²⁶ And Gaal son of Ebel and his relatives came, and they crossed over into Shechem, and the lords of Shechem gave him confidence.^{[a] 27} They went out into the field and harvested their vineyards and trod them, and they held a festival.^[b] And they went into the temple^[c] of their god, and they ate and drank and cursed Abimelech. ²⁸ Then Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who are we of Shechem that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerub-Baal, and is not Zebul his chief officer?^[d] Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem. Why should we serve him?^{[e] 29} If only this people were in my command!^[f] Then I would remove Abimelech, and I would have said,^[g] ‘Increase your army and come out!’”

³⁰ When Zebul the commander of the city heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed, he became angry,^{[h] 31} and he sent messengers to Abimelech in Tormah, saying, “Look, Gaal son of Ebed and his relatives are coming to Shechem, and they are stirring up the city against you. ³² So then, get up by night, you and the army that is with you, and lie in ambush in the field. ³³ And in the morning at sunrise, get up and rush the city; and look, when he and the troops who are with him come out to you, you must act according to whatever opportunity offers itself.^[i]

³⁴ So Abimelech and all the army that was with him got up by night, and they lay in ambush against Shechem in four divisions.^{[j] 35} Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate, and Abimelech and the army that was with him got up from the ambush. ³⁶ When Gaal saw the army, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the top of the mountains!” And Zebul said to him, “The shadows of the mountains look like people to you.”^{[k] 37} And Gaal spoke again^[l] and said, “Look, people are coming down from Tabbur-erez, and one division^[m] is coming from the direction of Elon-meonenim.”^{[n] 38} And Zebul said to him, “Where then is your boast,^[o] you who said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Is this not the army that you rejected? Please, go out now and fight against them.”^{[p] 39} So Gaal went out before the lords of Shechem and fought against Abimelech. ⁴⁰ And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him; many fell slain up to the entrance of the gate. ⁴¹ So Abimelech resided at Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal and his relatives^[q] from living in Shechem.