47. Abimelech heard that they had gathered together there.
48. He and all of his men went up Mount Zalmon. He got an ax and cut off some branches. He carried them on his shoulders. He ordered the men who were with him to do the same thing. "Quick!" he said. "Do what you have seen me do!"
49. So all of the men cut branches and followed Abimelech. They piled them against the place where the people had gone for safety. Then they set the place on fire with the people inside. There were about 1,000 men and women in the tower of Shechem. All of them died.
50. Next, Abimelech went to Thebez. He surrounded it. Then he attacked it and captured it.
51. But inside the city there was a strong tower. All of the people in the city ran to it for safety. All of the men and women went into it. They locked themselves in. They climbed up on the roof of the tower.
52. Abimelech went to the tower and attacked it. He approached the entrance to the tower to set it on fire.
53. But a woman dropped a large millstone on him. It broke his head open.