Judges 9:52

52 However, when Avimelekh approached the tower, attacked it, and then came up close to the tower's door in order to burn it down,

Judges 9:52 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 9:52

And Abimelech came unto the tower
With his army to besiege it:

and fought against it;
using all the methods he could to oblige those in it to surrender:

and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire;
in order to get entrance into it; and perhaps the tower was built of stone, so that no other part could be set fire to; and to do this he drew near to the door himself, for nothing more is meant by the phrase, "went hard", than drawing near in his own person to the door; hazarding his life in the enterprise, being so bent upon it, thinking to do by this tower what he had done to the hold of the temple of Baalberith.

Judges 9:52 In-Context

50 Then Avimelekh went to Tevetz, set up camp against Tevetz and captured it.

51 But there was a fortified tower inside the city; and all the men and women took refuge in it, everyone in the city. They shut themselves inside and went up onto the roof of the tower.

52 However, when Avimelekh approached the tower, attacked it, and then came up close to the tower's door in order to burn it down,

53 a woman dropped an upper millstone on Avimelekh's head, cracking his skull.

54 He quickly called out to the young man holding his armor, "Draw your sword, and finish me off, so that people won't say a woman killed me." So his attendant ran him through, and he died.