Judges 9:39-57 ▼

39 And Gaal goes out before the masters of Shechem, and fights against Abimelech,

40 and Abimelech pursues him, and he flees from his presence, and many fall wounded—to the opening of the gate.

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

42 And it comes to pass, on the next day, that the people go out to the field, and they declare [it] to Abimelech,

43 and he takes the people, and divides them into three detachments, and lays wait in a field, and looks, and behold, the people are coming out from the city, and he rises against them, and strikes them.

44 And Abimelech and the detachments who [are] with him have pushed on, and stand at the opening of the gate of the city, and the two detachments have pushed against all who are in the field, and strike them,

45 and Abimelech has fought against the city all that day, and captures the city, and has slain the people who [are] in it, and he breaks down the city, and sows it [with] salt.

46 And all the masters of the Tower of Shechem hear, and go into the high place of the house of the god Berith,

47 and it is declared to Abimelech that all the masters of the Tower of Shechem have gathered themselves together,

48 and Abimelech goes up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who [are] with him, and Abimelech takes the great axe in his hand, and cuts off a bough of the trees, and lifts it up, and sets [it] on his shoulder, and says to the people who [are] with him, “What you have seen me do—hurry, do as I [have done].”

49 And every one of the people cuts down his bough and goes after Abimelech, and sets [them] at the high place, and burns the high place with fire by these, and also all the men of the Tower of Shechem die—about one thousand men and women.

50 And Abimelech goes to Thebez, and encamps against Thebez, and captures it,

51 and a strong tower has been in the midst of the city, and all the men and the women flee there, and all the masters of the city, and they shut [it] behind them, and go up on the roof of the tower.

52 And Abimelech comes to the tower, and fights against it, and draws near to the opening of the tower to burn it with fire,

53 and a certain woman casts a piece of a millstone on the head of Abimelech, and breaks his skull,

54 and he calls quickly to the young man carrying his weapons and says to him, “Draw your sword, and you have put me to death, lest they say of me—A woman slew him”; and his young man pierced him through, and he dies.

55 And the men of Israel see that Abimelech [is] dead, and each one goes to his place;

56 and God turns back the evil of Abimelech which he did to his father to slay his seventy brothers;

57 and God has returned all the evil of the men of Shechem on their [own] head, and the cursing of Jotham son of Jerubba‘al comes to them.