29Now would God this people were vnder mine hand: then would I put away Abimelech; he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.
30And when Zebul the ruler of the citie heard the wordes of Gaal the sonne of Ebed, his wrath was kindled.
31Therefore he sent messengers vnto Abimelech priuily, saying, Beholde, Gaal the sonne of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem, and beholde, they fortifie the citie against thee.
32Now therefore arise by night, thou & the people that is with thee, and lye in wayte in the fielde.
33And rise early in the morning as soone as the sunne is vp, and assault the citie: and when he and the people that is with him, shall come out against thee, doe to him what thou canst.
34So Abimelech rose vp, and all the people that were with him by night: and they lay in wayte against Shechem in foure bandes.
35Then Gaal the sonne of Ebed went out & stood in the entring of the gate of the citie: and Abimelech rose vp, and the folke that were with him, from lying in waite.
36And when Gaal sawe the people, he said to Zebul, Beholde, there come people downe from the tops of the mountaines: and Zebul said vnto him, The shadowe of the mountaines seeme men vnto thee.
37And Gaal spake againe, and said, See, there come folke downe by the middle of the land, and another bande commeth by the way of the plaine of Meonenim.
38Then sayd Zebul vnto him, Where is now thy mouth, that said, Who is Abimelech, that we should serue him? Is not this the people that thou hast despised? Go out now, I pray thee, and fight with them.
39And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
40But Abimelech pursued him, and he fledde before him, and many were ouerthrowen and wounded, euen vnto the entring of the gate.
41And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: & Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren that they should not dwell in Shechem.
42And on the morowe, the people went out into the fielde: which was tolde Abimelech.
43And he tooke the people, and deuided them into three bandes, and layde wayte in the fieldes, and looked, and beholde, the people were come out of the citie, & he rose vp against them, and smote them.
44And Abimelech, and the bandes that were with him, russhed forwarde, and stoode in the entring of the gate of the citie: and the two other bandes ran vpon all the people that were in the fielde and slewe them.
45And when Abimelech had fought against the citie all that day, he tooke the citie, and slewe the people that was therein, and destroyed the citie and sowed salt in it.
46And when all the men of the towre of Shechem heard it, they entred into an holde of the house of the god Berith.
47And it was tolde Abimelech, that all the men of the towre of Shechem were gathered together.
48And Abimelech gate him vp to mounte Zalmon, hee and all the people that were with him: and Abimelech tooke axes with him, and cut downe boughes of trees, and tooke them, and bare them on his shoulder, and sayde vnto the folke that were with him, What ye haue seene me doe, make haste, and doe like me.