Judges:9:24-56-57

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* That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come , and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother , which slew them ; and upon the men of Shechem , which aided him in the killing of his brethren . * And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains , and they robbed all that came along that way by them : and it was told Abimelech . * And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren , and went over to Shechem : and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him . * And they went out into the fields , and gathered their vineyards , and trode the grapes , and made merry , and went into the house of their god , and did eat and drink , 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 Y @rubba #al #? and Zebul his officer ? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem : for why should we serve him ? * And would to God this people were under my hand ! then would I 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 unto Abimelech privily , saying , Behold , Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem ; and , behold , they fortify the city against thee . * Now therefore up by night , thou and the people that is with thee , and lie in wait in the field : * And it shall be , that in the morning , as soon as the sun is up , thou shalt rise early , and set upon the city : and , behold , when he and the people that is with him come out against thee , then mayest thou do to them as thou shalt find occasion . * And Abimelech rose up , and all the people that were with him , by night , and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies ro #sh #. * And Gaal the son of Ebed went out , and stood in the entering of the gate of the city : and Abimelech rose up , and the people that were with him , from lying in wait ma #arab #. * And when Gaal saw the people , he said to Zebul , Behold , there come # people down from the top of the mountains . And Zebul said unto him , Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men . * And Gaal spake again and said , See there come # people down by the middle of the land , and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim . * Then said Zebul unto him , Where is now thy mouth , wherewith thou saidst , Who is Abimelech , that we should serve him ? is not this the people that thou hast despised ? go out , I pray now , 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 many were overthrown and wounded , even unto the entering of the gate sha #ar #. * And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah : and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren , that they should not dwell in Shechem . * And it came to pass on the morrow , that the people went out into the field ; and they told Abimelech . * And he took the people , and divided them into three companies ro #sh #, and laid wait in the field , and looked , and , behold , the people were come forth out of the city ; and he rose up against them , and smote them . * And Abimelech , and the company that was with him , rushed forward , and stood in the entering of the gate of the city : and the two other companies ran upon all the people that were in the fields , and slew them . * And Abimelech fought against the city all that day ; and he took the city , and slew the people that was therein , and beat down the city , and sowed it with salt . * And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that , they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith . * And it was told Abimelech , that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together . * And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon , he and all the people that were with him ; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand , and cut down a bough from the trees , and took it , and laid it on his shoulder , and said unto the people that were with him , What ye have seen me do , make haste , and do as I have done . * And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough , and followed Abimelech , and put them to the hold , and set the hold on fire upon them ; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also , about a thousand men and women . * Then went Abimelech to Thebez , and encamped against Thebez , and took it . * But there was a strong tower within the city , and thither fled all the men and women , and all they of the city , and shut it to them , and gat them up to the top of the tower . * And Abimelech came unto the tower , and fought against it , and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire . * And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelechs head ro #sh #, and all to brake his skull . * Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer , and said unto him , Draw thy sword , and slay me , that men say not of me , A woman slew him . And his young man thrust him through , and he died . * And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead , they departed every man unto his place . * Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech , which he did unto his father , in slaying his seventy brethren :

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