Judges 9:34-57 ▼

34 And Abimelech rose, and all the people who were with him, by night, and they lay in wait against Shechem in four companies.

35 And Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city, and Abimelech rose, and the people who were with him, from the ambush.

36 And Gaal saw the people, and he said to Zebul, “Behold, a people is coming down from the tops of the mountains.” And Zebul said to him, “The shadows of the mountains You are seeing as men.”

37 And Gaal added again to speak, and he said, “Behold, a people are coming down from the center of the land, and one company is coming from the way of the Oak of the Diviners.”

38 And Zebul said to him, “Where now is your mouth, with which you said, ‘Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?’ Is this not the people whom you have despised? Go out, please, now, and fight against it.”

39 And Gaal went out before the faces of the masters of Shechem, and he fought with Abimelech.

40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled from him, and many fell wounded as far as the entrance of the gate.

41 And Abimelech dwelt in Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers from dwelling in Shechem.

42 And it came to pass on the next day that the people went out into the field. And they declared it to Abimelech.

43 And he took the people and divided them into three companies and lay in wait in the field, and he looked, and behold, the people were coming out of the city; and he rose up against them and attacked them.

44 And Abimelech and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city, and the two companies rushed upon all who were in the fields, and struck them.

45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and he took the city, and he killed the people who were in it, and he tore down the city and sowed it with salt.

46 And all the men of the tower of Shechem had heard, and they entered into the stronghold of the temple of El-berith.

47 And it was told to Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.

48 And Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him, and Abimelech took an ax in his hand and cut down a bough from the trees, and lifted it and set it on his shoulder, and he said to the people who were with him, “What you? have seen me do, hurry and do as I.”

49 And all the people, indeed each man, cut down his bough, and they went after Abimelech, and they put them against the stronghold, and they burned above them the stronghold with the fire, and died also all the people of the tower of Shechem—about a thousand men and women.

50 And Abimelech went to Thebez, and he encamped against Thebez and took it.

51 And there was a strong tower in the midst of the city, and there fled all the men and the women, and all the masters of the city, and shut themselves in. And they went up to the top of the tower.

52 And Abimelech came as far as the tower and fought against it, and he drew near the door of the tower to burn it with the fire.

53 And one woman dropped an upper millstone on the head of Abimelech, and it crushed his skull.

54 And he called quickly to the young man bearing his armor and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

55 And the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, and every man departed to his place.

56 And God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father by killing his seventy brothers.

57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem God returned on their own heads, and came upon them the curse of Jotham son of Jerubbaal.