Judges 9:34-45 ▼

34 So Abimelech (my father is king) and all his troops set out by night and lay in wait against Shechem (shoulder) in four companies.

35 Now Gaal (loathing) son of Ebed (servant) went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate just as Abimelech (my father is king) and his men came out from their hiding places.

36 When Gaal (loathing) saw the people, he said to Zebul (exalted), “Look, people are coming down from the mountains!” But Zebul replied, “The shadows of the mountains look like men to you.”

37 Then Gaal (loathing) spoke up again, “Look, people are coming down from the center of the land \the navel of the earth/, and one company is coming by way of the Diviners’ Oak (the Diviners’ Terebinth).

38 “Where is your gloating now?” Zebul (exalted) replied. “You said, ‘Who is Abimelech (my father is king) that we should serve him?’ Are these not the people you ridiculed? Go out now and fight them!”

39 So Gaal (loathing) went out before the leaders of Shechem (shoulder) and fought against Abimelech (my father is king),

40 but Abimelech (my father is king) pursued him, and Gaal fled before him. And many Shechemites fell wounded all the way to the entrance of the gate.

41 Abimelech (my father is king) stayed in Arumah (I shall be exalted), and Zebul (exalted) drove Gaal (loathing) and his brothers out of Shechem (shoulder).

42 The next day the people of Shechem went out into the fields, and this was reported to Abimelech (my father is king).

43 So he took his men, divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he rose up against them and attacked them.

44 Then Abimelech (my father is king) and the companies with him rushed forward and took their stand at the entrance of the city gate. The other two companies rushed against all who were in the fields and struck them down.

45 And all that day Abimelech (my father is king) fought against the city until he had captured it and killed its people. Then he demolished the city and sowed it with salt.