Judges 9:50

50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, surrounded that city, and captured it.

Judges 9:50 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 9:50

Then went Abimelech to Thebez
Which, according to Ben Gersom, had rebelled against him; it was near to Shechem. Adrichomius says ^F16, the ruins, where he thinks stood the city of Thebez, were but one furlong from Neapolis or Shechem, where, to the left of Jacob's well, were to be seen ruins of a large town, marble stones, whole pillars, and other signs of large palaces, and the soil wonderfully fruitful; and Jerome says ^F17, that in his time there was a village called Thebes, on the borders of Neapolis or Shechem, as you go to Scythopolis, thirteen miles from it. It must be near Shechem, inhabited by Shechemites, to fulfil Jotham's curse, ( Judges 9:20 )

and encamped against Thebez, and took it:
it seems not to have held out long, being deserted by its inhabitants, who fled to the tower, as follows.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 Theatrum Terrae Sanct. p. 70.
F17 De loc. Heb. 95. D.

Judges 9:50 In-Context

48 so he went up to Mount Zalmon with his men. There he took an ax, cut a limb off a tree, and put it on his shoulder. He told his men to hurry and do the same thing.

49 So everyone cut off a tree limb; then they followed Abimelech and piled the wood up against the stronghold. They set it on fire, with the people inside, and all the people of the fort died - about a thousand men and women.

50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, surrounded that city, and captured it.

51 There was a strong tower there, and every man and woman in the city, including the leaders, ran to it. They locked themselves in and went up to the roof.

52 When Abimelech came to attack the tower, he went up to the door to set the tower on fire.