And Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren went and gat them to Shechem. And the men of Shechem put their confidence in him. And they went out into the fields and gathered in their grapes and trod them and made merry: and went into the house of their God, and did eat and drink and cursed Abimelech. read more.
And Gaal the son of Ebed said, "What is Abimelech, and what is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and Zebul is his officer? Serve such as come of Hamor the father of Shechem. For what reason is it that we should serve him? 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.
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