Judges 9:2
"Please ask all the leaders of Shechem, 'Which is better for you: that seventy men—all the sons of Jerubbaal—rule over you, or that one man rules over you?' Remember, I am your own flesh and blood."
Additional Resources
Other Translations
King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)
Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.
KJV1611 – Modern English
Please speak in the ears of all the men of Shechem, asking, Which is better for you, that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are seventy persons, rule over you, or that one rules over you? Remember also that I am your own flesh and bone.
King James Version 1611 (Original)
Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.
American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers
Speak,{H1696} I pray you, in the ears{H241} of all the men{H1167} of Shechem,{H7927} Whether is better{H2896} for you, that all the sons{H1121} of Jerubbaal,{H3378} who are threescore and ten{H7657} persons,{H376} rule{H4910} over you, or that one{H259} rule{H4910} over you? remember{H2142} also that I am your bone{H6106} and your flesh.{H1320}
King James Version with Strong's Numbers
Speak{H1696}{(H8761)}, I pray you, in the ears{H241} of all the men{H1167} of Shechem{H7927}, Whether is better{H2896} for you, either that all the sons{H1121} of Jerubbaal{H3378}, which are threescore and ten{H7657} persons{H376}, reign{H4910}{(H8800)} over you, or that one{H259} reign{H4910}{(H8800)} over you? remember{H2142}{(H8804)} also that I am your bone{H6106} and your flesh{H1320}.
Coverdale Bible (1535)
I praye you speake in the eares of all the men at Sichem: What is better for you, that thre score and ten men all children of Ierubaal shulde be lordes ouer you, or that one man shulde be lorde ouer you? Remembre also that I am youre bone and youre flesh.
Geneva Bible (1560)
Say, I pray you, in the audience of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, that all the sonnes of Ierubbaal, which are seuentie persons, reigne ouer you, either that one reigne ouer you? Remember also, that I am your bone, and your flesh.
Bishops' Bible (1568)
Saye I pray you, in the eares of all the men of Sichem, whether is better for you, that all the sonnes of Ierobaal, (which are threescore and ten persons) raigne ouer you: either that one raigne ouer you? Remember that I am of your bone, and of your fleshe.
Authorized King James Version (1611)
Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether [is] better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, [which are] threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I [am] your bone and your flesh.
Webster's Bible (1833)
Please speak in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are seventy persons, rule over you, or that one rule over you? Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.
Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)
`Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the masters of Shechem, Which `is' good for you -- the ruling over you of seventy men (all the sons of Jerubbaal), or the ruling over you of one man? -- and ye have remembered that I `am' your bone and your flesh.'
American Standard Version (1901)
Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are threescore and ten persons, rule over you, or that one rule over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.
American Standard Version (1901)
Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are threescore and ten persons, rule over you, or that one rule over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.
Bible in Basic English (1941)
Say now in the ears of all the townsmen of Shechem, Is it better for you to be ruled by all the seventy sons of Jerubbaal or by one man only? And keep in mind that I am your bone and your flesh.
World English Bible (2000)
"Please speak in the ears of all the men of Shechem, 'Is it better for you that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are seventy persons, rule over you, or that one rule over you?' Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh."
NET Bible® (New English Translation)
“Tell all the leaders of Shechem this:‘Why would you want to have seventy men, all Jerub-Baal’s sons, ruling over you, when you can have just one ruler? Recall that I am your own flesh and blood.’”
Referenced Verses
- Gen 29:14 : 14 Then Laban said to him, 'Surely you are my own flesh and blood.' Jacob stayed with him for a month.
- Judg 8:30 : 30 Gideon had seventy sons of his own, for he had many wives.
- 2 Sam 19:13 : 13 You are my brothers, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to bring the king back?'
- 1 Chr 11:1 : 1 Then all Israel gathered to David at Hebron and said, "We are your own flesh and blood.
- Eph 5:30 : 30 because we are members of His body.
- Heb 2:14 : 14 Since the children share in flesh and blood, He too likewise partook of the same, so that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death—that is, the devil.
Similar Verses (AI)
These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.
- 86%
1 Abimelech, son of Jerubbaal, went to Shechem to visit his mother’s relatives. He spoke to them and to the entire family of his mother’s household, saying:
- Judg 9:3-75 verses84%
3 When Abimelech’s mother’s relatives spoke all of his words to the leaders of Shechem, their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, "He is our brother."
4 They gave him seventy pieces of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, and with it Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men who followed him.
5 He went to his father’s house at Ophrah and killed his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, on one stone. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, escaped by hiding himself.
6 Then all the leaders of Shechem and Beth-Millo gathered together. They went and made Abimelech king by the oak near the pillar in Shechem.
