Judges 9:30-57

30When Zebul the leader of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger burned. 31So using deception, he successfully sent messengers to Abimelech, saying, “Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his relatives have come to Shechem; and behold, they are 1stirring up the city against you. 32So now, arise by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field. 33Then in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, you shall rise early and attack the city; and behold, when he and the people who are with him come out against you, you shall 2do to them 3whatever you can.”

34So Abimelech and all the people who were with him got up at night, and lay in wait against Shechem, in four 4units. 35Now Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate; and Abimelech and the people who were with him arose from the ambush. 36When Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, “5Look, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains.” But Zebul said to him, “You are seeing the shadow of the mountains as if they were people.” 37And Gaal spoke yet again and said, “Look, people are coming down from 6the 7highest part of the land, and one 8unit is coming by way of 9the diviners’ 10oak.” 38Then Zebul said to him, “Where then is your 11boasting with which you said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Is this not the people whom you rejected? Go out now and fight them!” 39So Gaal went out 12in the sight of the 13leaders of Shechem and fought Abimelech. 40But Abimelech chased him, and he fled from him; and many fell wounded up to the entrance of the gate. 41Then Abimelech stayed in Arumah, but Zebul drove out Gaal and his relatives so that they could not stay in Shechem.

42Now it came about the next day, that the people went out to the field, and it was reported to Abimelech. 43So he took 14his people and divided them into three 15units, and lay in wait in the field; when he looked and 16saw the people coming out from the city, he 17attacked them and killed them. 44Then Abimelech and the 18company who was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the city gate; the other two 19companies then attacked all who were in the field and killed them. 45Abimelech fought against the city that whole day, and he captured the city and killed the people who were in it; then he 20tore down the city and sowed it with salt.

46When all the 21leaders of the tower of Shechem heard about it, they entered the inner chamber of the 22temple of 23El-berith. 47And it was reported to Abimelech that all the 24leaders of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. 48So Abimelech went up to Mount 25Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took 26an axe in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees, and lifted it and put it on his shoulder. Then he said to the people who were with him, “What you saw me do, hurry and do 27likewise.” 49So all the people also cut down, each one, his branch and followed Abimelech, and put them on top of the inner chamber and set the inner chamber on fire over those inside, so that all the people of the tower of Shechem also died, about a thousand men and women.

50Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and he camped against Thebez and captured it. 51But there was a strong tower in the center of the city, and all the men and women with all the 28leaders of the city fled there and shut themselves in; and they went up on the roof of the tower. 52So Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it, and approached the entrance of the tower to burn it down with fire. 53But 29a woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, crushing his skull. 54Then 30he called quickly to the young man, his armor bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, so that it will not be said of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” So 31the young man pierced him through, and he died. 55Now when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, each left for his 32home. 56So 33God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father in killing his seventy brothers. 57God also returned all the wickedness of the men of Shechem on their heads, and the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal came 34upon them.