38. Then said Zebul to him, Where is now thy mouth, with which thou saidst, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? are not these the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them.
39. And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
40. And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded, even to the entrance of the gate.
41. And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
42. And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.
43. And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field, and looked, and behold, the people had come out of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote them.
44. And Abimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city: and the two other companies ran upon all the people that were in the fields, and slew them.
45. And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that were in it, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.
46. And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into a hold of the house of the god Berith.
47. And it was told to Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were assembled.
48. And Abimelech ascended mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an ax in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said to the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.
49. And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them: so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.
50. Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.
51. But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it after them, and ascended to the top of the tower.