem set up an ambush against Abimelech on the hilltops, and they robbed all who passed by them on the road. So this was reported to Abimelech.
Meanwhile, Gaal son of Ebed came with his brothers and crossed into Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem put their confidence in him. And after they had gone out into the fields, gathered grapes from their vineyards, and trodden them, they held a festival and went into the house of their god; and as they ate and drank, they cursed Abimelech.
Then Gaal son of Ebed said, "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? You are to serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech? If only this people were under my authority, I would remove Abimelech; I would say to him, 'Muster your army and come out!'?"
When Zebul the governor of the city heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed, he burned with anger. So he covertly sent messengers to Abimelech to say, "Look, Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem and are stirring up the city against you. Now then, tonight you and the people with you are to come and lie in wait in the fields. And in the morning at sunrise, get up and advance against the city. When Gaal and his men come out against you, do to them whatever you are able."
So Abimelech and all his troops set out by night and lay in wait against Shechem in four companies.
Now Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate just as Abimelech and his men came out from their hiding places.
When Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, "Look, people are coming down from the mountains!"
But Zebul replied, "The shadows of the mountains look like men to you."
Then Gaal spoke up again, "Look, people are coming down from the center of the land, and one company is coming by way of the Diviners' Oak."
"Where is your gloating now?" Zebul replied. "You said, 'Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?' Are these not the people you ridiculed? Go out now and fight them!"
So Gaal went out before the leaders of Shechem and fought against Abimelech, but Abimelech pursued him, and Gaal fled before him. And many Shechemites fell wounded all the way to the entrance of the gate. Abimelech stayed in Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem.
The next day the people of Shechem went out into the fields, and this was reported to Abimelech. So he took his men, divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he rose up against them and attacked them.
Then Abimelech and the companies with him rushed forward and took their stand at the entrance of the city gate. The other two companies rushed against all who were in the fields and struck them down. And all that day Abimelech fought against the city until he had captured it and killed its people. Then he demolished the city and sowed it with salt.
On hearing of this, all the leaders in the tower of Shechem entered the inner chamber of the temple of El-berith. And when Abimelech was told that all the leaders in the tower of Shechem were gathered there, he and all his men went up to Mount Zalmon. Abimelech took his axe in his hand and cut a branch from the trees, which he lifted to his shoulder, saying to his men, "Hurry and do what you have seen me do."
So each man also cut his own branch and followed Abimelech. Then they piled the branches against the inner chamber and set it on fire above them, killing everyone in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women.
Then Abimelech went to Thebez, encamped against it, and captured it. But there was a strong tower inside the city, and all the men, women, and leaders of the city fled there. They locked themselves in and went up to the roof of the tower.
When Abimelech came to attack the tower, he approached its entrance to set it on fire. But a woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech's head, crushing his skull. He quickly called his armor-bearer, saying, "Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, 'A woman killed him.'?"
So Abimelech's armor-bearer ran his sword through him, and he died. And when the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they all went home.
In this way God repaid the wickedness that Abimelech had done to his father in murdering his seventy brothers. And God also brought all the wickedness of the men of Shechem back upon their own heads. So the curse of Jotham son of Jerubbaal came upon them.
After the time of Abimelech, a man of Issachar, Tola son of Puah, the son of Dodo, rose up to save Israel. He lived in Shamir, in the hill country of Ephraim.
Tola judged Israel twenty-three years, and when he died, he was buried in Shamir.
Tola was followed by Jair the Gileadite, who judged Israel twenty-two years. He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys. And they had thirty towns in the land of Gilead, which to this day are called Havvoth-jair.
When Jair died, he was buried in Kamon.
And again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD. They served the Baals, the Ashtoreths, the gods of Aram, Sidon, and Moab, and the gods of the Ammonites and Philistines. Thus they forsook the LORD and did not serve Him.
So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and Ammonites, who that very year harassed and oppressed the Israelites, and did so for eighteen years to all the Israelites on the other side of the Jordan in Gilead, the land of the Amorites.
The Ammonites also crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah, Benjamin, and the house of Ephraim, and Israel was in deep distress.
Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, saying, "We have sinned against You, for we have indeed forsaken our God and served the Baals."
The LORD replied, "When the Egyptians, Amorites, Ammonites, Philistines, Sidonians, Amalekites, and Maonites oppressed you and you cried out to Me, did I not save you from their hands? But you have forsaken Me and served other gods, so I will no longer save you. Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you in your time of trouble."
