Judges:9:23-41

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* And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem , and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech , * that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come , and that their blood might be laid upon Abimelech their brother who killed them , and upon the men of Shechem who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers . * And the men of Shechem set ambushes for him on the tops of the mountains , and they robbed all who came along that way by them , and it was told Abimelech . * And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers , and went over to Shechem , and the men of Shechem put their trust in him . * And they went out into the field , and gathered their vineyards , and trod [the grapes ], and held festival , and went into the house of their god , and ate and drank , and cursed Abimelech . * And Gaal the son of Ebed said , Who is Abimelech , and who is Shechem , that we should serve him ? Is not he the son of Jerubbaal , and Zebul his officer ? Serve ye the men of Hamor the father of Shechem , but why should we serve him ? * And would that this people were under my hand ! Then I would remove Abimelech . And he said to Abimelech , Increase thine army , and come out . * And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed , his anger was kindled . * And he sent messengers to Abimelech privately , saying , Behold , Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem , and , behold , they are fortifying the city against thee . * Now therefore , up by night , thou and the people who are with thee , and lay in wait in the field . * And it shall be , that in the morning , as soon as the sun is up , thou shall rise early , and rush upon the city , and , behold , when he and the people who are with him come out against thee , then thou may do to them as thou shall find * And Abimelech rose up , and all the people who were with him , by night , and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies . * And Gaal the son of Ebed went out , and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city . And Abimelech rose up , and the people who were with him , from the ambushment . * And when Gaal saw the people , he said to Zebul , Behold , there comes people down from the tops of the mountains . And Zebul said to him , Thou see the shadow of the mountains as if they were men . * And Gaal spoke again and said , See , there comes people down by the middle of the land , and one company comes by the way of the oak of Meonenim . * Then Zebul said to him , Where is now thy mouth , that thou said , Who is Abimelech , that we should serve him ? Is not this the people that thou have despised ? Go out now , I pray , and fight with them . * And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem , and fought with Abimelech . * And Abimelech chased him , and he fled before him , and there fell many wounded , even to the entrance of the gate . * And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah , and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers , that they should not dwell in Shechem .

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