38. Then Zebul replied, “What good is all your boasting now? You were the one who said Abimelech shouldn't be the ruler of Shechem. Out there is the army that you made fun of. So go out and fight them!”
39. Gaal and the leaders of Shechem went out and fought Abimelech.
40. Soon the people of Shechem turned and ran back into the town. However, Abimelech and his troops were close behind and killed many of them along the way.
41. Abimelech stayed at Arumah, and Zebul forced Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem.
42. The next morning, the people of Shechem were getting ready to work in their fields as usual, but someone told Abimelech about it.
43. Abimelech divided his army into three groups and set up an ambush in the fields near Shechem. When the people came out of the town, he and his army rushed out from their hiding places and attacked.
44. Abimelech and the troops with him ran to the town gate and took control of it, while two other groups attacked and killed the people who were in the fields.
45. He and his troops fought in Shechem all day, until they had killed everyone in town. Then he and his men tore down the houses and buildings and scattered salt everywhere.
46. Earlier that day, the leaders of the temple of El Berith at Shechem had heard about the attack. So they went into the temple fortress,
47. but Abimelech found out where they were.
48. He led his troops to Mount Zalmon, where he took an axe and chopped off a tree branch. He lifted the branch on to his shoulder and shouted, “Hurry! Cut off a branch just as I did.”
49. When they all had branches, they followed Abimelech back to Shechem. They piled the branches against the fortress and set them on fire, burning down the fortress and killing about one thousand men and women.
50. After destroying Shechem, Abimelech went to Thebez. He surrounded the town and captured it.