"We have sinned," the Israelites said to the LORD. "Deal with us as You see fit; but please deliver us today!" So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD, and He could no longer bear the misery of Israel.
Then the Ammonites were called to arms and camped in Gilead, and the Israelites assembled and camped at Mizpah. And the rulers of Gilead said to one another, "Whoever will launch the attack against the Ammonites will be the head of all who live in Gilead."
Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor; he was the son of a prostitute, and Gilead was his father. And Gilead's wife bore him sons who grew up, drove Jephthah out, and said to him, "You shall have no inheritance in our father's house, because you are the son of another woman."
So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob, where worthless men gathered around him and traveled with him.
Some time later, when the Ammonites fought against Israel and made war with them, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob. "Come," they said, "be our commander, so that we can fight against the Ammonites."
Jephthah replied to the elders of Gilead, "Did you not hate me and expel me from my father's house? Why then have you come to me now, when you are in distress?"
They answered Jephthah, "This is why we now turn to you, that you may go with us, fight the Ammonites, and become leader over all of us who live in Gilead."
But Jephthah asked them, "If you take me back to fight the Ammonites and the LORD gives them to me, will I really be your leader?"
And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "The LORD is our witness if we do not do as you say."
So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him their leader and commander. And Jephthah repeated all his terms in the presence of the LORD at Mizpah.
Then Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites, saying, "What do you have against me that you have come to fight against my land?"
The king of the Ammonites answered Jephthah's messengers, "When Israel came up out of Egypt, they seized my land, from the Arnon to the Jabbok and all the way to the Jordan. Now, therefore, restore it peaceably."
Jephthah again sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites to tell him, "This is what Jephthah says: Israel did not take away the land of Moab or of the Ammonites. But when Israel came up out of Egypt, they traveled through the wilderness to the Red Sea and came to Kadesh. Then Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, 'Please let us pass through your land,' but the king of Edom would not listen. They also sent messengers to the king of Moab, but he would not consent. So Israel stayed in Kadesh.
Then Israel traveled through the wilderness and bypassed the lands of Edom and Moab. They came to the east side of the land of Moab and camped on the other side of the Arnon. But they did not enter the territory of Moab, since the Arnon was its border.
And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon, and said to him, 'Please let us pass through your land into our own place.' But Sihon would not trust Israel to pass through his territory. So he gathered all his people, encamped in Jahaz, and fought with Israel.
Then the LORD, the God of Israel, delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, who defeated them. So Israel took possession of all the land of the Amorites who inhabited that country, seizing all the land from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the wilderness to the Jordan.
Now since the LORD, the God of Israel, has driven out the Amorites from before His people Israel, should you now possess it? Do you not possess whatever your god Chemosh grants you? So also, we possess whatever the LORD our God has granted us. Are you now so much better than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever contend with Israel or fight against them?
For three hundred years Israel has lived in Heshbon, Aroer, and their villages, as well as all the cities along the banks of the Arnon. Why did you not take them back during that time? I have not sinned against you, but you have done me wrong by waging war against me. May the LORD, the Judge, decide today between the Israelites and the Ammonites."
But the king of the Ammonites paid no heed to the message Jephthah sent him.
Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, then through Mizpah of Gilead. And from there he advanced against the Ammonites.
Jephthah made this vow to the LORD: "If indeed You will deliver the Ammonites into my hand, then whatever comes out the door of my house to greet me on my triumphant return from the Ammonites will belong to the LORD, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering."
So Jephthah crossed over to the Ammonites to fight against them, and the LORD delivered them into his hand. With a great blow he devastated twenty cities from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith, as far as Abel-keramim. So the Ammonites were subdued before the Israelites.
And when Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, there was his daughter coming out to meet him with tambourines and dancing! She was his only child; he had no son or daughter besides her.
As soon as Jephthah saw her, he tore his clothes and said, "No! Not my daughter! You have brought me to my knees! You have brought great misery upon me, for I have given my word to the LORD and cannot take it back."
"My father," she replied, "you have given your word to the LORD. Do to me as you have said, for the LORD has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites." She also said to her father, "Let me do this one thing: Let me wander for two months through the mountains with my friends and mourn my virginity."
"Go," he said. And he sent her away for two months.
So she left with her friends and mourned her virginity upon the mountains. After two months, she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed. And she had never had relations with a man.
