Abimelech Destroys Shechem

42

But the very next day, the people went out into the field, and Avimelekh was told about it.

43

He took his men, divided them into three groups, and lay in wait in the field. When he saw the people going out of the city, he came out of hiding and slaughtered them.

44

Avimelekh and his group rushed forward and occupied the entrance to the city gate, while the other two groups attacked all those in the field and killed them.

45

Avimelekh fought against the city all that day; captured it, killed its people, destroyed its buildings and sowed its land with salt.

46

When all the men in the fortress at Sh'khem heard about this, they took refuge in the stronghold of the temple of El-B'rit.

47

Avimelekh was told that all the men from the Sh'khem fortress had gathered together;

48

so he led all his men up to Mount Tzalmon, where he took an axe in his hand, cut a branch off a tree, and laid it on his shoulder. Then he said to those with him, "Quick! Do just what you saw me do!"

49

They all did likewise, each man cutting off his branch; and they followed Avimelekh. They put the branches up against the stronghold, set them on fire, and burned down the stronghold; so that all the people from the Sh'khem fortress died, about a thousand men and women.

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