Judges 9:51

51 There was a strong tower there, and every man and woman in the city, including the leaders, ran to it. They locked themselves in and went up to the roof.

Judges 9:51 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 9:51

But there was a strong tower within the city
The tower of Shechem was without the city, but this within, as towers generally are:

and hither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city;
men, women, and children, man and maid servants, all the inhabitants of the city; the tower being a large place, having not only many rooms in it, but perhaps a large area in the midst of it, as well as it had battlements on the top of it:

and shut it to them;
the gates of it, and which no doubt they strongly barred and bolted, to keep out the enemy:

and gat them up to the top of the tower;
to observe the motions of Abimelech, and annoy him as much as they could with what they carried with them, as stones, and the like.

Judges 9:51 In-Context

49 So everyone cut off a tree limb; then they followed Abimelech and piled the wood up against the stronghold. They set it on fire, with the people inside, and all the people of the fort died - about a thousand men and women.

50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, surrounded that city, and captured it.

51 There was a strong tower there, and every man and woman in the city, including the leaders, ran to it. They locked themselves in and went up to the roof.

52 When Abimelech came to attack the tower, he went up to the door to set the tower on fire.

53 But a woman threw a millstone down on his head and fractured his skull.