38
Then Zebul said unto him, Where
is now thy mouth, with which thou didst say, Who
is Abimelech that we should serve him?
Is not this the people that thou hast despised? Go out now and fight with them.
39
And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem and fought with Abimelech.
40
And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown
and wounded,
even unto the entering of the gate.
41
And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah; and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren that they should not dwell in Shechem.
42
And it came to pass on the next day that the people went out into the field, and they told Abimelech.
43
And he took the people and divided them into three companies and set ambushes in the field and looked, and, behold, the people
were come forth out of the city; and he rose up against them and smote them.
44
And Abimelech and the company that
was with him rushed forward and stood in the entering of the gate of the city, and the two
other companies ran upon all
the people that
were in the fields and slew them.
45
And Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and he took the city and slew the people that
were therein and beat down the city and sowed it with salt.
46
And when those of the tower of Shechem heard
that, they entered into the stronghold of the temple of the god Berith.
47
And it was told Abimelech how all those of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.
48
Then Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people that
were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand and cut down a bough from the trees and took it and laid
it on his shoulder and said unto the people that
were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste
and do as I
have done.