So it has become a custom in Israel that each year the young women of Israel go out for four days to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.
A prayer of David.
Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea;
listen to my cry.
Give ear to my prayer-
it comes from lips free of deceit.
May my vindication come from Your presence;
may Your eyes see what is right.
You have tried my heart;
You have visited me in the night.
You have tested me and found no evil;
I have resolved not to sin with my mouth.
As for the deeds of men-
by the word of Your lips
I have avoided the ways of the violent.
My steps have held to Your paths;
my feet have not slipped.
I call on You, O God,
for You will answer me.
Incline Your ear to me;
hear my words.
Show the wonders of Your loving devotion,
You who save by Your right hand
those who seek refuge from their foes.
Keep me as the apple of Your eye;
hide me in the shadow of Your wings
from the wicked who assail me,
from my mortal enemies who surround me.
They have closed their callous hearts;
their mouths speak with arrogance.
They have tracked us down, and now surround us;
their eyes are set to cast us to the ground,
like a lion greedy for prey,
like a young lion lurking in ambush.
Arise, O LORD, confront them!
Bring them to their knees;
deliver me from the wicked by Your sword,
from such men, O LORD, by Your hand-
from men of the world
whose portion is in this life.
May You fill the bellies of Your treasured ones and satisfy their sons,
so they leave their abundance to their children.
As for me, I will behold Your face in righteousness;
when I awake, I will be satisfied in Your presence.
Then the whole council rose and led Jesus away to Pilate. And they began to accuse Him, saying, "We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding payment of taxes to Caesar, and proclaiming Himself to be Christ, a King."
So Pilate asked Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?"
"You have said so," Jesus replied.
Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, "I find no basis for a charge against this man."
But they kept insisting, "He stirs up the people all over Judea with His teaching. He began in Galilee and has come all the way here."
When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was a Galilean. And learning that Jesus was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who himself was in Jerusalem at that time.
When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased. He had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had heard about Him and was hoping to see Him perform a miracle. Herod questioned Jesus at great length, but He gave no answer.
Meanwhile, the chief priests and scribes stood there, vehemently accusing Him. And even Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked Him. Dressing Him in a fine robe, they sent Him back to Pilate.
That day Herod and Pilate became friends; before this time they had been enemies.
Then Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined Him here in your presence and found Him not guilty of your charges against Him. Neither has Herod, for he sent Him back to us. As you can see, He has done nothing deserving of death. Therefore I will punish Him and release Him."
But they all cried out in unison: "Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!" (Barabbas had been imprisoned for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)
Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate addressed them again, but they kept shouting, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!"
A third time he said to them, "What evil has this man done? I have found in Him no offense worthy of death. So after I punish Him, I will release Him."
But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices for Jesus to be crucified. And their clamor prevailed. So Pilate sentenced that their demand be met. As they had requested, he released the one imprisoned for insurrection and murder, and handed Jesus over to their will.
As the soldiers led Him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him to carry behind Jesus.
A great number of people followed Him, including women who kept mourning and wailing for Him. But Jesus turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. Look, the days are coming when people will say, 'Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore, and breasts that never nursed!' At that time
'they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!"
and to the hills, "Cover us!"?'
For if men do these things while the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"
Two others, who were criminals, were also led away to be executed with Jesus.
When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one on His right and the other on His left.
Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up His garments by casting lots.
The people stood watching, and the rulers sneered at Him, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One."
The soldiers also mocked Him and came up to offer Him sour wine. "If You are the King of the Jews," they said, "save Yourself!"
Above Him was posted an inscription:
THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
One of the criminals who hung there heaped abuse on Him. "Are You not the Christ?" he said. "Save Yourself and us!"
But the other one rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same judgment? We are punished justly, for we are receiving what our actions deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!"
And Jesus said to him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."
It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour. The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn down the middle.
Then Jesus called out in a loud voice, "Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit." And when He had said this, He breathed His last.
When the centurion saw what had happened, he gave glory to God, saying, "Surely this was a righteous man." And when all the people who had gathered for this spectacle saw what had happened, they returned home beating their breasts. But all those who knew Jesus, including the women who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things.
Now there was a Council member named Joseph, a good and righteous man, who had not consented to their decision or action. He was from the Judean town of Arimathea, and was waiting for the kingdom of God. He went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and placed it in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had yet been laid. It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was beginning.
The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how His body was placed. Then they returned to prepare spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath, according to the commandment.