Judges 9:43

43 So he gathered his men together. He separated them into three companies. Then he hid them in the fields and told them to wait. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he got up to attack them.

Judges 9:43 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 9:43

And he took the people
That is, the forces he had with him at Arumah:

and divided them into three companies:
each having a separate leader, and the command of one of them he had himself:

and laid wait in the field;
in the field of Shechem, one company in one part, and one in another part of the field:

and looked, and, behold, the people were come forth out of the city;
he watched them when they did:

and he rose up against them, and smote them;
the companies rose up out of their ambush, in different parts, and killed them.

Judges 9:43 In-Context

41 He stayed in Arumah. Zebul drove Gaal and his relatives out of Shechem.

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

43 So he gathered his men together. He separated them into three companies. Then he hid them in the fields and told them to wait. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he got up to attack them.

44 Abimelech and the men who were with him ran forward. They placed themselves at the entrance of the city gate. Then the other two companies rushed over to the people who were in the fields. There they struck them down.

45 Abimelech kept up his attack against the city all day long. He didn't stop until he had captured it. Then he killed its people. He destroyed the city. He scattered salt on it to make sure that nothing would be able to grow there.