⁴² On the next day, the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech. ⁴³ He took the people and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field; and he looked, and behold, the people came out of the city. So, he rose up against them and struck them. ⁴⁴ Abimelech and the companies that were with him rushed forward and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city; and the two companies rushed on all who were in the field and struck them. ⁴⁵ Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city and killed the people in it. He beat down the city and sowed it with salt.

⁴⁶ When all the men of the tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered into the stronghold of the house of Elberith. ⁴⁷ Abimelech was told that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. ⁴⁸ Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took an ax in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it up, and laid it on his shoulder. Then he said to the people who were with him, “What you have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done!” ⁴⁹ All the people likewise each cut down his bough, followed Abimelech, and put them at the base of the stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire over them, so that all the people of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women. ⁵⁰ Then Abimelech went to Thebez and encamped against Thebez, and took it. ⁵¹ But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men and women of the city fled there, and shut themselves in, and went up to the roof of the tower. ⁵² Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it, and came near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire. ⁵³ A certain woman cast an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, and broke his skull.

⁵⁴ Then he called hastily to the young man, his armor bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, that men not say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’ His young man thrust him through, and he died.”

⁵⁵ When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they each departed to his place. ⁵⁶ Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to his father in killing his seventy brothers; ⁵⁷ and God repaid all the wickedness of the men of Shechem on their heads; and the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal came on them.