30. Zebul, the ruler of the city, became angry when he heard what Gaal had said.
31. He sent messengers to Abimelech at Arumah to say, “Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem, and they are not going to let you into the city.
32. Now then, you and your men should move by night and hide in the fields.
33. Get up tomorrow morning at sunrise and make a sudden attack on the city. Then when Gaal and his men come out against you, hit them as hard as you can!”
34. So Abimelech and all his men made their move at night and hid outside Shechem in four groups.
35. When Abimelech and his men saw Gaal come out and stand at the city gate, they got up from their hiding places.
36. Gaal saw them and said to Zebul, “Look! There are men coming down from the mountain tops!”“Those are not men,” Zebul answered. “They are just shadows on the mountains.”