The Judges & Ruth

So he covertly sent messengers to Abimelech to say, “Look, Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem and are stirring up the city against you.

Now then, tonight you and the people with you are to come and lie in wait in the fields.

And in the morning at sunrise, get up and advance against the city. When Gaal and his men come out against you, do to them whatever you are able.”

So Abimelech and all his troops set out by night and lay in wait against Shechem in four companies.

Now Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate just as Abimelech and his men came out from their hiding places.

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

Then Gaal spoke up again, “Look, people are coming down from the center of the land, and one company is coming by way of the Diviners’ Oak.”

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

So Gaal went out before the leaders of Shechem and fought against Abimelech,

but Abimelech pursued him, and Gaal fled before him. And many Shechemites fell wounded all the way to the entrance of the gate.

Abimelech stayed in Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem.

The next day the people of Shechem went out into the fields, and this was reported to Abimelech.

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.

Then Abimelech 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.

And all that day Abimelech fought against the city until he had captured it and killed its people. Then he demolished the city and sowed it with salt.

On hearing of this, all the leaders in the tower of Shechem entered the inner chamber of the temple of El-berith.

And when Abimelech was told that all the leaders in the tower of Shechem were gathered there,

he and all his men went up to Mount Zalmon. Abimelech took his axe in his hand and cut a branch from the trees, which he lifted to his shoulder, saying to his men, “Hurry and do what you have seen me do.”

So each man also cut his own branch and followed Abimelech. Then they piled the branches against the inner chamber and set it on fire above them, killing everyone in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women.

Then Abimelech went to Thebez, encamped against it, and captured it.

But there was a strong tower inside the city, and all the men, women, and leaders of the city fled there. They locked themselves in and went up to the roof of the tower.

When Abimelech came to attack the tower, he approached its entrance to set it on fire.

But a woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, crushing his skull.

He quickly called his armor-bearer, saying, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” So Abimelech’s armor-bearer ran his sword through him, and he died.

And when the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they all went home.