Judges 9:2
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.
Additional Resources
Other Translations
Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts
"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."
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.
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 And Laban said to him, Surely you are my bone and my flesh. And he stayed with him for a month.
- Judg 8:30 : 30 And Gideon had seventy sons born to him: for he had many wives.
- 2 Sam 19:13 : 13 And say to Amasa, Are you not of my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you are not captain of the host before me continually in the place of Joab.
- 1 Chr 11:1 : 1 Then all Israel gathered to David at Hebron, saying, Behold, we are your bone and your flesh.
- Eph 5:30 : 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
- Heb 2:14 : 14 Since then the children partake of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had 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%
1And Abimelech, the son of Jerubbaal, went to Shechem, to his mother's relatives, and spoke with them and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying,
- Judg 9:3-75 verses84%
3And his mother's relatives spoke about 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.
4And they gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men, who followed him.
5And he went to his father's house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy persons, on one stone. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, was left, for he hid himself.
6And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.
7And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said to them, Listen to me, you men of Shechem, so that God may listen to you.
- Judg 9:16-205 verses82%
16Now therefore, if you have dealt truly and sincerely, in that you have made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him according to what he deserved—
17(For my father fought for you, risked his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian,
18But you have risen up against my father's house today, and have killed his sons, seventy persons, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother)—
19If then you have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and his house today, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you.
20But 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.
- Judg 9:22-298 verses80%
22When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel,
23Then God sent a harmful spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem, and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech,
24So that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might be avenged, and their blood be upon Abimelech their brother who killed them, and upon the men of Shechem who aided him in the killing of his brothers.
25And the men of Shechem set ambushes against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who passed by them along that way; and it was told to Abimelech.
26And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his relatives and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.
27And they went out into the fields, gathered their vineyards, trampled the grapes, and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech.
28And 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 men of Hamor the father of Shechem! Why should we serve him?
29If only this people were under my command! Then I would remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase your army and come out!
- Judg 9:54-574 verses75%
54Then he called quickly to the young man, his armor-bearer, and said to him, Draw your sword and kill me, so that they may not say of me, A woman killed him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.
55And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they each went to his own place.
56Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father, in killing his seventy brothers.
57And all the evil of the men of Shechem God brought upon their heads, and the curse of Jotham, the son of Jerubbaal, came upon them.
- Judg 9:46-494 verses74%
46And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered the stronghold of the house of the god Berith.
47And it was told to Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.
48And Abimelech went up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, cut down a branch from the trees, and took it and laid it on his shoulder, and said to the people with him, What you have seen me do, hurry and do likewise.
49And everyone likewise cut down his own branch, followed Abimelech, put them against the stronghold, and set it on fire; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem also died, about a thousand men and women.
- 73%
31And his concubine who was in Shechem, also bore him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.
- Judg 9:38-392 verses72%
38Then Zebul said to him, Where is your mouth now, with which you said, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? Are not these the people you despised? Go out now, I pray, and fight with them.
39And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem and fought with Abimelech.
- Judg 9:31-344 verses70%
31And he sent messengers to Abimelech secretly, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his relatives have come to Shechem—and behold, they are fortifying the city against you.
32Now therefore arise by night, you and the people with you, and lie in wait in the field.
33And it shall be that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, you shall rise early and set upon the city; and behold, when he and the people that are with him come out against you, you may do to them as you find opportunity.
34And Abimelech rose up, and all the people with him, by night, and they lay in wait against Shechem in four companies.
- 70%
11And Shechem said to her father and to her brothers, Let me find grace in your eyes, and whatever you say to me, I will give.
- Judg 9:41-433 verses69%
41And Abimelech stayed at Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal and his relatives, so that they should not dwell in Shechem.
42And it happened the next day, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.
43And he took the people, divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the field, and looked, and behold, the people were coming out of the city; and he rose against them and struck them down.
- 69%
13And say to Amasa, Are you not of my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you are not captain of the host before me continually in the place of Joab.
- 68%
2And he said to them, What have I done now in comparison to you? Isn't the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?
- 67%
29And Abimelech said to Abraham, What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs which you have set by themselves?
- 66%
22Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, Rule over us, both you, and your son, and your grandson also: for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.
- 66%
18Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor? And they answered, As you are, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king.