48. ascended to mount Zalmon, with all his people. And taking an axe, he cut down the branch of a tree. And laying it on his shoulder, and carrying it, he said to his companions, "What you see me do, you must do quickly."
49. And so, eagerly cutting down branches from the trees, they followed their leader. And surrounding the fortified place, they set it on fire. And so it happened that, by smoke and fire, one thousand persons died, men and women together, the occupants of the tower of Shechem.
50. Then Abimelech, setting out from there, arrived at the town of Thebez, which he surrounded and besieged with his army.
51. Now there was, in the midst of the city, a high tower, to which men and women were fleeing together, with all the leaders of the city. And, having very strongly sealed the gate, they were standing on the roof of the tower to defend themselves.
52. And Abimelech, drawing near the tower, fought valiantly. And approaching the gate, he strove to set it on fire.
53. And behold, one woman, throwing a fragment of a millstone from above, struck the head of Abimelech, and broke his skull.
54. And he quickly called to his armor bearer, and said to him, "Draw your sword and strike me, otherwise it may be said that I was slain by a woman." And, doing as he was ordered, he killed him.
55. And when he was dead, all those of Israel who were with him returned to their homes.
56. And so did God repay the evil that Abimelech had done against his father by killing his seventy brothers.
57. The Shechemites also were given retribution for what they had done, and the curse of Jotham, the son of Jerubbaal, fell upon them.