A reading from the book of judges.

Now Abimelech, the son of Jerobail, went to Shechem to his mother's relatives and said to them,

and to the whole clan of his mother's family, say in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem,

which is better for you, that all 70 of the sons of Jerobale rule over you, or that one rule over you,

remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.

And his mother's relatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the ears of all the leaders

of Shechem, and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, he is our brother.

And they gave him 70 pieces of silver out of the house of

Bealbereth, with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows who followed him. And he went

to his father's house at Ophra, and killed his brothers, the sons of Jerobale, 70 men, on one

stone. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerobayo, was left, for he hid himself.

And all the leaders of Shechem came together and all Beth Millo, and they went and made

Abimelech king by the oak of the pillar at Shechem. When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on top

of Mount Girazim, and cried aloud and said to them,

Listen to me, you leaders of Shechem, that God may listen to you.

The trees once went out to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree,

Rain over us, but the olive tree said to them, shall I leave my abundance by which gods and men are

honored, and go hold sway over the

trees. And the trees said to the fig tree, you come and rain over us. But the fig tree said to them,

shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit and go hold sway over the trees? And the tree said to the

vine, you come and rain over us. But the vine said to them,

Shall I leave my wine that cheers God and men and go hold sway over the trees? Then all the

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