Judges 9:43

43 he took his troops and divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the fields. When he looked and saw the people coming out of the city, he rose against them and killed 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 So Abimelech resided at Arumah; and Zebul drove out Gaal and his kinsfolk, so that they could not live on at Shechem.

42 On the following day the people went out into the fields. When Abimelech was told,

43 he took his troops and divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the fields. When he looked and saw the people coming out of the city, he rose against them and killed them.

44 Abimelech and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city, while the two companies rushed on all who were in the fields and killed them.

45 Abimelech fought against the city all that day; he took the city, and killed the people that were in it; and he razed the city and sowed it with salt.