Judges 9:44

44 Avimelekh and his group rushed forward and occupied the entrance to the city gate, while the other two groups attacked all those in the field and killed them.

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 But the very next day, the people went out into the field, and Avimelekh was told about it.

43 He took his men, divided them into three groups, and lay in wait in the field. When he saw the people going out of the city, he came out of hiding and slaughtered them.

44 Avimelekh and his group rushed forward and occupied the entrance to the city gate, while the other two groups attacked all those in the field and killed them.

45 Avimelekh fought against the city all that day; captured it, killed its people, destroyed its buildings and sowed its land with salt.

46 When all the men in the fortress at Sh'khem heard about this, they took refuge in the stronghold of the temple of El-B'rit.