Judges 9:43

43 so he took his men, divided them into three groups, and hid in the fields, waiting. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he came out of hiding to kill them.

Judges 9:43 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 9:43

And he took the people
That is, the forces he had with him at Arumah:

and divided them into three companies:
each having a separate leader, and the command of one of them he had himself:

and laid wait in the field;
in the field of Shechem, one company in one part, and one in another part of the field:

and looked, and, behold, the people were come forth out of the city;
he watched them when they did:

and he rose up against them, and smote them;
the companies rose up out of their ambush, in different parts, and killed them.

Judges 9:43 In-Context

41 Abimelech lived in Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem, so that they could no longer live there.

42 The next day Abimelech found out that the people of Shechem were planning to go out into the fields,

43 so he took his men, divided them into three groups, and hid in the fields, waiting. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he came out of hiding to kill them.

44 While Abimelech and his group hurried forward to guard the city gate, the other two companies attacked the people in the fields and killed them all.

45 The fighting continued all day long. Abimelech captured the city, killed its people, tore it down, and covered the ground with salt.