7 When Jotham was told about this, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim. He raised his voice, called out, and said to them, "Listen to me, leaders of Shechem, so that God may listen to you!
- Judg 9:16-205 verses82%
16 Now, if you acted faithfully and sincerely in making Abimelech king, and if you have treated Jerubbaal and his family well, and if you have repaid him in accordance with what he did for you—
17 'because my father fought for you, risked his life, and delivered you from the hand of Midian—'
18 but today you have risen up against my father’s house and killed his seventy sons on one stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the leaders of Shechem, because he is your brother—
19 if you have acted faithfully and sincerely toward Jerubbaal and his family today, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you.
20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and consume the leaders of Shechem and Beth-Millo, and let fire come out from the leaders of Shechem and Beth-Millo and consume Abimelech.
- Judg 9:22-298 verses80%
22 Abimelech ruled over Israel for three years.
23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem acted treacherously against Abimelech.
24 This happened so that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might be avenged, and their blood laid on their brother Abimelech, who killed them, and on the leaders of Shechem, who had supported him in killing his brothers.
25 The leaders of Shechem set up ambushes on the mountaintops, and they robbed everyone who passed by them on the road. This was reported to Abimelech.
26 Gaal, the son of Ebed, and his brothers came to Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem put their trust in him.
27 They went out into the fields, harvested their vineyards, trampled the grapes, and held a festival. They entered the temple of their god, where they ate, drank, and cursed Abimelech.
28 Then Gaal, the son of Ebed, said, "Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Isn’t he the son of Jerubbaal, and isn’t Zebul his officer? Serve the descendants of Hamor, the father of Shechem! Why should we serve him?
29 If only this people were under my authority, I would remove Abimelech!" Then he said to Abimelech, "Gather your army and come out!"
- Judg 9:54-574 verses75%
54 Hastily, he called to his young armor-bearer and said, "Draw your sword and kill me, so they cannot say, 'A woman killed him.'" So his servant ran him through, and he died.
55 When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they each returned to their homes.
56 Thus God repaid the wickedness that Abimelech had done to his father by killing his seventy brothers.
57 And God also brought back on the heads of the men of Shechem all their wickedness. The curse of Jotham, the son of Jerubbaal, came upon them.
- Judg 9:46-494 verses74%
46 When all the citizens of the tower of Shechem heard about this, they went into the stronghold of the temple of El-Berith.
47 When Abimelech was told that all the people of the tower of Shechem had gathered there,
48 he and all his men went up to Mount Zalmon. There, Abimelech took an axe, cut off a branch from a tree, lifted it onto his shoulder, and said to his men, "What you have seen me do, hurry and do likewise."
49 So each of his men cut down a branch and followed Abimelech. They piled the branches against the stronghold and set it on fire over those inside, so all the people in the tower of Shechem—about a thousand men and women—died.
- 73%
31 His concubine, who lived in Shechem, also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech.
- Judg 9:38-392 verses72%
38 Then Zebul said to him, "Where now is your boasting, you who said, 'Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?' Aren’t these the people you despised? Go out now and fight them!"
39 So Gaal went out before the leaders of Shechem and fought against Abimelech.
- Judg 9:31-344 verses70%
31 He secretly sent messengers to Abimelech, saying, "Look, Gaal, son of Ebed, and his brothers have come to Shechem and are stirring up the city against you.
32 Now then, during the night you and your men should come and lie in wait in the fields.
33 In the morning, as the sun rises, advance against the city. When Gaal and his men come out against you, do whatever is needed to deal with them.
34 So Abimelech and all his troops got up by night and set an ambush near Shechem in four companies.
- 70%
11 Shechem said to Dinah's father and brothers, "Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you ask of me, I will give.
- Judg 9:41-433 verses69%
41 Abimelech stayed in Arumah, while Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem.
42 The following day, the people went out into the fields, and this was reported to Abimelech.
43 So Abimelech took his army, divided them into three companies, and set an ambush in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he attacked them.
- 69%
13 You are my brothers, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to bring the king back?'
- 68%
2 But Gideon replied to them, 'What have I accomplished compared to you? Aren’t the gleanings of Ephraim’s harvest better than the full harvest of Abiezer?'
- 67%
29 Abimelech asked Abraham, 'What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart by themselves?'
- 66%
22 The Israelites said to Gideon, 'Rule over us—you, your son, and your grandson—because you have saved us from the hand of Midian.'
- 66%
18 Then he asked Zebah and Zalmunna, 'What kind of men did you kill at Tabor?' They answered, 'They were like you—each one resembling the son of a king.'