'Lords' in the Bible
“Please speak in the presence of all the lords of Shechem, ‘Is it better for you that 70 men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you or that one man rule over you?’ Remember that I am your own flesh and blood.”
His mother’s relatives spoke all these words about him in the presence of all the lords of Shechem, and they were favorable to Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.”
Then all the lords of Shechem and of Beth-millo gathered together and proceeded to make Abimelech king at the oak of the pillar in Shechem.
When they told Jotham, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim, raised his voice, and called to them:Listen to me, lords of Shechem,and may God listen to you:
and now you have attacked my father’s house today, killed his 70 sons on top of a large stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his slave, king over the lords of Shechem ‘because he is your brother’—
But if not, may fire come from Abimelech and consume the lords of Shechem and Beth-millo, and may fire come from the lords of Shechem and Beth-millo and consume Abimelech.”
God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the lords of Shechem. They treated Abimelech deceitfully,
so that the crime against the 70 sons of Jerubbaal might come to justice and their blood would be avenged on their brother Abimelech, who killed them, and on the lords of Shechem, who had helped him kill his brothers.
The lords of Shechem rebelled against him by putting people on the tops of the mountains to ambush and rob everyone who passed by them on the road. So this was reported to Abimelech.
Gaal son of Ebed came with his brothers and crossed into Shechem, and the lords of Shechem trusted him.
So Gaal went out leading the lords of Shechem and fought against Abimelech,
When all the lords of the Tower of Shechem heard, they entered the inner chamber of the temple of El-berith.
Then it was reported to Abimelech that all the lords of the Tower of Shechem had gathered together.
There was a strong tower inside the city, and all the men, women, and lords of the city fled there. They locked themselves in and went up to the roof of the tower.