Judges 9:44

44 Then Abimelech and the companies with him rushed forward and took their stand at the entrance of the city gate. The other two companies rushed against all who were in the fields and struck them down.

Judges 9:44 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 9:44

And Abimelech, and the company that was with him
Which he had the particular command of; or "the heads" ^F13, for in the company with him, as Kimchi observes, were great men; and so the Septuagint renders it, the princes that were with him:

rushed forward, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city;
to prevent the people that were in the field getting into it, and any from coming out of it to their relief:

and the two other companies ran upon all the people that were in the
fields, and slew them;
so that by this means none escaped.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 (Myvarhw) "et capita", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius; "et principes", Vatablus.

Judges 9:44 In-Context

42 The next day the people of Shechem went out into the fields, and this was reported to Abimelech.

43 So he took his men, divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he rose up against them and attacked them.

44 Then Abimelech and the companies with him rushed forward and took their stand at the entrance of the city gate. The other two companies rushed against all who were in the fields and struck them down.

45 And all that day Abimelech fought against the city until he had captured it and killed its people. Then he demolished the city and sowed it with salt.

46 On hearing of this, all the leaders in the tower of Shechem entered the inner chamber of the temple of El-berith.