24
that the cruelty
done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal and their blood might come to be laid upon Abimelech their brother who slew them and upon the men of Shechem, who aided him in the killing of his brethren.
25
And the men of Shechem set ambushers for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them; and it was told Abimelech.
26
And Gaal, the son of Ebed, came with his brethren and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.
27
And they went out into the fields and gathered their vineyards and trod
the grapes and made merry and went into the house of their gods and ate and drank and cursed Abimelech.
28
And Gaal, the son of Ebed, said, Who
is Abimelech and who
is Shechem that we should serve him? Is
he not the son of Jerubbaal? And is not Zebul his deputy? Serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem. For why should we serve him?
29
If these people were under my hand, then I would remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army and come out.
30
And when Zebul, the prince of the city, heard the words of Gaal, the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.
31
And he sent messengers unto Abimelech astutely, saying, Behold, Gaal, the son of Ebed, and his brethren have come to Shechem; and, behold, they have fortified the city against thee.
32
Now, therefore, rise up by night, thou and the people that
are with thee, and put an ambush in the field.
33
And in the morning as soon as the sun is up, thou shalt rise early and set upon the city; and, behold,
when he and the people that
are with him come out against thee, then thou may do to them as thou shalt find occasion.
34
And Abimelech rose up and all the people that
were with him, by night, and they put an ambush against Shechem in four companies.