Study Desk

And it happened on the next day, the people went out in the field and told Abimelech.

And he took the people and divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in a field and watched. And, behold, the people were coming out from the city. And he rose up against them and struck them.

And Abimelech and the companies with him rushed forward and stood in the opening of the gate of the city. And the two companies charged against all who were in the field, and struck them.

And Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and captured the city. And he killed the people in it; and he broke down the city and sowed it with salt.

And all the leaders of the tower of Shechem heard, and went into the high place of the house of the god Berith.

And it was told to Abimelech that all the leaders of the tower of Shechem had gathered.

And Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people with him. And Abimelech took the axes in his hand and cut off a bough of the trees, and lifted it up, and set it on his shoulder. And he said to the people with him, You haveseen what I have done; you hasten and do the same.

And all the people also, each man, cut down his bough, and went after Abimelech, and set them at the stronghold, and kindled the stronghold with fire over them. And all the men of the towerof Shechem also died, about a thousand menand women.

And Abimelech went to Thebez and camped against Thebez, and captured it.

And a strong tower was in the middle of the city. And all the leaders of the city, and all the men and women fled there. And they shut it behind them, and went up on the roof of the tower.

And Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it. And he drew near to the door of the tower in order to burn it with fire.

And a certain woman threw a piece of a riding millstone on Abimelech's head and crushed his skull.

And he quickly called to the young man bearing his weapons, and said to him, Draw your sword and cause me to die, that they not say of me, A woman killed him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, then each one went to his place.

And God returned the evil of Abimelech which he did to his father, to kill his seventy brothers.

And all the evil of the men of Shechem God turned back on their heads. And the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal came on them.