1 N a ka haere a Apimereke tama a Ierupaara ki Hekeme ki nga tungane o tona whaea, a ka korero ki a ratou, ki te hapu katoa ano hoki o te whare o te papa o tona whaea, ka mea,

¶ And Abimelech, the son of Jerubbaal, went to Shechem unto his mother’s brethren and spoke with them and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying,

2 T ena, ki atu ki nga taringa o nga tangata katoa o Hekeme, Ko tehea te mea pai ki a koutou, ko nga tangata e whitu tekau, ko nga tama katoa a Ierupaara, hei kingi mo koutou, kia kotahi ranei te tangata hei kingi mo koutou? Kia mahara hoki he wheua ahau no koutou, he kikokiko no koutou.

Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, What would seem better unto you, that seventy persons reign over you, all the sons of Jerubbaal; or that one reign over you? Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.

3 N a ka korerotia e nga tungane o tona whaea enei kupu katoa mona ki nga taringa o nga tangata katoa o Hekeme, a ka anga o ratou ngakau ki te aru i a Apimereke; i mea hoki ratou, Ko to tatou teina ia.

And his mother’s brethren spoke for him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words, and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, He is our brother.

4 N a ka homai e ratou ki a ia etahi hiriwa, e whitu tekau, i roto i te whare o Paaraperiti, a ka utua e Apimereke ki aua mea etahi tangata wairangi, he hunga hikaka, a aru ana ratou i a ia.

And they gave him seventy shekels of silver out of the house of Baalberith, with which Abimelech hired vain and light men who followed him.

5 N a ka haere ia ki te whare o tona papa ki Opora, a patua iho e ia ona tuakana, ona teina, nga tama a Ierupaara, e whitu tekau nga tangata, i runga i te kohatu kotahi; otiia i mahue a Iotama te tama whakaotinga a Ierupaara; i piri hoki ia.

And coming unto his father’s house at Ophrah, he slew his brethren, the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy persons, upon a stone; yet Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, was left, for he hid himself.

6 N a ka huihui nga tangata katoa o Hekeme, ratou ko te whare katoa o Miro, a ka haere, ka mea i a Apimereke hei kingi, ki te oki i te pou i Hekeme.

And all the men of Shechem gathered together with all the house of Millo and went and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.

7 A ka korerotia ki a Iotama, na ka haere ia, a tu ana i runga i te tihi o Maunga Keritimi; na ka ara tona reo, ka karanga, ka mea ki a ratou, Whakarongo mai ki ahau, e nga tangata o Hekeme, kia whakarongo ai te Atua ki a koutou.

¶ And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of Mount Gerizim and lifted up his voice and cried and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.

8 I haere nga rakau ki te whakawahi i tetahi kingi mo ratou, a ka mea ki te oriwa, Ko koe hei kingi mo matou.

The trees went forth to anoint a king over them, and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.

9 N a ka mea te oriwa ki a ratou, Kia whakarerea koia e ahau toku momonatanga, taku mea i whai kororia ai te Atua, te tangata, a kia haere ki runga i nga rakau tiwhaiwhai ai?

But the olive tree replied, Should I leave my fatness, which because of me, God and man are honoured, to go and sway over the trees?

10 N a ka mea nga rakau ki te piki, Haere mai hei kingi mo matou.

And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou and reign over us.

11 A no ra ko te piki ki a ratou, Kia whakarerea koia e ahau toku reka me oku hua pai, a kia haere ki runga i nga rakau tiwhaiwhai ai?

But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness and my good fruit to go and sway over the trees?

12 K atahi ka mea nga rakau ki te waina, Haere mai koe hei kingi mo matou.

Then the trees said unto the vine, Come thou and reign over us.

13 N a ka mea te waina ki a ratou, Kia whakarerea koia e ahau toku waina e whakahari nei i te Atua, i te tangata, a kia haere ki runga i nga rakau tiwhaiwhai ai?

And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheers God and man, to go and sway over the trees?

14 N a ka mea nga rakau katoa ki te taraheke, Haere mai hei kingi mo matou.

Then all the trees said unto the bramble, Come thou and reign over us.

15 N a ka mea te taraheke ki nga rakau, Ki te mea he pono ta koutou whakawahi i ahau hei kingi mo koutou, haere mai ki raro ki toku taumarumarutanga iho okioki ai, a ki te kahore, kia puta atu he ahi i roto i te taraheke hei kai i nga hita o Repanon a.

