Judges 9:52

52 Abimelech came to the tower, and fought against it, and came near to the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire.

Judges 9:52 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 9:52

And Abimelech came unto the tower
With his army to besiege it:

and fought against it;
using all the methods he could to oblige those in it to surrender:

and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire;
in order to get entrance into it; and perhaps the tower was built of stone, so that no other part could be set fire to; and to do this he drew near to the door himself, for nothing more is meant by the phrase, "went hard", than drawing near in his own person to the door; hazarding his life in the enterprise, being so bent upon it, thinking to do by this tower what he had done to the hold of the temple of Baalberith.

Judges 9:52 In-Context

50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.

51 But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men and women and all the lords of the city fled to it and shut themselves in; and they went to the roof of the tower.

52 Abimelech came to the tower, and fought against it, and came near to the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire.

53 But a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech's head, and crushed his skull.

54 Immediately he called to the young man who carried his armor and said to him, "Draw your sword and kill me, so people will not say about me, "A woman killed him.' " So the young man thrust him through, and he died.