Judges 9
1 Gideon’s son Abimelech went to [talk with] his mother’s brothers in Shechem [city]. He said to them and to all his mother’s relatives,
Gbe ɖeka la Abimelek, Yerubaal ƒe vi, ɖi tsa yi ɖasra nyruiawo kpɔ le Sekem
2 “Ask all the leaders of your city: ‘Do you [think it would be] good for all 70 of Gideon’s sons to rule over you? Or would it be better to have only one of his sons, [me], to rule over you?’ And do not forget that I am your relative! [MTY]”
eye wòdo susu sia ɖe wo gbɔ be: Alekee, anyo na mi be Yerubaal ƒe vi blaadre sɔŋ naɖu fia ɖe mia dzi loo, alo be nye Abimelek, ame si nye mia vi ŋutɔŋutɔ la naɖu fia ɖe mia dzia, miyi ɖabia dumemetsitsiawo se.
3 So Abimelech’s mother’s brothers spoke to all the leaders of Shechem about what Abimelech had said. They said to each other, “We should allow Abimelech to rule over us, because he is our relative.”
Ale Abimelek nyruiawo yi dumemetsitsiwo gbɔ hetsɔ Abimelek ƒe nya la ɖo woƒe ŋkume. Woɖo be, esi Abimelek dada tso yewoƒe dua me ta la, yewoxɔ Abimelek ƒe nya la.
4 So the leaders of Shechem took from the temple of [their god] Baal-Berith (almost 2 pounds/0.8 kg.) of silver and gave it to Abimelech. With that silver he paid some worthless troublemakers to help him, and they went with Abimelech wherever he went.
Ale wona gae tso esi wodzɔ le trɔ̃ Baal Berit subɔƒe la me eye fia Abimelek tsɔ ga sia ƒo gbevu aɖewo nu ƒu ɖe eɖokui ŋu.
5 They went to Ophrah, his father’s town, and murdered 69 of his 70 brothers, the sons of his father Gideon. They killed all those men on one huge rock. But Gideon’s youngest son Jotham hid [from Abimelech and his men], and he escaped.
Ekplɔ wo yi fofoa ƒe aƒe me le Ofra eye wòna wowu Yerubaal ƒe vi blaadreawo ɖe kpe ɖeka dzi, ke Yerubaal ƒe vi ɖeka, Yotam, koe si ɖaɣla eɖokui.
6 Then all the leaders of Shechem and Beth-Millo gathered under the big sacred tree in Shechem. There they appointed Abimelech to be their leader.
Esia megbe la, Sekemtɔwo kple Betmilɔtɔwo wɔ takpekpe gã aɖe le oɖumti la te le Sekem eye woɖo Abimelek fiae.
7 When Jotham heard about that, he climbed up Gerizim Mountain. He stood at the top of the mountain and shouted to the people [down below], “You leaders of Shechem, listen to me, in order that God will listen to you!
Esi wogblɔ nya sia na Yotam la, eyi Gerizim to la tame eye wòdo ɣli gblɔ na wo be, “Miɖo tom, mi Sekemtɔwo, ale be Mawu naɖo to mi.
8 One day the trees decided to appoint a king to rule over all of them. So they said to the olive tree, ‘You be our king!’
Gbe ɖeka la, atiwo kpe ta be woaɖo fia na wo ɖokui. Wogblɔ na amiti be, ‘Ɖu fia ɖe mía dzi.’
9 “But the olive tree said, ‘No! [I will not be your king] Men and gods enjoy the oil from my fruit. I will not [RHQ] stop producing [olives from which we make] that oil, in order to rule over you other trees!’
“Gake amiti ɖo eŋu na wo be, ‘Ɖe madzudzɔ amidzidzi, ami si wotsɔna dea bubu mawuwo kple amegbetɔwo ŋu be mava ɖu fia ɖe atiwo dzia?’
10 “Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and be our king!’
“Emegbe la wogblɔ na gboti be, ‘Va ɖu fia ɖe mía dzi.’
11 “But the fig tree replied, ‘No! I do not want to [RHQ] stop producing my good sweet fruit, and rule over you other trees!’
“Ke gboti ɖo eŋu na wo be, ‘Ɖe madzudzɔ nye ku vivi ŋanɛwo tsetse be maɖu fia ɖe atiwo dzia?’
