| 22 καὶ ἦρξεν Αβιμελεχ ἐπὶ Ισραηλ τρία ἔτη 23 καὶ ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ θεὸς πνεῦμα πονηρὸν ἀνὰ μέσον Αβιμελεχ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν ἀνδρῶν Σικιμων καὶ ἠθέτησαν οἱ ἄνδρες Σικιμων ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ Αβιμελεχ 24 τοῦ ἐπαγαγεῖν τὴν ἀδικίαν τῶν ἑβδομήκοντα υἱῶν Ιεροβααλ καὶ τὸ αἷμα αὐτῶν ἐπιθεῖναι ἐπὶ Αβιμελεχ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτῶν τὸν ἀποκτείναντα αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας Σικιμων τοὺς κατισχύσαντας τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ ὥστε ἀποκτεῖναι τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ 25 καὶ ἔθεντο αὐτῷ οἱ ἄνδρες Σικιμων ἔνεδρα ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς τῶν ὀρέων καὶ ἀνήρπαζον πάντας τοὺς διαπορευομένους ἐ{P'} αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ καὶ ἀπηγγέλη τῷ Αβιμελεχ 26 καὶ ἦλθεν Γααλ υἱὸς Αβεδ καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ εἰς Σικιμα καὶ ἐπεποίθησαν ἐν αὐτῷ οἱ ἄνδρες Σικιμων 27 καὶ ἦλθον εἰς ἀγρὸν καὶ ἐτρύγησαν τοὺς ἀμπελῶνας αὐτῶν καὶ κατεπάτουν καὶ ἐποίησαν χοροὺς καὶ εἰσῆλθον εἰς οἶκον θεοῦ αὐτῶν καὶ ἔφαγον καὶ ἔπιον καὶ κατηρῶντο τὸν Αβιμελεχ 28 καὶ εἶπεν Γααλ υἱὸς Αβεδ τί ἐστιν Αβιμελεχ καὶ τίς ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς Συχεμ ὅτι δουλεύσομεν αὐτῷ οὐχ οὗτος υἱὸς Ιεροβααλ καὶ Ζεβουλ ἐπίσκοπος αὐτοῦ δοῦλος αὐτοῦ σὺν τοῖς ἀνδράσιν Εμμωρ πατρὸς Συχεμ καὶ τί ὅτι δουλεύσομεν αὐτῷ ἡμεῖς 29 καὶ τίς δῴη τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον ἐν χειρί μου καὶ μεταστήσω τὸν Αβιμελεχ καὶ ἐρῶ τῷ Αβιμελεχ πλήθυνον τὴν δύναμίν σου καὶ ἔξελθε 30 καὶ ἤκουσεν Ζεβουλ ὁ ἄρχων τῆς πόλεως τοὺς λόγους Γααλ υἱοῦ Αβεδ καὶ ἐθυμώθη ὀργῇ 31 καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἀγγέλους πρὸς Αβιμελεχ μετὰ δώρων λέγων ἰδοὺ Γααλ υἱὸς Αβεδ καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ παραγεγόνασιν εἰς Σικιμα καὶ οἵδε πολιορκοῦσιν τὴν πόλιν ἐπὶ σέ 32 καὶ νῦν ἀνάστηθι νυκτὸς σὺ καὶ ὁ λαὸς ὁ μετὰ σοῦ καὶ ἐνέδρευσον ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ 33 καὶ ἔσται τὸ πρωὶ ἅμα τῷ ἀνατεῖλαι τὸν ἥλιον καὶ ὀρθρίσεις καὶ ἐκτενεῖς ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν καὶ ἰδοὺ αὐτὸς καὶ ὁ λαὸς ὁ με{T'} αὐτοῦ ἐκπορεύονται πρὸς σέ καὶ ποιήσεις αὐτῷ καθάπερ ἐὰν εὕρῃ ἡ χείρ σου 34 καὶ ἀνέστη Αβιμελεχ καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ὁ με{T'} αὐτοῦ νυκτὸς καὶ ἐνήδρευσαν ἐπὶ Σικιμα τέσσαρας ἀρχάς |
22 So, for three years, Abimelech was king in Israel; 23 but now the Lord stirred up ill-will between Abimelech and the men of Sichem, who came to hold him in abhorrence; 24 the foul deed done when the seventy sons of Jerobaal were slain, the guilt of the blood so spilt, was held now against Abimelech, their brother, and against the chief men of Sichem, that had been in league with him. 25 So they laid an ambush to catch him at the head of the mountain-pass, and spent their time, while they awaited his coming, in open robbery, plundering all that went by; but Abimelech had warning of it. 26 It was now that Gaal son of Obed appeared, and led his clansmen into Sichem. All that dwelt in Sichem were elated at his coming; 27 out they went into the country-side, to strip the vineyards and tread the grapes. Amid the chanting of choirs, they went into the temple of their god to feast and drink deep, and curse the name of Abimelech. 