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The Downfall of Abimelek
22 After Abimelek ruled over Israel for three years, 23 God sent an evil spirit between Abimelek and the leaders of Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelek, 24 so that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerub-Baal and their blood might come back upon Abimelek their brother, who killed them, and upon the leaders of Shechem, who empowered him to kill his brothers. 25 The leaders of Shechem set ambushes against him on the hilltops and robbed all who passed by them on the road. This was told to Abimelek.
26 Gaal, the son of Ebed, and his brothers came to Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem trusted him. 27 They went out to the field, gathered and trod their grapes, and had a celebration. They went to the temple of their god and ate, drank, and cursed Abimelek. 28 Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelek, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerub-Baal, and is not Zebul his officer? Serve the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelek? 29 If only this people were under my command, I would get rid of Abimelek.” So he said to Abimelek, “Muster your army and come out!”
30 Then Zebul the city ruler heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed and he burned with anger. 31 He secretly sent messengers to Abimelek, saying, “Gaal, the son of Ebed, and his brothers have come to Shechem and are fortifying the city against you. 32 So now, get up at night, you and the people with you, and lie in wait in the field. 33 In the morning at sunrise, get up early and attack the city. He and the people with him will come out to you, then you can do to them as you find opportunity.”
34 So Abimelek and all the people who were with him got up at night and lay in wait by Shechem in four companies. 35 When Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate, then Abimelek and the people who were with him got up from their hiding places.
36 Gaal saw these people and said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the hilltops.”
Zebul said to him, “The shadows of the hills look like men to you.”
37 Gaal spoke again and said, “Look, people are coming down the middle of the land, and a company is coming by way of the Diviner’s Oak.”
38 Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your mouth now, which said, ‘Who is Abimelek, that we should serve him?’ Are not these the people you dismissed out of hand? Go now, I pray, and fight against them.”
39 So Gaal went out before the leaders of Shechem and fought Abimelek. 40 Abimelek chased him, and Gaal fled from him. Many fell wounded at the entrance of the gate. 41 Abimelek stayed in Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers from living in Shechem.
42 The next day the people went out into the field, and this was told to Abimelek. 43 So he took the people and divided them into three companies, and they laid in wait in the field. When the people came out from the city, he rose up against them and struck them down. 44 Abimelek and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the city gate. The two other combat units attacked everyone in the field and struck them down. 45 Abimelek fought against the city all that day. He captured the city and killed the people inside it; he tore down the city and spread salt over it.
46 When the leaders of the Tower of Shechem heard this, they entered the fortified temple of El-Berith. 47 Abimelek was told that all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem had gathered together. 48 So Abimelek and all the people who were with him went up Mount Zalmon. He took an axe in his hand and cut off a tree branch, lifted it, and carried it on his shoulder. Then he said to the men who were with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry and do the same.” 49 So everyone likewise cut off a branch and followed Abimelek. They placed them on the fortification and set the fortification on fire over them. So all the people of the Tower of Shechem died, about a thousand men and women.
50 Then Abimelek went to Thebez and encamped against Thebez and captured it. 51 But there was a fortified tower within the city, so all of the men and women and the leaders of the city fled there. They shut themselves in and went up to the top of the tower. 52 Abimelek came to the tower and fought against it. But as he drew near to the tower entrance to burn it with fire, 53 a certain woman dropped an upper millstone on the head of Abimelek, and it crushed his skull.
54 Urgently he called to the young man who carried his gear and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, so that people may not say about me, ‘A woman killed him.’ ” So the young man pierced him through, and he died. 55 Then the men of Israel saw that Abimelek was dead, so everyone went home.
56 Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelek, which he committed against his father by killing his seventy brothers. 57 God also repaid the evil deeds of the men of Shechem, and the curse of Jotham son of Jerub-Baal came upon them.
Tola
10 After the death of Abimelek, Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, arose to save Israel. He lived in Shamir, in the hill country of Ephraim. 2 He judged Israel for twenty-three years. Then he died and was buried in Shamir.
