Gaal in the Bible
Meaning: contempt; abomination
Exact Match
Gaal son of Ebed came through Shechem with his brothers. The leaders of Shechem transferred their loyalty to him.
Gaal son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerub-Baal, and is not Zebul the deputy he appointed? Serve the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem! But why should we serve Abimelech?
When Zebul, the city commissioner, heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed, he was furious.
He sent messengers to Abimelech, who was in Arumah, reporting, "Beware! Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers are coming to Shechem and inciting the city to rebel against you.
Then in the morning, at sunrise, you will get up early and rush upon and attack the city; and when Gaal and the people who are with him come out against you, you shall do to them
When Gaal son of Ebed came out and stood at the entrance to the city's gate, Abimelech and his men got up from their hiding places.
Gaal saw the men and said to Zebul, "Look, men are coming down from the tops of the hills." But Zebul said to him, "You are seeing the shadows on the hills -- it just looks like men."
Gaal again said, "Look, men are coming down from the very center of the land. A unit is coming by way of the Oak Tree of the Diviners."
Then Zebul said to Gaal, “Where is your [boasting] mouth now, you who said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Is this not the people whom you despised? Go out now and fight with them!”
So Gaal led the leaders of Shechem out and fought Abimelech.
Abimelech chased him, and Gaal ran from him. Many Shechemites fell wounded at the entrance of the gate.
Thematic Bible
Gaal » Conspires against and is defeated by abimelech
Would God this people were under my hand, then I would take Abimelech out of the way." And one said unto Abimelech, "Make thine host greater and go out." And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Abed, he was wroth, and sent messengers unto Abimelech privily saying, "Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem: and behold they set the city against thee. Now, therefore, up by night, both thou and all the people that is with thee, and lie in wait in the fields. And rise early in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, and come upon the city. And when he and the people that is with him come out against thee, do to him what thine hands shall be able." And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night. And they laid await to the city in four companies. And Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entering of the gate of the city. And Abimelech rose up and the folk that were with him, from lying await. And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, "Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains." And Zebul said unto him, "The shadow of the hills seem men unto thee." And Gaal answered again and said, "See, there come folk down by the middle of the land and another company come along by the charmer's oak." Then said Zebul unto him, "Where is now thy mouth that said, 'What fellow is Abimelech, that we should serve him?' These are the people that thou so despisest. Go out now a fellowship and fight with them." And Gaal went out before the citizens of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. And Abimelech chased him that he fled before him and many were overthrown and slain, even until they came unto the entering of the gate. And then Abimelech went and dwelt at Arumah. And then Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, and would not suffer them to dwell in Shechem.