12 “Then the trees said to the grapevine, ‘Come and be our king!’
“Wogblɔ na wainka be, ‘Va ɖu fia ɖe mía dzi.’
13 “But the grapevine replied, ‘No! [I will not be your king] The new wine [that is made from my grapes] causes people and gods [who drink it] to become very happy. I do not want to stop producing grapes and rule over you other trees!’ [RHQ]
“Ke wainka ɖo eŋu na wo be, ‘Ɖe madzudzɔ wain si doa dzidzɔ na mawuwo kple amewo siaa la tsetse ale be maɖu fia ɖe atiwo dzia.’
14 “Then all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be our king!’
“Mlɔeba la, atiawo katã gblɔ na ŋuti be, ‘Va, nàɖu fia ɖe mía dzi.’
15 “The thornbush replied, ‘If you truly want to appoint me to be your king, come into the shade of my [tiny branches]. But if you do not want to do that, I hope/desire that fire will come out from me and burn up all the huge cedar trees in Lebanon [country]!’”
“Ŋuti gblɔ na atiawo be, ‘Ne miaɖom fiae ɖe mia nu vavã la, ekema miva be ɖe nye vɔvɔli te, ke ne menye nenema o la, mina dzo nado tso ŋuti la me ava bi Lebanon ƒe sedatiwo.’”
16 “[After] Jotham [finished telling them this parable, he] said, “So now [I ask you], were you being completely honest and sincere when you appointed Abimelech to be your king [RHQ]? And have you treated Gideon and his family [RHQ] fairly? Have you rewarded Gideon by honoring him as he deserved [because of all the good things he did for you]? No!
Yotam yi edzi be, “Ɖe miewɔ nu dzɔdzɔe ɖe Yerubaal kple eƒe dzidzimeviwo ŋu be mietsɔ Abimelek ɖo fia mahã?
17 “[Do not forget that] my father fought a battle for you, and he was willing to die for you [if that had been necessary], to save you from the Midian people-group.
Fofonye wɔ aʋa na mi, tsɔ eƒe agbe ke eye wòɖe mi tso Midiantɔwo ƒe asi me,
18 But now you have rebelled against my father’s family, and you have killed 69 of his sons on one huge rock. And you have appointed Abimelech—who is the son of my father’s slave girl, [not the son of his wife]—to be the king who will rule you people of Shechem. You have done that only because he is one of your relatives!
ke mietso ɖe eŋu eye miewu via blaadre le kpe ɖeka dzi. Azɔ la, mietsɔ via Abimelek, ame si nye fofonye ƒe kosi vi la ɖo fiae elabena miaƒe ƒometɔ wònye.
19 So, if today you have truly acted fairly and sincerely toward Gideon and his family, I hope/desire that he will cause you to be happy and that you will cause him to be happy.
Ne mieka ɖe edzi be yewowɔ nu dzɔdzɔe ɖe Yerubaal kple eƒe dzidzimeviwo ŋu la, ekema agbe nadidi na mi eye eme nafa na miawo kple Abimelek siaa.
20 But if what you did was not right, I wish/desire that Abimelech will burn up all of you leaders of Shechem and Beth-Millo with fire! And I also hope/desire that the leaders of Shechem and Beth-Millo will cause fire to burn up Abimelech!”
Ke ne miewɔ nu dzɔdzɔe ɖe Gideon ŋu o la, ekema Abimelek natsrɔ̃ Sekemtɔwo kple Betmilɔt ƒe amewo eye woawo hã natsrɔ̃ Abimelek!”
21 [After] Jotham [finished saying that, he] escaped from them and ran away to Beer [town]. He stayed there because he was afraid that his brother Abimelech [would try to kill him].
Azɔ vɔvɔ̃ na nɔvia Abimelek ta la, Yotam si yi ɖanɔ Beer.
22 Abimelech [became the leader of all the people of Israel. He] ruled them for three years.
Le Abimelek ƒe fiaɖuɖu le Israel ƒe etɔ̃ megbe la,
23 Then God sent an evil spirit [to cause trouble] between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, with the result that the leaders of Shechem rebelled against Abimelech.