And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and confide under my shadow; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.

16 N a ki te mea he pono, he tika, ta koutou mahi, i a koutou i mea nei i a Apimereke hei kingi, ki te pai hoki ta koutou mahi ki a Ierupaara ratou ko tona whare, ki te mea hoki i rite ki nga mahi a ona ringa ta koutou i mea ai ki a ia;

Now therefore, if ye have proceeded with truth and integrity in making Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house and have recompensed him according to the work of his hands

17 N a toku papa hoki i whawhai a koutou whawhai, a taruke ana ki te mate; a ora ake koutou i te ringa o Miriana:

(For my father fought for you and cast his life far from him to deliver you out of the hand of Midian;

18 N a kua whakatika nei koutou i tenei ra ki te whare o toku papa, a patua iho ana tama, e whitu tekau tangata, ki runga ki te kohatu kotahi, a meinga ana a Apimereke, tama a tana pononga wahine hei kingi mo nga tangata o Hekeme, no te mea ko to ko utou teina ia;

and ye are risen up against my father’s house this day and have slain his sons, seventy men, upon a stone and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem because he is your brother;)

19 N a ki te mea he pono, he tika, ta koutou i mea ai ki a Ierupaara ratou ko tona whare i tenei ra, kia hari ki a Apimereke, kia hari hoki ia ki a koutou.

if ye then have dealt in truth and integrity with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you.

20 K i te kahore ia kia puta he ahi i a Apimereke hei kai i nga tangata o Hekeme, ratou ko te whare o Miro; kia puta hoki he ahi i nga tangata o Hekeme, i te whare hoki o Miro, hei kai a Apimereke.

But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem and from the house of Millo and devour Abimelech.

21 N a ko te rerenga i rere ai a Iotama, haere ana ki Peere, a noho ana i reira i te wehi o tona tuakana, o Apimereke.

And Jotham ran away and fled and went to Beer and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.

22 A e toru nga tau o Apimereke e kawana ana i a Iharaira,

¶ When Abimelech had dominated over Israel three years,

23 N a ka unga e te Atua he wairua kino hei wehe i a Apimereke ratou ko nga tangata o Hekeme; a ka mahi tinihanga nga tangata o Hekeme ki a Apimereke.

then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem, and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech

24 H e mea mo te tukinotanga i nga tama e whitu tekau a Ierupaara kia eke mai, kia utaina o ratou toto ki runga ki to ratou teina, ki a Apimereke, nana nei ratou i patu; ki runga ano hoki i nga tangata o Hekeme nana nei i whakakaha ona ringa i patua ai ona tuakana, ona teina.

that the cruelty done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal and their blood might come to be laid upon Abimelech their brother who slew them and upon the men of Shechem, who aided him in the killing of his brethren.

25 N a ka whakanohoia e nga tangata o Hekeme he kaiwhanga mona ki nga tihi o nga maunga, a pahuatia ana e ratou te hunga katoa i puta ki a ratou i te ara; a ka korerotia ki a Apimereke.

And the men of Shechem set ambushers for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them; and it was told Abimelech.

26 N a ka haere mai a Kaara tama a Epere ratou ko ona teina, a ka tae atu ki Hekeme; na ka whakawhirinaki nga tangata o Hekeme ki a ia.

And Gaal, the son of Ebed, came with his brethren and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.

27 N a ka haere ratou ki te mara, a whakiia ana nga hua o a ratou mara waina, takahia ana; na ka tuku hakari ratou, a ka haere ki te whare o to ratou atua, ka kai, ka inu, a kohukohua ana e ratou a Apimereke.

And they went out into the fields and gathered their vineyards and trod the grapes and made merry and went into the house of their gods and ate and drank and cursed Abimelech.

28 I mea ano a Kaara tama a Epere, Ko wai a Apimereke, ko wai hoki a Hekeme e mahi ai tatou ki a ia? ehara ianei ia i te tama a Ierupaara? ko Tepuru hoki tana kaiwhakahauhau? me mahi koutou ki nga tangata a Hamora, a te papa o Hekeme: engari he aha tatou ka mahi ai ki a ia?

And Gaal, the son of Ebed, said, Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal? And is not Zebul his deputy? Serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem. For why should we serve him?

