36
And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold people that come down from the tops 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 who descend through the middle of the land, and another company comes along by the plain of Meonenim.
38
Then Zebul said unto him, Where
is now thy mouth, with which thou didst say, Who
is Abimelech that we should serve him?
Is not this the people that thou hast despised? Go out now and fight with them.
39
And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem and fought with Abimelech.
40
And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown
and wounded,
even unto the entering of the gate.
41
And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah; and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren that they should not dwell in Shechem.
42
And it came to pass on the next day that the people went out into the field, and they told Abimelech.
43
And he took the people and divided them into three companies and set ambushes in the field and looked, and, behold, the people
were come forth out of the city; and he rose up against them and smote them.
44
And Abimelech and the company that
was with him rushed forward and stood in the entering of the gate of the city, and the two
other companies ran upon all
the people that
were in the fields and slew them.
45
And Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and he took the city and slew the people that
were therein and beat down the city and sowed it with salt.
46
And when those of the tower of Shechem heard
that, they entered into the stronghold of the temple of the god Berith.