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 god, 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 not he the son of Jerubbaal, and Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem. For why should we serve him?
29
And would to God this people were under my hand! Then would I remove Abimelech." And he said to Abimelech, "Increase thine army, and come out!"
30
And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.
31
And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying, "Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren have come to Shechem; and behold, they fortify the city against thee.
32
Now therefore, up by night, thou and the people who are with thee, and lie in wait in the field.
33
And it shall be that 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 who are with him come out against thee, then mayest thou 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 lay in wait against Shechem in four companies.
35
And Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city; and Abimelech rose up, and the people who were with him, from lying in wait.
36
And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, "Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains." And Zebul said unto him, "Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men."
37
And Gaal spoke again and said, "See, there come people down by the middle of the land, and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim."