Judges 9:35

35 When Abimelech and his men saw Gaal come out and stand at the city gate, they got up from their hiding places.

Judges 9:35 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 9:35

And Gaul the son or Ebed went out
He rose up early that morning, being a man of vigilance and activity, and perhaps had some intelligence of the preparations of Abimelech, his design against the city, though he did not expect he was so near at hand:

and stood in the entering of the gate of the city;
to see whether the guards were on their duty within, and whether he could observe any thing without, any approaching danger:

and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from lying in
wait;
came out of their ambush, and appeared just as Gaul was at the gate.

Judges 9:35 In-Context

33 Get up tomorrow morning at sunrise and make a sudden attack on the city. Then when Gaal and his men come out against you, hit them with all you've got!"

34 So Abimelech and all his men made their move at night and hid outside Shechem in four groups.

35 When Abimelech and his men saw Gaal come out and stand at the city gate, they got up from their hiding places.

36 Gaal saw them and said to Zebul, "Look! There are men coming down from the mountaintops!" "Those are not men," Zebul answered. "They are just shadows on the mountains."

37 Gaal said again, "Look! There are men coming down the crest of the mountain and one group is coming along the road from the oak tree of the fortunetellers!"