29 N a me i pai te Atua ki tenei iwi ki raro ki toku ringa! ina kua peia e ahau a Apimereke. Katahi ia ka mea ki a Apimereke, Whakanuia tou ope, puta mai hoki.

If these people were under my hand, then I would remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army and come out.

30 A , no te rongonga o Tepuru rangatira o te pa ki nga kupu a Kaara tama a Epere, ka mura tona riri.

And when Zebul, the prince of the city, heard the words of Gaal, the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.

31 N a ka tono puku ia i etahi tangata ki a Apimereke hei me, Ko Kaara tama a Epere tenei, ratou ko ona teina, kua tae mai ki Hekeme; a kei te whakatutehu ratou i te pa kia tu atu ki a koe.

And he sent messengers unto Abimelech astutely, saying, Behold, Gaal, the son of Ebed, and his brethren have come to Shechem; and, behold, they have fortified the city against thee.

32 N a reira whakatika i te po, a koe me au tangata, ka takoto tauwhanga ai i te parae.

Now, therefore, rise up by night, thou and the people that are with thee, and put an ambush in the field.

33 A ka whiti te ra i te ata, ka maranga wawe koe, ka huaki ki te pa: a ka puta ia, ratou ko ana tangata ki te whawhai ki a koe, mau e mea ki a ia tau e kite ai.

And in the morning as soon as the sun is up, thou shalt rise early and set upon the city; and, behold, when he and the people that are with him come out against thee, then thou may do to them as thou shalt find occasion.

34 N a ko te whakatikanga ake o Apimereke ratou ko ana tangata katoa i te po, a e wha o ratou matua i takoto tauwhanga ai mo Hekeme.

And Abimelech rose up and all the people that were with him, by night, and they put an ambush against Shechem in four companies.

35 A ka puta atu a Kaara tama a Epere, ka tu i te tomokanga ki te kuwaha o te pa: na kua whakatika ake a Apimereke ratou ko ana tangata i te pehipehi.

And Gaal, the son of Ebed, went out and stood in the entering of the gate of the city; and Abimelech and all the people that were with him rose up from the ambush.

36 A , i te kitenga o Kaara i aua tangata, ka mea ia ki a Tepuru, Nana, he tangata e heke mai ra i nga tihi o nga maunga. Na ka mea a Tepuru ki a ia, Ko te ata o nga maunga tau e kite na, me te mea he tangata.

And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold people that come down from the tops of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.

37 N a ka korero ano a Kaara, ka mea, Nana, titiro ki te hunga e heke mai ra ma waenganui o te whenua! kotahi hoki tera matua e haere mai ra i te ara i te oki o Meonenimi.

And Gaal spoke again and said, See there come people who descend through the middle of the land, and another company comes along by the plain of Meonenim.

38 N a ka mea a Tepuru ki a ia, Kei hea ra tou mangai i mea ra koe, Ko wai a Apimereke, e mahi ai tatou ki a ia? ehara ianei tenei i te iwi i whakahaweatia ra e koe? Na haere atu inaianei ki te whawhai ki a ia.

Then Zebul said unto him, Where is now thy mouth, with which thou didst say, Who is Abimelech that we should serve him? Is not this the people that thou hast despised? Go out now and fight with them.

39 N a ka haere a Kaara i te aroaro o nga tangata o Hekeme ki te whawhai ki a Apimereke.

And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem and fought with Abimelech.

40 N a ka whaia ia e Apimereke, a rere ana ia i tona aroaro, a he tokomaha i hinga, i patua, a te tomokanga ra ano o te kuwaha.

And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate.

41 N a ka noho a Apimereke ki Aruma: a ka peia a Kaara ratou ko ona teina e Tepuru, kei noho ki Hekeme.

And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah; and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren that they should not dwell in Shechem.

42 A i te aonga ake ka puta atu nga tangata ki te parae; a ka korerotia e ratou ki a Apimereke.

And it came to pass on the next day that the people went out into the field, and they told Abimelech.

43 N a ka mau ia ki nga tangata, a wehea ana e ia kia toru nga matua, a ka tauwhanga i te parae. A ka kite ia, na, kua puta mai te iwi i roto i te pa, ka whakatika ia ki a ratou a patua iho.

And he took the people and divided them into three companies and set ambushes in the field and looked, and, behold, the people were come forth out of the city; and he rose up against them and smote them.

