Shoftim Perek 9

• Avimelech, the son of Gideon (also known as Yeruba’al,) convinces the people of Sh’chem to allow him to be their ruler.

• Avimelech murders all seventy of his brothers in order to take hold of the leadership.

• His youngest brother Yosam escapes with his life.

• Yosam stands on the top of Mount Grizzim (overlooking Sh’chem) and curses the people of Sh’chem and Avimelech in the form of a parable.

• Avimelech rules with force and arrogance for three years.

• Hashem causes there to be a feeling of ill will between the people of Sh’chem and Avimelech.

• Sh’chem starts to intimidate Avimelech.

• Ga’al ben Eved (a gentile) questions the authority of Avimelech and rallies the people of Sh’chem against Avimelech.

• Ga’al challenges Avimelech in war.

• Zevul, the ruler of the city, pretends to betray Avimelech and collude with Ga’al.

• Avimelech strikes the army of Ga’al in the early morning.

• Zevul chases out Ga’al.

• Avimelech massacres the people of Sh’chem, leaving their fields barren by covering them with salt.

• Avimelech gets wind that the people of Migdal Sh’chem want to harm him.

• Avimelech burns down their tower containing 1,000 men and women.

• Avimelech heads to Taiveitz to burn down the tower there, too.

• A woman throws down a large object that crushes Avimelech’s skull.

• Avimelech asks his weapon carrier to kill him by sword, and not to let him die by the hand of a woman.

• Hashem took retribution from Avimelech for the murder of his brothers.

• The curse of Yosam was fulfilled.