Shofetim 9:52

52 And Avimelech came unto the migdal, and fought against it, and drew near unto the petach of the migdal to burn it with eish.

Shofetim 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.

Shofetim 9:52 In-Context

50 Then went Avimelech to Tevetz, and encamped against Tevetz, and captured it.

51 But there was a migdal oz within the Ir, and there fled all the anashim and nashim, and all ba’alei haIr, and locked it after them, and got them up to the top of the migdal.

52 And Avimelech came unto the migdal, and fought against it, and drew near unto the petach of the migdal to burn it with eish.

53 And a certain woman dropped an upper millstone upon Avimelech’s head, and cracked his gulgolet (skull).

54 Then he called hastily unto the na’ar his armorbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy cherev, and slay me, that men say not of me, An isha slaughtered him. And his na’ar thrust him through, and he died.