Abimelech commanded ¹  Israel for three years.

But Abraham lodged a complaint ¹  against Abimelech concerning a well ²  that Abimelech’s servants had seized. ³ 

God sent a spirit to stir up hostility ¹  between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem. He made the leaders of Shechem disloyal ²  to Abimelech.

So Gaal led the leaders of Shechem out ¹  and fought Abimelech.

Abimelech heard ¹  that all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem were in one place. ² 

Abimelech moved on ¹  to Thebez; he besieged and captured it. ² 

If only these men ¹  were under my command, ²  I would get rid of Abimelech!” He challenged Abimelech, ³  “Muster ⁴  your army and come out for battle!” ⁵ 

Then Abimelech asked ¹  Abraham, “What prompted you to do this thing?” ² 

But if not, may fire blaze from Abimelech and consume the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo! May fire also blaze from the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo and consume Abimelech!”

Now Abimelech had not gone near her. He said, “Lord, ¹  would you really slaughter an innocent nation? ² 

Abraham took some sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech. The two of them made a treaty. ¹ 

Abimelech asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these ¹  seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?”

Then Abimelech said to Isaac, “Leave us and go elsewhere, ¹  for you have become much more powerful ²  than we are.”

Now Abimelech had come ¹  to him from Gerar along with ²  Ahuzzah his friend ³  and Phicol the commander of his army.

His concubine, ¹  who lived in Shechem, also gave him a son, whom he named Abimelech. ² 

Then Jotham ran away ¹  to Beer and lived there to escape from ²  Abimelech his half-brother. ³ 

Abimelech went back ¹  to Arumah; Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem. ² 

The next day the Shechemites ¹  came out to the field. When Abimelech heard about it, ² 

When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they went home. ¹ 

God repaid Abimelech for the evil he did to his father by murdering his seventy half-brothers. ¹