Judges 9:34

34 Abimelech and his troops, four companies of them, went up that night and waited in ambush approaching Shechem.

Judges 9:34 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 9:34

And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him,
by night
According to the advice of Zebul:

and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies;
he divided his army into four parts, which he placed on the four sides of the city, at some distance from it, to act as they should have opportunity, to find ways and means of getting into it on either quarter.

Judges 9:34 In-Context

32 Here's what you do: Tonight bring your troops and wait in ambush in the field.
33 In the morning, as soon as the sun breaks, get moving and charge the city. Gaal and his troops will come out to you, and you'll know what to do next."
34 Abimelech and his troops, four companies of them, went up that night and waited in ambush approaching Shechem.
35 Gaal son of Ebed had gotten up and was standing in the city gate. Abimelech and his troops left their cover.
36 When Gaal saw them he said to Zebul, "Look at that, people coming down from the tops of the mountains!" Zebul said, "That's nothing but mountain shadows; they just look like men." Gaal kept chattering away.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.