The Judges & Ruth

and he sendeth messengers unto Abimelech deceitfully, saying, `Lo, Gaal son of Ebed and his brethren are coming into Shechem, and lo, they are fortifying the city against thee;

and, now, rise by night, thou and the people who are with thee, and lay wait in the field,

and it hath been, in the morning, about the rising of the sun, thou dost rise early, and hast pushed against the city; and lo, he and the people who are with him are going out unto thee--and thou hast done to him as thy hand doth find.'

And Abimelech riseth, and all the people who are with him, by night, and they lay wait against Shechem--four detachments;

and Gaal son of Ebed goeth out, and standeth at the opening of the gate of the city, and Abimelech riseth--also the people who are with him--from the ambush,

and Gaal seeth the people, and saith unto Zebul, `Lo, people are coming down from the top of the hills;' and Zebul saith unto him, `The shadow of the hills thou art seeing like men.'

And Gaal addeth yet to speak, and saith, `Lo, people are coming down from the high part of the land, and another detachment is coming by the way of the oak of Meonenim.'

And Zebul saith unto him, `Where is now thy mouth, in that thou sayest, Who is Abimelech that we serve him? is not this the people against which thou hast kicked? go out, I pray thee now, and fight against it.'

And Gaal goeth out before the masters of Shechem, and fighteth against Abimelech,

and Abimelech pursueth him, and he fleeth from his presence, and many fall wounded--unto the opening of the gate.

And Abimelech abideth in Arumah, and Zebul casteth out Gaal and his brethren from dwelling in Shechem.

And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that the people go out to the field, and they declare it to Abimelech,

and he taketh the people, and divideth them into three detachments, and layeth wait in a field, and looketh, and lo, the people are coming out from the city, and he riseth against them, and smiteth them.

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 smite them,

and Abimelech hath fought against the city all that day, and captureth the city, and the people who are in it he hath slain, and he breaketh down the city, and soweth it with salt.

And all the masters of the tower of Shechem hear, and go in unto the high place of the house of the god Berith,

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

and Abimelech goeth up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people who are with him, and Abimelech taketh the great axe in his hand, and cutteth off a bough of the trees, and lifteth it up, and setteth it on his shoulder, and saith unto the people who are with him, `What ye have seen I have done--haste, do ye like it.'

And all the people also cut down each one his bough, and go after Abimelech, and set them at the high place, and burn by these the high place with fire, and also all the men of the tower of Shechem die, about a thousand men and women.

And Abimelech goeth unto Thebez, and encampeth against Thebez, and captureth it,

and a strong tower hath been in the midst of the city, and thither flee do all the men and the women, and all the masters of the city, and they shut it behind them, and go up on the roof of the tower.

And Abimelech cometh unto the tower, and fighteth against it, and draweth nigh unto the opening of the tower to burn it with fire,

and a certain woman doth cast a piece of a rider on the head of Abimelech, and breaketh his skull,

and he calleth hastily unto the young man bearing his weapons, and saith to him, `Draw thy sword, and thou hast put me to death, lest they say of me--A woman slew him;' and his young man pierced him through, and he dieth.

And the men of Israel see that Abimelech is dead, and go each one to his place;