Mawu na dzre va dzɔ ɖe Fia Abimelek kple Sekemtɔwo dome, ale Sekemtɔwo tso ɖe fia la ŋu.
24 The leaders of Shechem had previously helped Abimelech to kill 69 of Gideon’s sons, who were his brothers. So now God sent the evil spirit to punish all of them.
Le nya siwo va dzɔ me la, wohe to na Abimelek kple Sekemtɔ siwo kpe ɖe eŋu le Yerubaal ƒe vi blaadreawo wuwu me.
25 The leaders of Shechem (set an ambush/sent men to hide) on the hilltops to ambush Abimelech. Those men robbed everyone who passed by. But someone told Abimelech about it, [so he did not go near them].
Sekemtɔwo be ɖe mɔ si yi to la dzi la dzi na Abimelek. Esi wonɔ elalam be wòava yi la, woda adzo ame siwo va to mɔ la dzi yina. Ke ame aɖe fi tofi na Abimelek le nugbe si woɖo ɖe eŋu la ŋuti.
26 There was a man named Gaal, the son of Ebed, who moved into Shechem [city], along with his brothers. Soon the leaders of Shechem started to trust him.
Ɣe ma ɣi la, Gaal, Ebed ƒe vi, ʋu kple nɔviawo yi Sekem eye wòzu ame ŋkutawo dometɔ ɖeka le dua me.
27 They went out [of the city] to their vineyards and picked some grapes. They pressed the grapes [to make juice, and then they made wine]. Then they had a feast in the temple of their god, and they ate [a lot of food] and drank [a lot of wine]. Then they cursed Abimelech.
Le esime wonɔ nuŋeŋeŋkekenyui ɖum le Sekem le ƒe ma me le woƒe mawu ƒe gbedoxɔ me la, amewo no wain nyuie eye wode asi fiƒoƒo de Abimelek me.
28 Gaal said, “(Why should [we allow] Abimelech to rule over us?/We should not allow Abimelech to rule over us!) [RHQ] He is only one of Gideon’s sons [so he really does not belong to us] [RHQ]! And he appointed Zebul, the governor of our city, to be his deputy! We should (serve/be loyal to) [one of the descendants of] Hamor, [the founder of our city], and let him be our leader, not Abimelech [RHQ]!
Gaal do ɣli be, “Ame kae nye Abimelek eye nu ka ta wòanye míaƒe fia? Nu ka ta míanye eƒe subɔlawo? Eya kple xɔlɔ̃a, Zebul, boŋue anye míawo ƒe subɔlawo. Miɖe kɔ ɖa le Abimelek ŋu!
29 If you would appoint me to be your leader, I would get rid of Abimelech. I would say to him, ‘Get your army ready, [and then come to fight us]!’”
Mitsɔm ɖo fiae eye enumake miakpɔ nu si adzɔ ɖe Abimelek dzi! Magblɔ na Abimelek be, ‘Ƒo aʋawɔlawo nu ƒu eye nàho aʋa!’”
30 When someone told Zebul what Gaal said, he was very angry.
Ke esi dumegã Zebul se nya si Gaal gblɔ la, edo dɔmedzoe.
31 He secretly sent some messengers to Abimelech. They told him, “Gaal and his brothers have come here to Shechem, and they are causing [the people of] the city to rebel against you.
Enumake eɖo du ɖe Abimelek le Aruma be, “Gaal, Ebed ƒe vi kple eƒe ƒometɔwo ʋu va le Sekem eye wole aɖaŋu vɔ̃ ɖom na amewo be woatso ɖe ŋuwò.
32 You and your men should get up during the night and go and hide in the fields outside the city.
Wò kple wò aʋakɔ miva be ɖe gbedzi le zã me
33 As soon as the sun rises in the morning, get up and attack the city. When Gaal and his men come out to fight against you, you can do to them whatever you want to.”
eye ne ŋu ke ko la, mige ɖe dua me. Ne Gaal kple eƒe amewo do va kpe mi la, ekema miate ŋu awɔ nu sia nu si dze mia ŋu la kpli wo!”
34 So Abimelech and all the men who were with him got up during the night. They [divided into] four groups, [and] hid [in the fields] near Shechem.
Abimelek kple eƒe amewo zɔ mɔ le zã me, woma ɖe akpa ene me eye wode xa ɖe teƒe vovovowo ƒo xlã dua.
