Judges 9:26-41

Modern English Version

²⁶ Gaal, the son of Ebed, and his brothers came to Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem trusted him. ²⁷ They went out to the field, gathered and trod their grapes, and had a celebration. They went to the temple of their god and ate, drank, and cursed Abimelek. ²⁸ Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelek, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerub-Baal, and is not Zebul his officer? Serve the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelek? ²⁹ If only this people were under my command, I would get rid of Abimelek.” So he said to Abimelek, “Muster your army and come out!”

³⁰ Then Zebul the city ruler heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed and he burned with anger. ³¹ He secretly sent messengers to Abimelek, saying, “Gaal, the son of Ebed, and his brothers have come to Shechem and are fortifying the city against you. ³² So now, get up at night, you and the people with you, and lie in wait in the field. ³³ In the morning at sunrise, get up early and attack the city. He and the people with him will come out to you, then you can do to them as you find opportunity.”

³⁴ So Abimelek and all the people who were with him got up at night and lay in wait by Shechem in four companies. ³⁵ When Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate, then Abimelek and the people who were with him got up from their hiding places.

³⁶ Gaal saw these people and said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the hilltops.”

Zebul said to him, “The shadows of the hills look like men to you.”

³⁷ Gaal spoke again and said, “Look, people are coming down the middle of the land, and a company is coming by way of the Diviner’s Oak.”

³⁸ Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your mouth now, which said, ‘Who is Abimelek, that we should serve him?’ Are not these the people you dismissed out of hand? Go now, I pray, and fight against them.”

³⁹ So Gaal went out before the leaders of Shechem and fought Abimelek. ⁴⁰ Abimelek chased him, and Gaal fled from him. Many fell wounded at the entrance of the gate. ⁴¹ Abimelek stayed in Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers from living in Shechem.