Judges 9:44

44 Abimelech and his group ran to the entrance gate to the city. The other two groups ran out to the people in the fields and struck them down.

Judges 9:44 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 9:44

And Abimelech, and the company that was with him
Which he had the particular command of; or "the heads" ^F13, for in the company with him, as Kimchi observes, were great men; and so the Septuagint renders it, the princes that were with him:

rushed forward, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city;
to prevent the people that were in the field getting into it, and any from coming out of it to their relief:

and the two other companies ran upon all the people that were in the
fields, and slew them;
so that by this means none escaped.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 (Myvarhw) "et capita", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius; "et principes", Vatablus.

Judges 9:44 In-Context

42 The next day the people of Shechem went out to the fields. When Abimelech was told about it,

43 he separated his men into three groups and hid them in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he jumped up and attacked them.

44 Abimelech and his group ran to the entrance gate to the city. The other two groups ran out to the people in the fields and struck them down.

45 Abimelech and his men fought the city of Shechem all day until they captured it and killed its people. Then he tore it down and threw saltn over the ruins.

46 When the leaders who were in the Tower of Shechem heard what had happened to Shechem, they gathered in the safest room of the temple of El Berith.