44 I kokiri hoki a Apimereke ratou ko ana ngohi, a tu ana i te tomokanga ki te kuwaha o te pa: a kokiri ana nga ngohi e rua ki te hunga katoa i te parae, a patua iho.

And Abimelech and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood in the entering of the gate of the city, and the two other companies ran upon all the people that were in the fields and slew them.

45 A whakapaua ana e Apimereke taua ra ki te whawhai ki te pa, a horo ana te pa i a ia, patua iho hoki nga tangata katoa i roto; na wahia ana e ia te pa, ruia iho ki te tote.

And Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and he took the city and slew the people that were therein and beat down the city and sowed it with salt.

46 A , no te rongonga o nga tangata katoa o te pourewa o Hekeme, ka haere ratou ki roto ki te taumaihi o te whare o te atua, o Periti.

And when those of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into the stronghold of the temple of the god Berith.

47 A ka korerotia ki a Apimereke kua huihui katoa nga tangata o te pourewa o Hekeme.

And it was told Abimelech how all those of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.

48 K atahi ka piki atu a Apimereke ki Maunga Taramono, ratou ko ana tangata katoa; i mauria atu ano i Apimereke he toki i tona ringa; na ka tapahia e ia he rakau, a hapainga ana, amohia ana e ia i runga i ona pokohiwi, me te mea ano ki ana tangata, Ko ta koutou i kite nei e meatia ana e ahau, kia hohoro ta koutou pera.

Then Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand and cut down a bough from the trees and took it and laid it on his shoulder and said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste and do as I have done.

49 N a ka tapahia he peka e tenei, e tenei o te iwi katoa, a haere ana ki te whai i a Apimereke: na ka whakatakotoria e ratou ki te taha o te taumaihi, a tahuna ana te taumaihi ki te ahi ki runga ki a ratou: na ka mate ano hoki nga tangata katoa o t e pourewa o Hekeme; ki te whakaaro iho kotahi mano nga tane, nga wahine.

And all the people likewise cut down each one his bough and followed Abimelech and put them next to the stronghold and set the stronghold on fire upon them; so that all those of the tower of Shechem died, about a thousand men and women.

50 K atahi ka haere a Apimereke ki Tepehe, a whakapaea ana a Tepehe e ia, a horo ana i a ia.

¶ Then Abimelech went to Thebez and laid siege against Thebez and took it.

51 N a i waenganui o te pa he pourewa kaha, a ka rere ki reira nga tane katoa, me nga wahine, nga tangata katoa o te pa, a tutakina ana mai ratou ki roto, a piki ana ratou ki runga ki te tuanui o te pourewa.

But in the midst of the city there was a strong tower, and all the men and women fled there, and all those of the city, and shutting the doors behind them, they climbed up to the top of the tower.

52 N a ko te haerenga atu o Apimereke ki te pourewa, tauria ana e ia, ka whakatata hoki ki te kuwaha o te pourewa, he tahu ki te ahi.

And Abimelech came to the tower, and fighting against it, he came to the door of the tower to burn it with fire.

53 K o te tino makanga iho a tetahi wahine i to runga kohatu mira ki runga ki te matenga o Apimereke, na ngawha iho tona angaanga.

But a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull.

54 N a hohoro tonu tana karanga ki te tangata i mau i ana patu, ka mea ki a ia, Unuhia tau hoari, whakamatea hoki ahau, kei korerotia ahau, He wahine nana ia i patu. Na werohia ana ia e tana tangata, a ka mate.

Then he called hastily unto the young man, his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword and slay me that it not be said of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

55 A , no te kitenga o nga tangata o Iharaira kua mate a Apimereke, ka haere ratou ki tona wahi, ki tona wahi.

And when the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed each one unto his place.

56 N a i penei te whakautu a te Atua i te kino a Apimereke i meatia e ia ki tona papa, i a ia i patu ai i ona tuakana, i ona teina, e whitu tekau:

Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did against his father in slaying his seventy brethren.

57 M e te kino hoki a nga tangata o Hekeme, i whakautua katoatia e te Atua ki runga ki o ratou matenga; a ka tau iho ki a ratou te kanga a Iotama tama a Ierupaara.

And all the evil of the men of Shechem God rendered upon their heads, and upon them came the curse of Jotham, the son of Jerubbaal.