35 [The next morning], Gaal went out and stood at the entrance to the city gate. While he was standing there, Abimelech and his soldiers came out of their hiding places [and started walking toward the city].
Esi ŋu ke, le ŋdi me la, esime Gaal nɔ anyi ɖe dua ƒe agbo nu henɔ aɖaŋu dem kple dumemetsitsiawo la, Abimelek kple eƒe amewo lũ ɖe dua dzi.
36 When Gaal saw the soldiers, he said to Zebul, “Look! There are people coming down from the hills!” But Zebul said, “You are seeing only the shadows [of trees] on the hills. They [are not people; they] only resemble people.”
Esi Gaal kpɔ wo la, edo ɣli gblɔ na Zebul be, “Kpɔ to ma dzi ɖa! Medze abe amewoe le ɖiɖim tso afi ma gbɔna ene oa?” Zebul ɖo eŋu be, “Ao! Vɔvɔliwo ko kpɔm nèle abe amewo ene!”
37 But Gaal [looked] again [and] said, “Look! There are people coming down from the top of the sacred mountain! There is a group of them coming down from where the tree is where people talk with the spirits of dead people!”
Gaal yi edzi be, “Kpɔ afi ma nyuie, meka ɖe edzi be mekpɔ amewo le lulũm ɖe mía dzi gbɔna. Kpɔ afi sia hã ɖa, ame bubuwo hã gbɔna; wodze le Meomenim ƒe oɖumti la ŋu!”
38 Zebul said to Gaal, “Now (what good is your bragging?/your bragging is worthless!) [MTY, RHQ] You said, ‘(Why should we serve Abimelech/We should not allow Abimelech to rule over us)?’ You made fun of these men. So now go out and fight them!”
Tete Zebul biae be, “Afi ka wò numeɖiɖi gbogboawo le azɔ? Ame kae gblɔ be, ‘Ame ka gɔ̃e nye Abimelek eye nu ka ta wòaɖu fia ɖe mía dzi?’ Ame siwo ŋu nèɖu fewu le eye nèƒo fi de wo la le dua godo fifi laa! Do go nàkpe aʋa kpli wo!”
39 So Gaal led the men of Shechem outside [the city] to fight Abimelech [and his men].
Enumake Gaal kplɔ Sekemtɔwo eye wowɔ aʋa kple Abimelek.
40 Abimelech and his men pursued them, and they killed many of Gaal’s men before they could return [safely] inside the city gate.
Ke Abimelek ƒe amewo ɖu Gaal dzi. Sekemtɔ geɖewo xɔ abi eye womlɔ aʋagbe la dzi va se ɖe keke dua ƒe agbo nu ke.
41 Abimelech then stayed at Arumah, [about five miles away from Shechem], and Zebul’s men forced Gaal and his brothers to leave Shechem.
Abimelek nɔ Aruma ɣe ma ɣi. Zebul nya Gaal kple eƒe ƒometɔwo le Sekem eye meɖe mɔ be woaganɔ afi ma o.
42 The next day, the people of Shechem [got ready to leave the city and work] in their fields. When someone told Abimelech about that,
Le ŋufɔke la, Sekemtɔwo gayi aʋa, ke ame aɖe fi tofi na Abimelek tso woƒe ɖoɖowo ŋu.
43 he divided his men into three groups, and told them to hide in the fields. So they did that. And when they saw the people coming out of the city, they jumped up and attacked them.
Ale wòma eƒe aʋawɔlawo ɖe akpa etɔ̃ eye wòɣla wo ɖe gbedzi. Esi Sekemtɔwo do ta ɖa la, Abimelek ƒe amewo dze wo dzi eye wode asi wo wuwu me.
44 Abimelech and the men who were with him ran to the city gate. The other two groups ran out to the people in the fields and attacked them.
Abimelek da aʋalɔgo ɖeka ɖe dua ƒe agbo nu ale be Sekemtɔwo ƒe aʋawɔlawo mate ŋu atrɔ, asi yi dua me o, le esime aʋalɔgo eve bubuawo nɔ wo wum le gbedzi.
45 Abimelech and his men fought all day. They captured the city and killed all the people. They tore down all the buildings, and then they threw salt over the ruins [in order that nothing would grow there again].
