44. And Abimelech and the company with him rushed forward and stood in the entrance of the city's gate, while the two other companies rushed upon all who were in the field and slew them.
45. And Abimelech fought against the city all that day. He took the city and slew the people who were in it. He demolished the city and sowed it with salt.
46. And when all the men of the Tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered the stronghold of the house of El-berith [the god of Berith].
47. Abimelech was told that all the people of the Tower of Shechem were gathered together.
48. And Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the men with him; and Abimelech took an ax in his hand and cut down a bundle of brush, picked it up, and laid it on his shoulder. And he said to the men with him, What you have seen me do, make haste to do also.
49. So each of the men cut down his bundle and following Abimelech put it against the stronghold and set [the stronghold] on fire over the people in it, so that all the people of the Tower of Shechem also died, about 1,000 men and women.
50. Then Abimelech went to Thebez and encamped against Thebez and took it.
51. But there was a strong tower in the city, and all the people of the city–men and women–fled to it, shut themselves in, and went to the roof of the tower.
52. And Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it and drew near the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
53. But a certain woman cast an upper millstone [down] upon 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 slay me, so that men may not say 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 each man to his home.
56. Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech which he had done to his father [Gideon] by slaying his seventy brothers;