Jair
3 After him Jair the Gileadite arose and judged Israel for twenty-two years. 4 He had thirty sons who rode thirty donkeys and owned thirty cities that are in the land of Gilead. They are called Havvoth Jair to this day. 5 Jair died and was buried in Kamon.
Jephthah
6 Again the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. They worshipped the Baals, the Ashtoreths, and the gods of Syria, Sidon, Moab, the Ammonites, and the Philistines. They abandoned the Lord and did not serve Him. 7 The anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and the Ammonites. 8 They brutally oppressed the children of Israel that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the children of Israel beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites in Gilead. 9 The Ammonites also crossed over the Jordan to wage war against Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim, so that Israel was greatly distressed. 10 Then the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, “We have sinned against You, for we have abandoned our God and worshipped the Baals.”
11 The Lord said to the children of Israel, “Did I not deliver you from Egypt, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, 12 the Sidonians, the Amalekites, and the Maonites when they oppressed you? You cried out to Me, and I saved you from their hands. 13 Yet you have abandoned Me and worshipped other gods. Therefore I will not save you again. 14 Go and cry out to the gods that you have chosen. Let them save you in your time of distress.”
15 Then the children of Israel said to the Lord, “We have sinned. Do to us whatever seems good in Your sight. Please, just deliver us today.” 16 They removed the foreign gods from among them and worshipped the Lord, and He could no longer endure the suffering of Israel.
17 The Ammonites had been called out and set up camp in Gilead. The children of Israel assembled and set up camp in Mizpah. 18 The commanders of Gilead said to each other, “Who is the man who will begin to fight against the Ammonites? He will be the ruler of all the inhabitants of Gilead.”
The Walk to Emmaus(A)
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they communed and reasoned together, Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing Him.
17 He said to them, “What kind of communication are you sharing with one another while you are walking and are sad?”
18 One of them, named Cleopas, answered Him, “Are You the only foreigner in Jerusalem who does not know what has happened there in these days?”
19 He said to them, “What things?”
They said to Him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet, powerful in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers handed Him over to be sentenced to death and crucified Him. 21 But we were hoping that it was He who was to redeem Israel. Moreover, today is the third day since these things happened. 22 Even some women from among us, who arrived early at the tomb, surprised us. 23 When they did not find His body, they returned saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that He was alive. 24 Then some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said. But they did not see Him.”
25 He said to them, “O fools! And slow of heart to believe what the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter His glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.
28 They drew near the village where they were traveling, and He seemed to be going farther. 29 But they urged Him, saying, “Stay with us. For it is nearly evening and the day is far spent.” So He went in to stay with them.
30 As He sat at supper with them, He took the bread, blessed it and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him. And He vanished out of their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked to us on the way and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”
33 They rose up and returned to Jerusalem at once. And they found the eleven and those who were with them assembled together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they reported what had happened on the way, and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.
The Appearance to the Disciples(B)
36 As they were saying this, Jesus Himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be unto you.”
37 They were terrified and frightened, and supposed that they saw a spirit. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Feel Me and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”
40 When He said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. 41 And while they yet disbelieved for joy and wondered, He said to them, “Do you have any food here?” 42 They gave Him a piece of broiled fish and some honeycomb. 43 And He took it and ate it before them.
44 He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning Me.”
45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46 He said to them, “Thus it is written, and accordingly it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And look, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you. But wait in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high.”
The Ascension(C)
50 Then He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 While He blessed them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 Then they worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
Psalm 100
A Psalm of thanksgiving.
1 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth!
2 Serve the Lord with gladness;
come before His presence with singing.
3 Know that the Lord, He is God;
it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.
4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
and into His courts with praise;
be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
5 For the Lord is good; His mercy endures forever,
and His faithfulness to all generations.
11 The house of the wicked will be overthrown,
but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way of death.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.