Wowɔ aʋa ŋkeke blibo la hafi Abimelek te ŋu xɔ du la. Ewu amewo eye wògbã du la.
46 When the leaders who lived in the tower/fortress outside of Shechem heard what had happened, they ran and hid inside the [fortress, which was also a] temple of [their god] El-Berith.
Esi Migdaltɔwo kpɔ nu si dzɔ la, wosi yi mɔ si te ɖe Baal Berit, ƒe subɔƒe la me.
47 But someone told Abimelech that all the leaders had gathered there.
Esi Abimelek se be ameawo si yi mɔ la me la,
48 So he and all the men who were with him went up Zalmon Mountain [which is near Shechem]. Abimelech cut some branches of trees with an axe, and put them on his shoulders. Then he said to all the men who were with him, “Quickly, do what I have just done!”
Abimelek yi Zalmɔn to dzi. Efɔ nake lé ɖe abɔta eye wòɖe gbe na eƒe ameawo bena woawɔ nu si tututu yewɔ.
49 So his men all cut branches [then carried them down the mountain], following Abimelech. They went to the fortress and piled the branches against its walls. Then they kindled a fire, and the fire burned down the fortress and killed all the people who were inside. So all the people who were inside the fortress—about 1,000 men and women—died.
Ale ameawo dometɔ ɖe sia ɖe fɔ nake yi dua me. Abimelek tsɔ eƒe nake tu mɔ la ƒe gli ŋu eya ta ameawo hã wɔ nenema ke. Woli kɔ woƒe nakewo ɖe glia ŋu eye wode dzo nakekɔ la me. Ale ame abe akpe ɖeka ene, ŋutsuwo kple nyɔnuwo siaa, ame siwo nɔ mɔ la me la katã ku.
50 Then Abimelech and his men went to Thebes [city]. They surrounded it and captured it.
Abimelek ho aʋa ɖe Tebez du la ŋu azɔ eye wòxɔe.
51 But there was a strong tower inside the city. So all the men, women, and leaders of the city ran to the tower. When they were all inside, they locked the door. Then they climbed up to the roof of the tower.
Mɔ sesẽ aɖe nɔ dua me eya ta dua me tɔwo katã si yi eme. Wotu agbo la heyi mɔ la tame ke henɔ ŋku lém ɖe Abimelek kple eƒe amewo ŋu.
52 Abimelech and his men came to the tower and tried to get in the door, [but they could not]. Then Abimelech prepared to light a fire to burn down the door.
Esi Abimelek va mɔ la te eye wònɔ dzadzram ɖo be yeatɔ dzoe la,
53 But when Abimelech came near the doorway, a woman [who was on the roof] dropped a big grinding stone on his head, and crushed his skull.
nyɔnu aɖe ɖe asi le nutukpe gã aɖe ŋu tso mɔ la tame ɖo ɖe anyigba eye kpea ge dze Abimelek dzi eye wogbã ta nɛ.
54 Abimelech quickly called to the young man who carried Abimelech’s weapons, and said, “Pull out your sword and kill me with it! I do not want people to say ‘It was a woman who killed Abimelech.’” So the young man thrust his sword into Abimelech, and Abimelech died.
Abimelek gblɔ na eƒe adekplɔvi be, “Wum! Elabena menyo be woase be nyɔnue wu Abimelek o!” Ale adekplɔvi la tɔ hɛe wòku.
55 When the Israeli soldiers saw that Abimelech was dead, they all returned to their homes.
Esi Israelviwo kpɔ be Abimelek ku la, wokaka yi wo de.
56 In that way God punished Abimelech for the evil things that he had done to his father and especially for killing all 69 of his brothers.
Ale Mawu he to na Abimelek le nu vɔ̃ si wòwɔ ɖe fofoa ŋu, to fofoa ƒe vi blaadreawo wuwu me la ta.
57 God also punished the men of Shechem for the evil things that they had done. And when those things happened, it fulfilled what Gideon’s son Jotham said when he cursed [Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem].
Mawu na Sekemtɔwo hã kpe fu ɖe woƒe ŋutasesẽ ta, abe ale si Yotam, Yerubaal ƒe vi gblɔe do ŋgɔ, esi wòƒo fi de wo la ene.
