Judges 9:42-49

42The next day the Shechemites came out to the field. When Abimelech heard about it,

43he took his men and divided them into three units and set an ambush in the field. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he attacked and struck them down.

44Abimelech and his units attacked and blocked the entrance to the city’s gate. Two units then attacked all the people in the field and struck them down.

45Abimelech fought against the city all that day. He captured the city and killed all the people in it. Then he leveled the city and spread salt over it.

46When all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem heard the news, they went to the stronghold of the temple of El-Berith.

47Abimelech heard that all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem were in one place.

48He and all his men went up on Mount Zalmon. He took an ax in his hand and cut off a tree branch. He put it on his shoulder and said to his men, “Quickly, do what you have just seen me do!”

49So each of his men also cut off a branch and followed Abimelech. They put the branches against the stronghold and set fire to it. All the people of the Tower of Shechem died – about a thousand men and women.