Avi-Melech
Another article from my one of my students:
Another article from my one of my students:
Avi-Melech the son of Yerubaal (Gidon) went to his mother’s house looking for supporters to help him become king. His father didn’t want this, but Avi-Melech did. He wanted it more than anything! He was even willing to trick his family and kill his 70 brothers. When he got to his mother’s house he talked to his family. He tried to convince them with would they rather one king or 70 that would fight for power. They agreed with him and spread the news to the rest of shechem and soon Avi-Melech had a LOT of followers. He also gave some people money to support him. In the torah it says that they were empty. If you think about this like a glass, then you see if the glass is empty you can fill it with anything you want. But if it is full you can’t fill it at all. That is what Avi-Melech did to the poor. He filled them up and they were loyal to him. After he finished this he killed his 70 brothers.
We later find out that Avi-Melech only killed 69 of his brothers. For his brother Yotam was hidden and survived the incident. Yotam stood on top of Mt. Gerizim and started to tell a fable.
At one point the trees decided they wanted a king. They went to an olive tree and asked it to rule over them. The olive tree wondered if he should leave his fatness. He decided not to and refused the leadership. So the trees went to a fig tree and they asked if he would be their king. But the fig tree wondered if it should leave its sweetness. It decided not to and turned their offer down. So they went to a vine and asked him to be the ruler. He wondered if he should leave his wine and decided not to. He told them no. They finally went to a bramble and asked him. The bramble said that if they really wanted him to be king to go under his shade. But if not, he said they would catch on fire.
Then Yotam said to the people that if what Avi-Melech did was right then they would live happy lives. But if what Avi-Melech did was wrong and they supported it, then they should catch on fire.
Avi-Melech was prince over Israel for 3 years. Everything was fine until hashem sent an evil spirit to come between Avi-Melech and the men of Shechem. They got angry with him for slaying his brothers and they sent people to watch for him and rob anyone who came by. When Gaal the son of Ebed came, the men of Shechem liked him. He challenged Avi-Melech and tried to overthrow him.
During the battle Avi-Melech took refuge with a women and she through a rock at his head, cracking is skull. When he was on the ground dying, he asked his soldier to kill him so that no one would say he was killed by a woman. After Avi-Melechs death, the men of shechem were burned for the awful things Avi-Melech did.
We later find out that Avi-Melech only killed 69 of his brothers. For his brother Yotam was hidden and survived the incident. Yotam stood on top of Mt. Gerizim and started to tell a fable.
At one point the trees decided they wanted a king. They went to an olive tree and asked it to rule over them. The olive tree wondered if he should leave his fatness. He decided not to and refused the leadership. So the trees went to a fig tree and they asked if he would be their king. But the fig tree wondered if it should leave its sweetness. It decided not to and turned their offer down. So they went to a vine and asked him to be the ruler. He wondered if he should leave his wine and decided not to. He told them no. They finally went to a bramble and asked him. The bramble said that if they really wanted him to be king to go under his shade. But if not, he said they would catch on fire.
Then Yotam said to the people that if what Avi-Melech did was right then they would live happy lives. But if what Avi-Melech did was wrong and they supported it, then they should catch on fire.
Avi-Melech was prince over Israel for 3 years. Everything was fine until hashem sent an evil spirit to come between Avi-Melech and the men of Shechem. They got angry with him for slaying his brothers and they sent people to watch for him and rob anyone who came by. When Gaal the son of Ebed came, the men of Shechem liked him. He challenged Avi-Melech and tried to overthrow him.
During the battle Avi-Melech took refuge with a women and she through a rock at his head, cracking is skull. When he was on the ground dying, he asked his soldier to kill him so that no one would say he was killed by a woman. After Avi-Melechs death, the men of shechem were burned for the awful things Avi-Melech did.
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