Judges 9:42-57

American Standard Version

⁴² And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech. ⁴³ And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field; and he looked, and, behold, the people came forth out of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote them. ⁴⁴ And 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 upon all that were in the field, and smote them. ⁴⁵ And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that were therein: and he beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.

⁴⁶ And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard thereof, they entered into the stronghold of the house of Elberith. ⁴⁷ And it was told Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. ⁴⁸ And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took ^[a]an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it up, and laid it on his shoulder: and he said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done. ⁴⁹ And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.

⁵⁰ Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it. ⁵¹ But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut themselves in, and gat them up to the roof of the tower. ⁵² And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and drew near unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire. ⁵³ And a certain woman cast an upper millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and brake his skull. ⁵⁴ Then he called hastily unto the young man his armorbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and kill me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died. ⁵⁵ And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place. ⁵⁶ Thus God requited the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren; ⁵⁷ and all the wickedness of the men of Shechem did God requite upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.