Shofetim 9:35

35 And Gaal ben Eved went out, and stood in the petach sha’ar haIr; and Avimelech and the people that were with him rose up from lying in wait for ambush.

Shofetim 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.

Shofetim 9:35 In-Context

33 And it shall be, that in the boker, as soon as the shemesh is up, thou shalt rise early, and set upon the Ir; and, hinei, when he and the people with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to them just as thy hand finds to do.

34 And Avimelech rose up, and kol haAm that were with him, by lailah, and they laid wait in ambush against Shechem in four companies.

35 And Gaal ben Eved went out, and stood in the petach sha’ar haIr; and Avimelech and the people that were with him rose up from lying in wait for ambush.

36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zevul, Hinei, there come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zevul said unto him, Thou seest the tzel of the mountains as if seeing anashim.

37 And Gaal spoke again, and said, Hinei, there come people down the middle of the land, and another company come along by the Elon Me’onenim.