¹⁸ he said, “Roll large rocks up to the mouth of the cave, and post some men there to guard it.

⁶⁶ So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal^(A) on the stone^(B) and posting the guard.^(C)

Israel to Be Destroyed

9 I saw the Lord standing by the altar, and he said:

²² Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me.”

⁴⁶ On hearing this, the citizens in the tower of Shechem went into the stronghold of the temple^(A) of El-Berith. ⁴⁷ When Abimelek heard that they had assembled there, ⁴⁸ he and all his men went up Mount Zalmon.^(B) He took an ax and cut off some branches, which he lifted to his shoulders. He ordered the men with him, “Quick! Do what you have seen me do!” ⁴⁹ So all the men cut branches and followed Abimelek. They piled them against the stronghold and set it on fire with the people still inside. So all the people in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women, also died.