28 What, cried Gaal son of Obed, should Sichem, being the city she is, obey such a man as Abimelech? Shall this son of Jerobaal send his servant Zebul to rule over men that come down from Hamor, the father of Sichem? And must we all be his slaves? 29 Ah, if I had but command of a people like this, I would soon clear Abimelech out of my path.
Hereupon, Abimelech was bidden muster a great force, and come with all speed. 30 Gaal’s words had come to the ears of Zebul, who was in command of the city, and in high displeasure 31 he sent Abimelech a secret message: Here is Gaal, son of Obed, come to Sichem with his clan, and means to wrest the city from thee. 32 March out under cover of night with all the following thou hast, and lie hidden in the country round about; 33 then, when tomorrow’s sun rises, fall upon the city, and when he and his men come out to meet thee, engage them as best thou canst. 34 So Abimelech set out on a night march with all his forces, and posted men in ambush about Sichem in four several places. |
22 Regnavit itaque Abimelech super Israël tribus annis. 23 Misitque Dominus spiritum pessimum inter Abimelech et habitatores Sichem: qui cœperunt eum detestari, 24 et scelus interfectionis septuaginta filiorum Jerobaal, et effusionem sanguinis eorum conferre in Abimelech fratrem suum, et in ceteros Sichimorum principes, qui eum adjuverant. 25 Posueruntque insidias adversus eum in summitate montium: et dum illius præstolabantur adventum, exercebant latrocinia, agentes prædas de prætereuntibus: nuntiatumque est Abimelech. 26 Venit autem Gaal filius Obed cum fratribus suis, et transivit in Sichimam. Ad cujus adventum erecti habitatores Sichem, 27 egressi sunt in agros, vastantes vineas, uvasque calcantes: et factis cantantium choris, ingressi sunt fanum dei sui, et inter epulas et pocula maledicebant Abimelech, 28 clamante Gaal filio Obed: Quis est Abimelech, et quæ est Sichem, ut serviamus ei? numquid non est filius Jerobaal, et constituit principem Zebul servum suum super viros Emor patris Sichem? cur ergo serviemus ei? 29 utinam daret aliquis populum istum sub manu mea, ut auferrem de medio Abimelech. Dictumque est Abimelech: Congrega exercitus multitudinem, et veni. 30 Zebul enim princeps civitatis, auditis sermonibus Gaal filii Obed, iratus est valde, 31 et misit clam ad Abimelech nuntios, dicens: Ecce Gaal filius Obed venit in Sichimam cum fratribus suis, et oppugnat adversum te civitatem. 32 Surge itaque nocte cum populo qui tecum est, et latita in agro: 33 et primo mane, oriente sole, irrue super civitatem. Illo autem egrediente adversum te cum populo suo, fac ei quod potueris. 34 Surrexit itaque Abimelech cum omni exercitu suo nocte, et tetendit insidias juxta Sichimam in quatuor locis. |