Judges 9:48

48 Then Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, with all his people; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand and, cutting down branches of trees, took them and put them on his back. And he said to the people who were with him, Be quick and do as you have seen me do.

Judges 9:48 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 9:48

And Abimelech got him up to Mount Zalmon
A mountain near Shechem, and thought to be the same with Salmon in ( Psalms 68:14 ) which seems to have had its name from the shade of the trees which grew upon it:

he and all the people that were with him;
his whole army:

and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the
trees;
which grew upon Mount Zalmon:

and took it, and laid it on his shoulders;
and carried it along with him:

and said unto the people that were with him, what ye have seen me do,
make haste, and do as I have done;
take an axe, and every man cut down a bough with all possible haste, and lay it on his shoulder.

Judges 9:48 In-Context

46 Then all the townsmen of the tower of Shechem, hearing of it, went into the inner room of the house of El-berith.

47 And word was given to Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem were there together.

48 Then Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, with all his people; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand and, cutting down branches of trees, took them and put them on his back. And he said to the people who were with him, Be quick and do as you have seen me do.

49 So all the people got branches, every man cutting down a branch, and they went with Abimelech at their head and, massing the branches against the inner room, put fire to the room over them; so all those who were in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women, were burned to death with it.

50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and put his army in position against Thebez and took it.